One of the most beautiful places to visit in Romania is Sighisoara, a medieval town located right in the heart of the Transylvania region. And it’s no wonder—it is simply the prettiest, with centuries-old monuments and a vibe like time has stopped there. This is, in fact, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe that is still inhabited, making it the top tourist attraction in Romania.

Sighisoara was the first place I visited in Romania back in 2010. I was enchanted immediately and was more than happy to visit Sighisoara again recently.

Not much has changed over the time. Sighisoara is still outstanding, although much more popular among tourists. But most visitors come here only for a few hours (usually on a day trip from Brasov), missing the unique vibe of the place early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This is when you can feel the real charm of Sighisoara and see how special this place is.

If you plan to visit Sighisoara, either for a few hours or for an overnight stay (that I can’t recommend enough), I put together this guide with all the best things to do in Sighisoara to help you enjoy the town to the fullest. Read on and plan your trip to Sighisoara.

Where is Sighisoara

Sighisoara, a town of around twenty-five thousand inhabitants, is located right in the center of Romania, in the Transylvania region. Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is 300 km south of Sighisoara. Other bigger nearby cities are Brasov (120 km away), Sibiu (90 km away), and Cluj-Napoca (150 km away).

A brief history of Sighisoara

Sighisoara was first mentioned in 1191 when Saxon (German) craftsmen, merchants, and settlers arrived in the area. The place developed rapidly and played a key strategic and commercial role, which eventually led to the town’s being granted rights in 1367. That’s also when the majestic fortifications were built, yet another proof of Sighisoara’s importance in medieval times.

After the difficult 17th and 18th centuries, when the town was occupied by the Ottomans and destroyed by fires and plagues, the town lost its crucial role in the region. After World War I, Austria-Hungary ceased to exist, and the Transylvania region with Sighisoara became part of the Kingdom of Romania.

Today, this is one of the highlights of Romania and the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How to get to Sighisoara

If you travel by car, you can easily reach Sighisoara as the main road in the region crosses the town.

Unfortunately, public transport isn’t very efficient—there are not too many connections, and both trains and buses are rather slow. But still, you can reach Sighisoara from Bucharest, Brasov, or Sibiu (however, you might need to change trains in Medias, which is an interesting place anyway). International trains from Hungary also stop in Sighisoara.

If you don’t have much time in your Romania itinerary but still would like to visit Sighisoara, joining a tour is a good idea. Here are some of the highly-rated ones:

• Unesco Tour: Sighisoara, Viscri, and Rupea From Brasov
• From Sibiu: Sighisoara & Biertan
• Transylvania: Dracula’s Castle and Birthplace Tour
• Sighisoara and Biertan: UNESCO in Transylvania

How to get around Sighisoara

Fortunately, Sighisoara is small enough that you can easily walk everywhere. The train station is located 1 km—15 minutes’ walk from the Old Town, where you will find all the attractions.

Where to stay in Sighisoara

If you travel by car, it’s better to find Sighisoara accommodation in the lower town as parking can be an issue in the citadel. Even if you are not in the Old Town, you are still only a short walk away.

Here are some of the recommended places to stay in Sighisoara:

• Boutique Hotel von Graf (9.4/10)
• Hotel Sighişoara (8.9/10)
• Hotel PrincesSophie (8.6/10)
• and many more!

Things to do in Sighisoara

And finally, here are the best things to do in Sighisoara.

Wander around the citadel

The Old Town in Sighisoara is one of the best-preserved medieval fortified cities in Europe, still inhabited despite its original defensive purpose. As soon as you enter this part of Sighisoara, you feel like you traveled back in time. It is clear that the cobbled streets, the imposing monuments, and the colorful yet gnawed by the teeth of time houses have seen a lot over the centuries.

One of my favorite things to do in Sighisoara is to wander around the Old Town. A lazy stroll around with no map and purpose is the best way to get to know this part of the city and feel its unique vibe.

The citadel area is relatively small, and you can easily see all the corners. You also never know what you might stumble across during your walk, so be curious and observant when walking around and pay attention to details.

There are so many picturesque, charming corners here, as well as old houses with interesting decorations, such as the Stag House with the deer head sticking out of the corner. You might also find the monument of Sandor Petofi – the national poet of Hungary – who most likely died in the Battle of Sighisoara in 1849.

The best time to fully enjoy the Old Town of Sighisoara is either in the morning when the place is slowly waking up to life, or in the late afternoon, once the day trippers are gone and things get more relaxed.

If you happen to visit Sighisoara in July, you might attend the Medieval Festival and experience what life in the citadel used to look like all those centuries ago.

Admire the impressive city walls

Since Sighisoara was built as a defensive citadel, the Old Town has been surrounded by impressive, almost kilometer-long walls with 14 defense towers. Nine of them, as well as part of the walls, survived until this day, and still today, you can admire their majestic structures guarding the Old Town.

You will easily find them when exploring the place. What makes Sighisoara towers interesting is that each one looks different, yet every one impresses visitors.

Every tower in Sighisoara’s citadel has a different name, and so you can find:

• Clock Tower
• Ropemaker’s Tower
• Butcher’s Tower
• Furrier’s Tower
• Tailor’s Tower
• Shoemaker’s Tower
• Blacksmith’s Tower
• Tinsmith’s Tower
• Coat Makers’ Tower

My personal favorite was the Tinsmith’s Tower because of its unique shape, which reminded me of a fairytale. But each tower was amazing and a great testimony to Sighisoara’s long history.

