Sighisoara

Everything within Sighisoara's medieval walls and protected by its nine towers seems perfectly preserved from another time. Along its cobbled streets you'll find merchant's homes, ornate churches, and the birthplace of Vlad Dracula. You'll certainly want to visit the Citadel, Clock Tower, and Scholars’ Stairs. The city built the covered staircase in 1642 to protect citizens on their winter climb to school and church. One of the few European towns to have kept its medieval fortifications intact, its UNESCO listing is no surrpise. There’s much to discover. The Church on the Hill has 500-year-old frescoes. The Church of the Dominican Monastery is famous for its renaissance carved altarpiece, baroque pulpit, and 17th century organ. We recommend taking a walking tour in Sighisoara to get acquainted with the city.

It’s odd how such a colorful and uplifting place can have a legend like Dracula attached to it. But Sighisoara embraces its darker side. There's both a Weapons Collection (housed in Vlad Dracula’s house) and a Torture Museum. There’s a Festival of Medieval Arts and Crafts in July, but year-round you can experience Transylvanian craftsmanship in the History Museum. Spending an extra day here means you’ll get to discover Sighisoara at night. It's calm and quiet after many of the travelers have moved on. You could cover the sights in a few hours. But Sighisoara is an excellent place to have some relaxing downtime. With its central location, why not stay here overnight between visits to Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj, and places even further north?