15 Best Things To Do In Sighisoara, Romania: Follow Dracula's Footsteps

1. Be mesmerized by a variety of birdlife at Highlands of Transylvania (from USD 36.0)

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Dozens of species of birds will have you mesmerized by their vibrant colors and magical chirping. The best place to witness this spectacle is to go into their environment— Highlands of Transylvania. Aside from its natural wonders, this place is also worth discovering because of the many feathered creatures that you can see only here. The best time to go bird-watching is during sunrise or sunset. This tour welcomes bird lovers of all levels and ages. It is also the perfect way to experience Transylvania’s beauty and unique offerings.

Bird watching with a Local Naturalist

Duration: 3 hours

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2. Check out Art & Crafts for authentic souvenirs

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Arts & Crafts is the store of choice for those looking for handicraft products made exclusively in Romania. They have tons of wooden bowls, furniture, and spoons to offer while other popular items include fabric and pottery. The paintings they sell are some of the most colorful you can adorn your walls with. Handcrafted table cloths will make your meal presentations look better, while their wood-carved products are highly sought because these take expert craftsmanship and about a month to complete. The store and workshop are both located inside Casa Vlad Dracul and is spearheaded by Mark Tudose, also known as Spoonman, who practices traditional woodcarving methods.

Art & Crafts

Address: str. Piata Cetatii 8, Sighișoara 545400, Romania

Website: Art & Crafts

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 9am - 6pm (closed on Sun)

3. Discover lovely spots at the end of Covered Stairway

Built in 1654, Covered Stairway is an attraction that draws in the crowds. It includes 178 steps and is among the continents’ longest covered staircases. Each flight has six steps which represent the working days of a week. The long spaces between the flights represent one rest day before the next week begins. These steps are worth taking on because of the several spots waiting at the top such as a church, a school, and a cemetery. From here, you can walk around and find more exciting discoveries. Since it is a long walk, you will need comfortable footwear to do this.

Covered Stairway

Address: Scara Şcolarilor, Sighișoara 545400, Romania

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

Price: Free

4. Explore the rich history of Klosterkirche

Klosterkirche is a monastery church once run by the Dominican order. Today, it is a Protestant church where services are held. It has a rich history that began when it was fully constructed in 1289. The church was demolished in 1888 and was reconstructed into the iteration people see today. Since then, it has become one of the most-visited religious sites in Romania where visitors take in the magnificent architecture and design. It is considered one of Sighisoara’s most Instagrammable spots. Aside from its facade, the church’s Baroque altar and organ, the choir loft, and its collection of heritage Transylvanian carpets are popular attractions as well.

Klosterkirche

Address: Piata Muzeului, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

5. Take in the beautiful architecture of Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity Church was designed using Byzantine Revival architectural style and took three years (1934 to 1937) to complete. The architect responsible for the glorious design is Dumitru Petrescu Gopes, while the paintings were done by the artist Anastasie Demian where he applied the technique of tempera. It is an Orthodox church famous among local and foreign travelers. The reason for this is its impeccable design, a postcard-worthy figure people are drawn to. Its iconostasis, built by local artists, has an impressive collection of well-preserved images, icons, and paintings. This is surely a place worth visiting during your vacation.

Holy Trinity Church

Address: Strada Andrei Șaguna, Sighișoara 545400, Romania

6. Learn about the life of Vlad Tepes at The Dracula Investigation

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

The Dracula Investigation is an attraction that presents you the fascinating life of Vlad Tepes, the inspiration behind the character, Count Dracula. Also known as Vlad the Impaler, Tepes’ history will show you things you never know about the historical figure. This attraction has five rooms where you will get a chance to get to know the man better. Infamous for his brutal punishment and procedures, Tepes’ life is shown here in an interactive manner. Experience animation, witness sculptures, and watch a light and shadow show that will all bring you back in time.

The Dracula Investigation

Address: Strada Școlii 12, Sighișoara 545400, Romania

Website: The Dracula Investigation

Opening hours: 11am - 4pm (daily)

7. Taste world-class liqueurs at Teo's Cellar

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Teo’s Cellar is the only place where you can have a taste of the best berry liqueur. Aside from this, you can also have a sampling of top-quality wines and brandies that have gathered several local and international awards. The place is run by a family that has been in the industry for more than two centuries. All of their creations are done in a traditional manner practiced in the Tarnavelor Plateau area where the Saxons introduced ancient methods of liqueur making. It all starts with 100% natural ingredients and all brandies are aged at least three years in wood barrels.

Teo's Cellar

Address: Strada Școlii 14, Sighișoara 545400, Romania

Website: Teo’s Cellar

Opening hours: 9am - 9pm (daily)

8. Have a luscious feast at Restaurant La Perla

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Restaurant La Perla is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy day of seeing Sighisoara’s sites. The atmosphere here is very intimate which makes it perfect as a date place. There is also space for families and friends as the food comes in substantial portions. While here, don’t hesitate to order their best-tasting pizzas and burgers. Their pork ribs will have you craving for more while their dessert menu serves as the perfect ending to a great meal. The drinks, wines, and coffee line are just as amazing and complement the food perfectly.

