Alba Iulia is worth visiting in any season, but spring (April–May) and early autumn (September–October) are the most comfortable. Summers can be warm, and the citadel is busy with Romanian tourists in July and August. The changing-of-the-guard ceremony runs daily in summer and on weekends in other seasons.
The most significant date in the local calendar is 1 December, Romania's National Day, which marks the 1918 Great National Assembly at which Transylvania voted to unite with Romania. Large ceremonies are held at the citadel, attracting visitors from across the country.