Soak up the natural minerals at the historic Széchenyi Baths, where you can enjoy an impressive assortment of thermal pools. There are also saunas and steam rooms.

Lined with interesting shops and historic sights, Andrássy út (Andrássy Avenue) connects Heroes' Square with Elizabeth Square. As you stroll along the leafy boulevard, you can stop off at the State Opera, admire 19th-century villas and enjoy a drink at one of the city's famous coffee houses.

Experience one of the city's romkocsma, or 'ruin bars', dilapidated old buildings that have been turned into bars featuring upcycled furniture. Szimpla Kert is the oldest and most famous, with live music a few nights a week, and a flea market during Sunday daytime.

Visit the Black Church (Biserica Neagra), an impressive Gothic church with a rich history that is over 600-years old and is named after it's blackened walls from a 1689 fire. 

Don your walking boots for the steep hike up Muntele Tampa (Mount Tampa), part of the Postavarul Massif that sits 400m above the city that surrounds it. Once you're at the top, there are a variety of walks to embark on. If you'd prefer a more relaxed journey, there's a cable car to take you up the mountain in a matter of minutes. 

Explore Bucharest’s 45-acre Botanical Garden. Highlights include the gently crumbling Old Greenhouse, the rose garden, and the Botanical Museum. The lawns and lakeshore are popular picnic spots on sunny days.

Learn about traditional Romanian rural life at the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, a collection of vernacular buildings by Herăstrău Lake. Wander through the open-air museum to see homes, churches and workshops from the last four centuries.

Visit the world's third-largest administrative building, the Palatul Parlamentului (or Parliament Palace), built at the request of Nicolae Ceausescu and formerly known as the People's Palace. It is built, furnished and decorated exclusively with Romanian materials. Take a guided tour to explore the opulent interiors, grand halls, and learn about the history of this colossal structure.

One of Sofia's most iconic landmarks, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, is also a symbol of Bulgaria itself. With its impressive domes gold-laden domes, this stunning Eastern Orthodox cathedral is one of the largest in the world and was built between 1882 to 1912 to honour Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria's independence from the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish war. 

Relax on the grass with a picnic or rent a bike to explore one of Sofia's many green spaces, such as the vast Borisova Gradina (Borisova Garden) with an astronomy tower and a large lake. The South Park is home to small hills, rivers and great views of the impressive Vitosha Mountain, while the pretty Doctors' Garden has an outdoor lapidarium with Roman artefacts. 

Explore modern Sofia by visiting the National Palace of Culture, a multifunctional congress and exhibition centre, with huge fountains, trees, and a rosarium. It hosts events, concerts, and exhibitions from music to movies and various festivals. It is also home to the National Book Centre, dediccated to promoting Bulgarian literature at home and abroad. 

Visit the Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO-World Heritage Site with huge religious and cultural significance, having served as a cathedral, a mosque and a museum. Marvel at its stunning Byzantine architecture, intricate mosaics, and impressive dome.

Descend into the underground world of the ancient Basilica Cistern, also known as the 'Sunken Palace', a vast subterranean reservoir built during the Byzantine era by Emperor Justinian I. The dimly lit atmosphere, the reflections of the columns in the water and the sight of the Roman Medusa's head columns make it a memorable experience.

Get lost in one of the world's oldest and largest covered markets with around 4000 shops across over 60 alleys, it's almost a city in itself. Wander through the maze of alleys and discover a vast array of shops selling everything from traditional Turkish carpets and spices to jewelry and souvenirs.