Things to see and do Sinaia

This summer residence of King Carol I and his wife Elisabeth has become one of the most visited places in Romania. It was built between 1873 and 1914, according to the rather crazy plans of Doderer and Schultz. Its first inauguration took place in 1883, after which it was enlarged under the direction of the Czech architect Karel Liman. At the cutting edge of modernity in its time, Peleș was the first castle in Europe to have electricity and central heating. Carol I died there in 1914. Under communism, the confiscated royal residence was used as a holiday resort by party cadres. Distinguished guests, such as foreign heads of state, were often welcomed. The effect of this tall building, perched in its green setting, is immediate on the visitor, astonishing the eye with its towers, spires and half-timbered houses. In the German neo-Renaissance style, it is also influenced by Italian, Oriental, French and Gothic styles. The 160 rooms in the building are characterized by rich wooden ornaments, which are also found on the facades. The abundance and diversity of statues, pottery, precious vases, weapons, stained-glass windows, tapestries and porcelain is impressive. Among the most beautiful rooms, you will visit the Hall of Honour, characterized by its beautiful carved walnut decorations, or the library, all in wood panelling, absolutely magnificent. In the reception room, wooden models of sixteen castles belonging to the Hohenzollern family (Carol I's family) are on display. The armoury displays collections of European and Oriental weapons from the 15th century onwards. The stained glass windows of the music room, the Florentine room with its gilded wood and marble decorations, the Moorish room with its marble-encrusted furniture, and the theatre where the country's first film projection took place in 1906, will also delight you. The estate of Peleș includes several other beautiful buildings, also built by Carol I: in addition to the castle of Pelișor or the many outbuildings converted into hotels or restaurants, there is the castle of Foișor, a hunting lodge used in its time by Ceaușescu. Today it is a ceremonial residence of the Romanian state, which is not open to the public. The park at Peleș can be visited for free. The Italian Renaissance style gardens, laid out on terraces, enhance the castle, which seems to have come straight out of a fairy tale, particularly well.

Surrounded by an imposing fortification wall, it was built between 1690 and 1695 by Prince Mihai Cantacuzino, on his return from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Sinai, hence its name. A new church with a red façade is part of the ensemble. It was restored in 1903 by the French architect Lecomte du Nouÿ, who modernized it by adding ceramics, enamels and paintings. The older, smaller church is in the Brâncovenesc style. The Sinaia monastery is also home to the first Bible translated into Romanian (written in Cyrillic), dating from 1668.

First of all, you will be surrounded by the large and interesting buildings of the outbuildings, which are interesting and arranged in a bar, villas, post, hotel, souvenir shop… The park on the terrace is in Italian Renaissance style and puts the castle in value.

Slightly higher than the royal palace, Pelișor (literally "little Peleș", which nonetheless has 70 rooms) bears the same German Renaissance touch as its big brother. It was built between 1899 and 1903 by Carol ^I, who presented it as a gift to his nephew Ferdinand and his wife Marie, heirs to the Romanian throne. It was she who designed the interior decoration, in the Art Nouveau style she was so fond of. The small palace reveals the romantic, avant-garde personality of this aesthete queen, who died here in 1938.

The downtown park, created in 1881, has retained its former glory thanks to the wealthy mansions that surround it, such as the Palace and Caraiman hotels. It is home to centuries-old trees and a modest natural history museum. In the northern part, there's a World War I cemetery, where American airmen who fought in Romanian skies are buried. The tip is occupied by an elegant casino, built in 1912 on the initiative of King Carol ^I. Guided tours of the interior are available.

The Villa Luminiş was built in 1926 by the famous Romanian composer George Enescu. It is now transformed into a memorial house in his honour. This superb Romanian-inspired building, whose name evokes celestial light, housed the violinist until 1946. He liked to spend the summer there, away from the bustle of Bucharest. While listening to Enescu's works, one goes from room to room to admire the refined living environment of the artist, his piano, old photos, beautiful furniture and art objects of various styles.