Cișmigiu is the city’s oldest public garden, and it is the park the centre lives in. Sixteen hectares of shaded alleys, flower beds and old trees lie between Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and the streets around the university, and they are only a short walk from the Old Town and University Square. At its heart is Lake Cișmigiu, where visitors can take a boat in the warmer months, and the garden also has a rose garden, children’s playgrounds, historical monuments and a skating rink for the winter season. Locals use it as an outdoor living room: chess players gather at the tables, parents push prams along the avenues, students read on the benches and couples take the paths round the water. Its character is more intimate and more traditional than that of Herăstrău, with lakeside walks, statues and benches. There is no entry fee, and it is a good place to slow down in the middle of a busy sightseeing day. It is also next to several hotels and good cafés, so it fits easily into a walk from the Old Town to Calea Victoriei.
How to visit
The gardens are in the centre, at Bulevardul Schitu Măgureanu, and are free to enter at any time the gates are open. You can walk there from University Square in a few minutes, or from the Old Town in about fifteen. If you are staying nearby, it makes an easy morning or evening stroll. The nearest metro stations are in the University Square area, and taxis and ride-hailing cars reach the entrances quickly. Check the lake and rink schedules locally, because boat hire and skating depend on the season and the weather.
What to expect
A classic urban park that is lively without being loud. In spring the flower beds and the rose garden are the highlight, in summer the shade is the main attraction, and in autumn the alleys fill with colour. In winter, the skating rink gives the gardens a different life. There are cafés and kiosks in and around the park, and benches everywhere. Weekends are busy, so go on a weekday morning if you want peace. As in any city park, keep an eye on your belongings and avoid isolated corners after dark.
Making the most of it
Use the gardens as the middle of a walking day, between the Old Town in the morning and Calea Victoriei and the Athenaeum in the afternoon. Bring a picnic, or buy a coffee and sit by the water. Families can rent a boat on the lake in season, and couples can combine the park with dinner at one of the restaurants nearby. If you are staying at one of the hotels on the park’s edge, such as Hotel Cișmigiu, you can start and end your day under the trees.
Keep a spare half hour for the lake path in the early evening, when the light is gentle and the city noise fades behind the trees. It is also one of the easiest places in Bucharest to watch ordinary local life, from morning walkers to evening chess games. The gardens are also a good meeting point, with plenty of benches and easy landmarks.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided stroll through a traditional central park with a lake, a rose garden, playgrounds and a winter skating rink.
Best time
A weekday morning in spring or early summer; evenings in summer are pleasant too.
How long
One to two hours.
Tips
Check boat and skating times locally, bring a coffee and use the gardens as a break between the Old Town and Calea Victoriei.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who wants a calm, central green space and a taste of local life.
- Families
- Good: playgrounds, boats in season and plenty of space to wander.
- Couples
- A romantic lakeside walk, especially in spring.
- Pair with
- The Old Town, Calea Victoriei and the Romanian Athenaeum.
- Time needed
- One to two hours.
Good questions
Is Cișmigiu Gardens free?+
Yes, entry is free.
What is there to do?+
Walk the shaded alleys, visit the rose garden, take a boat on the lake in season, skate on the rink in winter and enjoy the playgrounds and monuments.
How big is the park?+
About sixteen hectares, and it is the oldest public garden in Bucharest.
Where is it?+
In the city centre at Bulevardul Schitu Măgureanu, a short walk from University Square and about fifteen minutes from the Old Town.
Is it good for families?+
Yes. It has playgrounds, a lake and plenty of flat paths, and it is close to cafés.
