Escape to Transylvania - Peleș Castle

You know you are about to see something special if you are given plastic covers to put over your shoes.

I don’t know how many locals would actually praise Bran Castle (where you actually don’t need plastic shoes so... ), but I know for sure that Peleș might definitely be on the tip of everyone’s tongue if you ask for recommendations of things worth visiting while in Romania, even before other beautiful castles that we have as well: Corvin, Râșnov, Cantacuzino, etc.

Peleș Castle is probably among Romania’s most beloved heritage, not only because it stands proof of our recent royal legacy, but also because its design is such a must-see of splendor and coziness that it looks as if time here stood still – or better said as if there is still a chance for modern royalty to claim its place back in our times.

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If you want to make the most out of your time here too, you will be happy to find that you can also visit the city of Brașov (60 km), Bran Castle (55 km), Râșnov Fortress (40 km) and Sighișoara (140 km).

Where to find it

Located in the pitoresque area of Bucegi Mountains, Peleș is the gem of the town of Sinaia and you will find it surrounded by tall mountains and a lot of green.

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When to go

Last time I went there was November, 2017 with a group of international friends who were doing their Erasmus in Bucharest and everytime I go back I am mesmerised by the tranquility this place offers to its visitors.

You can visit it from the outside for free or you can also go in the interior and admire some of the 160 rooms with a guided tour available in a wide range of languages for a a ticket of 30 or 60 lei (5-10 €) depending on what floor you want to visit and another fee for taking photos (of the inside).

Be careful when you plan your visit though, because during the whole month of November, the castle will always be closed for cleaning and maintenance.

Also, I recommend going there in the afternoon since in the morning there are many tour buses that stop here and drop large groups of tourists who will only ruin the beauty of a quiet visit. That’s what we did as well because this is a very touristic spot and thinking about ‘enjoying yourself without 100 Chinese people in your photos’ we already there by 10 a. m.

How to get there

The easiest way you can take is by train from Bucharest Nord to Sinaia and travel for 1 h 45 min. That’s 121 km. The train station in Sinaia is only 30 min of walking from the castle itself and I recommend using Google Maps and enjoy the stairs and streets all the way up to one of the two entrances.

Where to start your visit

We started our visit from the highest point because the lower part lead us towards the train station again. Only the entrance in the castle itself is to be paid, so the inner courtyard can be enjoyed for free and accessed either from the the restaurants area (higher part), or the church (lower part).

What is there to see

Once you get into the courtyard you will be welcomed by some typical houses that now function as restaurants and right behind them you will see the beauty of Peleș Castle in its all splendor.

The inner yard of the castle itself is an architectural jewel of the German neo-Renaissance style and you will notice that most of the details on it scream ‘luxury’. And here I will let the photos from the outside speak for themselves:

Also, if you go there when its rooms are open too (which I strongly advise you to do) you will also be able to enjoy the ground floor with the Hall of Honour – the former inner courtyard with a stained-glass ceiling and woodwork decorations where the guests were usually welcomed, the Weapons’ room that most of the people come here for (the king was a passionate collector and managed to gather over 1500 pieces from all around the world), the King’s office, the library that has a secret door he used to escape through and go straight to his apartments at the first floor, the music room and the dining room, the Moorish, Turkish room and the cinema hall where you will even see some original paintings from Gustav Klimt’s early work.

The second floor has an amazing Concert Hall with a broad spectrum of musical instruments, the imperial apartment, the court ladies’ bedrooms and the royal bedrooms with its crystal chandelers.

A few curiosities that I shared with my international friends and that you should also know by the time you leave this beautiful castle behind are:

1. Peleș was built by King Carol I – the first king of Romania, in 1883, as a summer residence.
2. In those times it was a very modern construction and it was even the first castle in Europe to have central heating and electricity, so you can imagine how much pride we take in this, only because of that.
3. During communism, it was used as a private residence for leaders and officials such as Richard Nixon or Muammar Gaddafi.

Before you go, don’t forget to visit Pelișor Castle as well, since it’s only 1-2 minutes away from the Peleș. It was built for King Ferdinand I, the nephew of Carol I and the one who succeeded him on the throne since the former king only had daughters. Here you will also be given plastic covers for your shoes so do not think this castle will be any less satisfactory than the previous one.

What I also think is a big plus is that you will join a guided tour available in different languages and this is how you will learn about some royal gossip such as how this small castle was built for his wife, Queen Mary, who supposedly had a child with another man. While her body is today buried next to him, her heart was buried somewhere else!

(a shot of Pelișor from the outside)

Until next time!

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