by Lonely Planet author Leif Pettersen

Sighisoara
(Schässburg in German, Segesvár in Hungarian)

Accommodations in Sighisoara Transylvania

Yes, yes, it's Vlad Tepes' (Dracula) birthplace – bite, suck, die – but more importantly this city wonderfully typifies the town you probably had in mind when you first decided to visit Romania. The hill-top citadel and clock tower, 500 year old, colorful buildings and a collection of arresting museums are really why you should come here. Once you've taken in these sights, hang around for a day or two and bike, hike, hitch or beg your way to the nearby Saxon villages of Biertan and Viscri.

Sighisoara is enjoying an across-the-board rejuvenation, with the assistance of German investors; the classic houses are being re-painted and new hotels and sidewalk cafés are popping up, which, along with the increasing tour bus presence, is threatening the area with the sometimes off-putting Brasov Effect.

Prince Charles had a hand in tabling (for now) an insane plan to build a Dracula theme park by profit-obsessed jackasses just outside of town, which would have not only be an aesthetic crime, but would have also significantly damaged the surrounding countryside. There's still a push to restart this project, which seems to be going nowhere.

Agonizing over travel insurance? Maybe I can help...

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