Transylvania
When we passed through, this early-15th-century fortified church was in need of a revamp, with a rusty clock face peeling from its tower and birds swooping in and out of the building. It’s an impressive photo-op nonetheless.
Băgaciu is a 30km drive north and east of Mediaș. The road is rough in places.
20.82 MILES
This ornate secessionist-style building, ostentatiously tiled on the outside and colourfully furnished within, is unlike anything else in Transylvania…
21.01 MILES
Ethnographic exhibitions can be humdrum, so Târgu Mureş’ hay-strewn and vividly soundtracked museum is a welcome surprise. A voiceover (in Romanian),…
20.42 MILES
Sighişoara's delightful medieval buildings are enclosed within its citadel, a Unesco-listed complex of protective walls and watchtowers. Walking in the…
11.78 MILES
Biertan’s late-Gothic church, ringed by concentric walls and flanked by towers, is among the largest and most impressive in Transylvania. The triple-naved…
15.66 MILES
In September 2016 the ribbon was cut on fresh restoration works in Alma Vii, and this charismatic village and centrepiece fortified church have never…
20.45 MILES
Vlad Ţepeş (aka Dracula) was reputedly born in this house in 1431 and lived here until the age of four. It's now a decent restaurant, but for a small…
20.48 MILES
The multicoloured-tiled roof of Sighişoara’s Clock Tower glitters like the scales of a dragon. The tower was built in the 14th century and expanded 200…
20.36 MILES
Don't miss hiking up the covered stairway to 'School Hill' (418m) to admire this evocative late-Gothic, triple-naved church. Originally a 13th-century…
6.44 MILES
The fairy-tale fortification in Bazna, with hefty wooden gates and portcullises, encloses a 14th-century Gothic church. Treasures include a baroque altar…
7.36 MILES
The Gothic spire above Mediaș sprouts from 1488-built St Margaret's Church, which guards 15th-century frescoes and Romania’s second-largest collection of…
11.78 MILES
Biertan’s late-Gothic church, ringed by concentric walls and flanked by towers, is among the largest and most impressive in Transylvania. The triple-naved…
12.73 MILES
One of the finest fortifications in the region around Mediaș, Moşna’s 14th-century church was rebuilt over subsequent centuries, with impressive defence…
5. Valea Viilor Fortified Church
13.74 MILES
Standing proud in the whisper-quiet village of Valea Viilor is an 18th-century church with weighty protective walls. It’s necessary to call a caretaker to…
15.66 MILES
In September 2016 the ribbon was cut on fresh restoration works in Alma Vii, and this charismatic village and centrepiece fortified church have never…
7. Breite Ancient Oak Tree Reserve
19.68 MILES
Escape the crowds and visit the enchanting Breite Ancient Oak Tree Reserve, 2km west of town. Its 133 hectares boast 800-year-old oaks, with…
20.34 MILES
Flowing behind the Church on the Hill, this lofty cemetery with views over Sighişoara is a suitably spine-chilling spot to ramble after visiting the…