What to do in Sibiu

Beautiful medieval city. When you visit Sibiu you see that it’s not a surprise that it was once European Cultural Capital. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in Romania.

Here are some of the things you can do in Sibiu:

Piata Mare (big square)

Full of beautiful historic houses and palaces many of them are protected and part of Unesco patrimony. On the Piata Mare, we see Council tower, an elegant baroque Catholic church, Townhall and the Brukenthal Palace, today the Brukenthal Museum. If you are hungry, you have plenty of places to eat here. From tiny bakeries where you can grab a quick bite or if you want to eat in a restaurant, you have a big choice of them. I have to mention the houses with the crocodile eyes – characteristic eyes like windows on the roofs of the houses on the square.

Brukenthal National Museum

I loved this charming museum, its 6 museums inside, with some good art. It’s historical and cultural, really worth of visit. You can see the 15th-century artwork, big classical paintings of Romanian and European painters, nice sculptures, furniture exhibition. When we were there the entrance was for free and they even gave some free cookies at the entrance. We had to be lucky.

Stroll around Sibiu’s lower town

Here everything looks much older, it’s a great place to feel the medieval atmosphere. Much less touristic, you can get a feeling that you are in a small Italian village. You can hear the piano playing from a restaurant, lots of colorful houses, amazing architecture, narrow streets everything situated just below the small square. If you are looking for a place to have a beer or a coffee, go to the cafe in the Sibiu’s lower town where you can relax and just do nothing.

Astra National Museum Complex

Is located in the Dumbrava Forest, 3 km south of Sibiu, on the road towards Răşinari, and is easily accessible by car, bus or tramway. It is the largest open-air museum in Romania and one of the largest in Central and Eastern Europe. It contains houses and workshops of the traditional Romanian folk culture from the pre-industrial era. The Astra Museum is based on the “living museum” concept. It’s very interesting that some of the exhibits are houses that are still fully functional and people dressed in traditional clothing are demonstrating aspects of traditional lifestyle. My advice to you is that you reserve at least half a day if you plan to visit. The place is huge so wear comfortable shoes cause you will be walking a lot.