Things to do in Sighișoara, Romania’s Colourful Town

Romania as the country we know today has only existed for around 150 years. Before that it was three separate regions: Wallachia, Moldova and Transylvania. Home to myths and mountains, lakes and legends, there’s no shortage of amazing places to see. But no trip to Romania would be complete if you didn’t visit Sighișoara, possibly the most colourful town in the country. This small town can be explored in just a day or two, but taking a little longer gives you more time to soak up the medieval atmosphere, wander the cobbled streets and take a day trip to a nearby fortified church. Sighișoara is one of the most memorable places in Romania, and there are a number of things to do in this colourful town.

Read more: Romania – Your 2-Week Itinerary

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Vlad Dracul House

Romanian: Casa lui Vlad Dracul

Bran Castle, on the border of Transylvania and Wallachia (and a great day trip from Brasov), may be THE famous Dracula attraction, but Sighișoara is where you’ll find the real historical connection. Here is where Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad Dracula, was born sometime between 1428 and 1431, while his parents were being hosted by the town’s mayor during the Turkish invasion of Wallachia. The house itself is still standing, right opposite the Clock Tower, and is possibly the oldest building in Sighișoara. Painted a vibrant yellow, it is now home to a touristy, medieval-style restaurant and a kitschy museum. I didn’t go in, but many people like the experience.

Clock Tower / Sighișoara History Museum

Romanian: Turnul cu Ceas / Muzeul De Istorie Sighisoara

Towering over the main entrance to the Old Town, the Clock Tower is quite an introduction to the town. The symbol of Sighișoara, it is the city’s main tourist attraction. The tower gets its name from the impressive Swiss clock installed in the tower in 1648, with one face on either side of the tower. Facing the lower city you’ll find seven wooden figurines nearly a metre high, one for each day of the week, but also representing seven gods, seven planets and seven metals. A clever mechanism changes the figure on display each day. On the citadel side there are figurines representing the Peace Goddess, Justice and Righteousness, and Day and Night. From inside the tower you can see the figures not currently on display.

The tower is as interesting on the inside as it is on the outside. Containing the History of Sighișoara Museum, the three narrow floors display artifacts from every era of the city’s history: Roman, Medieval, Saxon. With a scale model of the town, the internal mechanisms of the clock and the views from the narrow walkway at the top, the Clock Tower is definitely worth climbing during a visit to Sighișoara.

Church on the Hill / German Cemetary

Romanian: Biserica din Deal / Cimitirul Bisericii Din Deal

At the very top of the hill on which Sighișoara stands is a huge church, tall and imposing. Between the afternoon light filtering through the trees, the quiet peace in the overgrown graveyard (I’ve always had a thing for graveyards – is that weird?) and the lack of people around, I simply loved this part of the city.

Known in English simply as the Church on the Hill, this blocky building is the third largest church in Romania and one of the most important historical buildings in Sighișoara. Inside there are fragments of ancient frescoes and the only crypt in Transylvania.

With winding paths and benches tucked away in hidden corners, I found the German Cemetery to be a beautiful place to sit for a while. The graves here are not as old as the 14th century church, but look past the moss and ivy and you’ll spot some 17th century ones, inscribed with Saxon titles like “Master Carpenter” and “Chief of the Guild”. The area is reached by walking through the roofed Scara Scolarilor – Scholars’ Stairs. The 176 covered steps were originally built to allow passage between the lower and upper parts of the citadel during the harsh winters, when Sighișoara would be bound by snow. Now it is musicians who make use of the passageway, street artists playing for change.

The Guild Towers of Sighișoara

The nine defensive towers built into the walls surrounding Sighișoara’s Old Town are a mismatched set, each one a different style, each named for the guild that built and maintained it: the blacksmiths, tailors, tinsmiths, weavers, etc. Built between the 13th and 17th centuries, the towers formed the defense of the city. Each was built as a separate fortress, so if one fell or was captured during an attack, it wouldn’t necessarily mean the capture of the whole town.

It doesn’t take long to walk around the city walls to find them all, though the steep hill makes this more of a workout that it might otherwise have been. It’s clear that no effort at all was put into making them look at least a little bit similar as they’re all so different. But during a visit to Sighișoara, it’s an absolute must to try to see them all (although I found it hard figuring out which was which, it’s easy to lose track).

