Transylvania
Precipitous Turda Gorge (Cheile Turzii) lies 8km west of town (as the crow flies), and it makes a stunning, if leg-stiffening, half-day hike. The canyon…
Must-see attractions in Transylvania
Sighişoara
The multicoloured-tiled roof of Sighişoara’s Clock Tower glitters like the scales of a dragon. The tower was built in the 14th century and expanded 200…
Székely Land
About 200m south of Parcul Elisabeta, this wide-ranging museum has exhibitions on natural history, local history, Székely crafts and costumes, plus…
Sighişoara
Don't miss hiking up the covered stairway to 'School Hill' (418m) to admire this evocative late-Gothic, triple-naved church. Originally a 13th-century…
Braşov
If you've ever wondered how hemp and goat hair were transformed into Transylvania's traditional scarlet and white village-wear, this exhibition space…
Transylvania
Mystery and awe hang thick in the air in Șinca Veche. Natural light pours through an opening in the ceiling of a cave-shrine; the faithful arrive to stand…
Transylvania
Established in 1935 as Romania's first national park, Retezat's snow-streaked mountains and wildflower meadows extend across 380 sq km. One-third of…
Transylvania
In the inner courtyard of Făgăraș Citadel, this excellent museum traces the region’s history from 4000-year-old pottery fragments via medieval suits of…
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca’s oldest pharmacy building holds an intriguing collection of medical miscellany. ‘Crab eyes’, skulls and powdered mummy are just a few of the…
Transylvania
The Gothic spire above Mediaș sprouts from 1488-built St Margaret's Church, which guards 15th-century frescoes and Romania’s second-largest collection of…
Transylvania
Did you know that Bistriţa is the only place in Transylvania where men’s traditional headwear involves a crown of peacock feathers? Inside a former…
Transylvania
If we had a choice of fortresses in which to wait out a siege, we’d opt for Prejmer. This superbly preserved complex has the most powerful fortified walls…
Church of the Dominican Monastery
Sighişoara
This late-Gothic church has a spooky air, and guards a trove of baroque finery inside. First mentioned in 1298, the church was rebuilt between 1482 and…
Transylvania
The Romanesque basilica in Cisnădie dates to roughly 1300, and was kept safe by a double perimeter wall from the 15th century. The Saxon fortification is…
Székely Land
Learn the secrets of Miercurea Ciuc's beloved brew at this factory tour, 12km south of Miercurea Ciuc, through tastings and traditional Hungarian beer…
Sibiu
On the site of Sibiu's first documented apothecary, this museum delves into the herb-scented history of medicine. More than 6600 items such as microscopes…
Székely Land
Miercurea Ciuc’s centrepiece, and the proud source of the Ciuc beer logo, is Mikó Castle. Today it houses the impressive Csíki Székely Múzeum, which hosts…
Transylvania
One of the finest fortifications in the region around Mediaș, Moşna’s 14th-century church was rebuilt over subsequent centuries, with impressive defence…
Târgu Mureş
Next door to the Culture Palace is the County Council Building (1905–7), also secessionist in style. Its decorative orange and green tiled roof and ornate…
Sibiu
Ornate ceilings flanked by moose heads make this Natural History Museum worth a peep for its 19th-century architecture alone, while the dinosaur garden…
Transylvania
Protected by towering crags and dense forests, this glittering lake is popular with vacationing Romanian families. Though guesthouses continue to pop up…
Székely Land
From the modern church on the main road, Biserica Sfânta Maria, a cobbled path leads down to the lake. Wonderfully scenic thanks to a mountain backdrop…
Transylvania
Standing proud in the whisper-quiet village of Valea Viilor is an 18th-century church with weighty protective walls. It’s necessary to call a caretaker to…
Székely Land
Some 2km south of town, a striking wooden gateway carved in filigree leads to the small, conical Jesus Chapel, encircled by a stone wall. Estimated to…
Székely Land
The salty waters of Bear Lake are a popular place to soak in summer. People have been coming here for the lake’s restorative properties – some claim the…
Transylvania
Enter this incense-perfumed Orthodox cathedral, built in 1921–22, and gaze upwards at the soaring ceiling, gold decorations and lavish icons. The…
Alexandru Borza Botanic Gardens
Cluj-Napoca
These wonderfully relaxing gardens comprise rockeries, neoclassical statues peeping from tangles of rose, and a Japanese-style garden with a crimson…
Sinaia
The church and monks’ cells on this site during the 17th century weren’t ample enough to accommodate Sinaia’s growing religious community, so in 1846 this…
Transylvania
Bistriţa’s number one landmark is the Evangelical Church, whose 76m Gothic tower dominates its main square. Construction began in the 14th century, and…
Cluj-Napoca
Hogging the limelight in front of St Michael’s Church is a bulky 1902 statue of horseback Matthias Corvinus, the famous 15th-century Hungarian king.
Târgu Mureş
Visitors can wander freely within the walls of Târgu Mureş' citadel, whose foundations date to 1492. It houses the Fortress Church and City Museum, and…
Cluj-Napoca
Founded in the 16th century, this stately cemetery is a memorable place to stroll among elegant tombs and mausoleums of Transylvanian poets and composers,…
Sibiu
The 1859-built iron bridge is nicknamed the Bridge of Lies. Depending on who you ask, it stems either from tricky merchants who met here, or young lovers…
Târgu Mureş
The dominating Orthodox Cathedral (1925–34) was designed to impress, with Byzantine-style paintings and gold-haloed icons of saints – plus a politically…
Sighişoara
From Piaţa Cetăţii, turn south up Str Şcolii to reach the 176-step covered stairway, which has tunnelled its way up the hill since 1642. With light…
Sighişoara
Flowing behind the Church on the Hill, this lofty cemetery with views over Sighişoara is a suitably spine-chilling spot to ramble after visiting the…
Breite Ancient Oak Tree Reserve
Sighişoara
Escape the crowds and visit the enchanting Breite Ancient Oak Tree Reserve, 2km west of town. Its 133 hectares boast 800-year-old oaks, with…
Transylvania
Seven-metre walls enclose this 13th-century citadel complex, once home to Saxon nobles. It's an atmospheric day trip from Alba Iulia, which lies a 30km…
Sighişoara
Gem-sized Piaţa Cetăţii is the heart of old Sighişoara. It was here that markets, craft fairs, public executions, impalings and witch trials were held.
Transylvania
Archaeologists unearthed the largest fort in Roman Dacia at this site, and you can admire the old walls and old hypocaust (heating system) within.
