First written on Sept 2017, updated in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2025
In Romania, autumn is considered to be the period between September to November. The weather in September is pleasantly warm with high temperatures ranging between 25 to 30 degrees Celsius ( 77 to 86 F), and low temperatures ranging from 0 to 15 degrees Celsius ( 32 to 59 F) during the night. September is the month when the leaves from the trees are starting their transition from green to rust, but the chlorophyll is still existing in large amounts in the foliage, masking any other pigment that might dare to challenge its supremacy in the melting pot of colours.
In October, the weather it’s starting its shift to the cold season, with some nights with freezing temperatures, but with still a lot of warm and sunny days. The predominant colour is green at the begging of the month, but the signs that it is starting to lose the battle with the army of amber are more and more present.
But the wonder of autumn is starting to appear in mid-October when the battle between emerald tones and orange hue is ending with an explosion of a stunning array of browns, pinks, oranges, auburns, yellows and ochres. Is the period when the leaves are still decorating the trees, and the joy of life doesn’t show any sign of weariness.
To have a better understanding of how the fall colours are changing in a 2-month range from September to October please have a look at these 3 pictures, taken in the same spot, in the autumn of 2022:
The photos you’ll see in the next slideshow were shot during the third week of October 2022 in and around Transylvanian mountain villages at a height of about 1000 meters.
If October is out of the question, the first week of November still has most of the tree’s colours. The first few days of November in the past three years have been similar to those of October, with sunny days and around 20 degrees at noon.
But November is the month when winter is waiting at the corner, the nights are freezing cold, the mornings are bathed in mist, and the trees are naked, with the leaves resting at their feet, like a rusting blanket.
However, the interval with the best chances to photograph autumn colours in Romania depends very much on the season. For example, in 2020 and 2022, November was very similar to October. It had many sunny days and no frost or snow on altitudes lower than 1500 m. Therefore, nature kept its decoration longer in shades of gold, amber, brown or red, although on the tops of the mountains we could already see snow spots.
So, if you want to tour Romania, to admire the autumn colours, my suggestion is to choose mid-October. Look for a forest with different types of trees (linden, birch, walnut, beech, sycamore, maple, oak) to get the whole array of colours. There are good chances of pleasant weather in this period (this year for example we had 2 weeks of Indian summer ). One of the tours which are covering the best places to capture the amusing show of colours is our 7 days trip to the most beautiful villages in Transylvania.
A tour of Transfagarasan at this time of the year gives you the opportunity the contrast between the birch trees and the fir trees on the north side, or the kaleidoscope of orange, red and brown of the deciduous forests from the south side. A tour of the countryside would be also a good option, as you’ll find there a lot of walnuts, linden or acacia trees.
2024 Update
In 2024, October unfolded as a wonderful month to explore Transylvania, with warm, gentle days that brought a true Indian summer to the Carpathian landscape. The forests reached their most vibrant colours from the third week of October until the first days of November, painting the hills in deep gold, fiery red, and soft amber. It was an ideal time for hiking, wandering through quiet valleys, and capturing the magic of autumn light.
Here are a few photos taken during my tours, reflecting the beauty and calm of Transylvania in its most colourful season
2025 Update
This year, the colours of autumn reached their peak intensity during the third week of October, which turned out to be an excellent time for hiking and photography. The first half of October was surprisingly cold and rainy, but the weather improved significantly in the second half of the month. Even in the first week of November, autumn’s final whispers still lingered in the trees, providing excellent opportunities for late-season hikes.
And a few photos taken with my phone during my hiking trip in Transylvania, on October 28, 2025:
For more information about fall colours, you can also check this blog post from our partners.