About “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest
At a glance: Parks and gardens in București. Opening hours: daily 08:00 – 20:00. Ticket: 15 lei. The visit takes 1½ – 2 hours. Information verified on 11 October 2026.
The “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden of the University of Bucharest is in the Cotroceni district, next to Cotroceni Palace, and covers about 18 hectares, of which roughly 17.5 are outdoors. It was founded in 1860 by Dr Carol Davila, attached to the school of medicine and pharmacy, and was moved several times before reaching its present site in 1884, where the old greenhouses were built on the model of those in Liège. It has borne its current name since 1994, after the botanist Dimitrie Brândză, who obtained the land. The present layout of the park dates largely from 1935, to plans by the architect Octav Doicescu, and the bombing of April 1944 destroyed a good part of the buildings and collections.
On its paths you will find, according to Wikipedia, 12 themed sectors: from the ornamental sector at the entrance and the rose garden, to the Italian garden, the grandmother's garden, the remedies garden, the conifer hill or the flora of Dobruja. The number of species differs widely from one source to another: Wikipedia gives more than 10,000 species in total, while the garden's website gives smaller figures for each collection.
What you can see
In the middle of the garden is a lake of almost a hectare, with an island reached by a metal bridge. The rose garden has around 4,000 bushes of 200 varieties, and the iris garden has about 80 varieties of irises, which bloom in April and May. The Italian garden, with stone paths and a pool with a fountain, is where the 1935 layout is felt most. The exhibition greenhouses, built between 1973 and 1976 on 2,500 m², have eight compartments with palms, bromeliads, orchids, citrus trees, cacti and carnivorous plants, and of the Old Greenhouse (1889–1891) only one pavilion with rainforest plants can be visited. The Botanical Museum, opened in 1978, has more than 4,000 exhibits, including hundreds of botanical watercolour plates.
Good to know
The garden (the outdoor areas), the greenhouses and the museum have separate hours and tickets, and the greenhouses are not open every day. The garden ticket does not include the greenhouses and the museum, which are bought at the ticket office at the entrance. The Old Greenhouse needs major restoration, for which the management has spoken of more than 2 million euros; no closures or works have been announced for 2025–2026.
- The rose garden, with around 4,000 rose bushes of 200 varieties.
- The lake in the centre, with the island reached by a metal bridge.
- The Italian garden, with stone paths and a pool with a fountain.
- The exhibition greenhouses, with palms, orchids, citrus trees and cacti.
- The Botanical Museum, with botanical watercolour plates and dioramas of the country's landforms.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the main entrance is at Cotroceni Road no. 32 (Șoseaua Cotroceni), in Sector 6, next to Cotroceni Palace and Cotroceni Bridge; in your GPS search for “Grădina Botanică Dimitrie Brândză”. The area is busy at peak hours.
Public transport: the garden's website lists buses 123, 236, 336 and 601, trolleybuses 61, 62, 69, 90, 91, 93 and 96, trams 1, 10, 11 and 35, and the metro on lines M1 (Eroilor and Grozăvești stations), M3 (Politehnică) and M5 (Eroilor). The “Grădina Botanică” stop is served, among others, by trolleybuses 61, 62, 69, 90, 91, 93 and 96 and by bus 336.
- Where to park
The official website mentions no car park belonging to the garden, and the rules forbid entering the grounds with vehicles. Park on the surrounding streets, bearing in mind that the Cotroceni area is busy; the current paid-parking zones and rates are not confirmed, so check the signs on the street.
- Fees & discounts
Outdoor areas, 16 March–15 October: 15 lei full ticket, 10 lei reduced. 16 October–15 March: 8 lei full, 5 lei reduced. Botanical Museum: 15 lei full, 8 lei reduced. Exhibition greenhouses and the Tropical Forest Pavilion: 15 lei full, 8 lei reduced. Pensioners, pupils, students and people with disabilities get the reduced ticket; students and staff of the University of Bucharest enter free. The rates are valid from 1 August 2025. Tickets for the greenhouses and the museum are bought at the ticket office at the entrance, while garden tickets can also be bought online up to about four weeks ahead (non-refundable). The last ticket is sold 30 minutes before closing. There are monthly passes for the outdoor areas: 150 lei for one adult or one adult with children under 7, 200 lei for one adult with a child over 7. Guiding for groups (maximum 30 people, a tour of up to 2 hours) costs 75 lei per group. Professional photography costs 150 lei an hour in the park and 550 lei an hour in the greenhouses.
