What to see in Sinaia

Sinaia is considered, with good reason, the pearl of the Carpathians and, as such, deserves the right attention. An obligatory stop on a tour in Transylvania, the city is located along the spectacular and evocative stretch of the Prahova valley; that is, one of the most beautiful of all the Carpathians, east of the Bucegi Mountains, following the course of the river of the same name between mountains and pine forests.

WHAT TO SEE IN SINAIA

The Monastery, Peles , Pelisor Castelul and the Casino, or the places of greatest interest, are all concentrated in an area of just 2 km. The casino itself is located near the railway station. All this makes it particularly easy to visit Sinaia, even for those who do not want to arrive by car.

Photo ©, Aleksander Dragnes

MONASTERY OF SINAIA

The Monastery of Sinaia is a 17th century building in the Brancovenesti style. Built by the will of the Romanian nobleman Mihail Cantacuzino after a pilgrimage to Egypt on Mount Sinai; hence, the name of the building and, later, of the city, built right around the Monastery. Located along the road of the same name, on the road that leads to the Castles, the Orthodox Church consists of two large structures; the original building dating from the seventeenth century, and the modern one from the nineteenth century. The complex houses the Muzeul Manastirii Sinaia, a History Museum. The latter houses a collection of icons of saints and a copy of the first Bible printed in Romania.

Open in summer, every day from 08:00 to 20:00. In winter, museum and church open on request only, from 10:00 to 15:00 for groups of at least 10 people.
The entrance ticket costs 5 LEI and entitles you to access the entire structure. More info can be found on the official website only in Romanian language.

GHICA PARK

Not far from here, you can relax at Dimitrie Ghica Park, a splendid green space designed by Swiss architect Eder in 1881. Stroll along tree-lined avenues, admiring busts of writers, poets, playwrights, and famous figures, including Mihai Eminescu (a Romanian poet), Ion Creangă, and Nicolae Bălcescu. Of course, there’s also a sculpture dedicated to Romanian Prime Minister Ghica, after whom the park is named.

Ghica Park is surrounded by historic buildings and wide avenues, including Carol I Boulevard, named after the sovereign, home to numerous Irish pubs, cafes, and the Carpati Shopping Center. At the end of these alleys is the interesting Bucegi Reserve Museum. The beautiful ice skating rink, set up in winter, is a must-see among the things to see in Sinaia!

Photo ©, Rotaru Florin

THE CASINO

At the edge of Ghica Park stands the splendid Cazinoul Sinaia, one of the must-see attractions on what to see in Sinaia. The Casino is a splendid building from the early 1900s, built on the initiative of King Charles I of Romania. The Baron of Marçay was the main shareholder (the same, moreover, of the Monte Carlo Casino): until the 1940s, it became one of the main attractions of the area, before gambling was banned; the Casino, since then, has been a Congress and Conference Center.
Inside there is a beautiful art gallery that can be visited together with all the splendid rooms.
The entrance fee is 30 lei per adult to visit both floors of the Casino. Special Family Tickets are also available at 60 lei (2 adults and 1 child up to 15 years old) and 70 lei (2 adults and 2 children). Children under 7 are free. The ticket to visit the Art Gallery alone without a guide costs 15 lei per adult and 10 lei for a reduced rate.
The facility is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (last admission at 5:15 pm). For more info you can consult the official site from here.

Photo ©, Nicubunu

WHAT TO SEE IN SINAIA: THE CASTLES

Peles and Pelisor Castle are a must-see when visiting Sinaia. Peles Castle is considered the main attraction in Sinaia and the entire Prahova Valley. The entire structure, including the gardens, rooms, and location, is truly AMAZING. More info here.

Not far away, there is the smaller Pelisor Castelul , built at the behest of Ferdinand, successor of King Charles I, who decided to build another residence considering Peles too big to your tastes. Some malicious, however, argued that the future wife did not get along with Queen Elizabeth of Romania.
The building, built in art nouveau style, has 70 rooms decorated with Viennese furniture and Tiffany and Lalique vases. The visit does not take too long.
Pelisor is open all year round, Wednesdays from 10:00 to 17:00 and from Thursday to Sunday, from 09:15 to 17:00. ALWAYS CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY.
The entrance ticket costs 30LEI for adults, 15LEI for over 65 and 7.5LEI for students and children. Also here, they ask for the payment of the TAX equal to 35LEI to take pictures inside!

A single official portal is available for Peles and Pelisor, available from this link.