Sinaia & Peleș: the back story

About Sinaia & Peleș: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Bucharest Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Two hours north of Bucharest, the Prahova Valley climbs into the Carpathians, and at Sinaia, among fir forests below the Bucegi Mountains, Romania’s first king built a summer palace worthy of a fairy tale.

A monastery in the forest

Sinaia takes its name from its monastery, founded at the end of the 17th century by a nobleman, Mihail Cantacuzino, after a pilgrimage to Mount Sinai. In the 19th century the little settlement became Romania’s favourite mountain resort, with villas, hotels and a casino.

Peleș, the king’s castle

King Carol I chose Sinaia for his summer residence, and from the 1870s he built Peleș, a castle in a romantic mix of German Renaissance and Alpine styles, with carved wood, stained glass, arms and armour, and halls of extraordinary richness. Nearby, the smaller Pelișor was decorated in Art Nouveau style for the future Queen Marie.

At Sinaia, Romania’s first king built a summer palace worthy of a fairy tale.

Into the mountains

Above the town rise the Bucegi Mountains. From Sinaia, a cable car climbs to the high pastures, with walks along the ridges and views far over the Prahova Valley. In winter, this is one of Romania’s ski areas.

Our advice: trains run from Gara de Nord to Sinaia in about one and a half to two hours. Peleș is usually closed on Mondays, and has longer closures in some seasons, so check before you go. Arrive early to beat the coach tours, and combine the castle with the monastery and a ride up into the mountains.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sinaia & Peleș: the back story before you go.