Season guide · Bucharest · Romania
Bucharest in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cold with snow and icy winds, festive December markets and the lowest prices of the year. Expect highs up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 19 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -5°C (23°F) to 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 19
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3°C (37°F) | -5°C (23°F) | 6 | 9.2 h | 1/5 |
| February | 6°C (43°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 6 | 10.4 h | 1/5 |
| December | 4°C (39°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 7 | 8.9 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 4°C (39°F) against a yearly 17°C (63°F), and 19 of the year's roughly 77 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Union Day commemorating the 1859 union of the principalities (24 January)
- December: National Day parade at Arcul de Triumf (1 December)
- December: Bucharest Christmas Market (usually late November to December)
Good choices for winter
Palace · Dorobanți and Floreasca
Primăverii Palace
Combine it with the Palace of the Parliament on the same day for a full picture of the era.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Experience · Balotești
Therme București
A huge indoor thermal-water complex just north of the city, near the airport, with warm pools under a glass dome filled with palm trees, waterslides, saunas and a separate quiet adult zone.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Couples
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
Day trips in winter
- Snagov Monastery (About 45 minutes by car) — A small medieval monastery on an island in Lake Snagov, reached by footbridge.
- Târgoviște (About 1 hour 30 minutes by train or car) — The former capital of Wallachia, where the Princely Court ruins and the Chindia Tower recall Vlad the Impaler and the princes who ruled from here.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Bucharest?
It is a trade-off: Cold with snow and icy winds, festive December markets and the lowest prices of the year. The best months overall are May–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Bucharest in winter?
Highs of up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 19 rainy days over the season.