15 Things to Do in Sibiu Romania

[sponsored post] If you are staying in Bucharest for a few days and want to visit Romania and its cute towns, schedule in a day trip a few hours up North. There are plenty of things to do in Sibiu.

The Romanian town might seem small and can easily be discovered in a day. However, if you truly want to see all these 15 attractions (there are even more) and soak up Romanian traditions, better schedule in at least two days.

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#1 Turnul Sfatului
#2 Old City Hall and Piata Mare
#3 Church of the Holy Trinity
#4 Brukenthal National Museum
#5 Strada Nicolae Balcescu
#6 Get Yourself Sibiu Souvenirs
#7 Bridge of Lies
#8 Passage of Stairs and Tower of Stairs
#9 Museum of History
#10 Museum of Steam Locomotives
#11 ASTRA Museum
#12 Citadel Park of Sibiu
#13 Fortification Towers
#14 Dig into the Local Food
#15 Emil Sigerus Museum of Saxon Ethnography

How to Get to Sibiu
How to Get around Sibiu
When to Best Visit Sibiu
What to Pack for Sibiu
Should you visit Sibiu for a day trip?

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#1 Turnul Sfatului

Once you enter the town, one of the first things to do in Sibiu Romania is visit The Tower of the Council (the Turnul Sfatului), which dates back to the 13th century. This historic tower offers the best view over the town and you can climb it for a small fee.

Address: Piața Mică 1, Sibiu 550163, Romania

#2 Old City Hall and Piata Mare

Right next to the Turnul Sfatului, you can see the Old City Hall and the Marketplace, which hosts the Sibiu Christmas Market in December. The Big Square (Piata Mare) has been a typical meeting place and perfect for people watching since the 15th century!

#3 Church of the Holy Trinity

This Jesuit Church (Biserica Iezuiților) in a beautiful Baroque style is also located right at the Piata Mare and shouldn’t be overlooked. The church is Roman Catholic and dates back to 1733. It is listed among historic monuments by by Romania’s Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs.

Address: Piața Mare 3, Sibiu 550163, Romania

This video is part of the Art & Craft campaign of introducing Romanian folk art and traditional handicraft to the world and showcase its amazing products and goods. You can buy their products online or at local airports, such as Sibiu Airport.

#4 Brukenthal National Museum

To educate yourself on Romania and its history, visit the Brukenthal National Museum, which is located next to the city hall. Its little yard is picturesque, but do enter. It offers a perfect glimpse into Romanian art and the building itself is a stunner as well. After all, the museum is located in the
palace of Samuel von Brukenthal, a former Transylvanian Governor, and therefore you can admire historical the architecture and furniture as well.

Address: Piața Mare 4 – 5, Sibiu 550163, Romania

#5 Strada Nicolae Balcescu

To satisfy your inner shopaholic and foodie, take a stroll along Strada Nicolae Balcescu. It is especially pretty at night, when the lights go on. Still, do not neglect it throughout the day as its ornamental, pastel house fronts are quite a sight to behold. Don’t forget to pack your camera!

#6 Get Yourself Sibiu Souvenirs

Romania offers tons of locally made, handcrafted goods. Those are not only perfect as your own keepsake but also as a Romanian souvenir for your loved ones at home. If you found you were easily distracted by the prettiness and all the things to do in Brasov and Sibiu, don’t worry. You can always purchase your dream souvenirs at Romanian airports or online at Art & Craft Romania. A classic gift to pick are the wooden treasure boxes and jewellery cases.

Photo credit: Teresa Gomez from Brogan Abroad.

#7 Bridge of Lies

For particularly pretty photos, walk the Bridge of Lies. Thisis a very important symbol for the city and therefore one of the main Sibiu things to do. It is Romania’s oldest cast-iron bridge and was built in 1859. Local tales are intertwined with this bridge and date back to when it was still a wooden construction. One story explains the bridge’s name. If you were to tell a lie while on the bridge, it would shake and make a noise. Another one describes how local merchants were thrown off the bridge when caught cheating their clients. The third story tells of how virgins would meet their groom-to-bes in this spot but if they weren’t actual virgins, they were thrown down here as well.

Address: Piața Mică, Sibiu 550182, Romania

#8 Passage of Stairs and Tower of Stairs

When you are down with the upper Town of Sibiu, head down to the Lower Town of Sibiu (orasul de jos). Walk down the two ramifications of the original stairs and arcades surrounding the city walls and don’t forget to take a look at the Evangelic Church.

Take the Passage of Stairs and also visit the Tower of Stairs (Turnul Scarilor) to get there.

Address: Pasajul Scărilor, Sibiu 550191, Romania

#9 Museum of History

This Museum of History is rather big as it is located in the Altemberger House. The Gothic style building used to serve as Town Hall for 400 years when the city’s Magistrate acquired it in 1545. Here’s a fun fact: the German name of Sibiu is Hermannstadt and as a reference to the city’s founder Hermann, you can find several statues named Hermanns in the courtyard.

Address: Strada Mitropoliei 2, Sibiu 550179, Romania

#10 Museum of Steam Locomotives

Lovers of trains and steam locomotives will rejoice. The railway museum (Muzeul locomotivelor cu abur) boasts a decent collection, including 23 standard gauge locomotives, 10 narrow gauge locomotives, 3 snowploughs and 2 steam cranes. Out of these, seven locomotives are even active! The museum’s location makes total sense, being right opposite the main railway station and in the old depot area.

