Sighisoara Itinerary: The Best Things To Do (2024)

Are you planning a Sighisoara itinerary in 2024? Here’s our detailed travel guide of the best things to do in Sighisoara – to create the perfect 1 or 2 day itinerary in the historical city!

We’ll show you how to get to Sighisoara, how to get around and a few recommendations on the best restaurants and where to stay! Let’s find out what to do in Sighisoara!

Sighisoara is a cosy historical city in the Transylvania region of Romania. It’s the only inhabited medieval fortress in South-East Europe and is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’re so glad Romania has preserved many parts of the fortified city as it’s one of the most beautiful places in the country!

With colourful buildings all around the old town and some main sites to see, there are many things to do in Sighisoara to spend 1 or 2 days in Romania. It’s definitely known to be a tourist spot in Romania and you’ll find many souvenirs when wandering through the cobbled streets.

We still think it’s worth checking out if you’re visiting other places in Romania (check out our 1 week Romania itinerary) and we’ll show you how to plan your Sighisoara itinerary with all the best things to do!

This post may contain affiliate links. We will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using these links, at no additional cost to you.

Check out all the things to do in Sighisoara on guided tours here!

How to get to Sighisoara

The best way to get to Sighisoara is by car or public transport! We travelled the country only using public transport and it’s a budget-friendly way to explore Romania! However, road trips in Romania are also amazing to do and Sighisoara is easily reached by following Google Maps. There are also a few airports around the country and the closest one to Sighisoara is Târgu Mureș Transilvania Airport.

Car – Rent a car in Romania to explore the smaller cities and towns in the Transylvania region – here’s a link to renting a car in Romania!

Train – To get to Sighisoara by train will take around 5 hours from Bucharest, 3 hours from Brasov and 3 hours from Cluj Napoca. From our experience, the trains are pretty efficient in Romania and they just take a little longer than driving. Have a look at the train schedule when planning your Sighisoara itinerary.

How to get around Sighisoara

Sighisoara is very small with cobbled streets all around the Old Town and it’s a very walkable city. For those who struggle with hills, there’s a little train that can take you to the top of the Old Town for a few lei. Other than some small inclines, it’s very easy to walk around, even from the train station!

Pick up a Joby GorillaPod (Tripod) before your trip - lightweight, easy to carry and you'll always be able to take photos if you're solo or in a group!

Sighisoara Itinerary (Best things to do in Sighisoara)

In this Sighisoara itinerary, we’re going to split the things to do in Sighisoara over more than a day – however many of these activities can be done in an afternoon or one full day.

When you first arrive in Sighisoara head to your accommodation (if you’re staying overnight) and drop your bags off. If you’re feeling hungry there are plenty of restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner here in Sighisoara.

Explore Sighisoara’s Citadel

The first area you’ll want to explore on your Sighisoara itinerary is the beautiful fairytale-like old town! Head to the base of the fortress (near Piața Hermann Oberth) and get ready to discover the fortress city.

Sighisoara is a Saxon Village right in the heart of Transylvania. It’s actually one of Romania’s many Saxon villages, including places like Brasov and Sibiu. However, we think Sighisoara is the most unique! When you reach the base of the fortress walk up to the top of the hill. You’ll be able to see the clock tower from the beginning!

Climb up the Clock Tower

Sighisoara’s iconic clock tower was built in the 14th century. It was once the main gate to the city’s citadel and now it’s a part of the best things to do in Sighisoara.

It’s hard to miss as you wander up the hill to the main square in the old town. It’s also possible to go inside and climb to the top for a beautiful view of the city! The price for this is 16 lei.

Take a guided tour around the citadel and learn in-depth information about Sighisoara!

Check our our 11 Best Things to do in Sinaia travel guide!

Near the clock tower, there’s a medieval torture chamber (location!). We didn’t get a chance to visit and unfortunately, it doesn’t have the best reviews it’s just one small room that costs 6 lei. However, we wanted to mention it in case you’re a big fan of medieval history!

There’s also a local history museum within the tower grounds that is included with the ticket to climb up to the top of the tower (16 lei). The museum features old Transylvanian items and artefacts from Sighisoara’s history. Location here!

Find the Citadel Square (Piata Cetatii)

After you’ve passed through the passageway of the clock tower you’ll be greeted by the Citadel Square of Sighisoara! This is where the little train drops visitors off if you didn’t fancy walking up the incline and you can sometimes find puppet shows in the square.