Visit the Clock Tower

Of all the towers, the most important one was (and still is) the Clock Tower (Turnul cu Ceas). It was built in 1360 as the main entrance to the fortress. Since the mid-16th century, the Clock Tower was home to the local administration. The four small towers on the top corners symbolized the judicial autonomy and the independence of Sighisoara.

After the 1677 fire, the Clock Tower was rebuilt, and the decorated rooftop, made by two artists from Tirol, was added. The Baroque clock with figurines on two stories (different ones on each side of the tower) dates to the mid-17th century.

Today, the Clock Tower is home to the museum dedicated to Sighisoara and its history; it is also a great viewpoint over the Old Town and its surroundings.

Find the birthplace of Vlad Tepes

The most famous person originating from the Transylvania region is Vlad the Impaler, known also as Vlad Dracula. He lived in the 15th century and is considered one of the most influential leaders in Wallachian history.

But his name gained publicity thanks to Bram Stoker and his “Dracula” novel that Vlad the Impaler and his cruel rule were the inspiration to. Even if the book was first published in 1897, still today the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Romania, and especially Transylvania, is Dracula.

Vlad the Impaler was born in Sighișoara in 1431 and spent four years there. You can easily find his birthplace – the old yellow house near the Clock Tower has a commemorative plaque on the wall. Inside, you will find a medieval restaurant and a room dedicated to Dracula.

Near Dracula’s birthplace, between the Monastery church and the town hall, you can find Vlad the Impaler’s bust portraying the infamous ruler.

See the town hall

One building that doesn’t really fit into the medieval Old Town in Sighisoara is the town hall, located near the Clock Tower. It was built in the late 19th century in the place where the Dominican monastery used to stand (only a church remains to this day).

Even though it’s much newer than the rest of Sighisoara attractions, it also looks like a fairy tale castle, and it’s worth stopping here for a moment to admire its beauty. Inside, you can see the Baroque hall that is often used for events and concerts.

Walk up the covered staircase

After exploring the central area of the Sighisoara’s citadel, you can take the covered staircase to its upper part. Known also as the “scholars’ stairs,” the staircase was used by teachers and students to get to the school and the church in the higher parts of the Old Town.

The stairs were built in 1642, with 300 steps – only 176 remain today. The covered structure was added around twenty years later to protect passersby from rain or snow. Today, this is one of the most picturesque Sighisoara sights, open 24/7 and nicely lit in the evenings.

Visit the church and the cemetery on the hill

Once you take the covered staircase to the upper part of the citadel, you can see some of the interesting places this area of the Old Town hides. There is an old gymnasium, one of the defensive gates and parts of the city walls, and a church from the early 16th century (be sure to visit it inside if it’s open).

But the most interesting place is the old Saxon cemetery. Not only does it have a picturesque location on the hill with gentle slopes, but many of the tombstones are beautiful, dating back to the late 19th and early 20th century. The cemetery is a great testimony of the German past of Sighisoara and the best example of its heritage.

Explore Lower Town

While most of Sighisoara’s attractions are located within the walled citadel, the lower part of the town is worth seeing, too.

The buildings here are a bit newer than in the upper areas (from the 17th century and upwards), but still, it’s a nice area, with Hermann Oberth Square (named after the local physicist) as its center. There is even a so-called umbrella street where you can take Instagram-worthy pictures.

Once you are in this part of Sighisoara, it’s worth crossing the river and visiting the nearby Holy Trinity Church from 1934, built in the Neo-Byzantine style and so different than the architecture in the historical area.

Go for day trips

While most people who visit Sighisoara come here for a day only (often on a day trip from Brasov), it’s worth spending a bit longer here to enjoy the Old Town when the tourists are gone and explore nearby areas. This part of Transylvania is packed with attractions, and you can visit some fantastic places that are just a short distance from Sighisoara.

Some of the most popular and interesting ones are:

• amazing fortified churches (listed on UNESCO) in Biertan and Saschiz
• Viscri – a picturesque village, where you can visit another UNESCO fortified church as well as see the holiday house of King Charles
• Rupea with the impressive medieval fortress
• Medias – an underrated, yet well-preserved Saxon town

Where to go next

Transylvania is the most beautiful (and most popular) region in Romania, and so after visiting Sighisoara, you can continue your trip to other interesting places in the area, either to Brasov, Sibiu, or Cluj-Napoca (via Alba Iulia and Salina Turda). Or, you can head up north to Bucovina—this part of Romania is known especially for its beautiful painted monasteries, but the views along the way are pretty amazing, too.

Further reading

I published many articles about Romania that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 25 Best Places to Visit in Romania
• 23 Great Things to Do in Bucharest, Romania
• 10 Awesome Places to Visit on Day Trips from Bucharest
• 15 Best Things to Do in Brasov, Romania
• How to Get from Bucharest to Brasov
• Visit Sinaia, Romania – home to the amazing Peles Castle
• 9 Great Things to Do in Cluj-Napoca, the Vibrant City in Romania
• Why you should visit Timisoara, Romania
• and many more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in the Balkans and ask your questions there.

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• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
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