Restaurant La Perla

Address: Piața Hermann Oberth 15, Sighișoara 545400, Romania

Website: Restaurant La Perla

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 8am – 12am; Fri - Sat: 8am – 1am

9. Take selfies at Turnul Frânghierilor - The Ropemakers' Tower

Visiting Turnul Franghierilor or the Ropemakers’ Tower is one of the things that should be added to your Sighisoara trip. Its beauty is picture-perfect, and all you have to do is bring out your camera and click away. The cemetery’s caretaker resides in the tower so photo-ops are limited to its exterior. Although the exterior still holds its old-world charm, the tower has been given an uplift on the inside. If you want to have the best view of the city, simply stand in front of the entrance and marvel at the scenery.

Turnul Frânghierilor - The Ropemakers' Tower

Address: Strada Scării, Sighișoara 545400, Romania

10. Climb Turnul cu ceas - The Clock Tower

Placed in the old city center, The Clock Tower gives a very pretty view of the town although it’s only 64 meters (210 feet) tall. It was built in the 13th century for defense purposes, being right above the main gate of the citadel. Nowadays, however, it operates as a museum. Most people passing through Sighisoara, Romanians or not, take some time to go up the tower. Especially if the weather is good, with a clear sky - it creates a great scene for photos.

Turnul cu ceas - The Clock Tower, Sighisoara

Address: Strada Turnului, Sighisoara

Opening Hours: May to September: Tuesday - Friday 9am - 5.30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am - 5.30pm. September to May: Tuesday - Friday 9am - 3.30pm. Saturday and Sundays 10am - 3.30pm. Closed on Mondays and on public holidays.

Duration: around 1 hour required.

Access: 2 minutes walk from the main gate of the citadel

Contact: +40265771108

Website: The Sighisoara Clock Tower

11. Walk in the cemetery

It might seem a spooky thing to do, but you should go for a walk around the cemetery or the Cimitirul Parohiei Bisericii Evanghelice, as Romanians call it. It’s only a 5-minute walk from the Clock Tower and is placed in a wide green area - you really can’t miss it. It looks more like a park than a cemetery. Observing the decorations of the crosses is an interesting thing to do, the small pictures and the style of the writing make them special. This is also a good place to enjoy the silence and ponder the ephemeral nature of life.

Website: Cimitirul Parohiei Bisericii Evanghelice

12. Visit Biserica din Deal - The church on the hill

It’s easy to realize from its name that this church is literally on a hill. Because of the location of the Biserica din Deal, it is visible from afar. The gothic style in which it is built makes it one of the landmarks of the area. Although the interior was restored in the 20th century, the exterior of the church was built in the 15th century, in a very simplistic style. Some of the paintings inside still date back from that time.

Biserica Evanghelică Sighișoara (din Deal)

Address: on the hill, Sighisoara, Romania

Price: from 0.5 USD

Opening Hours: 9am - 6pm every day.

Duration: around 30 minutes required.

Access: 10 minutes walk uphill from the Clock Tower in old city center.

13. Try Ciorbă de fasole în pituță” - bean soup in bread at the Casa Vlad Dracul

Casa Vlad Dracul or Vlad Dracul’s House, is right in the center of the old town, two minutes walk from the Clock Tower. This is supposedly also the place where Vlad The Impaler or Dracula was born. There is even a small museum dedicated to Dracula on the second floor that you can visit for a small fee. The restaurant offers a wide variety of Romanian dishes, they also have an English menu and the service is good. Keep in mind, though, that if you go there during lunch time, it might be crowded, which means also longer waiting time. I recommend their bean soup in bread, but take some time to look at their menu, as you might find some other traditional Romanian food more to your taste.

Casa Vlad Dracul Restaurant

Address: Strada Cositorarilor 5, Sighișoara

Price: from 10 USD

Access: 5 minutes walk from the main gate of the citadel

Contact: +40265771596

Website: Casa Vlad Dracul Restaurant

14. Be part of Sighisoara’s Medieval Festival

This is one of the biggest medieval music festivals in the country and a favourite for both locals and travelers. Many Romanians travel across the country to take part in this festival. It takes place every year usually in the last weekend of July and manages to gather a large number of artists, not only from Romania, but also from neighbouring countries.

The activities offered are varied, from music to theater, to crafts and other performances. The small town gets very crowded during this period, giving it a totally different vibe than usual days. It’s organized by the municipality and it takes place inside the citadel, which means that if you visit Sighisoara during this time, you will have to pay a fee in order to visit the old city center. Although finding accommodation in Sighisoara is usually not a problem even without booking in advance, that particular weekend is an exception.

15. Go for a bike ride around the town and out to one of the villages

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

There are many villages around Sighisoara that are easy to reach by bike and make for a wonderful day, outside the town. If you are up to biking around 25 - 30 km (15.5 - 19 miles) one way, you can visit Mălâncrăv. This small village has a long history, dating all the way back to the year 700 AD. Most of the houses have been restored and their colourful facades give the village a playful feeling. The village is mostly inhabited by Saxons, hence the German looking architecture. Walking around the green hills is also a very relaxing activity, offering fairytale-like landscapes.

On the line between myth and history

Sighisoara blurs the line between myth and history. The combination of the Dracula myth with the actual, historic figure of Vlad the Impaler places you on this line and lets you decide for yourself. Adding to the mystical feeling are all the medieval buildings, tiny streets and colourful houses. I’ll be surprised if you don’t fall in love with Sighisoara, right away!