Sighet and Maramureș are at their best in late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) — warm, dry, the meadows green and the trees turning. High summer (July–August) is also fine but warmer; the Hora la Prislop folk festival is held annually in August on the Prislop Pass, attracting traditional dance and music groups from across Maramureș. Winter (December–March) brings deep snow and serious cold, with temperatures regularly below -10°C; the wooden churches are striking under snow, but the country roads can become slow or impassable.
The harvest months of September–October are particularly good for visitors interested in rural life — the haymaking, the apple harvest, the autumn fairs, and the plum-brandy distilling are all going on at once.