Sighişoara – the Best Preserved Medieval Town in Europe

Walking through Sighişoara’s winding cobblestone streets feels like stepping back in time. For a town that dates back to the 12th century, when the King of Hungary invited German craftsmen and merchants to settle in Transylvania, Sighisoara looks incredibly well preserved.

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Main square in Sighisoara, Romania
Main square in Sighisoara
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We stopped in Sighişoara on our recent road trip through Romania’s Transylvania and Maramures County and immediately fell in love with this town’s medieval architecture. Stepping foot inside its citadel, we were charmed by its colourful houses, steep stairways, and its historic significance as the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, who ruled the province of Walachia from 1456 to 1462 and was the inspiration behind the Bram Stoker’s Dracula character.

Sighisoara citadel walls. Romania
Sighisoara citadel walls

 

Cobblestone street in Sighisoara, Romania
Cobblestone street in Sighisoara
Colourful houses in Sighisoara, Romania
Colourful houses in Sighisoara

 

Vlad Dracula mugs on sale in Sighisoara, Romania
Vlad Dracula mugs on sale in shops in the main town square
Romanian souvenirs. Souvenir shop. Sighisoara. Romania
Other Romanian souvenirs

 

Vlad Dracul House, Sighisoara. Romania
Vlad Dracul House, Sighisoara

 

The Clock Tower, built back in 1360, offered incredible views of the city and an interesting display of historical artifacts inside.

Max & Oksana at the top of Clock Tower in Sighisoara, Romania
At the top of the Clock Tower overlooking Sighisoara
View from the top of the Clock Tower, Sighisoara. Romania
View from the top of the Clock Tower

Not far from the Clock Tower, stood another beautiful sight, a 13th century Lutheran church built in late Gothic style.

Romania Sighisoara-3972
Road leading to the church
Romania Sighisoara-3974
Cobblestone street in the heart of Sighisoara citadel

 

Street in Sighisoara. Romania
Medieval architecture

 

The covered staircase lead up to the Church on the Hill, the cemetery, and the Joseph Haltrich High School.

Covered staircase, Sighisoara. Romania
Covered staircase
Church on the Hill, Biserica din Deal. Sighisoara. Romania
Church on the Hill (Biserica din Deal)
Entrance to the Sighisoara Cemetery, Romania
Entrance to the Sighisoara Cemetery

But to be honest, the highlight of our visit to Sighisoara wasn’t the Dracula home (we didn’t even bother going in), and it wasn’t the views from the famous Clock Tower, it was the time we spent getting lost in the charming streets of this medieval town…

Street in Sighisoara. Romania
Piata Cetatii, Main Square, Sighisoara
Street in Sighisoara. Romania
One of the streets leading up to Main Square
Street in Sighisoara. Romania
Street in Sighisoara
Charming street in Sighisoara. Romania
Looks like a fairytale!
Street in Sighisoara. Romania
Little touches like flowers on every building make this beautiful town that much more adorable!

 

Romania Sighisoara-2166
Bicycle with a basket of flowers used for decoration in the main square

 

Romania Sighisoara-2220
Casa Cositoraruini

 

Street in Sighisoara. Romania

And the beauty is that you don’t need much time to explore Sighisoara! Its compact size and close proximity to Bucharest (the town is just 4 hours away), make it a popular destination for visitors all year around.

Do you love medieval towns like Sighisoara? Have you visited any other charming citadels in Europe that can rival Sighisoara?

Essential Travel Info

Getting in: The easiest way to reach Sighisoara is by car. From Bucharest the drive woudl take about 4 hours. Alternatively, there are 4 direct train connections from Bucharest to Sighisoara and a bus that runs from Bucharest to Sighisoara and back once a day.

Getting around: Sighisoara’s old town is best explored on foot! If you are driving up, park your car outside of the citadel and enjoy a few hours of walking!

Where to stay: You can easily visit Sighisoara on a day trip from Brasov or as a stopover en route further north. But those that want to take in Sighisoara’s medieval charm will find lots of accommodation options to choose from. Budget travels should consider staying at Burg Hostel, located in the heart of the citadel or one of the guest houses (look for them on Agoda) in the main square.

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Sighişoara - the Best Preserved Medieval Town in Europe

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