What should I pack for Bucharest?

Walking shoes with actual grip, not fashion sneakers. Lipscani's cobblestones are uneven limestone, slick after rain, and the guided tour inside the Palace of the Parliament covers roughly 2 km of marble corridors over 90 minutes. Your feet will feel every meter. Herăstrău Park's lakeside paths run about 5 km around the water, and most of it is compacted gravel that kicks dust onto white shoes by the second lap. If you plan to visit Curtea Veche, the old princely court ruins, the ground is exposed stone and packed earth. A pair of broken-in trail shoes with decent tread handles cobblestone, marble, and gravel equally.

Bucharest in summer sits between 18°C at night and 32°C by mid-afternoon, with humidity around 60%. Pack light cotton layers. The catch is afternoon thunderstorms, which roll in fast between June and August, maybe 3 days out of every 7. A packable rain shell weighs nothing and saves you from getting soaked between University Square and the National Museum of Art of Romania, a 10-minute walk with zero cover. For the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral, built in 1658, and the still-under-construction National Cathedral, you need covered shoulders and knees. Women might be asked for a head covering at the Patriarchal Cathedral, though enforcement varies. One long-sleeve linen shirt and one pair of light trousers solve both the over-cooled restaurants on Calea Victoriei and the church dress codes.

Romania runs on 230V with Type C and Type F outlets. If you are coming from the US, your phone charger is fine because it is dual-voltage, but a hair dryer or curling iron rated for 110V will burn out. Bring one small Type C adapter. A portable charger matters more than you might think. Google Maps navigation through Bucharest's grid-defying streets, the STB Info app for bus and tram routes, and a translation app for menus in Dorobanți or Floreasca where English drops off will drain a phone by 3 PM. Pack a 10,000 mAh battery and a short cable.

Skip packing sunscreen, umbrellas, and basic toiletries. The Farmacia Tei chain has locations across the city, and a 50 SPF sunscreen runs about 35-45 RON (roughly $8-10 at the current 4.54 RON per dollar rate). Compact umbrellas at any Mega Image convenience store cost 20-30 RON. Mosquito repellent is worth grabbing at a pharmacy if you plan evening walks along the Dâmbovița River or through Herăstrău Park in July and August, when still water near the lake breeds them. Deodorant and Western-brand toiletries cost about the same as at home, so no savings there. One thing to buy on arrival that you cannot easily pack is a Bucharest STB transit card, 3.70 RON per ride, available at any metro station kiosk.