Vâlcele (Hungarian: Előpatak, Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈɛløːpɒtɒk]) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of four villages: Araci (Árapatak, the commune center), Ariușd (Erősd), Hetea (Hetye), and Vâlcele.

It is situated at an altitude of 600 m (2,000 ft), at the foot of the Baraolt Mountains.

The Olt River passes through the southern part of the commune.

According to the 2011 census, it had a population of 4,292, of which 48.3% or 2,071 were Roma, 39.4% or 1,689 were Romanians, 9.9% or 427 were Székely Hungarians, and 2.3% or 100 people belonged to other ethnicities.

At the 2021 census, the commune had a population of 5,559, of which 58.84% were Roma, 31.59% were Romanians, and 5.05% were Székely Hungarians.