There are many things to do in Sighisoara that are around Citadel Square, so we’ve listed them below!

Once you enter the square you’ll instantly notice the Monastery Church (location) and the Blacksmiths Tower on the right side of the clock tower.

The Blacksmiths Tower is one of the 9 towers in Sighisoara. It’s the only one that’s accessible beside the clock tower. Learn more about the history of the medieval city – location here!

Behind the Monastery Church, you can find the Statue of Vlad Tepes – basically Dracula!

Visit Dracula’s birthplace

Another one of the best things to do in Sighisoara is to visit the birthplace of Dracula! We only admired the building from the outside and had a look at the restaurant on the inside (that looked pretty good!).

It costs 10 lei to enter the room where Vlad Dracul lived as a child. It’s now been turned into a horror room with someone dressing up as Dracula.

Have a look at all the best things to do in Sighisoara on guided tours here!

Wander around the colourful streets

Walking around the fairytale streets is something to add to your Sighisoara itinerary! As you wander around the colourful streets of Sighisoara you’ll come across more churches such as St. Losif Catholic Church.

It’s a large church with a white exterior and actually looks quite modern compared to the other churches in Sighisoara. Shoemakers Tower is also right around the corner, another one of the 9 towers in Sighisoara.

Whilst walking around the cobbled streets in the fortress you’ll find many restaurants, cafes and small markets selling Transylvania-themed gifts and souvenirs.

Now it’s time to head over to the west side of Citadel Square and you’ll find some long stairs leading up a hill!

Check our detailed 1 Week Romania Itinerary to plan the perfect trip!

Climb up the Covered Stairway

Back in 1654, this staircase was built to help students reach the school near the church throughout the icy winter months of bad weather. It’s still here to this day and you can walk up the dark stairs to get to the top of the hill!

Visit the Lutheran Church on the Hill

The church on the hill is actually called Biserica din Deal (Sf. Nicolae) (location here). It does cost 10 lei to enter this church, however, a guided tour of the church is included! The guides will share a lot of information about the church and you can also admire the Gothic architecture on the inside.

Find the Saxon cemetery

One of the hidden things to do in Sighisoara is to visit the Saxon cemetery right around the corner from the church. The almost abandoned Saxon cemetery is unusually beautiful as it looks similar to a botanical garden. There’s a mix of new and old gravestones

There are a few more towers in this area of the Old Town if you want to add them to your Sighisoara itinerary!

• The Ropemaker’s Tower – in a German cemetery!
• The Butcher’s Tower – beautiful views!
• The Furrier’s Tower – next to Butchers Tower!
• The Tinsmith’s Tower – the most beautiful tower in Sighisoara!
• The Tanner’s Tower – a historical landmark!

Head back to the main square and take a rest on one of the many benches in the area – sometimes there are puppet shows or music!

See the best view at Sighisoara City Hall

After walking around the historic old town, find the Sighisoara city hall and admire the views! It ended up being one of our favourite things to do in Sighisoara as we rested there for a while appreciating the medieval city! (location here) It’s also a great spot to see see the Holy Trinity Church!

Visit the Tailors’ Tower

Finally, the last tower out of the 9 in Sighisoara is Tailor’s Tower (location here) It once was a tower gate to the Sighisoara fortress and has been rebuilt as the result of a fire in 1676.

Find a restaurant for the evening

There are many lovely restaurants in Sighisoara and we’ve listed a few of our recommendations below this Sighisoara itinerary. For your first night – Restaurant La Perla will be a very nice place to eat!

Switch to sustainable travel products before visiting Sighisoara, Romania! Check out our 18 Great Eco Friendly Travel Products You Need to Swap guide!

More things to do in Sighisoara (on Day 2)

If you have more time on your Sighisoara itinerary, here are a few more things to do in the medieval city!

• Get the best view of Sighisoara walking to Pe vilă! Although the view from the city hall is also lovely!
• Visit Holy Trinity Church – it has a beautiful exterior and is an Orthodox church in Sighisoara!
• Visit Transfagarasan – take a day trip to the most famous road in Romania – Transfagarasan Mountain Road. This spectacular area was featured on a Top Gear episode and is worth a visit if you have a car on your Sighisoara itinerary.
• Take a guided tour around the citadel and learn in-depth information about Sighisoara!

Prefer to visit Sighisoara for a day trip?

