Sibiu: a first-timer's guide to Transylvania's prettiest city

Why go

Sibiu is the town that convinces people Romania is one of Europe's best kept secrets. It is beautifully restored but still lived in, with cafés spilling onto squares, theatre and music all year and a calm, safe feel. It is also close to the Fagaras mountains, the highest in the country, and to the Saxon hill villages, so it works as a base for both culture and nature.

The old town

The **Large Square** (Piata Mare) is the grand heart of the upper town, with the **Brukenthal National Museum**, one of the oldest museums in South East Europe, in a baroque palace on one side. Climb the **Council Tower** for the view over the roofs. Next door, the **Small Square** (Piata Mica) is linked to Huet Square by the iron **Bridge of Lies**, which legend says will creak if someone tells a lie while standing on it.

The **Evangelical Cathedral** on Huet Square has a tall tower you can climb and a huge organ. Below it, the **lower town** has quieter, more lived in streets, and the **Passage of Stairs** is one of the most atmospheric corners in Transylvania. Walk the stretch of **old walls and towers** along Cetatii street to see the defences built by the town's guilds.

Astra museum

Just outside town, the **Astra National Museum Complex** is one of the largest open air museums in Europe: hundreds of houses, mills, workshops and churches set around a lake and forest. Allow at least half a day, and consider a bicycle or the little train to get around.

The Transfagarasan road

The **Transfagarasan** climbs over the Fagaras mountains to Balea Lake, with dramatic hairpins on the northern side. It is usually open only from early summer to autumn because of snow, and closures for weather or bears are common, so check its status before you go. Day tours run from Sibiu in season, and the Balea Lake cable car is an alternative when the road is shut.

Day trips

**Sighisoara**, about two hours away, is the most complete inhabited medieval citadel in the region, with a clock tower, covered stairs and the house where Vlad the Impaler was born. The fortified church of **Biertan** is one of the finest in Transylvania. **Cisnadioara** has a hilltop Romanesque church, and **Paltinis** is a small mountain resort for walks and winter skiing.

Festivals

The **Sibiu International Theatre Festival** in June is one of the largest performing arts festivals in the world, filling squares with free street shows. Summer also brings film, jazz and medieval festivals, and the Christmas market on the Large Square is one of the best in Romania.

Food and drink

Sibiu sits in a region of shepherds, so try sheep cheeses, mutton dishes and polenta. The old town has wine bars serving Transylvanian whites, and the shepherd villages of the Marginimea Sibiului area around Sibiel and Jina offer homestays with hearty home cooking.

Where to stay

Stay inside the upper town for the full atmosphere, or in the lower town for quieter streets and good value. Guesthouses in Marginimea Sibiului villages suit those who want rural Romania close by.

Practical tips

Sibiu airport has direct flights from several European cities, which makes the town an easy start to a trip. Trains to Bucharest and Brasov are slower than buses, so compare times. Use the free trip planner and our places to visit list to plan your days.