When I decided to go ahead with a short Romanian pit stop on my way to Ukraine, I had initially only planned to visit Brasov and Bucharest. However, thanks to a few suggestions from some wonderful globetrotting friends, I decided that I should make a pit stop to one of the smaller cities, even if just for a day. In the end I decided on taking little side step across from Brasov to the small but scenic town of Sibiu.
Sibiu is much closer to the Hungarian border than Brasov, but is still most definitely a part of the Transylvania region. The city doesn’t really have any major attractions or drawcards, other than the fact that it is really bloody pretty.
It is small enough that you can comfortably see everything you want to see in one day, but big enough that you’ll still find yourself lost down side streets and discovering hidden gems that you had never heard of. This is what I like to call ‘perfection’.
Quite a few of the most well-known sights in Sibiu are located in the Sibiu main square – the ever so aptly named Large Square. Of these sights (which include Brukenthal Palace and a beautiful Roman-Catholic) the Blue House was by far my favourite.
I was on a rather tight budget in Romania (I had just been haemorrhaging money while in Greenland) and as such, opted not to pay the entrance fees for any of these historical sites, but instead was happy to look at them from the outside.
Sibiu has many public squares and if you are looking for a way to entertain yourself without spending any moolah, they are the ideal place to find a seat and people watch to your hearts content.
I must admit, I had been hoping that I would see Sibiu under a thick white blanket of snow, but blasted global warming didn’t exactly make that a possibility! However, despite it not looking exactly how I’d hoped, it was still beautiful.
I spent hours walking aimlessly around the town, exploring colourful houses, tiny side streets, little forts and unassuming castles that were scattered around the place.
Is Sibiu the kind of ground-breaking city that you’ll rave about for years to come? Probably not.
However, if you are just looking for a quiet city to relax, wander and recharge – then a day or two spent here might be exactly what you want.
THE LOWDOWN
Getting to Sibiu: Sibiu is well connected to Bucharest and Brasov by bus and railway
Smart Hostel Sibiu: Hands down the best hostel in Sibiu, a dorm bunk starts at $15/night AUD
Blue House: A beautiful little spot, don’t miss it!
Camera: Images captured with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 in conjunction with M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2/8 lens
Remember: Not every city you visit needs to be earth-shattering, the quietly lovely ones can have an impact too