Month guide · Bucharest · Romania
Bucharest in January
What January is really like in Bucharest: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 3°C (37°F), lows of -5°C (23°F), about 6 rainy days and roughly 9.2 hours of daylight. Cold, with snow and freezing winds some years; museums and restaurants are quiet.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 3°C (37°F) / -5°C (23°F)
- Rainy days
- About 6
- Daylight
- About 9.2 hours
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in Bucharest: days average 3°C (37°F) against a yearly average high of 17°C (63°F), and nights fall to about -5°C (23°F). Rain falls on roughly 6 of its 31 days. Compared with December (4°C (39°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs climb to around 6°C (43°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:48
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 17:01
- Daylight
- About 9.2 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, January rates 1 for crowds (the peak is April at 3) and 1 for hotel prices (highest in April). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Union Day commemorating the 1859 union of the principalities (24 January)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Architecture · Unirii and the Parliament
Palace of the Parliament
Bring the passport or ID card you used for booking; it is checked at the security entrance.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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
What to pack
For highs near 3°C, lows near -5°C and 6 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Bucharest?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event 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 January a good time to visit Bucharest?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold, with snow and freezing winds some years; museums and restaurants are quiet.
+How warm is Bucharest in January?
Average highs are around 3°C (37°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Bucharest in January?
Expect rain on about 6 days of the month.