SIGHISOARA
Sighisoara (in German Schassburg, in Hungarian, Segesvar), where Prince Vlad the Impaler was born, is a fantastically preserved medieval town situated among beautiful hills. Completely undamaged city walls, with as many as eleven defense towers, steep cobbled streets surround, along which there are sixteenth-century tenement houses and churches not gnawed by the teeth of time. All trains from Bucharest to Budapest pass here (by Oradea), So who is so stupid, that she would not choose to get off here, at least let him look out the window at the forest of turrets above the town's terraced buildings. Many travelers have considered Sighisoara their favorite city in Romania.
Orientation
From the train station to the city center, follow Garii Street south to the Soviet Military Cemetery, where you need to turn left, towards the great bright church. There, cross the footbridge over the Tirnava Mare river and continue along Moria Street to the left until Piata Hermann Oberth and the old town. At the strada departing from the square 1 Decembrie has many institutions that cater to tourists.
Luggage storage on the main platform of the station is open 24 hours a day.
Information
OJT Tourist Office (pn.-pt. 8.00-15.15, sb. 10.00-12.00), at the strada 1 December 10, next to the Steaua hotel, offers private accommodation and information about buses to Hungary and Germany (once a week).
Money – BANC head office (pn.-pt. 10.00-13.00), at the strada 1 December 39, Exchanges travelers' checks and pays cash to Visa cardholders. A branch in the citadel, Citadel Square 6, it only exchanges foreign currencies. Bureaux de change at the strada offer better rates 1 December.
Post and telecommunications – Telephone exchange at the Main Post Office, at Piata Hermann Oberth, is open every day. 7.00-20.30. Code to Sighisoara: 065.
Sightseeing
The first tower visible above Piata Hermann Oberth is the tall Clock Tower at Piata Muzeului (clock with 1648 r. still shows the exact time, and every hour it presents a small spectacle with parading wooden figurines). Inside this 14th-century building there is a museum (closed. in mon.) with a very good collection of photos from World War I, a model of the city, and above all with numerous old everyday objects. From the gallery upstairs there is a captivating view of the city - narrow streets, the piled tops of tenement houses, red roofs – and the panorama of the surrounding hills. Next to the tower is the 15th-century Biserica Manastirii (monastery church), with oriental carpets hanging on both sides of the aisle. Unfortunately, the church is mostly closed.
On the opposite side of Piata Muzeului is a perfectly preserved house, in which in 1431 r. Vlad the Impaler was born. Currently, it houses the Cetatea restaurant.
In the tenement house between the restaurant and the clock tower there is another museum with antique firearms and a small exhibition dedicated to Dracula, closed for unknown reasons at time of writing.
We are looking for the abbot of Sighisoary jest Piata Cetatii, benches and beautiful historic houses add charm to it. From the square, the Scolia slope turns left, and from it a covered staircase (1642) o 172 degrees, leading to the gothic Bergkirche (1345), with frescoes depicting knights saving ladies from oppression. Currently, the church is undergoing renovation, whose cost (5 million marks) covers the city of Munich.
It is worth taking a closer look at the German tombstones in the church and in the adjacent cemetery; on weekends you can sometimes meet elderly residents of German descent here, laying fresh flowers on the graves. These descendants of former Saxon settlers speak a peculiar German dialect.
Accommodation
Camping – The nearest campsite is on a hill above town, but from the train station it takes up to half an hour: east along the tracks to the bridge, then across the railroad tracks and turn left on the uphill road. At the end of it, there is the Dealul Garii restaurant (tel.771046), next to which you can pitch a tent behind 3 $ or rent a double cottage too 10 $.
Better camping in Hula Danes (tel.771052), but is located 4 km outside the city, on the road to Mediaj. It runs there daily 11 buses marked "Cris” – from the station (bus) next to the train station. A double cottage costs money 9 $.
Private accommodation – OJT Tourist Office, at the strada 1 December 10, has a list of private rooms included in the price 10 $ from person. Wandering around town, travelers who look like foreigners may find a cheaper offer made in person by the owner of the accommodation – because Sighisoara has gained immense fame among tourists, more and more residents decide to rent rooms.
Hotels – The best accommodation is offered by the brand new Chic hotel (tel.775901), exactly in front of the train station. Each of the five twos costs here 10 $ no bathroom and 18 $ with bathroom.
In a comfortable 2-star hotel Steaua (Street 1 December 12, tel.771594, fax 771932), who accepts hotel coupons, single / double / triple with bathroom costs 18/30/43 $ (no coupons). In summer, they usually have a full set of guests, so advance reservations are advisable.
Gastronomy
Dracula fans will probably not miss the Cetatea restaurant in Wlad's former house within the fortress. There is a nice restaurant upstairs, and downstairs a beer hall (berarie). Nice service, dishes above average and not very expensive.
Pizzeria Pearl, Street 1 December, offers a wide selection of pizza and pasta dishes. This is one of the few places in Sighisoara that is open until 23.00 (in winter to 21.00).
In Boema, in the yard next to Scolia's walk, you can eat and drink beer in the open air. The menu is dominated by pizza and flour dishes. There is also a nice selection of pastries.
The market in strada Tirnavei sells a large selection of fruit every day, vegetables and cheese.
Entertainment
W Super Sound Disco, at the strada 1 December, opposite the post office, there are discos at weekends, and on the patio you can have a beer at night.
In a small and cramped Lumina cinema, Street 1 December, przy Soseaua Mihai Viteazul, films in the original version are displayed (mostly American).
Journey
Biro CFR (pn.-pt. 10.00-18.00), at the strada 1 December 2, sells train tickets for domestic and international trains. All trains between Bucharest stop in Sighisoara (through Brasov) and Cluj. To Sibiu (95 km) you have to change at Medias or Copsa Mica. It departs from the adjacent bus station – early morning – only one bus to Sibiu (92 km) and one to Fagaras (86 km). The OJT travel agency provides information on weekly coaches to Germany and Hungary.