Dark Bucharest & Gypsy Life: Private Tour of Notorious Neighborhoods

Discover the dark side of Bucharest on a private tour of notorious neighborhoods. Explore Ferentari and Rahova, learn about the challenges faced by these communities, and interact with locals. End the tour with a visit to a unique village with gypsy palaces.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Ferentari - The worst famous neighborhood in Bucharest, the place with the lowest standard of living in the Romanian capital.
  • Rahova - The neighborhood where most gypsies live, there was also a feared penitentiary.
  • Sinești - Village with gypsy palaces
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Bucharest area
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
Additional Information

This exclusive tour will take you to the lesser-visited destinations in Bucharest, taking you beyond the aesthetic appeal and into the stark reality hidden behind the city’s grey blocks. Sadly, you’ll witness firsthand the fringes of existence some individuals endure down the less gleaming avenues of Bucharest, a European capital in the 21st Century….

Location
Ferentari
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(12 Ratings)
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Melvin_n
Oct 30, 2024
Great and educational! - A very interesting tour for those who want to see more of Bucharest, outside the tourist area. Bucharest is more than just the center and this way you can get to know the life of the locals. Please note that you should always respect the situation and not just take pictures and videos whenever you want. Catalin was a fantastic and very nice guide who could clearly explain everything and tell you about the history of the gypsies and he takes you through the neighborhoods of Rahova and Ferentari and the village of Sintesti. He is always up for a joke, can talk nicely and is a nice person. He also clearly indicates what is and is not possible during the tour. A large part of the tour is done by vehicle, but there are also parts that are done on foot such as the flower market, the local market and some places where the locals live in Rahova. In short, a must and also very educational! I was very impressed!
Review provided by Viator
Derek
Aug 19, 2024
Not your average tour 🏚️🏘️ - You won’t see many pictures on the reviews because you do not want these people to see you recording them. You will manage to snag one here & there. Get hidden video glasses ahead of time if you can. The tour was as historic as it was thrilling. My tour guide Nico was friendly and knowledgeable. The underworld has an exotic intrigue that you won’t find at Disneyland. You will be privileged to see the lifestyle of old Eastern Europe and it will be an experience few have ever witnessed. Nico grew up in these areas so he knows how to keep everyone safe.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Malika_p
Jul 17, 2024
Eye-Opening and Informative Tour with Valerica: A Glimpse into Roma Life - Valerica was my guide and an exceptionally disciplined and knowledgeable one. I was interested in seeing how the Roma people (Gypsies) really live and what their day-to-day life is like. Valerica took his time, going above and beyond to explain many interesting details about their life, code of conduct, and struggles. He was very respectful and asked me to respect our surroundings and be alert and sensitive. The tour opened my eyes, and we even managed to speak with them for a little bit. It was raw, eye-opening, surreal, and very informative. I hope to come back again and spend more time learning about the Roma community.
Review provided by Viator
Barry_s
May 14, 2024
Back to Reality - The trip shows various levels of gypsy existence in Bucharest. Guides Sebastian and Matthew were knowledgeable about gypsy life and led us into areas where we would definitely not be welcome otherwise. If you would like a taste of reality in Bucharest that you would not get on a normal tour, you should consider this one.
Review provided by Viator
W2422ticolleenh
Apr 8, 2024
The Highlight of my Trip to Romania! - Sebastian was incredibly accommodating when it came to getting this tour scheduled for my friend and myself. We were picked up from our chosen location and Sebastian dove right in to educating us about the Roma/Gypsy community. We were able to walk around three different neighborhoods and gain an understanding of this interesting group of people. Just like any population, there are those living in poor conditions and those living in conditions with more privilege. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone interested in learning about the Roma/Gypsy people. Having a local take us to three different neighborhoods, walk with us, and answer all our questions was invaluable. For the amount of time we got to spend learning about this community, we feel like we received great value for our money. Sebastian was even gracious enough to provide us with a restaurant recommendation and drop us off there after the tour. Seriously — this was a 10/10 experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kontaktu
Mar 17, 2024
Approx - The trip was amazing and very safe. Guide Alex very professional. We saw what we wanted.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maungsoenyunt_z
Oct 18, 2023
Rich Experience - Very fun-filled tour rich in backstories of the gypsies. Tour guide value-added to the experience by adding in some elements of the city tour inside. One of the very few rare tours that dare to show tourists beyond the 'cookie cutter' touristy locations.
Review provided by Viator
Dallaslee_w
Apr 7, 2023
Gypsy tour! - Sebastian was excellent. Very safe and interesting with him! Saw how the gypsies live! Saw where they bought groceries. Bought some ourselves at their large market.
Review provided by Viator
Annitta1821
Sep 11, 2023
Highly recommended if you are interested in all parts of Bucharest - We travelled to Bucharest as we are very interested in Eastern Europe. On the first day, we did a walking tour in the old town which was very nice. Seeing also the dark side was even more interesting. Nick (Nicolae Cristian) is an experienced guide who knows so much about his country, the good and bad parts and also about history. The 3,5h went by very fast and we had an excellent time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Asociatiae837
Dec 2, 2023
what in the racist hell...??? - So you make a profit by asking strangers for money to take them and show them people who are extremely vulnerable anyway??the lack of empathy and the fact that you allow yourself to do such a thing is shocking and heart breaking And the people who pay to go to this zoo of people... where is your humanity?
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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December 2024
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