Sibiu travel guide and photo gallery

I find SIbiu the loveliest city to visit in Romania. Also known as Hermannstadt, it was the capital of the principality of Transylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sibiu is a city proud of its history but at the same time very modern and European. Situated about 300km northwest from Bucharest it is easy to reach from the capital.

If you want to see the photo gallery you can jump directly to it.

Sibiu main activities

The touristic center of Sibiu looks very familiar for Europeans: easy to walk around, lots of cafes, long history and museums. In 2007 it was European capital of culture and this brought a lot of improvements.

Sibiu is a good homebase if you prefer mountain hiking: Fagaras and Cibin mountains are close by. It is also a great starting point for exploration of the Transylvania area. Rent a bike and visit surrounding villages or find your way to a home-stay. Whatever your main interest, it is a great idea to spend 2-3 days in Sibiu and in the surrounding area. I always try to arrive when the ARTMania festival takes place, as Sibiu is full of entertainment opportunities that week.

Sibiu in 2 or 3 days

Stroll around the Grand square and the Lesser square. Most of the important attractions in Sibiu are nearby these two places. In Piata Mare (Grand square) is the Bruckenthal Palace which houses the very beautiful Bruckenthal Museum. The palace – baroque in style – is a very nice setting for a great collection of paintings, which I love.

Visit the Jesuit church in Grand square and the Lutheran Cathedral in Huet square. Go through the “Passage of the Stairs” towards the Lower Town and see the small medieval streets. Unfortunately most of the fortifications were lost, but there are still some parts visible.

You can see here some of the first photos I took in SIbiu, including photos from ASTRA museum and ARTMania festival.

if you have more time

ASTRA museum complex is a large open-air museum focused on ethnography. You can visit traditional houses and places of work like mills and blacksmiths. There are good opportunities to buy from local craftsmen. As the area is very large it will probably take a full day. You can also visit the zoo nearby.

photo gallery from Sibiu