- Rules
Children under 14 enter only accompanied by an adult. Pets, cars, bicycles, scooters, roller skates and skateboards are forbidden (children under 10 may use roller skates, tricycles and scooters if they do not disturb others), as are ball sports, smoking, alcohol and picnics outside the areas set up and marked at the entrance. Do not climb trees or lianas, do not bathe in the pools and do not pick plants or take other material from the sectors. The garden closes in bad weather (strong wind, storm, heatwave).
- Facilities
Grafit Café, a café in the garden, open from 9:00 until the garden closes · laid-out paths · botanical museum and exhibition greenhouses (separate ticket) · ecological education centre · no information on access for people with disabilities
Frequently asked questions about “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest
- How much is a ticket to “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest?
- A ticket to “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest costs 15 lei (reduced 10 lei; greenhouses extra). Outdoor areas, 16 March–15 October: 15 lei full ticket, 10 lei reduced. 16 October–15 March: 8 lei full, 5 lei reduced. Botanical Museum: 15 lei full, 8 lei reduced. Exhibition greenhouses and the Tropical Forest Pavilion: 15 lei full, 8 lei reduced. Pensioners, pupils, students and people with disabilities get the reduced ticket; students and staff of the University of Bucharest enter free. The rates are valid from 1 August 2025. Tickets for the greenhouses and the museum are bought at the ticket office at the entrance, while garden tickets can also be bought online up to about four weeks ahead (non-refundable). The last ticket is sold 30 minutes before closing. There are monthly passes for the outdoor areas: 150 lei for one adult or one adult with children under 7, 200 lei for one adult with a child over 7. Guiding for groups (maximum 30 people, a tour of up to 2 hours) costs 75 lei per group. Professional photography costs 150 lei an hour in the park and 550 lei an hour in the greenhouses.
- What are the opening hours of “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest?
- Opening hours at “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest: daily 08:00 – 20:00. Outdoor areas: daily 8:00–20:00 from 16 March to 15 October (last ticket at 19:30) and 9:00–16:00 from 16 October to 15 March (last ticket at 15:30). Botanical Museum: Tuesday to Friday 10:00–15:00, Saturday and Sunday 9:00–13:00. Exhibition greenhouses and the Tropical Forest Pavilion: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10:00–15:00, Saturday and Sunday 9:00–13:00. The garden's rules provide that hours may change depending on weather, crowds or events, and in bad weather (storm, heatwave) the garden closes. Winter hours are not the same across sources, and they change in mid-October: check the official website before you go.
- How long does a visit to “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest take?
- A visit to “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest takes about 1½ – 2 hours (an estimate, park and greenhouses only).
- Can you visit “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest with kids?
- Yes, “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest is suitable for children (“Micul Botanist” programme).
- Where can I park at “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest?
- There is paid parking at “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest (on the surrounding streets). The official website mentions no car park belonging to the garden, and the rules forbid entering the grounds with vehicles. Park on the surrounding streets, bearing in mind that the Cotroceni area is busy; the current paid-parking zones and rates are not confirmed, so check the signs on the street.
- How do I get to “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest?
- “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest is located at Șoseaua Cotroceni nr. 32, sector 6, București. By car: the main entrance is at Cotroceni Road no. 32 (Șoseaua Cotroceni), in Sector 6, next to Cotroceni Palace and Cotroceni Bridge; in your GPS search for “Grădina Botanică Dimitrie Brândză”. The area is busy at peak hours. Public transport: the garden's website lists buses 123, 236, 336 and 601, trolleybuses 61, 62, 69, 90, 91, 93 and 96, trams 1, 10, 11 and 35, and the metro on lines M1 (Eroilor and Grozăvești stations), M3 (Politehnică) and M5 (Eroilor). The “Grădina Botanică” stop is served, among others, by trolleybuses 61, 62, 69, 90, 91, 93 and 96 and by bus 336.
- When is the best time to visit “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest?
- The best season for “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest: April – October (irises April, roses June).
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