Sfântu Gheorghe (Covasna)

Sfântu Gheorghe (in Romanian) or Sepsiszentgyörgy (in Hungarian) (English: Saint George; Deutsch: Sankt Georgen; Yiddish: סנט דשזארדזש) is a municipality and city in the central Romanian region of Transylvania. It lies on the Olt River in a valley between the Baraolt and Bodoc Mountains. Sfântu Gheorghe is the capital of Covasna County. The villages of Chilieni/Kilyén and Coşeni/Szotyor are also administratively part of Sfântu Gheorghe Municipality.

Get in

Sfântu Gheorghe lies about 220 km from Bucuresti, 1,790 km from Berlin, 990 km from Wien, 780 km from Budapest, 280 km from Cluj Napoca, 32 km from Brasov, and 66 km from Miercurea Ciuc.

By train

You can get to Sfantu Gheorghe by train very easily. There are direct trains to and from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, as well as Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Baia Mare, Satu Mare, Miercurea Ciuc, Targu Mures, Iasi, and Suceava.

• With IC (InterCity): Bucharest - Ploiesti - Sinaia - Brasov - Sfantu Gheorghe - Miercurea Ciuc - Deda - Targu Mures.
• With Rapid (fast train as IC): Brasov - Sfantu Gheorghe - Miercurea Ciuc - Deda - Cluj Napoca.
• With Accelerat (less comfortable than IC, but almost the same time as IC): Bucharest - Ploiesti - Brasov - Sfantu Gheorghe - Miercurea Ciuc - Deda - Baia Mare - Satu Mare; Brasov - Sfantu Gheorghe - Iasi; Brasov - Sfantu Gheorghe - Suceava

There are two international trains stopping in the city, both providing a direct link with Budapest, Hungary.

By car

From Brasov - on national road DN 11, then take left in Chichis (Kokos) to DN 12. From Targu-Mures (Marosvásárhely) - on national road DN 13, take a left at Feldioara (Barcaföldvár) to DN 13E. From Miercurea Ciuc - on national road DN 12.

By plane

Wizz Air operates international flights to several countries from Transylvania Airport at Targu-Mures, a good two and half hours drive from the town. Bucharest Henri Coanda Airport is also about the same distance from the city, serving many international flights operated by regular and low-cost airlines. Sibiu airport is also at the same distance.

Get around

By bus

Even if the town is quite small, a ride with the bus will take you quick from one point to another. The ticket for one journey is 1.30 lei, but usually, you may buy a 2-journey ticket for 2.60 lei. There are several lines that will take you through the town: number 1 - Simeria - Central Park - Rail Station; number 2 - Simeria - Central Park - Ciucului - Rail Station; number 3 - Central Market - Central Park - Rail Station and other buses will take you in the villages round the town: number 4 - Simeria - Central Park - Ciucului - Rail Station - Campu Frumos

By taxi

If you want to take the taxi, it will take you in a short time - about 5-10 minutes - anywhere in town you like. If you want, you can take the taxi outside the town, but it is more expensive. There are many taxi hubs, in the city center there is one directly across the theater, another one in front of Sugas department store.

By car

Due to the size of the city, it doesn't make much sense to use a car. Parking in the center can be problematic and relative expensive (2 lei/hr). Traffic is not bad, except a few minutes in the morning and afternoon in certain places, mostly around schools. Just walk or if you are in hurry or have to travel from one end to the other, use a taxi.

There are a few local car rental offices, but there are no multinational, big rental companies in the city. See at Novotech, Mida (pages only in Romanian).

See

The area has almost 40 species of endemic orchids that can be seen. If you wish to see them, contact the Romanian Orchid Lovers Club, based in Rasnov 20 km from Brasov.

• Székely National Museum. Hosting an exhibition of about the traditions and arts of the local Hungarian population. The building was designed by Károly Kós in the secession style. 
• 🌍 Fortified Church (Romanian: Biserică Fortificată; Hungarian: Vártemplom). Constructed in the 14th century in the Gothic style  
• The market bazaar. Built in 1868, with a clock tower built in 1893, now home to the gallery Magma and a café. 
• County library. Constructed in 1832 as the seat of the county council. 
• State Archive. The former headquarters of the Hussar battalions. 
• Theater Áron Tamási. Used from 1854-1866 as the city hall. 

Do

Going out in town, you will find pubs with good music and nice atmosphere. A nice walk in the central park will be very relaxing. You can visit the surrounding villages and take a look at the fortified churches typical of the area.

• Sugas Bai (Sugásfürdő in Hungarian). A holiday mountain-village part of the city offering two ski slopes, warm and cold baths, mofetta, climbing wall, adventure park, hiking trails and natural sparkling water springs. It is reachable by car, bus, bike (10 km from the center, uphill). 

Buy

There are several hypermarkets and supermarkets along the Olt river bench (Str. Lunca Oltului / Oltmező utca) where you can buy food, clothing, electronics, tinkering stuff, etc., but they are not served by local buses.

• Sugas (Sugas Comercial Center) (right in town center). Here you can get a lot of things from souvenirs, clothes, shoes. 

Eat

Kurtos kalacs are a type of Hungarian sweet pastry. There are is also good ice cream in the Aria sweet shop and patiseria (close to the Sugás shopping center). Some other good sweet shops are around the central park.

Drink

Palinca or Palinka is the best known alcoholic beverage in town like in all Transylvania. Beer is also one of the favorite drink in the town. There is a tea house (Tein) near the central park, and several pubs around the city, some with parties at weekends.

Sleep

• Pensiunea Agora (Pensiunea Agora), Crangului, Nr. 1 (near the central market), ☎ [phone]. Offers two rooms with one bed, shower and TV, two rooms with two beds shower and TV, two rooms with four beds, one room with two beds. There is a men and women bathroom and WC, refrigerator, mini-kitchen, central heating and wifi access. 50lei/day. 
• Pensiunea Malomgat (Pensiunea Malomgat), Malomgat 5, ☎ [phone]. Guest house has 4 rooms and 2 bathrooms, living with kitchen, central heating, garden. 
• Pensiunea Andreas (Pensiunea Andreas), Varghis, Str. Principala, Nr. 59, ☎ [phone]. Guest house has 5 rooms with bathrooms, 7 with common bath, TV, billiards, ping-pong table, swimming pool, ATV, arbor, grill, parking space. 
• Pensiunea Anna (Pensiunea Anna), Bixad, Str. Ciucului Nr. 556, Jud. Covasna. Guest house offers you 4 rooms at 3 baths, kitchen, parking space, central heating. 
• Motel Tranzit (Motel Tranzit), Pais David, Nr. 2/A, ☎ [phone]. It is in the same building with the Lukoil Gas station. Restaurant Non-Stop (70 seats) Parking space 
• Hotel Sugas (Hotel Sugas), Sfantu Gheorghe Km 0, Covasna, ☎ [phone], [phone]. Placed in the center of Sfantu Gheorghe town, Sugas offers you 27 double rooms, 4 apartments, minibar, tv cable, phone, internet, restaurant. Single 165 lei, double 179 lei, triple 210 lei. Apartments for 1/2/3/4 persons 220/240/260/280 lei. (updated Mar 2017)
• Hotel Park (Hotel Park), Sfantu Gheorghe, Gabor Aron, Nr. 12 (just above the central park in the town), ☎ [phone]. 
• Pensiunea Trei Scaune (Pensiunea Trei Scaune), Sfantu Gheorghe, Str. Kossuth Lajos, 17, ☎ [phone]. 10 rooms with baths, kitchen, livingroom, courtyard. 

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