Hotels in Sibiu

Sibiu is the most polished of Transylvania's old Saxon towns. Founded by German settlers as Hermannstadt, it still shows that heritage in its pastel merchant houses, whose small eyelid-shaped roof windows seem to watch the streets below. Its year as a European Capital of Culture in 2007 brought a thorough restoration, and the Upper Town's linked squares, Piața Mare and Piața Mică, joined by the cast-iron Bridge of Lies, are handsome and easy to wander.

The Brukenthal Museum is one of Romania's oldest art collections, and the ASTRA open-air museum of rural buildings on the edge of town is worth half a day. A busy summer theatre festival and a well-regarded Christmas market fill the calendar. Be honest: the historic core is compact enough to see in a day or two, it can feel more curated than lived-in, and festival weeks bring crowds and tight availability. Sibiu International Airport sits just outside town, so arrivals are easy. Stay in the Upper Town near Piața Mare, where you can walk everywhere and step out straight into the old squares.