Month by month
Craiova in December
Peak of the year. The market is the reason the city is full, and the only question is which weekend you pick.
The figures — Craiova
- Avg high
- 3.5°C
- Avg low
- −1.9°C
- Sunshine
- 109 h
- Rain
- 52 mm
- Wet days
- 8 days
- Snow days
- 3 days
- New snow
- 13 cm
Climate normals 1991–2020 for the centre (≈100 m), from the CERRA regional reanalysis (Copernicus, 5.5 km grid) — a model, not a single weather station. Highs and lows are means of the daily maximum and minimum; a wet day has at least 1 mm of rain, a snow day at least 1 cm of new snow; sunshine is a model estimate. Source: Open-Meteo — CERRA regional reanalysis 1991–2020 (Copernicus)
Up the mountain — Rânca
- Rânca · 1,600 m · max
- −1.2°C
- Rânca · 1,600 m · min
- −7.8°C
- New snow
- 33 cm
- Snow on the ground
- 35 cm
- Days with 30 cm+
- 16 days
- Parâng ridge · 1,900 m · max
- −3.4°C
Rânca (≈1,600 m) and the Parâng ridge above it (≈1,900 m, temperatures only), 1991–2020, CERRA regional reanalysis. Snow depth is NATURAL snow on the ground, averaged over the month. The column is here for one reason: it is two and a quarter hours from Craiova and the July gap is the argument for the drive. Source: Open-Meteo — CERRA regional reanalysis 1991–2020 (Copernicus)
December is the month Craiova is known for nationally. The Christmas market in Piața Mihai Viteazul — twice top of European media rankings — runs the whole month, the Belle Époque centre is lit for it, and the city is fuller and more expensive than at any other point in the year.
The weather is beside the point but worth knowing: about 3.5 °C by day, grey, and more likely to be damp than snowy. Dress for standing still outdoors in the cold rather than for walking in it.
Which weekend matters. The first, around the 1 December national holiday, and the last two before Christmas are the busiest and priciest; the week between Christmas and New Year is busy but differently — more families, fewer day-trippers. If you can move your dates, the second week of the month is the best compromise between atmosphere and crowding. And the market does not close for New Year: the season runs to 3 January, so the free public party on the 31st happens inside it.
What to know
- 1 December is the National Day — a public holiday and one of the market's busiest days.
- 25–26 December are public holidays; many restaurants close or run a set menu.
- Highest hotel rates of the year — book weeks ahead for a December weekend.
What is on this month
New Year's Eve in Piața Mihai Viteazul
Piața Mihai Viteazul · 2026-12-31
Where to stay
Live prices and availability on a map centred on this exact spot — hotels, apartments and hostels, so you can judge the walk from here rather than guess from an address.
Bookings made through this map earn us a commission. Your price is unaffected.
Partner links · GetYourGuide
Tickets & tours
Skip-the-line tickets, tours and experiences bookable ahead — free cancellation on most.
See all options: Craiova Christmas market →We may earn a commission from these. It never changes your price.
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Questions about this month
What is the weather like in Craiova in December?
The average daily high is 3.5°C and the average low −1.9°C, with around 52 mm of precipitation over 8 wet days and 109 hours of sunshine. These are 1991–2020 normals for the centre (≈100 m), from the CERRA regional reanalysis.
Is December a good time to visit Craiova?
Peak of the year. The market is the reason the city is full, and the only question is which weekend you pick.
How busy is Craiova in December?
Peak by the standards of the Craiova year, and prices are highest. The table on the weather page compares all twelve months side by side.
How much cooler is Rânca in December?
At Rânca (≈1,600 m) the average December high is −1.2°C, against 3.5°C in the city (1991–2020 normals). That gap, two and a quarter hours up the road, is why Rânca is Craiova's standard escape from a heatwave.
Before you go
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