Travel to Romania

Day 8 Râșnov - Sinaia - Bucarest (148 Km.)

(in 39 Km.) Sinaia: Sinaia is a charming town located in Prahova County in the Carpathian Mountains. One of the main attractions in Sinaia is the impressive Peles Castle and the adjacent Pelișor Castle. The city is also home to the Sinaia Monastery, a beautiful religious site founded in the 17th century. Our visit focuses on the first of the two castles. We arrived mid-morning and were met with a huge queue to buy tickets. We practically queued for an hour between buying tickets and getting inside the palace. We bought the tickets for the basic tour, which includes a visit to the Hall of Honour, the Hall of Arms, the library, the music room, etc. The optional tour also includes a visit to the bedrooms, apartments, the Concert Hall or the Breakfast Room. Peles Castle was built between 1873 and 1914, during the reign of King Charles I of Romania.

Designed by the German architect Johannes Schultz, the castle reflects an impressive New German Renaissance architectural style, with influences from the Gothic and Baroque styles. One of the centrepieces of the castle is the majestic Staircase of Honour, an architectural masterpiece that connects the different levels of the building. The staircase is made of marble and is decorated with hand-carved details. The castle had very modern facilities for the time when it was built. For example, the glass roof of the Hall of Honour is movable and can be driven by an electric motor. In one of the rooms on the ground floor there is one of the largest collections of art paintings and weapons in Europe with more than 4000 European and Oriental pieces from the 14th-17th centuries. A little further on is the Royal Library, which is particularly popular with lovers of rare books with covers covered in leather and gold with embossed lettering.

The music room became a salon for Queen Elizabeth's musical evenings. The Florentine Hall, also called the Great Hall, is impressive as it is made of wood carving of the lime ceiling, gilding, two large chandeliers and decoration in Italian neo-Renaissance style. After leaving the building, we continued our visit through its seven garden terraces, in Italian neo-renaissance style. There are many other statues, most of them in Carrara marble by the Italian sculptor Romanelli. The gardens are also home to fountains, urns, staircases, guardian lions, marble walkways and other decorative pieces. An imposing statue of King Carol I by Raffaello Romanelli dominates the main entrance. After Bran Castle, Peles Castle is the second most visited place in Romania.

Built in a similar architectural style to neighbouring Peles Castle, Pelișor features elements of German neo-Renaissance architecture. Although smaller than Peles, it has its own distinctive elegance and appeal. Pelișor was built between 1899 and 1903 as a residence for Queen Maria of Romania and Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern. Unlike Peles, which served as a royal residence, Pelișor was intended to be more intimate and private. The interior of Pelișor is decorated in a refined manner and reflects Queen Maria's taste. The décor includes art nouveau details and more modern design elements compared to the more classical style of Peles.

(in 109 Km.) Bucharest Airport: From Sinaia, we head straight to the airport for our flight home.