waterfall
Bâlea Waterfall
Romania's largest cascade waterfall, dropping 60 m below the Bâlea lake on the northern ramp of the Transfăgărășan.
41 km · about 45 min drive
EuropeRomaniaSibiu County
Sibiu
Sibiu County, Romania · Europe
About Sibiu
Sibiu sits on the route: 10 minutes from Şelimbăr, 43km from Transfagarasan (DN7C).
Sibiu is in Sibiu County, Romania, with about 130,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Şelimbăr, about 5 km away.
Sibiu ( see-BEW, pronounced [siˈbiw], German: Hermannstadt [ˈhɛʁmanʃtat], Hungarian: Nagyszeben, Latin: Cibinium, Transylvanian Saxon: Härmeschtat or Hermestatt) is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some 275 km (171 mi) north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles theRead more
Cibin River, a tributary of the Olt River. Now the seat of Sibiu County, between 1692 and 1791 and 1849–65, Sibiu was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania. Until 1876, the Hecht house in Sibiu served as the seat of the Transylvanian Saxon University.
Nicknamed The Town with Eyes for the eyebrow dormers on many old buildings, the town is a popular tourist destination. It is known for its culture, history, cuisine, and architecture.
Several fortified villages near Sibiu, such as Biertan and Valea Viilor, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 under the collective listing "Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania". Separately, in 2004, the historical center of Sibiu was added to Romania's tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but has not yet been officially inscribed. It was later designated the European Capital of Culture in 2007, alongside Luxembourg City. In 2008, Forbes ranked Sibiu as "Europe's 8th-most idyllic place to live". In 2019, Sibiu was named the European Region of Gastronomy and hosted a European Union summit. In 2021, it also hosted the European Wandering Capital event, the continent’s most prominent hiking and eco-tourism gathering.
Sibiu is also known nationally and internationally for its Christmas market. Renowned personalities include Transylvanian Saxon scientists Conrad Haas and Hermann Oberth, who were both pioneers of rocketry.
As of 2021 census, the city has a population of 134,309, making it the 15th most populous city in Romania. The proposed Sibiu metropolitan area has a population of 267,170. The town also administers the village of Păltiniș, a ski resort located 35 kilometres to the southwest.
During the High and Late Middle Ages, Sibiu was the most important cultural and administrative centre of the Transylvanian Saxons. It is called Härmeschtat in their local dialect, which is close to Luxembourgish, from which it primarily descended during the Ostsiedlung.
Where to Stay in Sibiu
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Sibiu?
Within an hour or so of Sibiu: Bâlea Waterfall (41 km), Balea Lac Mountain Cafe (42 km), Transfagarasan Viewpoint (42 km), Bâlea Lake (42 km).
Are there any good drives near Sibiu?
The nearest famous roads are Transfagarasan (DN7C), Transfăgărășan Highway and Transalpina (DN67C).
Where is Sibiu?
Sibiu is in Sibiu County, Romania, about 5 km from Şelimbăr.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 134,309
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Romania
- Region
- Sibiu County
- Timezone
- Europe/Bucharest
- Coordinates
- 45.8000, 24.1500
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Romania
Rovinieta (road tax sticker) required for all national roads.
Full driving guide for RomaniaTags
Worth the detour from Sibiu
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cafe
Balea Lac Mountain Cafe
A remote alpine cafe at the summit of Romania's Transfagarasan Highway beside Balea Lake, atop what Jeremy Clarkson called 'the best road in the world.'
42 km · about 50 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Transfagarasan Viewpoint
The summit of Romania's spectacular mountain highway, called 'the best road in the world' by Top Gear, with views of Balea Lake and the Fagaras range.
42 km · about 50 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Bâlea Lake
A glacial lake at 2,034m crowning the Transfăgărășan, reached by car in summer or cable car in winter.
42 km · about 50 min drive
tunnel
Bâlea Tunnel (Transfăgărășan)
At 2,040 m the highest road tunnel in Romania, cutting through the ridge at the top of the Transfăgărășan.
42 km · about 50 min drive
mountain pass
Transfăgărășan Highway
Romania's spectacular mountain road crossing the Carpathians - 'best road in the world' per Top Gear
43 km · about 50 min drive
famous road
Transfagarasan (DN7C)
Ceausescu's road over the Fagaras mountains to 2,042m at Balea Lac, with stacked hairpins, a tunnel and a waterfall. Open only in summer.
43 km · about 50 min drive
natural wonder
Râpa Roșie
An 800 m wall of red sandstone ravines up to 125 m high just north of Sebeș, eroded into organ-pipe pinnacles that glow crimson at sunset: Romania's 'little Grand Canyon', visible right from the approach road.
48 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Sibiu
- 42 kmTransfagarasan ViewpointThe summit of Romania's spectacular mountain highway, called 'the best road in the world' by Top Gear, with views of Balea Lake and the Fagaras range.
- 42 kmBâlea LakeA glacial lake at 2,034m crowning the Transfăgărășan, reached by car in summer or cable car in winter.
- 42 kmBâlea Tunnel (Transfăgărășan)At 2,040 m the highest road tunnel in Romania, cutting through the ridge at the top of the Transfăgărășan.
- 43 kmTransfăgărășan HighwayRomania's spectacular mountain road crossing the Carpathians - 'best road in the world' per Top Gear
- 43 kmTransfagarasan (DN7C)Ceausescu's road over the Fagaras mountains to 2,042m at Balea Lac, with stacked hairpins, a tunnel and a waterfall. Open only in summer.
- 60 kmTransalpina (DN67C)Romania's highest road at 2,145m at Urdele, a lonely ridge-running route over the Parang mountains.
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