RO
Sinaia
A mountain resort in the Carpathians, home to Peleș Castle and a 17th-century monastery
A mountain resort in the Carpathians, home to Peleș Castle and a 17th-century monastery
The neo-Renaissance castle has more than 160 rooms with carved wood, stained glass and weapons collections. The interior is seen on guided tours.
Buy tickets online and check opening days; it usually closes on Mondays.
Photo: TiberiuSahlean, CC BY-SA 3.0 ro
A smaller castle in the same grounds, built for Queen Marie, with Art Nouveau interiors.
Photo: Cristian Bortes, CC BY 2.0
The terraces and gardens, with statues and fountains, are free to walk around.
Photo: Pudelek (Marcin Szala), CC BY-SA 3.0
Founded in 1695 and named after Mount Sinai, the monastery still has monks. It has two churches and a small museum.
A small entry fee applies.
Photo: fusion-of-horizons, CC BY 2.0
Try sarmale, mici (grilled sausages) and mountain dishes with polenta and sheep’s cheese.
Cafés near the castle are busy at weekends.
Trains from Bucharest take about 1.5 hours; many continue to Brașov. Driving can be slow because of heavy traffic in the Prahova Valley.
The town is walkable; the castle is a short uphill walk from the centre, and the cable car starts in the upper part of town.
Romania uses the leu (RON).
Castles and mountains.
Tour Peleș and Pelișor, then visit Sinaia Monastery.
Take the cable car to the Bucegi plateau and hike.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Romania is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Book Peleș tickets online in summer.
Check castle opening days before travelling.
Mountain weather changes fast; bring layers.
The train avoids valley traffic.
Quick answers for planning time in Sinaia.
Between 1873 and 1914, for King Carol I.
By train in about 1.5 hours.
No, it usually closes on Mondays; check current times.
Yes, a cable car runs to the Bucegi plateau.
May to September, or winter for skiing.
Planning a wider trip? Our Romania travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.