Things to Do in Sighisoara Romania & What To See
Sighisoara and its historic centre are fascinating places to visit in Romania. We have visited multiple times and found plenty to do, including visiting local attractions and historic sites.
You can see most of Sighisoara in a day, but the small historic town has a lovely ambience to hang out longer. There are many excellent restaurants in Sighisoara to dine out, enhancing your visit.
Things To Do In Sighisoara
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There are many things to see while on a day trip or holiday in the Transylvanian city of Sighisoara.
Do a Walking Tour
One of the popular things to do in Sighisoara is to explore the historic fortress. This makes up most of the central areas. This includes walking the fortress’s walls, towers, pretty churches and other historic buildings. There are a variety of walking tours available, with guides showing visitors around. These cover seeing all the sites and telling the city’s story.
They also have a train-like bus that offers city tours. These are great if you are short on time or if the hills are too steep to walk. This tour starts at the main town square and loops the citadel. You can find tour options and other things to do on the GetYourGuide website.
Citadel & Historic Centre Architecture
The citadel of Sighisoara is on a hill and is visible from most places in the city. It overlooks the Târnava Mare and the nearby Holy Trinity church. The citadel has many historical buildings to see, the centrepiece being the Clock Tower. Visitors can easily get a tourist map to explore the area, which can be useful. I really enjoy just wandering through the cobbled streets and taking in the surroundings.
Piața Cetății – The Citadel Square
The main square in Sighisoara Citadel is a nice place to start your visit. Historians say the first houses built were in the town, around this small town square. It is now home to some restaurants where visitors can sit and enjoy a drink or food. The restaurants here mostly have outside seating, which is great on a summer’s day or when travelling with a dog.
The Clock Tower
One of the most iconic sights in Sighisoara Citadel is the medieval clock tower. Typically, at every fortification, there is one building that dominates the others, often called the master tower. The Clock Tower is the citadel’s primary entry point and is very impressive. They consider it to be the most “expressive” clock tower in Transylvania. It is special to see and eye-pleasing.
The Taylor’s tower guards the clock tower on its flank. This tower is an impressive 64 metres tall and somewhat visible from most of the city. The original purpose of the clock tower was to defend the main gate and entrance to the citadel from its enemies.
They originally started building the clock tower in the 13th century. In the 16th century, they added two floors to this, including a balcony. The fire of 1676 destroyed the room, and subsequently they rebuilt it in its current form.
The Clock Tower is the centrepiece and must-see attraction in Sighisoara and is instantly recognisable as a symbol of the city. They currently use the tower as the local history museum, containing artefacts from the Roman era. The history museum is rather interesting and, as a bonus, allows you to climb the tower to the viewing platform. The viewing platform is great for views of the rest of the citadel.
Citadel Viewpoint
Between the Clock Tower and the tinsmiths’ tower is a path to a viewing platform. The viewing platform is an excellent place to view the towers and this side of the citadel. This is a great place to take photos of the area. During the colder months, the mist really makes the town and, in particular, the tower look very eerie.
The Mayor’s House – Casa Primarului
A beautiful building to see when exploring Sighisoara is the mayor’s house. Before World War 2, this building was the town mayor’s residence; however, now it is an archive of historical documents. This building is bright yellow with two arches that you can walk through. The arches join the main town square to the citadel walls.
Tinsmiths Tower – Turnul Cositorarilor.
The Tinsmith’s Tower is one of the 9 towers and one of my favourites to see. This tower is 25 metres tall and is very nice to see from outside the citadel walls.
This tower is best seen either walking down the hill from the path outside the fortress walls or from the clock tower viewing platform. You can also see this from inside the courtyard, too.
Turnul Fierarilor – Ironsmiths Tower
Turnul Fierarilor is a massive flanking tower they built in 1631. This was to protect the monastery church in the event of a siege. The tower once housed a vast array of defensive weaponry, including lances, muskets, pistols, and arquebuses. Later, in the building’s history, it was a fire station. I really enjoyed the views from the railings next to the Ironsmiths tower, especially for the early sun.
Biserica Manastirii – Monastery Church
Klosterkirche, also known as Biserica Mănăstirii, is a Lutheran church next to city hall within the citadel. Biserica Mănăstirii was once part of a medieval Dominican monastery. They built this church in the Gothic style in 1289; it features a Baroque interior. They built the monastery in 1289 and then demolished it in 1888.
Recently, they have renovated the church, and visiting inside is a nice thing to do. The interior is modestly decorated. However, it has an interesting church organ, a nice altar, and some fascinating artwork.
Town Hall
Another building I enjoyed seeing when visiting Sighisoara Citadel is the town hall. They built the town hall building around 1885 in a neo-Renaissance style. Underneath this building is a bar/nightclub. This is a pleasant building with the Romanian flag on display. The town hall is visible from outside the city walls and has a pleasant flower garden.
Biserica Romano Catolica – Roman Catholic Church
When walking through the citadel, a pleasant church to see is the Catholic church. They built this church in 1894 atop the ruins of a former Franciscan monastery. The church is quite plain and minimalist. You can find it at the east end of the citadel near a pleasant park to sit in.
You can visit the inside for free and have a mooch around. The inside is rather plain to see, but it’s worth popping your head in for some quiet time if the citadel is busy.
