Winter in Romania: The Charm of Saxon Villages in Transylvania

Here’s a list of the top places in Romania where you can experience real winter time with snow-capped mountains, comforting food, and well-preserved holiday traditions.

Ready to discover Romanian winter magic for yourself? Here’s everything you need to plan out the ultimate winter Romanian getaway:

Best Places To Stay in Transylvania in Winter

Winter in Romania isn’t the same all over the country.

In Bucharest it seldom snows, so you won’t be able to enjoy the white winter magic.

For snowy winter in Romania, go to Transylvania!

Let’s see some of the best places to spend the winter in Transylvania. For each of these places, I include a list of the best things to see in the area.

Use this article as inspiration to plan your ideal winter road trip through Romania.

Sighisoara – Best Town for a Short Winter Stay

The perfectly preserved medieval town of Sighisoara offers an atmospheric trip back in time.

My recommendation is to choose accommodation inside the walls of the old citadel.

Check out Casa Cositorarului, a house with traditional furniture and great reviews.

Violeta in Sighisoara, in the old citadel, near our guesthouse.

Do you see how neat the restored traditional furniture is? Too bad I can’t recall the name of this accommodation in Sighisoara.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sighsoara dazzles visitors with its cobblestone streets lined with colorful gingerbread architecture, soaring clock towers, and ornate churches.

Beyond the lively cafes, craft shops, and museums housed in Gothic and Baroque buildings, the town comes alive in winter with sparkling Christmas markets and festivals.

Thanks to restoration efforts, staying in Sighisoara feels like living inside a splendid medieval diorama where explorers encounter new delights around every fairy tale corner.

The trip from Bucharest, located 265 km away, can be made by direct train taking just over 5 hours. Beware, though, stormy weather has a negative impact on Romanian railways, so many trains may get delayed or even canceled.

For the most flexibility, renting a car allows stopping along scenic country routes as well filled with storybook towns. With history palpable in the crisp mountain air, Sighisoara promises an unforgettable trip back through Romanian heritage.

Sighisoara Citadel, Romania – main street. Sighisoara Citadel was built in the 12th century. It is still inhabited. Sighisoara is the birth place of Vlad Tepes (or Dracula, as he became known thanks to Bram Stoker. The citadel is on the UNESCO Worlds Heritage Sites list. Although it attracts a lot of tourists, I believe it’s worth a half-day to one-day visit, if you come to Transylvania.

A road trip from Bucharest to Sighisoara allows you to visit two castles along the way Peles Castle in Sinaia, and Bran Castle in Bran.

Here’s how to visit Peles Castle. You don’t need to spend one night in Sinaia to visit Peles, as the visit only takes one or two hours maximum.

Perched dramatically on a cliff in Bran against snow-covered Bucegi peaks, Bran Castle tours take you back 600+ years visiting rooms filled with ancient furniture, weaponry and artworks from its days as a customs bastion between historic regions.

Between the two castles, I prefer Peles. However, first-time Romania visitors must also see Bran, as it is tightly related to the dreaded Count Dracula.

Traditional Saxon Villages – Best for a Medium to Long Winter Stay

Transylvania became home to Saxons in the 12th century, when King Geza II of Hungary (reigned 1141-62) invited Germans to settle and defend this region (source: Britannica).

Traditional Saxon villages offer travelers an authentic glimpse into a rich cultural heritage interwoven with impressive architecture.

The Fortified Churches in Saxon Villages – Priceless Heritage

Centuries-old fortified churches dot hilltops while colorful hand-painted Saxon farmhouses line the streets of picture-perfect villages such as Viscri, Biertan, Richis and Saschiz.

One of the fortified churches in Transylvania

The courtyard of the fortified church in Biertan

Interior view of the fortified church

Staying in a restored Saxon house allows utterly immersing yourself in Saxon history and hospitality, perhaps on a family farm passed down generations.

Tour the UNESCO World Heritage sites during the day then sit down to home-cooked regional specialties like savory meat plates and apfelstrudel for dessert.

From treading vineyard trails lined with wildflowers to learning folk music and decorative arts that Saxons brought to the region as early as the 12th century, the experiences provide a meaningful connection to this community’s living traditions.

As modernization spreads rapidly, the numbers of Romanians preserving Saxon customs in Transylvania’s countryside dwindles each year. Opting to rest your head in these historic pastoral settings helps sustain this cultural legacy for future generations.

Ani Saxon Guesthouse in Richis – Where Heritage Meets Comfort

Richis is one of the Saxon villages in Transylvania you can set as base for exploring Via Transilvanica.

Ani Guesthouse in the village of Richis is one of these traditional Saxon houses in Transylvania that’s open to guests.

Recently renovated, Ani Saxon Guesthouse provides you with all modern comfort, while also offering you a glimpse into the lifestyle and traditions of Saxons in Transylvania.

The living room featuring generous windows in traditional style

That’s my kind of breakfast!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

This guesthouse in Transylvania is perfect for a couple or for a group of digital nomads seeking for a base for exploring this part of Romania.

Click here to see more photos of Ani Saxon Guesthouse and to book it on Airbnb.

For medium to long term stay inquiries, call them directly at the phone number displayed on their Verde de Richis page.

Why Spend the Winter in Romania in a Saxon Village

Staying in the Saxon villages that Transylvania winds through allows a glimpse into enduring customs thanks to village families continuing age-old farming techniques, intricate craftwork traditions and culinary specialties.

Guesthouses inside restored Saxon homes decorated with heirloom furniture and decorative additions offer not just a comfortable night’s stay but a meaningful way to directly support locals carrying this rich heritage into the future.

Villages are also quieter than towns like Brasov, Sibiu or Sighisoara.

When staying in a village like Richis, you won’t have to put up with flocks of tourists cramming the Christmas markets, the streets and the souvenir shops.

At the same time, you’ll be only a short drive away from all of these.

Rupea citadel is one of the tourist objectives in this part of Romania

Why Spend the Winter in Romania, After All

No matter what thrills you about winter escapes – reveling in frozen natural beauty, discovering fairy tale towns steeped in tradition and charming hospitality or just indulging in seasonal joy – Romania radiates quintessential holiday magic.

Just stay away from big cities, seek for rural areas and carefully restored traditional houses to feel the real magic of my country.

Its frosty outdoor adventures, atmospheric medieval quarters all wrapped in folkloric celebrations promise to make winter memories that sparkle as bright as its snowy, blue-hued landscapes.

So why not start planning your own idyllic winter sojourn through Romania’s postcard-worthy mountain and castle filled countryside sooner than later? Adventure awaits!