Bucharest in May: a seasonal travel plan
Bucharest, Romania. In may, the average daytime high is 23.4 °C and the night-time low is 11.4 °C. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
Choose a month
Selected month: May
Temperatures by month
Air temperature: Bucharest
Contents
Weather at a glance
- Daytime high
- 23.4 °C
- Nighttime low
- 11.4 °C
- Monthly precipitation
- 60.1 mm
- Days with at least 1 mm
- 13.1
- Daylight
- 14.8 h
2015–2024 averages. Daytime temperature is the average daily maximum; nighttime temperature is the average daily minimum.
Early, middle and late month
| Period | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Days with at least 1 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–10 | 21.6 | 9.8 | 4.2 |
| Days 11–20 | 23.5 | 11.3 | 3.7 |
| From day 21 | 24.9 | 12.8 | 5.2 |
What this month is like
Bucharest, Romania. In may, the average daytime high is 23.4 °C and the night-time low is 11.4 °C. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
There are 13.1 wet days on average, with about 60.1 mm of precipitation. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
How to plan the day
Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
Average daylight is 14.8 hours, so put longer routes in the brighter part of the day.
What to pack
Pack light clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for the evening. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
Precipitation and an alternative plan
Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What to pack
Bring light daytime clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for cooler hours. The day-to-night temperature difference is noticeable, so dressing in layers is practical. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
Compared with neighbouring months
Average daytime high: previous month — 18.6 °C, May — 23.4 °C, next month — 28.8 °C. Days with at least 1 mm of precipitation: 9.4, 13.1 and 13.4.
Things to do
Bucharest turns on two axes: Calea Victoriei with its palaces and museums, and the Old Town of Lipscani with bars in the side lanes. Metro and trams connect the districts, and the wide boulevards leave plenty of room for walking.
Palace of the Parliament
The Palace of the Parliament closes the view down Bulevardul Unirii, and visits run as guided tours booked in advance. Marble halls and the assembly chamber show the scale of the project begun in the 1980s.
Old Town
In Lipscani walk to Stavropoleos church with its carved wooden iconostasis, then wander the lanes behind it. Bookshops, coffee places and cobbles keep the quarter alive by day and after dark.
Village Museum
The Dimitrie Gusti Village Museum in Herastrau Park gathers wooden churches, farmhouses and mills from across the country. Afterwards circle the lake along the bank, where local families walk in the evening.
Where to stay
Lipscani
Lipscani suits evenings: bars, restaurants and cobbled lanes a couple of minutes from Piata Unirii. People sightsee by day, and the quarter stays loud until morning.
Cotroceni
Cotroceni is a quiet district with a botanical garden and a palace. The streets are green and calm, and the metro runs to the centre from the edge of the quarter.
Floreasca
Floreasca works for business travellers: offices, restaurants and the lake are close. The area is tidy and quiet, and the park by the water fills with runners in the morning.
Getting to and around Bucharest
From Otopeni Airport an express bus runs to Piata Unirii and a train continues to the north station. The metro is the quickest way between districts, and its lines meet at Piata Unirii. Trams follow the wide boulevards more slowly but reach places without a metro stop, including the older quarters.
Three days in Bucharest
Centre
Calea Victoriei in the morning: the Athenaeum, Revolution Square and the museums in former palaces. The Old Town and Stavropoleos church follow, with dinner in Lipscani.
Palace and parks
Join a booked tour of the Palace of the Parliament, then Cismigiu Park and lunch in the centre. Walk Bulevardul Unirii towards the fountains afterwards.
North of the centre
The Village Museum in Herastrau Park first, then a loop of the lake. Spend the afternoon around Floreasca and eat dinner in a local restaurant.
Weather throughout the year
| Month | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Precipitation, mm | Days with at least 1 mm | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.9 | -3.8 | 45.1 | 7.4 | 9.3 |
| February | 8.7 | -0.7 | 28.7 | 6.5 | 10.4 |
| March | 12.6 | 1.5 | 49.2 | 8.6 | 11.9 |
| April | 18.6 | 6.1 | 50.5 | 9.4 | 13.4 |
| May | 23.4 | 11.4 | 60.1 | 13.1 | 14.8 |
| June | 28.8 | 16.7 | 84.8 | 13.4 | 15.5 |
| July | 32.2 | 18.9 | 59.3 | 10.3 | 15.2 |
| August | 33.0 | 19.1 | 38.7 | 6.9 | 14.0 |
| September | 27.5 | 14.3 | 41.5 | 6.1 | 12.6 |
| October | 20.0 | 8.1 | 50.1 | 6.1 | 11.0 |
| November | 12.3 | 3.0 | 55.9 | 7.2 | 9.7 |
| December | 6.5 | -0.9 | 43.3 | 7.9 | 8.9 |
Frequently asked questions
Bucharest: what is the temperature in May?
The average daytime high is 23.4 °C and the night-time low is 11.4 °C. Daytime is suitable for a longer walk around the city. Leave time for breaks and lunch along the way.
How many days with precipitation are there in May?
On average, there are 13.1 days with at least 1 mm of precipitation; the monthly total is 60.1 mm. Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What should I pack for walks in May?
Bring light daytime clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for cooler hours. The day-to-night temperature difference is noticeable, so dressing in layers is practical. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
How does the weather change from the start to the end of the month?
Average daytime highs by part of the month: 1–10 — 21.6 °C; 11–20 — 23.5 °C; 21 to month-end — 24.9 °C.
How many daylight hours are there in May?
The average is 14.8 hours. Long daylight hours make it easy to split a walk between morning and evening, with a longer break in between.
Is Bucharest worth visiting in May?
The climate suits a trip if daytime temperatures around 23.4 °C and nights around 11.4 °C work for you. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
What can I do in Bucharest on a wet day in May?
Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag. Keep a museum, market, café or another indoor route near your accommodation.
What should I pack for Bucharest in May?
Pack light clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for the evening. Average daylight is 14.8 hours.