When I was young (that’s like a gazillion years ago), winter in Romania came with fairy tale-like snow and cold weather, with cloudy skies and clean, fresh air. But things changed a lot in the past several years, with the “traditional” Romanian winter only present in the higher-altitude regions.
I will never forget the 1st of January 2024. We were living in Constanta at that time and went out for a walk. The temperature? 21 degrees Celsius (around 70° F). That’s 21 degrees more than the normal temperature for that time!
So, based on the experience we had in the past years, I can say that winters start later, snow might never come, and warmer weather is also present for longer amounts of time.
“Real” winter seems to begin sometime in January (unless you’re in the mountains), and last until March-April (the traditional spring season). In 2022 and 2023, for example, we saw snow in our area (in Drobeta Turnu Severin and Constanta, respectively) for the first time in March.
Weather patterns are changing. Not only are winters no longer as they used to be, but we also get all sorts of extreme weather, like the crazy storm that rampaged our village house here in Romania…
What is winter like in Romania?
These days, Romania’s winters are less predictable. In most cities, you’ll face mild cold, cloudy skies, and the occasional freak warm days in December or January.
The exceptions are the mountain regions and northern areas, where traditional winters still exist. There, temperatures dip well below freezing, and snow piles up for months. Ski resorts and high-altitude towns look more like the classic Romania you might expect from postcards.
So if you’re looking to experience those, check out the best ski resorts in Romania, the best winter destinations here, but also plan a visit to Sinaia or Brasov…
How Cold Does it Get in Romania During the Winter?
Traditionally, winter in Romania lasts from December to February, with February being usually the coldest month of them all.
As mentioned before, things are changing now, and you can still get very cold weather up to mid-March, but higher temperatures until late December.
The average temperatures during the winter vary greatly based on elevation and the location of the city in Romania: mountain resorts and the areas caught between the Carpathian mountains, as well as Northern parts of the country are way colder than the bottom area (South-west, South and South-East).
In Bucharest, for example, the average temperature during winter is about 1 degree Celsius (historically, as in recent years it’s been warmer), while in Brasov, the average is under 0 degrees Celsius, while Timisoara is warmer at around 3 degrees Celsius.
Still, despite the changes, don’t expect the weather to be warm enough to wear just a t-shirt or go sunbathing. Not yet, at least…
In conclusion, choose the mountains and the Transylvania region if you want colder weather and more chances for snow, or go to the cities to the South if you want higher chances of warmer days, more sunshine, and less snow (but you might get rain instead)
There’s no guarantee anywhere, though: I still remember a horrible winter some 10 years ago when in my city, there was an extreme cold wave that saw the temperatures drop to some -23 to -26 degrees Celsius, the coldest I have ever seen.
Our water pipes froze and it was miserable overall… so you can never really know!
Does Romania Get Snow in the Winter?
Generally, yes, Romania has plenty of snow during the winter (December to February), in the mountain resorts and cities. The higher the altitude, the more and longer-lasting the snow we get. Resorts usually have snow until the end of March, sometimes mid-April too.
When I was a kid – many years ago – there was always heavy snow during the winter and we built huge snow forts and had a lot of fun with it as it lasted the entire winter.
As years passed, the quantity of snow in my area decreased a lot and probably that’s the same for most non mountany places in the country.
How Cold Is Romania in December?
Since this is the month when the best Christmas markets are organized – followed by the New Year’s celebrations, many choose it as the winter month to visit Romania.
Generally, December is a cold month, although lately it’s been warmer than usual, with temperatures over 15° Celsius (60°F) over multiple days, and with no snow. However, the closer we get to Christmas, the higher the chances for snow, as well as for colder weather.
The mountain resorts will have snow at the beginning of the month, so if you’re up for winter sports and the like, you won’t be disappointed.
Also, most of the cities that make it on the “Best list” (like Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj Napoca) will have plenty of snow, as well as winter-themed attractions and things to do.
