Month guide · Bucharest · Romania
Bucharest in December
What December is really like in Bucharest: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
December is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 4°C (39°F), lows of -3°C (27°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 8.9 hours of daylight. Cold, with Christmas lights and a large Christmas market in the centre.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 4°C (39°F) / -3°C (27°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 8.9 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the 11th-warmest month in Bucharest: days average 4°C (39°F) against a yearly average high of 17°C (63°F), and nights fall to about -3°C (27°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with November (10°C (50°F)), December is cooler; by January highs stay near 3°C (37°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 07:45
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 16:37
- Daylight
- About 8.9 hours
Winter (December–February). Cold with snow and icy winds, festive December markets and the lowest prices of the year.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 3 for crowds (the peak is April at 3) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in April). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- National Day parade at Arcul de Triumf (1 December)
- Bucharest Christmas Market (usually late November to December)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Architecture · Old Town
Cărturești Carusel
A restored 19th-century building on Lipscani street converted into a bookshop with white spiralling balconies under a glass roof.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Museum · Calea Victoriei and Revolution Square
National Museum of Art of Romania
Start with the medieval art galleries, which are the collection's strongest and least known.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
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Museum · Piața Romană and Amzei
National Museum of the Romanian Peasant
A thoughtful, artfully arranged museum of Romanian rural life, with icons, embroidered costumes, ceramics, carved crosses and a whole wooden church in the garden.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Piața Romană and Amzei
Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum
Pair it with the Peasant Museum and the Arcul de Triumf on the same walk along Kiseleff Road.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
What to pack
For highs near 4°C, lows near -3°C and 7 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit Bucharest?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Bucharest in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Bucharest?
It is a shoulder-season month. Cold, with Christmas lights and a large Christmas market in the centre.
+How warm is Bucharest in December?
Average highs are around 4°C (39°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Bucharest in December?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.