Relax in Sighișoara’s Citadel Square

Romanian: Piața Cetății

Sighișoara was definitely a highlight of my Romanian itinerary, and though it’s small, I absolutely loved just meandering through the streets. Citadel Square is the heart of the Old Town and has been for centuries. From weekly fairs to public executions (thankfully not nowadays!), this was a centre of social, administrative and commercial life for the town’s citizens. Now cafes line the square, perfect for a relaxing afternoon people-watching (and dog-watching, there are plenty roaming around!).

Wandering by myself is one of my favourite things to do when travelling, but sometimes taking a guided walking tour can be a great experience, offering an in-depth look into the history from the perspective of a local. If you want to be more independent, why not get a self-guided audio tour (really wish I’d done this back then!)?

Day trip to Saschiz

Visit the Fortified Church

A perfect day trip from Sighișoara, Saschiz is definitely a good place to get away from all the other tourists. Here you will find one of the impressive fortified churches of Romania, built in the 15th century. The church itself is interesting inside and out, and the tower next to it tall and imposing. However, the real treat can be found at the top of the hill above the village.

Saschiz Castle

Following a narrow dirt track switching back and forth across the hill, I made my way to the ruined fortress at the top. This 13th century castle was originally built by Transylvanian Saxons, but declined in importance as the fortified church in town became more central to the local population. The views across the landscape and over the village were simply gorgeous, and the ruins very fun to explore. On the other side is a dense forest just calling out to be explored, but as I was there solo, I decided to play it safe and stick to the fortress. There are photo opportunities galore here, and for the braver among you, you can even climb up on the crumbling walls before heading back down the hill. I was the only one around the entire time – an odd feeling when you’re staying in such a touristy place.

There’s not much else to do in this small town, so half a day will be perfect here. But it’s definitely worth leaving Sighișoara to see it. Both the fortified church and Sighisoara are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, so you know I was all over that.

Read more: UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Where I’ve Been

Where to stay in Sighișoara

There aren’t any open hostels in Sighișoara that I can find, so if you’re travelling on the cheap, you’ll need to look for budget-friendly private rooms instead.

Where I stayed: Pensiunea Cristina si Pavel. My word, what a beautiful little place this was. Colourful flowers everywhere you look, an outdoor seating area perfect for relaxing in, a cute dog running around. Right in the heart of the Old Town, it couldn’t be more convenient. And Cristina, the owner, couldn’t have been nicer, welcoming guests with plates of fruit and cake, always making sure you have everything you need. It was the perfect place to unwind during my visit to Sighișoara.

There are multiple hotels in town, and if you’re looking for a seriously luxurious splurge, the Heritage Boutique Hotel is highly rated and in a stunning building just below the Old Town. There are also plenty of guesthouses to choose from, with Pensiunea Bastion La Strada perfectly located in the historical area.

Getting to Sighișoara

• Sighișoara is easy to get to whether you have your own transport or are relying on public transport. Buses arrived regularly from Bucharest, from Brasov and from Cluj Napoca.
• The main bus and train stations are located next to each other in the lower town, about a twenty-minute walk from the Old Town. If you’re staying outside the historical area, the walk will be less, but be prepared for a longer, uphill slog if your accommodation is in the Old Town.
  • If there’s one thing I learned trying to get from Sibiu to Sighișoara, it’s to ALWAYS check which station my bus leaves from. Because this time I didn’t, heading to the wrong one before realising I needed to be on the complete opposite side of town. Thankfully I’d given myself plenty of time (hello, anxiety my old friend), so I didn’t miss the stuffy minivan that would rumble along the bumpy road to Sighișoara.

Getting to Saschiz from Sighișoara

If you have your own car, Saschiz is a quick 20-minute drive from Sighișoara. There are also multiple buses that travel between the two towns, with a handy departure at 10am and returns at 1.25 pm and 3.30pm (as of August 2026) – perfect for a quick trip. The best place to book your tickets is on the Bileteria website. When I visited in 2018, there wasn’t an option to book online, you simply had to show up at the bus station and hope for a space on the cramped minibus. I didn’t make it on the first one and had to wait for the next, but I don’t know if these minibuses are still running.

Attraction Entry Fees (as of 2026):

• Clock Tower / Sighișoara History Museum: 16 lei
• Church on the Hill: 10 lei
• Casa Vlad Dracul: 10 lei
• Saschiz Fortified Church: 6 lei

Have you ever been to visit Sighișoara? Or did you even know it existed? Let me know in the comments below!

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