Here are the best tours and guides from around Romania:

• Brasov – Take a day trip from Brasov to Sighisoara to explore the things to do!
• Bucharest – Take a 2 day trip from Bucharest to Sighisoara and the Transylvania region!
• Cluj-Napoca – Here’s a tour you can do from Cluj-Napoca. It’s a 2.5-hour car ride or a 3.5-hour train ride!

Check out all the things to do in Sighisoara on guided tours here! Also, plan your Romania itinerary here!

Where to stay in Sighisoara

The best place to stay in Sighisoara is near the citadel. It’s even possible to stay inside the Sighisoara fortress walls! There are many hotels to suit anyone’s budget and as long as you’re within walking distance of the main town, it’ll be easy to get around. Here are a few places we recommend:

Burg Hostel $ – This is the first still-existing youth hostel in Romania and there are options for any type of traveller. They’re located in the beautiful streets of the citadel. – Find them on Hostelworld here!

Casa Savri $$ – In the heart of the citadel, this hotel has Transylvanian Saxon architecture – Find them on Booking.com here!

Pensiunea Gasthaus Alte Post $$ – A great stay in Sighisoara in the Old Town area – this place also offers free breakfast!- Find them on Booking.com here!

Where to eat in Sighisoara

If you’re spending more than 1 day in Sighisoara, there are many restaurants to choose from, especially near the citadel. There are cafes to chill in (such as Umbrella street) and places serving ice cream and drinks! Here are a few places we recommend in Sighisoara that have vegan options:

Restaurant La Perla $ – One of the many Italian restaurants in Sighisoara! Ask for no cheese to make it vegan. Here’s the location and website!

Gasthaus Altepost Traditional Restaurant $-$$ –Another amazing place serving pizza and more in Sighisoara! Here’s the location & website!

There are also a few supermarkets such as Lidl and Profi to find some food and snacks. Don’t forget to check out the local stores first!

Best time to visit Sighisoara

The best time to visit Sighisoara is April to October in the warmer months of the year. For this Sighisoara itinerary it may be better to have extra daylight and it’s often easier to travel in the summer. It can get pretty cold in the Romanian winter, however, it’s also a great opportunity to have fewer crowds and a sprinkle of snow!

Travel Essentials for Sighisoara, Romania

Depending on which season you visit, make sure you’re prepared and bring the right clothes! It can get very hot in the summer and in the winter you’ll definitely want some thermals. A good pair of footwear is also great to have! Here are a few travel essentials we recommend for your Sighisoara itinerary:

• Amazon Basics Packing Cubes – The best way to pack your backpack or suitcase.
• Stainless Steel Water Bottle – Better for the environment to have your own reusable bottle.
• Anker Power Bank – Charge up your gadgets when you’re on the go.
• Rain Mac in a Bag – A lightweight raincoat is always great to have in Romania!
• Worldwide Travel Adaptor – Perfect for visiting multiple countries and charging multiple gadgets.
• Joby GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit – A lightweight tripod to fit in your bag at all times!! We love our Joby GorillaPod and use it for our Sony A600. There’s also a version for a phone – Joby Phone Tripod.

How many days should you spend in Sighisoara?

We recommend spending at least half a day in Sighisoara soaking up the medieval history in the city and wandering around the beautiful streets. It’s totally possible to visit Sighisoara as a day trip from Brasov or Cluj-Napoca. One and a half days may be the perfect amount of time to spend in Sighisoara as you get the overnight experience when day visitors have to leave.

Is Sighisoara worth visiting?

Yes! If you’re already in Romania then planning a Sighisoara itinerary is worth it! Even if you spend half a day in Sighisoara, you’ll still be able to appreciate the historic city and take some lovely photos of the coloured buildings.

As it’s a small city, we wouldn’t recommend specifically coming to Romania for Sighisoara but it’s the perfect place to add to your Romania itinerary.

Helpful Links: Book your hostels here / FlixBus / Romania Trains / Romania Buses / Guides & Trips!

More Romania guides:

• Check out our 1 Week Romania Itinerary
• Here’s our 2 day Brasov Itinerary
• Spend 2 days in Sinaia!
• All our Romania posts!

Also check out more of Eastern Europe – 2 Day Plovdiv Itinerary in Bulgaria.

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance

Don’t forget Travel Insurance! SafetyWing is a totally flexible monthly-rolling travel insurance to help you stay safe on your trip anywhere in the world. Find out more here!

That’s the end of our Sighisoara Itinerary: The Best Things To Do (2024)! and if you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below!

LIKE THIS POST? PIN IT FOR LATER & SHARE IT WITH OTHERS!