Turnul Cizmarilor – The Bootmakers’ Tower
Another fortification that impressed me was the Bootmakers’ Tower. This is a former defence tower with a history dating back to 1521. Currently, it is home to a newspaper and a radio station. They built this in the Baroque style, and it influenced the architecture of the Bootmakers’ Tower. The building’s plan is pentagonal.
This tower has a diameter of 10 m, and the roof has 2 small observation towers. They built the current structure in 1681 after it was destroyed by fire. The fire ignited vast amounts of gunpowder stored in it. The tower has exterior steps and a great vantage point for photographing other parts of the citadel. Near the tower is a lovely park to sit in or to walk the dog.
Turnul Croitorilor – The Tailors Tower
The tailor’s tower guards the back entrance of the citadel. Its steps on the side offer splendid views and a top photo spot. A fire in 1676 destroyed this tower, and it was rebuilt in its current form.
People consider this one of the most impressive towers in the fortress. The 2 passages underneath make this stand out. The gates were open for entry. These used to drop vertically if needed to defend the town. From the tailor’s tower, an archway leads to a footpath. This then follows the fortress walls. This is a great place to walk the dog, and it’s beautiful in autumn.
Turnul Cojocarilor – Furriers Tower
Grouped together with the butcher’s tower, the Torle Gate, and a house underneath. These are typical of the city’s medieval architecture. The tower dates from the early 14th century.
Colourful Side Streets of Old Town
The homes in the fortress are mainly colourful, making the whole place quite photogenic. People inhabit the citadel, which is unique. I admire those who are lucky enough to live in such a historically important and colourful place. One of the great things to do in Sighisoara is to explore the side streets, admiring or photographing the colourful buildings.
Scara Acoperita
To reach the Church on the Hill and to see the rest of the citadel, visitors can climb the Scara Acoperita. The Scara Acoperita is a covered timber stairway with steps to make the ascent easier. The stairway dates back to 1642, when it was supposedly twice the length.
There are approximately 175 stairs to climb. Light comes from slats in the wooden tunnel during the day and lanterns by night. The climb certainly gets your blood going; however, it is great fun and rewarding once you reach the top.
Biserica din Deal
After ascending the hill to the top of the citadel, visitors reach Biserica din Deal, or The Church on the Hill. Biserica din Deal is an architecturally significant Gothic church. They consider it one of the “great churches” of Transylvania and the third-largest.
The church is at an altitude of 429 metres. This dominates the city’s skyline from all over the local area. The slightly misaligned position of the bell tower and choir shows the gradual evolution and construction of this church.
Although this is a Gothic church, it lacks the complex designs and features of those built in Western Europe during the same era. This is because they fortified most Saxon churches and could not afford the extravagant exterior features.
The only surviving ancient crypt in Transylvania is located inside this church. They damaged this crypt on multiple occasions throughout its history. In the past, thieves believed they would find valuables in the tombs belonging to the city leaders. The interior has some monumental wooden pews; these are quite tall and seat 14. The church is also unique because it has 60 sarcophagi near the entrance.
If visiting, this is a fantastic place to watch the colourful skies of sunrise and sunset because of its height. If arriving before sunrise, there are hundreds of crows circling the citadel, which is eerie. The cemetery to the rear is fascinating and a great place for some reflection or to enjoy the views.
Liceul Teoretic Joseph Haltrich
Also at the top of the hill is Liceul Teoretic Joseph Haltrich Sighisoara. This is one of the oldest high schools in Transylvania, dating back to 1522. I imagine the daily walk up the hill to school kept the students and teachers fit. The school has an interesting history, including military action and a plague that killed a third of the residents.
Turnul Frânghierilor – Ropemakers’ Tower
The Ropemakers’ Tower, or Turnul Frânghierilor, is one of the nine towers located inside the Citadel. The tower overlooks the cemetery of the Church on the Hill. It is unique, as it is the only inhabited tower in the citadel. This tower has a prism top with a square base. It overlays the old stone enclosure; in the basement, signs of the original battlements are visible.
Holy Trinity Church
Outside of the fortifications is the Holy Trinity Church, or Biserica Sfânta Treime din Sighişoara. This is a Romanian Orthodox Church on the northern bank of the Târnava Mare River. They designed the church in a Neo-Byzantine style. There are some stunning views towards this church from within the fortress walls. The church is a great backdrop to admire the sunrise. Only if you are up and about early enough in the morning.
Find out about Vlad The Impaler
Because of the city’s connections with Vlad the Impaler, a.k.a. Dracula. There are things to do related to that, including visiting his birthplace. The birthplace is very cheesy but worth the entrance fee for a bit of fun.
They have a nice statue of Vlad the Impaler near the town hall inside the citadel.
Souvenir & Craft Shops
Another fun thing to do at Sighisoara Citadel is to peruse the art and craft shops. These are a great place to pick up a souvenir or gift for someone. There are some touristy ones and others that sell some local handmade products.
Umbrella Street
Many towns and cities in Romania have streets with umbrellas floating overhead. Sighisoara is no different and has these above some cafes just outside the citadel. They are popular with people taking photos.
Spooky Night Walk
If you are staying the night in Sighisoara, it is lovely to walk around the medieval citadel at night. After dark, when all the tourists have gone home and bars are closed, the town centre is quite spooky. There’s nobody around, it’s very dark, and some nights there is a mist to add to the vibe.
The best places to head to at night are near the clock tower and the side streets of Sighisoara Citadel and up the stairs. If you don’t fancy going alone, there are candlelight tour options on the GetYourGuide website.