Sighisoara

Its symbol is the Clock Tower, with its moving wooden figurines and views over the town; inside is the town's history museum. The tower guards the main gate into the citadel and looks down on Citadel Square (Piața Cetății), lined with pastel houses and cafés.

A covered wooden staircase, the Scholars’ Stairs, leads up to the Gothic Church on the Hill, with the old Saxon cemetery behind it among the trees. Several of the medieval towers once maintained by the town's craft guilds still stand along the walls, among them the Tinsmiths' and Shoemakers' Towers. The town is also the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the ruler behind the Dracula legend; his house stands close to the Clock Tower.

Our East Balkans: Albania to Romania in 14 Days tour visits Sighișoara together with the fortified village of Biertan on the same day. Sighișoara lies between Brașov and Sibiu, making it an easy stop on a tour of Transylvania.

The citadel is small and best explored on foot, but its lanes are steep and cobbled. Early morning and early evening are the quietest times to wander, and a medieval festival brings music and costumes to the streets each summer. Allow at least half a day to see the citadel without hurrying.

Gallery photos: DimiTalen (CC0), Txllxt TxllxT (CC BY-SA 4.0), Pudelek (Marcin Szala) (CC BY-SA 3.0), Alessio Damato (CC BY-SA 3.0), Nicubunu (CC BY-SA 3.0 ro), Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie from London, UK (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons