Sighișoara gets my vote for the prettiest city in Romania. There’s the lovely citadel, perched on top of a hill that’s lined with historic buildings and charm. In the lower town, you’ll find great restaurants, nice architecture, and a beautiful Orthodox Church. It’s no wonder why Sighisoara gets added to many Romania itineraries.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Romania, here are the must see sights in Sighisoara, Romania.
Best Things to See in Sighisoara, Romania
As always, this is not an exhaustive list of everything that you can see and do in Sighisoara, but for first time visitors, this is where you should focus your time. In my opinion, much of the charm from this town comes from wandering its streets, but there’s still a handful of key sights that you’ll want to keep your eye out for as you explore.
Citadel
By far and away, the best thing to do in Sighisoara is to spend some time wandering the lanes of the Citadel. This is the historic fortress it sits on a hill overlooking the city. If you only do one thing in Sighisoara, make it a visit to the citadel.
So what exactly do you see in Sighisoara’s Citadel? Well, I’ll cover a few specific things later on in this list, but in my opinion, the best thing is to juts walk down the streets to admire the architecture, see the various towers, and enjoy the view. This area isn’t huge so it’s not hard to walk every single street in the area.
Unsurprisingly, the streets are less busy in the morning. When I left my hostel at 9:00 to walk and explore, there was hardly anyone on the streets. By 10:00, tour groups started arriving and by 11:00, it seemed that everyone was out to explore. Sighisoara doesn’t get nearly the same amount of visitors as popular cities like Paris or Rome, but compared to the empty streets from the morning, there were so many people out exploring.
As you wander through the lanes of the Citadel, don’t forget to visit the various walls for looks back to the lower town of Sighisoara.
Clock Tower (Turnul cu Ceas)
There are several towers located throughout the citadel. You’ll find the Tailor’s Tower, the Shoemaker’s Tower, and even more. But one tower that I want to draw special attention to is the Clock Tower.
Located along the wall of the fortress, the clock tower is a nice sight. But don’t just view the clock tower from above and instead make sure to look up from the lower town. If you’re willing to walk and explore, there’s some pretty great shots to be found.
Like so many other clocks in Europe, Sighisoara’s Clock used to move and have a small performance. Unfortunately the clock is no longer functional and it seems like restoring it is not a top priority for the city.
Still, I think the Clock Tower is nice enough and deserves a separate entry on this list.
Covered Stairway
The Citadel sits on a hill in the town of Sighisoara, but you can actually climb higher. The Covered Stairway is a series of steps that leads you from the Citadel all the way up to the Church on the Hill (covered next).
As you climb through the dim lighting to reach the Church on the Hill and the few attractions nearby, think about all of the students who climbed these stairs to get to school.
There are a lot of stairs, but I didn’t think it was a difficult walk. The stairs aren’t steep, but there are a lot of them. Still, if you want to visit the Church on the Hill and see Sighsoara from above, these stairs are the best way to do it.
Church on the Hill
If you’ve put in the effort to climb the Covered Stairway, you might as well take in the views of the Church on the Hill. Of course, you can focus on views of Sighisoara below, but you’ve climbed all this way so don’t forget to view the church.
Admittedly, I visited this part of Sighisoara early in the day and the church was not yet open for the day. But if you visit later in the day, you can enter and tour the church for a small fee. Don’t expect a cathedral or something over the top, but it can be visited.
Behind the church, you’ll find the cemetery which is the final resting place for hundreds of Romanians.
Vlad the Impaler’s Birthplace
Like so many cities in Transylvania, Sighisoara tries to capitalize on the Dracula commercialism. That said, Sighisoara actually has a good reason to. This city is the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the supposed inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. While Vlad was born in Sighisoara, he only lived here for the first four years of his life.
Still, if you’re interested in learning more, you can visit his birthplace and walk through the museum.
Orthodox Church
Let’s talk about another church in Sighisoara and this is one that is actually free to enter. Sighisoara’s Orthodox Church is sat right near the pedestrian bridge that crosses the river and if you’re walking between the train station and the Citadel, you’ll likely pass it. You can also get a very nice view of the church from the Citadel.
But you can step inside the church for a nice view. I’m not going to call this church the most impressive Orthodox Church that I’ve ever visited, but because it’s free, I think it’s worth stepping inside to admire the detailed paintings of the orthodox icons.
Note that the front door is often closed, but that doesn’t mean the church itself is closed. Just push open the door and walk in.
Lower Town
I’ll fully admit that I think the best of Sighisoara is in the Citadel on top of the hill, but I do think it’s also worth spending a bit of time in the lower town. The architecture here is nice (though I think the Citadel is better), but more importantly you’ll find more shops, restaurants, and a more local experience.
My hostel was located in the citadel, but everyday I ventured down to the lower town, both for a walk to stretch my legs, but also because I was able to find some better deals on food down here.
How Long Do You Need in Sighisoara, Romania?
I spent four nights in Sighisoara, which I fully admit is too much time. I think you can reasonably cover the top things to do in Sighisoara in one day.
If you have more than one day in Sighisoara, you can look to day trips, but in my opinion, I’d just incorporate another city in Transylvania into your itinerary. Sibiu is also beautiful, but Brasov offers closer access to some iconic castles.
Can You Visit Sighisoara as a Day Trip?
Technically, yes, you can take a day trip to Sighisoara. However, I think that you need to be prepared for a long travel day. The only city that it makes reasonable sense to day trip from is Sibiu. From Sibiu, it’s a two and a half hour train ride to Sighisoara, so as a day trip, that’s nearly five hours spent on the train. That’s a lot for anyone.
If you’re really short on time, you can spend just one night in Sighisoara as you travel between Sibiu and Brasov. It will be fast paced, but you’ll still be able to explore the highlights of this city.
How to Get to Sighisoara, Romania
You’ll either need to get a bus or train to reach Sighisoara. The closest airport Targu Mures (TGM), but this is over 40 kilometers away. Buses and trains depart regularly from Sighisoara, but the exact frequency depends on your destination.
I connected Sighișoara to the rest of my Romania itinerary by train. It was a two hour train from Sibiu to Sighisoara and a three and a half hour train from Sighisoara to Brasov. Technically a bus between Sighisoara and Brasov would have been faster, but the train timetables better fit my schedule.
How to Get Around Sighisoara, Romania
Sighișoara is very walkable and while there are buses in the city, you shouldn’t need to rely on them. All of the sights included on this list are within walking distance of each other. The furthest destination is the train station, which is a 15 minute walk from the Citadel.
The only important note is that the Citadel sits on top of a hill. Depending on which route you take to the Citadel, you may come across a series of stairs. The stairs aren’t bad, but when you’re carrying all of your luggage, it isn’t what I would call pleasant. Pack light. I passed one man absolutely struggling to make it to the Citadel with his two rolling suitcases.
Final Thoughts
Sighișoara was a delight to explore and while I spent more time in the city than was necessary, I’m not mad about it. Between the fascinating history and the gorgeous streets, this city is a delight to explore and in my opinion, a must see city in Romania.