Address: Strada Dorobanților 22, Sibiu 550231, Romania

#11 ASTRA Museum

A little outside of Sibiu, you can dive right into the past at this farm and pastoral outdoor museum. Get into a horse carriage and be driven around the premises! Of course, you can also explore on foot. The museum is over a century old and was founded by The Romanian cultural association ASTRA on the idea of providing a “shelter for keeping the past” in 1897.

Address: Piața Mică 11, Sibiu 550182, Romania

#12 Citadel Park of Sibiu

This isn’t a big park by all means but with the cute dinosaur shaped hedges, it will bring a smile to your face. Walk along the old city walls and towers and enjoy the greenery. It definitely makes for the perfect break after a lot of sightseeing or if you just want to enjoy some quiet time.

Address: Bulevardul Corneliu Coposu, Sibiu, Romania

#13 Fortification Towers

Part of the old city walls, you will certainly pass by Potters Tower on your walk through Citadel Park. Its architectural style and very good preservation makes it a wonderful landmark. However, it is not open to visitors.

Address: Strada Cetății, Sibiu 550160, Romania

Another tower along the old fortifications worthy of including in your Sibiu sightseeing tour is Harquebusiers Tower. This time, it is dedicated to the trade of the harquebusiers, which were part of the cavalry. They were all the rage in the 17th century throughout Europe and their trademark weapon was a carbine, called “harquebus”.

Address: Strada Cetății, Sibiu 550160, Romania

The third of the city fortification towers is Carpenters Tower (Turnul Dulgherilor). Constructed in the 14th century by the Saxon Guild of Carpenters, has also been accepted to the List of Historical Monuments in the County Sibiu. Like the other towers, it is made from stone and brick and round in shape and has window holes meant for archers to fend off any intruders.

Address: Strada Cetății, Sibiu 550160, Romania

#14 Dig into the Local Food

With so many restaurants and hip eateries in town, you need to give in to your appetite. Start off with a local pretzel. Order a “Covrigi” at a local bakery and then try a unicorn latte and colourful ice cream at Heis Eis. For more sweets, hit up Donuterie.

#15 Emil Sigerus Museum of Saxon Ethnography

Next, just a short walk away from Piata Mare, you can enter the former Sibiu meat market in Casa Artelor, which now houses the Emil Sigerus Museum of Saxon Ethnography (Muzeul de Etnografie Săsească Emil Sigerus). This super small museum will introduce you to local folk art for a small fee but the shop downstairs lets you purchase your own local art and pottery. If you don’t want to carry it throughout your Romania travel tour, shop at Art & Craft Romania at the airport.

Address: Piața Mică 21, Sibiu 550182, Romania

How to Get to Sibiu

There are three options for your trip to Sibiu. Option one is to rent a car to get to Sibiu. It is an easy option, the towns are well signed and you can even plan a day trip from Bucharest for both if you don’t want to stay overnight.

Option two is to join a guidied day tour from Bucharest. This is the most hassle free option and you get a lot of insights from a local guide. The last option is public transport. From Bucharest, you can take the train, bus or minibus up to either town. Transport is safe and affordable. If you want to safe time, take an evening bus.

How to Get around Sibiu

The main Sibiu attractions are located in three areas: The Historic Centre, the Upper and Lower Town. All of them are very walkable and you don’t need a car or rely on public transport, such as trams and buses, to get around. If you map out your desired attractions and route, you can cover a lot of ground in one day alone.

When to Best Visit Sibiu

It gets cold in late autumn and winter, but when snow hits the ground, the city is a pure beauty. During cold days (usually just above 0°C), enter the museums instead of walking up and down for Sibiu tourist attractions. However, the best time to visit is from May to September, when the sun is out, making the colourful house facades pop and the flowers in the balconies are in full bloom. Just be aware that June is the wettest month and August the hottest at around 25°C.

What to Pack for Sibiu

Since you will be walking on even or cobblestone streets, pack walking comfortable shoes. For summer that can easily be sandals (flip flops are not really a thing in Romania) and for winter warm boots. Dress up in city chic to match the simple, elegant style of the Romanians. Pack a coat for colder and blazer for milder days and a cardigan in summer. Don’t shy away from wearing a traditional Romanian blouse. Bring your camera and UV or polarizing filters along to capture all the colours when you visit Sibiu.

Should you visit Sibiu for a day trip?

There certainly is a lot to do in such a small city. If you are still wondering what to do in sibiu, there are multiplt options, depending on your travel preferences. If you are the architectural interest type, why not simply wander the three different parts of Sibiu and admire the baroque houses? Pay particular attention to the “eye” windows in the red roofs.

Another idea of what to do in Sibiu Romania is to visit its various museums to educate yourself on all things Romanian culture and folk traditions. Marvel at original folk costumes, see iconic Romanian art and get an idea of local handicraft. You can buy your Romanian souvenirs later at Otopeni airport from Art & Craft Romania.

Tell me: Which of these things to do in Sibiu would be on top of your list?