Lake Herăstrău, Bucharest, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Lake Herăstrău is the large lake at the heart of Herăstrău Park, in the north of Bucharest, Romania. The park around it was laid out in the 1930s and is now one of the city's main green spaces, used for strolling, cycling, rowing and long lakeside lunches. It is officially named King Michael I Park, though most people still say Herăstrău.

The story behind it

The lake belongs to the chain of lakes along the Colentina river, which runs through the northern side of Bucharest. In the early twentieth century this area was low, marshy ground on the edge of the city. In the interwar years the land was drained and shaped into a lake with a park around it, giving the capital a large public space for fresh air and leisure.

The park also became a place for showing Romania to itself. The Village Museum, an open-air collection of traditional houses and farm buildings from different regions of the country, opened on the lakeshore in the 1930s and is still one of the best-known sights here. In recent years the park has been officially renamed after King Michael I.

What to look for

• The long lakeshore promenade is the best place to watch the water, with the city's tree-lined shores and the rowing and pedal boats of the warmer months.
• The mature trees and wide lawns show how the park was planned as a landscape, with the lake as its centre.
• The sculptures and monuments along the paths reward a slow walk, so read the plaques as you pass.
• The Village Museum on the shore holds wooden houses, churches and farm buildings from different Romanian regions, and their varied rooflines and carved details are worth a close look.

Tips for your visit

• Allow at least an hour for a relaxed walk along part of the shore, and half a day if you want to add the Village Museum and a stop at a café.
• Go in the morning or late afternoon for softer light and cooler air, especially in summer, when the paths get busy at weekends.
• The park is a public space and you can walk in freely. For the museum and boat rentals, check current opening hours and conditions before you go.
• The Arch of Triumph is not far to the south, so the two make a natural pair on one outing.

See it on a quest

Muzeul Satului Bucuresti: Tărâmul ascuns takes you through the Village Museum area on the shore of the lake, on foot and at your own pace. The app tells you about each place as you reach it, and you solve a puzzle in front of what you see, so you look closely instead of just walking past. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no fixed departure time.