By Ioana Enache
Sinaia is known as the Pearl of the Carpathians. Unmatched in history, the former summer residence of the Royal Family has the largest number of monuments per capita, it is a must-see for those living in Romania.
Sinaia was a town that grew like a fairytale. When the first king of Romania, Carol I visited the country for the first time, he felt in love with his surroundings and decided to establish his summer residence in the area. At that time, the Monastery of Sinaia was all the area had, and where the city got its name (after the biblical Mount Sinai).
King Carol I appointed an architect to develop the plans for what would become one of Europe’s most impressive castles: Castle Peles. Not surprisingly, and at almost the same time, everyone in high society, including politicians and wealthy families, also decided to build their own residences in Sinaia. At the beginning of the 20th century, Sinaia was the place to be: an elegant, cultural city that was full of life.
Needless to say, Sinaia is a very beautiful city, full of history, architecture and jaw-dropping landscapes, but, as communism left its marks over the city, sometimes its architectural treasures are hidden behind massive hotels or blocks of flats. I recommend you take an organized tour of Sinaia to make sure you see the real stuff.
Until the current railway modernization is finished, unless you enjoy long train rides, it is best to go by car. Now, with the ring road around Ploiesti, and if you manage to avoid departing from Bucharest on Friday late afternoon it should take about 1.5 hours.
Address: George Enescu St., cartier Cumpatu
Phone: +40 244 31 03 02
Web: www.piatrasoimului.ro
I would recommend this small place especially for families with kids. Check for special weekend deals. The place is very clean and they serve good, fresh & tasty food.
Address: 2A, Aleea Pelesului
Phone: +40 244 31 55 95
Web: www.hotelbastion.ro
This is a quieter option: it is actually the newly renovated former royal stable, and it is quite close to the famous Peles Castle.
Address: Cumpatu St.
Phone: +40 723 34 71 03
Web: www.vrbo.com/258444
If you want to travel in style and really want to indulge yourself and be surrounded by quality and classy details check on Villa Poem Boem. This is a private rental. The pictures will convince you, and the real experience there will make you go back again and again.
My advice would be to stay at least 2-3 days to really feel the city, to breathe great fresh air and enjoy the beautiful landscape. In winter you can ski; and in spring, summer, and autumn you can visit museums, go hiking, enjoy parks or swimming pools, and make it your hub for daily trips in the area: Bran, Sighisoara, etc!
Take a Tour of Sinaia organized by the Asociatia Redescopera Sinaia . Together with a team of researchers from the Muzeul Taranului Roman (MTR), we have a tour like no other. They will help you discover great places, architecture, monuments, and history you couldn’t get elsewhere. It is also full of short stories that are some of the best kept and untold secrets from elderly inhabitants, and arcane history. For more info, contact office@ citycompass.ro to see when they organize the next tour!
You should also take the time to visit Peles Castle inside. Peles is one of the best preserved castles in Europe and the mix of eclectic styles in the different rooms is a great joy for any visitor.
Another must-see is the park of Sinaia with its beautiful Casino, which holds a permanent paintings exhibition. The park is well maintained and is a great experience for adults and kids alike, as well as for couples looking for a romantic escape. You can also enjoy a good tea or coffee at Cafeneua Parcului, where they have a nice pictures collection of the old houses from Sinaia.
You will also be glad to have visited Casa George Enescu – located in the Cumpatu Quarter – which is on the opposite mountain to the city center – it is a beautiful, quiet and elegant residential area of Sinaia.
Enescu’s former residence, which the great composer designed himself, was recently renovated offers entry tickets and audio guides at a very small price.
You can have a good time at the Model Railway Exhibition located in the Sinaia’s beautiful, but not properly maintained Railway station. Kids will enjoy the small trains, the diorama and the entire family can enjoy a hot chocolate.
Sinaia Park offers playgrounds for different ages and a “Tyrolienne” experience when the weather allows it.
On rainy days, you can take the kids to Carmen Sylva Cultural Center, where they can read and paint.
Check up on the schedule as sometimes they organize guitar lessons on Saturdays.
Going up to the mountain with the Gondola you can make two stops: one at 1400m, and the next to 2000m. On top the view is great from that altitude. Between May and September, you can enjoy a long or short hike and from December to April or even May, you can go skiing. New ski lifts need to be built at the top to manage the high weekend demand, but during the week it is quite nice.
Also up to the mountains, but by car (pretty bad road – almost 1 hour drive) is Stana Regala. It is a hard drive, but once there is great for kids. This summer they even had ponies and other animals. At the top, don’t miss the view from Frantz Iosif Stone – if the sky is clear you should see the entire Prahova Valley, a breathtaking view.
Finally, you can take the family bowling at Hotel International Sinaia. Be aware that when the weather is bad it can be full on Friday and Saturday afternoons so you might need to book it in advance.
Restaurants need to improve both in terms of services and food, but you can have some nice experiences especially with small private businesses.
Address: 1, Avram Iancu St.
Phone: +40 244 31 38 51
Web: www.restaurant-tirol.ro
Good food but pretty expensive; great fondue and kranz cake.
Address: 2, Aleea Pelesului
Phone: +40 244 31 22 43
Web: www.cutituldeargint.ro
This is an interesting experience for those who like meat; here you can have as much meat as you can eat for a fixed price.
Phone: +40 726 76 42 62
Web: www.poiana-stanii.ro
At Stana Regala they cook in large bins at real fire, outside and the food is so tasty … even from the look of it! Call or go online for reservations.
In Sinaia it rains pretty often, so it is always good to have some rain coats and proper shoes with you.
But don’t give up the plan for the entire day if it rains in the morning, you might have a brilliant sunny day after an hour. Take some warm clothes with you at all times, even if Bucharest it is 38 degrees C, it might be very cold in Sinaia.
Thirty minutes north of Sinaia you can visit Cramele Rhein in Azuga, where you can see how they produce Rhein Champagne, which has been produced continuously since 1889.
You can find good fresh vegetables and fruits at Sinaia market which is located on a narrow street located opposite to Hotel Montana. Also, check the Angst supermarket excellent meats. For fish, you can buy fresh trout from Azuga.
If you have any recommendation or if you want to find out more, visit us atwww.redescoperasinaia.ro.
Ioana Enache is President & Board Member of the Asociatia Redescopera Sinaia which aimes to revitalize the town of Sinaia and re-establish it as an elegant, charming and “green” city with a good quality of life and rich cultural offers. Ioana also manages the consultancy company Excellero, which specializes in marketing, communications and change management.
