Sibiu, Hermannstadt to its founders, is the most beautiful city in Transylvania, and it knows it. The Saxon settlers who came here in the twelfth century built a walled town on a terrace above the Cibin river, with a Lower Town of crafts and markets and an Upper Town of churches, guild halls and merchants' houses, and much of it survives. The Large Square, the Small Square and Huet Square are lined with colourful houses, Gothic and baroque churches, and towers from the old walls. The houses have small dormer windows in their roofs that look like eyes, and locals will tell you the city is always watching.
Sibiu was the capital of Transylvania for a time under the Habsburgs, and the Brukenthal Palace, built by a governor of the region in the eighteenth century, houses one of the oldest museums in this part of Europe, with a good collection of paintings. The city was a European Capital of Culture in 2007, and it has been restored with care. In summer there is an international theatre festival, and the cafes and restaurants in the squares are full late into the evening. The Bridge of Lies, a cast-iron footbridge linking the Upper and Lower Town, comes with a legend that it creaks when someone tells a lie on it.
For riders, Sibiu is the perfect base for some of the best roads in Romania. The Transfăgărășan begins to the east, climbing into the Făgăraș mountains to over two thousand metres, with dozens of hairpins and spectacular views, while the Transalpina runs south from the Sebeș area, crossing the Parâng mountains at a similar height. Both are open only in summer, typically from around July to October, depending on snow, so check before you go. Closer to the city, the roads through the Saxon villages to the north and east are quieter, with gentle curves through rolling hills.
Sibiu has everything a rider could need: fuel, supermarkets, motorcycle shops, banks, hotels and restaurants. The old town is best explored on foot, as the streets are narrow and some are pedestrianised, with cobbles that are not pleasant on two wheels. Park outside the walls and walk in. Summers can be hot, and the city is busy with tourists, while spring and autumn are calmer.