Discovering Medieval Transylvania

When we arrived in Romania I wary it was going to be a re-do of Bulgaria, but the electricity of Bucharest reenergized me and reminded me not to be so quick to compare countries, not even neighbors.

But Bucharest wasn’t the only jewel of Romania.  Romania was going to show off its medieval history in a spectacular way – through the fabled region of Transylvania.

Sibiu

It was quiet in Sibiu, almost an unnatural stillness after the fervor of Bucharest. It was the first thing I noticed as we wound around the inside of the city walls. The walls and towers were imposing, well-resorted examples of the medieval architecture of the Romanian countryside. The house facades were also well-kept, many of them painted in cheerful colors. Still, I was waiting. Sibiu had been the European Capital of Culture in 2007, but to me it just seemed very clean.

And then we turned a corner, walked under an archway…

And there was Sibiu! A lively town square where church towers poked out from behind clusters of houses. Grand buildings in Baroque style lined the square. One thing I loved about Sibiu was the way that it curved. Buildings and streets seemed to round, lending it to easy wandering.

It was here in Sibiu that we watched the US team fall to Germany in the World Cup. That smarted, though the next night I went on a walk along and ‘walked in’ on an outdoor film being show in the middle of the square as part of the Transylvania International Film Festival. And I managed to find a specific kind of Cadbury chocolate bar that I had been craving for days. It was here in Sibiu that I felt the breathless excitement – Transylvania was going to be amazing.

Sighisoara

Sighisoara is the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, a ruthless Romanian prince and inspiration for Count Dracula. That might cause you to imagine shadowy streets and dark castles, but looking around Sighisoara you’d think it was a town created by Dr. Seuss.

The houses are painted in shocking colors, bright pinks and teals and creamsicle oranges, and the buildings seem to almost lean sometimes. The clock tower rises above all with its twisted medieval spires.

Climb to the top of the clock tower to get a view of this picturesque village, the puzzle of red shingle roofs surrounded by rolling green hills.

Even though Sighisoara seems slightly manic (in a good way!) with its confectionary houses, you can find some peace and solitude here. Beyond the hill of the church is a shady cemetery where all the colors are natural greens and cool muted stone.

Brasov

When we rolled into Brasov I was like, Cool cool, another adorable medieval town! I hadn’t expected it to be more than a place to spend the night before our tour of Bran Castle the next day.

But as we wandered from our first stop (a church, of course) through the town square down the main boulevards, my camera started clicking fast and faster. Here the mid-war architecture and medieval town structure seemed to collide. The streets were packed with tables and chairs spilling from the cafes and restaurants, businesses tucked into narrow buildings with carefully preserved facades, all enclosed by medieval walls and guild towers.

And then when we got to our hotel and I saw our room’s magnificent view of the gingerbread houses, the gothic cathedral, and the mountains rising around them, I fell completely in love.

I could spend a month in Brasov, loitering in cafes, meandering down the crooked side streets, taking the cable car up the mountain when the tourists just got to be too much for me.

While I didn’t find any of these cities to be party hot spots, if you’re looking for an authentic taste of Transylvanian culture, you will be more than happy in any of these cities. The citizens have gone to great lengths to preserve their cities and I’m left dreaming of a second chance to immerse myself in the rich culture.

Have you ever been to Transylvania? If you had a week to spend in any of these cities where would you go?