The most colourful season is a great time to visit some of the best places in Romania! Although there is a multitude of attraction ready to be explored all year long, the fall season makes some of them especially charming. So if you want to enjoy Autumn in Romania, these are some great destinations to do that:
Transalpina road:
The highest road in Romania, the King’s Road, is most beautiful between Ranca and Obarsia Lotrului. This section of the road winds between dry valleys with short grass and steep mountain peaks and the landscape remains unchanged from spring to fall. During the winter the road is closed and impassable.
Read also: Best time to visit Romania
However, until you reach Ranca, or once you have passed Obarsia Lotrului, the road dives deep into the forest and here, it really matters what month it is. October and November sprinkle the trees with all shades of the warm colours and nothing compares to a trip here during these months.
Enjoy driving on Transalpina, the highest road in Romania, during the Romania driving tour – 7 days
Autumn in Transylvania: Rimetea village
The white village in Alba County seems brighter in the autumn light. Each time you arrive here you will be in awe at how tidy it looks with its green-painted windows and the red geraniums on the window sills.
However, when it is surrounded by yellow and red trees, it seems even whiter. Since it’s located in a depression, mornings here are covered in fog and the grey smoke from the chimneys. Rimetea is an excellent choice if you are looking for beautiful places in Transylvania that are off the beaten path.
Read also: When to visit Transylvania?
Places to Visit in the Mountains in Romania: Sinaia
The best-known mountain resort in Romania, the elegant Sinaia, which got its name from Mount Sinai, is framed by thick forests. A stroll from the centre of town to Peles Castle, on the dirt path, will show you what autumn in the Romanian mountains means: cold, colourful, and foggy.
Despite being a very popular place and very crowded, Prahova Valley (where Sinaia is located) has a special charm. It is also full of tourists in winter due to its ski slopes.
You can discover Sinaia during our day trip from Bucharest: Peles castle, Bran castle and Brasov city tour.
Cisnadioara fortress:
Often, after dealing with the crowds of Prahova Valley, you will prefer heading further away from Bucharest and Sibiu or the region around Sibiu is always a great choice. Although the county is chock full of beautiful places, I believe the best one to visit in the autumn is Cisnadioara.
With its fortified church perched upon a hill, with its traditional houses, and with its mountains in the background, Cisnadioara is a sight to behold in the fall. And it’s so peaceful here; it’s as if it was created for relaxation.
Book our self-driven tour in Transylvania if you want to explore Cisnadioara fortress.
Autumn in Romania at Sarmizegetusa Regia:
If you make it to the region of Sibiu it is a pity not to go to one of the most mysterious tourist attractions in Romania: Sarmizegetusa Regia. Read more about Sarmizegetusa Regia here. Hidden deep within a forest and completely detached from civilization, Burebista’s former capital enjoys fewer visitors than it deserves.
Its legend, its location in the mountains, and the natural landscape surrounding it will definitely make you not to regret a visit here. Moreover, the brassy colour of the fall leaves and the sun shining softly through the trees always made it very difficult to head back to the agitated world.
Explore Sarmizegetusa Regia with our UNESCO heritage sites in Romania 14 days tour.
Transfagarasan road in Autumn:
No matter how many roads you drive on, as soon as you arrive on the Transfagarasan you understand why it is considered the most beautiful road in Romania and even in the world. During the entire season, it is open (July to November), this place keeps its barren appearance.
You can explore it from home with our virtual tours. And it does not lose its charm even in the autumn. Brass, yellow, and red colour the forests at the foothills of the mountain, while the winding part of the road, the part that everyone dares to climb up to Lake Balea, seems scorched. If the sun also comes out from behind the clouds, you really never want to leave.
If Transfagarasan is open for visits don’t miss a ride here and book our Transfagarasan road tour.
Hidden gems in Romania: the Danube Boilers
A lesser-known spot in Romania, the Danube Boilers are framed by dense forests that are painted with an assortment of colours in the autumn. A boat ride on the Danube to the Mraconia Monastery, past Trajan’s Tabula, and through the caves accessible only by boat is truly a pleasure in the soft October sun.
Best places in Romania in Fall: the Apuseni Mountains
The Apuseni are known for their raw green colour but in the autumn all that green changes, transforming the landscape into one fit for a painting. The sparse houses dotting the mountains, surrounded by tall firs and fruit trees remain the same. The landscape that frames them changes.
The green turns into a full palette of colours, each one more beautiful than the next, and the weather changes as well. The summer heat is replaced by a pleasant coolness or even the fog that floods the valleys on the colder mornings.
Our 12-day Family tour will take you to Apuseni. Book it now!
Beautiful Cities in Romania in autumn: Suceava
Some cities don’t seem to have anything special, apart from the medieval fortress around which they were built. However, it’s only a matter of taking a short stroll through them in order to discover other attractions. One such city is Suceava.
The most famous attraction in Suceava is the Suceava Fortress. But once you start exploring the city in the autumn and notice that all the trees in the parks have painted their leaves, your attention will be drawn to the parks and places that were once green.
Autumn in Maramures: Vaser Valley
Another place worthy of a visit in the autumn, as well as the rest of the year, is the Vaser Valley. A ride with the Mocanita Steam Train on the Vaser Valley through the painted nature seems to fill you with energy and good cheer.
The symbol of Maramures, the Mocanita is not only an old steam train; it is an opportunity to break away from reality for a few hours and to embark on a journey in places explored by few. And when autumn leaves its mark on these places, it is very difficult to leave them behind.
Autumn in Romania can offer you an amazing show! When it descends on nature and all vegetation sheds its green shades and dresses up in lively colours, it becomes difficult to choose the best places in Romania to enjoy it, because many become incredibly beautiful.
The only thing you can do is take them one by one and enjoy the show they put on. At least until everything turns white! Our tours will take you to see all these places!