When is the best time to go to Romania according to weather and tourism traffic?

The key to organizing a successful holiday in our country is most of the times by studying which is the best time to visit Romania.

Whether you want to avoid the rainy days, the high temperatures or the long queues at the museums, it is important to know when is the best time to visit Romania.

From this point of view, it is important to take into consideration 3 main aspects: weather, high/low tourism traffic and travel costs, plus the regional characteristics of the country.

Geographic position of Romania

Romania is located in a Central-Eastern part of Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula. The country lies between 43°37’07” and 48°15’06” Latitude North and 20°15’44” and 29°41’24” Longitude East.  

So, we can easily say that Romania is situated midway between the Equator and the North Pole and also midway between the Atlantic coast and the Ural Mountains. The climate is temperate-continental with cold winters and torrid summers.

The Carpathian Mountains and the Black Sea are two important landmarks of our country that are having an important local influence for the Romanian regions in terms of weather.

1.Weather

Thus, our country has 4 seasons, 3 months for each one:

• Spring which starts in March and lasts until May
• Summer which starts in June and lasts until August
• Autumn which starts in September and lasts until November
• Winter which starts in December and lasts until February

The average annual temperature is 11°C (51.8 °F) in the South and middle-south and 8°C (46.4 °F) in Northeast. In Bucharest, the temperature ranges from average low −5 °C (23 °F) in January to average high 29°C (84.2 °F) in July and August, with average temperatures of −3 °C (26.6 °F) in January and 23 °C (73.4 °F) in July and August.

Each season has its special charm in our country, depending on the visited region, making tourism possible throughout the whole year.

Considering the weather, probably the best time to visit Romania is starting with March until October or even November. The weather is pleasant but with some specific aspects depending on the season.

Summertime in Maramures rural area

March and April are little unpredictable months with sunny days alternating with rainy or sometimes even snowy days in the mountain areas. In this period, usually, the Romanians are celebrating the Orthodox Easter which differs each year. During this time, the prices are a little bit higher at the accommodations and in some places, there are accepted only 3 or 4-night stays. Also, most of the museums are closed during the holiday.

July and August are usually very warm months and if you are a person whose best friend is the sun, then you should not have any problems in enjoying your trip to Romania.

September and October are quite popular as the weather is milder and nature is changing its “clothes” offering a fascinating and colourful spectacle to all travellers. Most of all, in the countryside and the mountains, the forest represents a highlight itself.

Of course, you should consider the rain, which in the torrid months of July and August you can experience storms and short showers. Spring is known to have many rainy days but they are short and will not be an obstacle to enjoying your trip.

The warm season will guarantee you not only a pleasant weather but also long hours of light during the days. This way, you have more time to enjoy your visit and see more places.

You can also think that during these warm months you have higher chances to meet the locals in the villages and interact with them. You can see the peasants working in the meadows, in the vineyards, visit them in their workshops, take photos with them and spend together a nice time.

Typical rural sight in the Romanian villages

For cultural tours, the cold time can make not such a big difference. Most of the museums are open during the whole year but with a shorter visiting program but some others are even closed for the whole time. For instance, the fortified churches of Transylvania are closed or they get open only for large groups with an appointment made before the visit. Peles castle is closed during the warm season only on Mondays and during the cold season both on Mondays and Tuesdays. Also, the day’s length is shorter as it gets darker at around 5 pm. The temperatures are lower.

But winter does have some advantages. This is the time when you can admire and discover the Romanian Christmas traditions, taste the traditional food, ski in the mountain resorts and visit the Christmas Markets organized in the large cities like Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj Napoca, Timisoara and others.

Sibiu Christmas Market

Also, the landscape is totally different and it has a special charm despite the “frozen” feature.

Travel tips:

• The best time to visit Danube Delta is at the end of springtime (May/June) beginning of autumn (September / October). Summers (July / August) are too hot and you will not be able to see all the time the numerous and typical birds during your trips along the canals of Danube river
• The best time to have a tour at the seaside in terms of weather is quite limited to 2 months (July and August). The temperature of the sea water is very good and the breeze mild. Of course, you can also see the Black Sea in the rest of the year, but the water will be too cold for a bath.
• The torrid months of summer can be very pleasant at the Carpathian mountains if you are enjoying an active holiday (hiking, biking)

By region, the same season can be different. For example, in North of Romania (Maramures, Bucovina, Moldova) is usually colder meanwhile in South of Romania (Wallachia and Dobrogea) is warmer. Also, if you are travelling to the mountains, you should consider taking some warm clothes with you as nights are quite chilly.

Winter in Transylvania

But, you know that when it comes to weather, you also need a little luck no matter how precise the weather forecast is. 

2. High/Low Tourism traffic and travel costs

The travel costs can be a very important aspect when deciding to visit Romania. May, September and October are by far the busiest months of the year. You should avoid spending the weekends at certain places like Peles castle, Bran castle (because of the crowd), the road along Prahova Valley or to the seaside (because of the bad traffic).

However, the local tour operators know about all these aspects and they are creating your itinerary in order to minimize as much as possible the waiting in traffic or at the queues from the museums. You can check out our members and contact them. For sure they will know what to recommend and how to advise you better.

In terms of accommodation, also the prices are significantly higher at the hotels compared with November, early December, January and February.

For the high season is preferable to book your trips in advance as much as possible to be sure that you will still find availability at the good hotels or guesthouses.

Change of the guard at Alba Iulia Carolina medieval citadel

Also, Romania’s National holidays can influence your trip (The Orthodox Easter, Christmas Holidays, Labor Day, Saint Andrew, Romania’s National Day and many others). During these days some museums are closed, the accommodation is more expensive and also the traffic is quite bad.

Indeed, there is a lot to take into consideration when travelling to our country, but, in the end, the best time to visit Romania is different for each traveller.