Treat your taste buds to a journey through time on this tour of Bucharest's landmarks. Scope out must-see sites, discover how Romania's history has shaped its culinary traditions, and share a delicious meal at a lovely local restaurant.

Meet your guide in Revolution Square, the plaza where dictator Ceausescu made an ill-advised rallying speech in 1989 to a crowd that quickly turned against him, launching the Romanian Revolution. Check out the former royal palace, the colonnaded facade of the Athenaeum concert hall, and the luxurious Athénée Palace hotel, a hub of espionage and intrigue during the inter-war period.

Fuel up for the rest of your tour with a covrig, a pretzel-like baked snack that's been a popular Romanian treat since medieval times, and head south along Victory Street, named to commemorate the 1877 War of Independence. Hear about the country's 3 distinct regions, and how Moldova, Transylvania, and Muntenia each retained their own customs, character, and cuisine.

Pass by landmarks like the Telephone Palace skyscraper and the stately Palace of the National Military Circle, admire the 18th-century Kretzulescu Church, and then wind your way through the passageways of the Old Town. Admire centuries-old architecture, and learn about various cultures' influences on locally loved dishes like Ottoman sarmale (cabbage rolls), Russian borscht and ciorba (sour soup), and Austro-Hungarian schnitzel.

Step into a quiet monastery courtyard, see Manuc's Inn—the oldest hotel in Bucharest—and snap photos of the second-largest building in the world at Ceausescu's massive People's House. Wrap up your outing at a traditional haun, or inn, where you indulge in a 3-course meal of delicacies from various regions, all washed down by fine Romanian wines or locally brewed beer.