Back to how cold is Romania in December, you can expect lows of up to -10 degrees Celsius (during the night and mostly up in the mountains) and highs up to 5-6 degrees (although as I said, these past few years came with higher than usual temperatures).
Note: If you’re visiting for Christmas and the New Year’s celebrations, read my article teaching you how to say Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year in Romanian.
Except for the classic attractions that you can visit year-long in all cities, there are specific winter-themed activities you can enjoy here.
The most obvious one is skiing and snowboarding. While skip pass prices have increased a lot in the past few years, if you’re into winter sports, it’s all worth it. Resorts are open unusually from late November to the end of March.
Thermal bath resorts are also good candidates for your winter trips: places like Baile Felix, Baile Herculane, or Sovata.
Wrapping up
All in all, winter in Romania is just as you would expect it to be in most parts in Europe: generally cold and gloomy, with plenty of snow, but also with tons of winter-related activities and attractions.
For the past few years, mayors of the larger cities seem to compete for decorating their cities for Christmas, so expect a lot of lights and decorations that make everything look even better.
There are also dedicated Winter or Christmas markets in all major cities (and even smaller ones), and those are great opportunities for you to test out some traditional Romanian foods and drink mulled wine, boiled Tuica, and much more.
So, even though winters have become less predictable, they’re still magical in my opinion. If you have additional questions or winter stories to tell, let me know in the comments down below!
I am a journalist and local expert who has been documenting life in Romania since 2013. Based in Constanta (after living in Bucharest and Drobeta Turnu Severin), I provide up-to-date, on-the-ground advice for expats and travelers. My articles are based on real life experiences and plenty of research – from paying Romanian bills to exploring the wild “Rawmania” countryside.
There is something special about snow in the winter time. I miss seeing it and l have great memories of growing up in Boston with snow. I however do not miss experiencing all that it comes with..haha..the cold, sludge, ear numbing pain etc. Romania looks pretty at winter time, and especially with the lights. I think as l age, I tend to like a bit warmer climate as my bones really ache with the severe cold :-). Oh joy! I think a few days of it, then back to warmer places would be just fine with me.
Indeed, I would be perfectly happy if the cold weather and the snow would last a week and then it’s summer again :)) And since yesterday, when I wrote the article, the temperature here dropped to -4, so you never can tell these days haha
Ah. The sun this morning in Brasov is radiating brilliantly off the snow-covered field next to our apartment. The field that is rumored to shortly become a Lidl. Yesterday I watched children playing there, having snowball fights and romping with their dogs, all bundled in their winter gear (dogs, too). I was reminded of the movie A Christmas Story. I fantasized about convincing a kid to stick their tongue onto one of the metal light poles, but my wife persuaded me that this wouldn’t be wise. This morning she showed me a photo of her that popped up on Facebook. It was from four years ago when we lived in the mountains of Southern California. She was, like the kids in the field, dressed head-to-toe in her warmest winter outfit, however, with a plastic shovel in hand. We had three feet (a meter) of snow and she was attempting to free our Jeep from the driveway. Possibly at that moment, we may not have had electricity. The San Bernardinos were prone to losing power during such storms. It could be a less than idyllic winter wonderland. However, those hard winters were not the norm, although they still could be expected. Now, well into our third winter in Romania, we’ve found the season to be quite enjoyable. Prior to moving, I was concerned that winters here would be miserably cold and gray. Well, yes, there is a certain amount of this, but generally it’s a nice season to relax and take in the beauty, the holidays, the food, the drink and the wardrobe. We find we go out much more on a winter’s evening here than we ever did in California. It’s amazingly… pleasant. So, I find that in this climate changed world, perhaps there really is no typical winter experience, no matter where you are. Certain years – even certain days, can be better or worse than those remembered. I’ll just sit back, have vin fiert and cozonac while embracing the experiences of the moment in my new home. Can you tell I like it here?
Great story, Jim! And I think you are 100% correct: even though it’s difficult now to anticipate how things will be, our best bet is to take in what we get and enjoy the moment. Happy to hear that all is well in Brasov!