flight hotel car cruise vacation deals community

Sibiu travel guide

You are here:
Travel Guides > Romania > Sibiu > Travel guide

Travel guide History Sights Nightlife Map Guide Books Travel tips

Rating
83%
City Rank
35
History & Culture: rated for 100%
Night Life & Entertainment: rated for 80%
Family & Fun: rated for 90%
Outdoors Activities: rated for 90%
Food: rated for 70%
Sightseeing: rated for 100%
Shopping: rated for 60%
Public Transportation: rated for 80%
Must visit this place: not rated
top rated cities add your own rating

Sibiu Travel Guide – The City in the Heart of Romania

Sibiu, one of the most visited cities in Romania, is located in the Cibin Depression, close to the geographical center of Romania, 136 miles away from the capital city, Bucharest and 156 miles from Timisoara. As the most important cultural and religious centers in Romania, Sibiu is also worldwide known for being the European Capital of Culture in 2007.

As the main goal of each travel guide is to expose the city as a touring destination, Sibiu and its surroundings offer plenty of attractions and any of its visitors might be surprisingly delighted of what is to be seen and explored in the area.

Sibiu Travel Guide – The Impressive City of Transylvania

As the former capital city of Principality of Transylvania, between the years of 1692 – 1791, the city of Sibiu still preserves many of the medieval fortifications and buildings as well as its fortified churches as valuable proofs that the city used to be the most important Transylvanian centers of the principality.

Today, with a population of about 154,548 inhabitants, Sibiu is also one of the most important cultural and industrial cities in Romania. Located on the banks of Cibin River, the city still preserves the medieval atmosphere and the peculiar charm of a Transylvanian Saxon city.

The purpose of this Sibiu Travel Guide is to demonstrate that choosing Sibiu as a perfect tourist destination can’t be done at random, but for its incredible opportunities to show its worth to have been chosen for its fabulous historical buildings, historical goals in its past, and the abundance of diversified museum institutions which house incredible collections of art, archaeology, anthropology and history exhibits, some real proofs of a beautiful culture.

Sibiu is known as being a compact city with quite short distances between its important sites and its extremities, so visiting the city on foot is rather recommendable to be able to admire its beautiful local architecture. There is also local public transportation which consists of a few trolleybus lines and many bus routes both into the city and its surroundings and the adjoining villages as well. Cab taxi services are also available.

Historically, Sibiu is known as a powerful Middle Age fortified city and it still preserves some of its former defense walls as well as 9 of its 39 defense towers, which offer a charming medieval atmosphere of the city while wandering through its narrow streets lined on both sides by impressive old buildings. A quite stroll across its Large Square reminds the times when it was used as the main square of the city, and it still is. The Small Square impresses its passers-by with its medieval beauty and it is considered the most attractive site in Sibiu.

Sibiu Travel Guide – A City of Large Open Air Leisure Places

Those who are fond of silent strolls along open air alleys or to spend their time outdoors, Sibiu is the best choice for such things. The city offers diversified possibilities for spending one’s leisure time.

Interested in jogging or long walks admiring the scenery around? The Dumbrava Forest makes it! One of the most beautiful places in Sibiu, Dumbrava Forest offers splendid scenery for enjoying some time breathing the fresh air while walking through its shadowed path or having a glass of refreshing drink at the restaurant terrace there. A large Zoo housing an impressive number of various wild animals extends itself over such a wide area so it may take you hours to see all the species.

The Sub Arini Park also provides great opportunities for relaxing and outdoor activities as well. The popular Bicycle Path crosses the park leading to the Municipal Stadium stretching over more than 3 km. Bikers of all ages have their daily rides along the path.

The most exciting part of the day shall be the 30 minutes trip on the tourist tram, which has its route going through a very splendid natural landscape including in its 22 km long sites as Dumbrava Forest, The Zoo, The Village Museum and Rasinari. The tram consists of an engine carriage and a restaurant carriage, and it can also be rented by large groups but no more than 50.

Sibiu lies near the Paltinis Resort, which is one of the most popular winter resorts in the area and it is also close to the Fagaras Mountains, the best mountain trekking destination in Romania.

Reviews about Sibiu

write a review

Read our members' reviews about Sibiu

rated for 83%Review added on April 22, 2009 >> by erato
I found Sibiu a very nice, amazing historical city, I think the city won the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2007 with a very good reason.
Here are just some of its sights what I enjoyed most: 1. The 'Holy Trinity' Romanian Orthodox Cathedral, based on plans of Virgil Nagy and Jozsef Kamner.
2. The Evangelical Church built in the 14th century located on the Huet Square among of many gothic style buildings.
3. The Catholic Church built in the 18th century.
4. The Tower of the Carpenters.
5. The Small Square (what a funny name :P), and 6. the Liars Bridge.

Sibiu travel tips

show all write a travel tip

Read our members' travel tips about Sibiu

Museum of Traditional Folk Civilisation >> added on November 2, 2009, by erato
This is something you really shouldn't miss. This open air museum is only 2 km from the city and is huge.

There are houses exposed, original peasant houses from all over the country. They were taken there with trucks together with the furniture and tools of the different folk crafts from weaving to wine making, there is everything.

There are also windmills and watermills, chariots that were used to carry the bride to the wedding and so many great things. There is a lake in the middle with a stage where there are performances of popular music and dance in the summer.

This is the best museum I have seen in the whole country. Senior people are hired to take care of the houses and they do the job very well, although sometimes too well. :) There are many paths you can take to see the houses and yards. The whole thing is like a big village. :)
Brukenthal Museum >> added on November 2, 2009, by Sayuri87
Brukenthal Museum was founded by Joseph Bruckenthal, the governor of the city during the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The museum has more buildings, all beautiful examples of the Saxon architecture. My favorites are the Museum of Hunting, the Fine Arts section and the unique History of Pharmacology section - this letter with more than 6,600 objects from the history of medicines. In the Fine Arts section can find some really interesting things, like paintings from renown artists like Jan van Eyck and Anthony van Dyck.

You can also buy in the museum guide books for the city, beautiful postcards and even maps of the Medieval Sibiu. There is also a machine with which you can throwing in a coin and turning the arm of the machine an oval coin with the coat of arms of the city. Very nice!