Winter holidays in Alba County
Alba County stands out in the white season through an offer that combines spectacular mountain landscapes with a rich historical and spiritual heritage.
Daniel Onea, 25.12.2025, 14:00
Alba County stands out in the white season through an offer that combines spectacular mountain landscapes with a rich historical and spiritual heritage. With a gorgeous and generous relief, and also with a cultural heritage of great value, the area stands out, at a national level, through a high and diversified tourist potential.
Our guide today, Ioana Mirca, from the County Council tourism office, says that tourists should not bypass the area in the coming period: “I would start with the natural potential of the county, where the mountainous relief accounts for over 50% of its surface and which reaches heights of more than 2,000 meters in its southern part. The anthropogenic potential has primarily left us an incredible legacy, Alba county enjoying no less than 4 UNESCO monuments: the Dacian Fortress of Căpâlna, the rural site of Câlnic, the Roșia Montană Mining Cultural Landscape and the Frontiers of the Roman Empire in Dacia (LIMES).”
The focal point of tourism in the county remains the municipality of Alba Iulia. The city attracts visitors from all over the world thanks to the Alba Carolina Fortress, a unique fortification in European military architecture, which has benefited from extensive restorations and a valorization of Roman and medieval vestiges: “With a star-shaped appearance in seven corners and a perimeter measuring no less than 12 km, the fortress walls are a kind of red giant, surrounded by ditches that have become an ideal place for a stroll. The pride of the entire fortress is represented by the seven access gates to “Alba Carolina”, four of them being recognized as some of the most imposing and elegant gates ever built in Europe. We have two architecturally splendid cathedrals, which made history in Alba Iulia: the Coronation Cathedral and the Roman Catholic Cathedral. Then, there are the city’s symbolic museums, the Route of the Three Fortifications and the Palace of the Princes of Transylvania. Since we are in Alba Iulia, allow me to also refer to the historical building in which we operate as an institution. It is the first building erected on the premises of the fortress by its architects and has had a military function almost throughout its existence. Since last year, after extensive restoration works, it has become the administrative headquarters of Alba County and a welcoming place for all visitors.”
In addition to urban and historical tourism, Alba County is actively promoting authentic rural tourism. Rimetea received national recognition, being designated “Destination of the Year 2025” in the “Fairytale Villages” category, a title that confirms the efforts to preserve local architecture and traditions: “Everything is authentic here: from the spectacular landscapes and unique panoramas offered by Piatra Secuiului, to the rows of white houses with green shutters and unified architecture, which make Rimetea one of the few villages in Romania that has preserved its original appearance. Piatra Secuiului, the most representative natural tourist attraction in the area, is the ideal place for hiking, but also for the most adventurous who practice paragliding. Another attraction of this village is the Ethnographic Museum, which houses an entire history of the crafts and traditions of this community, from ironwork and painting on furniture, to the superb folk costumes that have amazed tens of thousands of tourists who have crossed its threshold. Among the experiences that Rimetea offers, we also find taste; local dishes are served in most of the guesthouses here. Rimetea is the monument village in Romania where the hospitality of the locals together with the traditions and unique culture of the community, create the ideal space for an unforgettable experience.”
For tourists who choose Alba County during the winter holidays, the experience is deeply spiritual and cultural. Christmas customs are strictly preserved, especially in rural areas, offering visitors the chance to witness rituals that have been lost in other parts of Europe: “Although Alba is a medium-sized county on the map of Romania, customs differ from area to area. For example, in some villages around Alba Iulia, the heralds of the Nativity are the pitărăii, children who gather on the hill above the village, where they make a big fire and shout for the village to hear that they are starting to carol. They have a specific wish which they repeat in the yard of each household and are rewarded with fruit, candy or cakes. Another custom that is preserved in all areas of the county is that of the Herods. On Christmas Day, children between the ages of 10 and 15 wear costumes made of colored paper that impress with the variety of colors. Each character has a specific costume and role: The Angel is dressed in white and carries the star, Herod wears red, carries a sword and is considered the leader, and Valtizar wears green, Melfior blue and Gaspar yellow.”
In conclusion, Ioana Mirca, from the Alba County Council tourism office, describes a unique ritual and options for the night between years: “The most spectacular preservation of the caroling ceremony is still found today in the Secașelor Land, under the name of Bute- Barrel. It is a ritual meticulously prepared 4-6 weeks before Christmas by the young people of the community. The main moments of the custom can be ordered as follows: finding the host, choosing the leaders, gathering the wine, caroling and the actual barrel. After the group of children and young people, the older people, women and men, go to the neighbors to carol, and, in the end, they all gather in a house where they enjoy caroling together. As for the New Year’s Eve, those who prefer nature will certainly find a rich meal with traditional dishes in the guesthouses in the Apuseni area or in the Şureanu Mountains. And for those who prefer the comfort of the urban area, New Year’s Eve parties are organized in almost all the restaurants in the cities of Alba county, with Romanian or international specialties. I urge those who have not yet visited us to discover Alba, because Alba is not a tourist offer, Alba is a choice!”
So here is a complete offer for spending the winter holidays in central Romania, where spectacular mountain landscapes intertwine with a rich historical and spiritual heritage. (LS)
