Winter… we either love it or hate it, there’s not really in between.

Unfortunately, in recent years, the climate has changed quite drastically, shifting the ski season so much that often it’s barely possible to ski by mid-December. On the other hand, some cities in Western Romania haven’t really seen snow in years.

While neither of us at LooknWalk is fans of cold weather or snow, in general, we must admit that this Central European country is looking quite marvelous dressed up for the holidays.

And if you need ever more reasons to visit Romania during winter, here are just a few of them:

The lights in the cities

Every single city puts up a lights show for the Holidays. By early December – around the time of St. Nicholas (Dec 6) – the Christmas lights come to life. Dress for the weather and don’t forget to bring your camera. You’ll be delighted.

The Christmas Markets

While Christmas Markets have been a long tradition in Western Europe, they’ve only started to become stunning in Romania in recent years. Sibiu, Bucharest, Cluj Napoca, Brasov…all of these cities do their best to offer lovely markets for the locals and visitors, alike. Let your nose be the guide. Don’t forget to try chimney cakes (Kürtőskalács, which come from Transylvania), roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.

The winter resorts

If you like the snow and the winter sports, Romania is blessed with some great ski areas. Predeal is one of the main resorts in Bucegi Mountains, whereas Maramures is an incredible ski area located to the north of the country. Moldova also has some good ski areas.

Snow-capped mountains and calm cities

Once the snow falls, the scenery turns magnificent, especially if you are in the mountains. Predeal, Sinaia, Brasov, Sibiu…all of them look amazing with the snow-capped mountains in the background. Right after the snow falls any city becomes a calm oasis and it’s a perfect time to take photos.

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Cafes

Major cities have incredible cafes to hide from the cold and warm up. And winter means the menu includes mulled wine, mulled cider and many teas.

Sighisoara

The stunning Medieval Town of Sighisoara deserves its own place in the list. It is lovely to visit during summer but come winter, the snow makes it look like it belongs in a fairy tale. Not to mention, due to being low season, accommodation is affordable and there aren’t many tourists around.

Transylvania

Mostly known for being home to Bran Castle (and its link to Dracula), Transylvania is a large region of Romania which looks stunning any time of the year. But during winter, there’s a certain magic around the Christmas Markets, the snow on the ground and the rolling hills with tiny houses and a lot of smoke coming out of their chimneys. Don’t be afraid to drive in the area, but be careful to rent a suitable car.

The food

Romanian traditional food is hearty and goes well with the cold months. Try sarmale (meat filled cabbage rolls) with mamaliga (polenta) or any of the hot soups.

The Holidays

The winter holidays start on St. Nicholas (Dec 6). Between then and Christmas Eve carols can be heard everywhere. And we do mean that. In stores, in cafes, at Christmas Markets. Traditionally, Ignat (Dec 20) is when the pigs are slaughtered but to witness this tradition you need to make your way to one of the villages. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, followed by New Year’s Eve and Day are typically days of partying. There will be parties everywhere in major cities but, again, to witness the traditional holidays, you need to venture into the countryside. The winter holidays end on Epiphany (Jan 6).

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The article was written and first published in 2016. It was updated in Dec 2018.