Sibiu, One Of The Most Idyllic Places in Europe

In a quest for some of the best places to invest real estate wise, Forbes has recently made a classification of the top most idyllic places to live in Europe. As a result, Sibiu, a beautiful city in Transylvania, was right there, at number 8. ‘Ala Osmond, a director of Exeter International, which offers private and escorted tours of Europe, says that the area around the little known city of Sibiu in Romania is “bucolic, an idyllic place.” It’s probably the most esoteric location on our list, but “there is absolutely no noise or light pollution, and farmers ride round on their horses and carts,” she says. “It’s a gorgeous, preserved way of life.”‘

Sibiu (Hermannstadt in German), a city with approximately 170,000 inhabitants, was the largest and wealthiest of the seven walled citadels built in the 12th century by German settlers known as Transylvanian Saxons. The Old Town retains the grandeur of its earlier days when rich and powerful guilds dominated regional trade. Like Sighisoara and Brasov, it has a distinctly Germanic feel.

Today, Sibiu is one of Romania’s cultural and tourism capitals, attracting tourists due to its wonderful medieval charm, excellent views of the surrounding landscapes, great food, and stunning parkland. Sibiu today is also doing excellently economically, having an income per capita higher than the Romanian average. Much of the city has been reconstructed due to it being the European Capital of Culture in 2007 and has benefited greatly from the funds made available. And the best part: much of the city is pedestrian-friendly!

We took these photos back in 2010, the last time we saw this charming city, but we’re looking forward to our next trip here. If you guys have more photos of Sibiu, we’d love to see them! Make sure to drop us an email and we’ll make sure they get published!