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Winter in Brașov runs from December to February, with daytime highs around 2–6 °C and snow on 6–9 days a month. Almost everything stays open on winter hours. The Christmas market fills Piața Sfatului from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and Poiana Brașov, a 20-minute bus ride away, is the place to ski.
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What winter is like
| Month | Average high | Average low | Days with snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| December | 4.4 °C | −2.7 °C | 7 |
| January | 2.4 °C | −6.3 °C | 9 |
| February | 6.3 °C | −3.6 °C | 6 |
Source: Wikipedia’s Brașov climate table, with 2014–2026 averages based on Meteomanz station data. Nights usually fall below freezing. Cold snaps are much harsher than the averages: the table’s record low for January is −33.3 °C.
- Daylight: on 21 December the sun rises at 07:53 and sets at 16:38, giving 8 h 44 min of daylight, according to sunrise-sunset.org. The sun sets at about 16:40 in late December, so plan outdoor sightseeing for late morning and early afternoon.
- Snow: in the city it snows on 6–9 days a month in winter. For snow on the ground you can count on, go up to Poiana Brașov or the Bucegi plateau above Sinaia.
For the rest of the year, see our guide to Brașov’s weather and seasons.
What’s open in winter
Most sights stay open all winter, some with shorter hours.
- Black Church. From 16 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 it opens Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–18:00 and Sunday and Monday 12:00–18:00. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January, and last entry is 20 minutes before closing. An adult ticket costs 30 lei, students and pensioners pay 25 lei and pupils 20 lei, according to bisericaneagra.ro. See our Black Church guide.
- Tâmpa cable car. It runs year-round, Monday 12:30–22:00, Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 10:30–22:00, and Friday and Saturday 10:30–22:30. A return ticket costs 45 lei for adults and 30 lei for children aged 6–12, according to the operator. It reopened in October 2025 after modernisation. On a clear day the view from the top takes in the whole Old Town.
- Museums. The Brașov Visit Ticket covers one visit to each of 12 sites within 90 days, including the Black Church, the County History Museum in the Council House, the Weavers’ Bastion, the Art Museum, the Ethnography Museum, the Museum of Urban Civilisation and Casa Mureșenilor. It costs 57.76 lei for adults online on booktes.com. The First Romanian School is also on the list but needs a booking or a group of 10. Our museums guide has the details.
- For a whole day indoors, our rainy-day guide covers the pools, malls, cafés and museums.
The Christmas market
From late November to early January, Piața Sfatului has a Christmas market with about 50 wooden chalets, a tall tree and lights across the Old Town. In 2026 the stalls open on 27 November and the official opening with the lights is on 30 November. The market closes on 3 January 2027, according to City Hall. Opening hours, prices and events are in our Brașov Christmas market guide.
Skiing, tubing and snow
- Poiana Brașov has 12 slopes with 13.7 km of main runs and 10 lifts. Bus 20 from Livada Poștei costs a normal 5-lei ticket. In 2025/26 an adult day pass cost 240 lei. The season usually runs from around Christmas to late March: in 2025/26 it opened on 30 December. Prices, lifts and the other resorts are in our guide to skiing near Brașov.
- Not skiing? Non-skiers can ride the gondola or the Capra Neagră cable car to the top of Postăvarul for the view: a return costs 70 lei for adults and 40 lei for children in 2025/26, according to the City Hall tariffs.
- Tubing: in 2025 the Season Hill tubing park in Poiana opened on 6 December, before the ski slopes, Economedia reported.
- Sledging: there’s no official sledging slope in Poiana or Brașov. Don’t sledge on the ski runs, and ask locally.
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Pools and spas
- Paradisul Acvatic, at B-dul Griviței 2F–2G on the road towards Târgu Mureș, has an indoor section that’s open every day of the year. Autumn–winter hours are Monday 14:00–21:00, Tuesday to Friday 11:00–21:00, and weekends 10:00–21:00, with last entry 90 minutes before closing. Adults pay 70 lei for 2 hours or 110 lei for the whole day. Children up to 1.40 m pay 45 lei for the day, and under-3s go free, according to paradisulacvatic.ro.
- Ana Spa, at Ana Hotels Sport in Poiana Brașov, has an indoor pool, saunas and a heated outdoor jacuzzi. It is open to non-guests with a booking, according to anahotels.ro. The pool is open 09:00–20:00, and the saunas and outdoor jacuzzi 11:30–20:00.
Warm food to try
- Ciorbă de burtă: tripe soup, soured and served with sour cream, garlic and vinegar on the side.
- Fasole cu afumătură în pâine: bean soup with smoked meat, served in a hollowed-out loaf.
- Sarmale cu mămăligă: cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, with polenta and sour cream.
- Bulz: polenta baked with sheep’s cheese, often with an egg on top.
- Papanași: fried doughnuts with sour cream and jam.
- Vin fiert and țuică fiartă: mulled wine and hot plum brandy. They’re sold at the Christmas market: mulled wine cost about 15–20 lei there in 2025.
Day trips that work in winter
- Bran Castle is a classic half-day trip by bus. Winter hours and the bus timetable are in how to get to Bran Castle from Brașov.
- Sinaia and Peleș Castle are about an hour away by train. You can combine them with a morning on the slopes at Cota 1400/2000. Check Peleș’s closing days before you go: our Peleș Castle guide has the hours.
- Predeal is 33–43 minutes by train, with an easy ski area by the town.
- Sibiu, with its own Christmas market, is a full-day trip. See how to travel from Brașov to Sibiu.
Trains are the easiest choice in winter. If you’re driving, Romanian law requires winter equipment when roads are covered in snow or ice, and mountain roads can close in heavy snow.
What to wear
- Clothes: a warm, waterproof jacket, a hat, gloves and a scarf, plus thermal layers if you plan to spend hours outside.
- Shoes: boots with a good grip. The cobbles and the stone steps in the Old Town and Șchei get icy.
- Day by day: our what to wear today in Brașov tool turns the live forecast into a clothing list.
FAQ
Is Brașov worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if you like snow, Christmas markets or skiing: the market, the lit-up Old Town and Poiana Brașov are all within 20 minutes of each other. The trade-off is short days and some cold, grey spells.
Does it snow in Brașov?
Yes. On average there’s snow on 6–9 days a month from December to February, and much more in the mountains around the city.
How cold does Brașov get in January?
The average January low is about −6 °C, and cold snaps can drop well below −15 °C.
Is everything open in winter?
The main sights are. The Black Church, the museums and the Tâmpa cable car all have winter hours, and Paradisul Acvatic’s indoor pools are open every day. Some mountain trails and outdoor sights close for the season.
Can I ski without a car?
Yes. Bus 20 runs from the centre to Poiana Brașov, and trains go to Predeal and Sinaia.
Sources
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What changed
- Rebuilt as a Brașov in winter guide: climate, winter opening hours, the 2026 Christmas market dates, skiing, pools and day trips.
