Last Updated: May 2026
The River Duchess docked at Giurgiu, a port town on the Romanian bank of the Danube, and we boarded motorcoaches for the 65-kilometer drive north into Bucharest. The approach to the city is unremarkable until suddenly it isn’t — the Boulevard Unirii opens up wide and at its far end, filling the entire horizon, sits the Palace of the Parliament. Sandy said nothing for a moment. Then: “That’s one building?” One building. The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania is one of the world’s most awe-inspiring and controversial architectural achievements, a colossal structure that dominates the cityscape and serves as a dramatic symbol of the country’s complex modern history.
