Our trip to Romania began in Sinaia, a city nestled in the Romanian mountains that every winter becomes the destination of hundreds of skiers in search of snow. One of the places to see in Sinaia is the magnificent Peles Castle .
Peles Castle, a bit of history
Work on this castle surrounded by mountains and green meadows began in 1875. It was built to become the summer residence of King Charles I, the Romanian monarch who has ruled the longest. In the construction of this beautiful castle, 34 years were invested and thousands of workers and some 400 artisans participated.
Visit Peles Castle
To visit Peles Castle you have to join one of its guided tours. You can not in any way visit for free . Tickets are purchased at the ticket offices in the central courtyard of the building and you can choose between the basic visit and the long visit . In the same box office they indicate the place to go with the ticket.
After waiting a few minutes in the street, the moment arrives when the big door opens and they indicate the language in which the next visit will take place. If it is the one you are interested in (Romanian, English, German, French or Russian) you just have to hand in your ticket and go through the door. Once inside, they tell you to put on some leggings over your shoes before starting the guided tour.
Inside the castle it is forbidden to take pictures. Well, it’s not forbidden. If you are interested in photographing the impressive interior of Peles Castle, you will have to pay a fee to use your camera or mobile phone. Of course, keep in mind that these images must be for personal use only and cannot be spread on the internet or on any social network. 
Peles Castle Gardens
The gardens are the first thing the visitor sees. If you arrive walking from the city through the forest that surrounds it, the image of Peles Castle is unforgettable.
Admission to the castle gardens is free . In high season, and especially on weekends, it is very likely that you will find a good number of tourists. Be patient if you want to take a photo on the steps, next to the fountains or the sculptures. The part of the gardens at the front of the castle is the busiest. Move away a little and you will find a quieter corner, like the one that surrounds the sculpture of Queen Elisabeta Carmen Silva .
Basic tour
The short visit to Peles Castle lasts about 45 minutes and covers the first floor of the building. It begins by going up the elegant staircase that leads to the beautiful and bright hall of honor.
Big tour
This longer tour offers the possibility of exploring the private rooms of Peles Castle . After visiting the first floor with the basic tour, all those with the optional or extended tour ticket proceed to go up to the second floor of the building. That’s where the private rooms are. With this tour you can see, among other rooms, the imperial suite, the royal bedroom in which King Carlos I died or the queen’s office. 
Pelisor Castle
Just 200 meters from Peles Castle you can visit another building: Pelisor Castle. Although its appearance has little or nothing of a castle, the truth is that it is a beautiful building with an enviable location. It was built for the future King Ferdinand I of Romania, a nephew of Charles I, and his wife, Queen Maria . 
The Pelisor Castle boasts half-timbered walls with a clear German influence on its façade. However, its interior has little of that medieval aspect that can be seen on the outside. 
For a matter of time we had to settle for seeing the outside of the castle, but surely it is well worth spending an hour to see its interior.
How to get to Peles Castle
Coach
The most comfortable way to get to Peles Castle in Sinaia is by car. Especially if your intention is to make a free trip in Romanian lands. Traveling by car makes traveling in Romania much easier as not all places are well connected by public transport. We arrived in Sinaia from Otopeni Airport. The distance between both places is 105 kilometers and it took us around 1:30 hours to get from the airport to our hotel in Sinaia.
Once in Sinaia, if you want to leave your car near the Peles Castle (keep in mind that the castle is 6 kilometers from the city center) you can find a car park 200 meters away and others about 600 meters from the castle . Both are paid. In our case, we left the car in another car park (also for a fee) behind the monastery, another of the places to see in Sinaia. From there we walked through the forest, a walk of about 15 minutes. Along the way we meet fruit vendors and a craft market.
At the end of it, at a crossroads, is where you get the most impressive view of Peles Castle.
Bus
If you do not intend to rent a car to travel around Romania, you can also reach Sinaia by bus from Otopeni Airport and from many other cities such as Brasov, Sibiu or Sighisoara, the most beautiful city in Romania.
You can check the autogari.ro page to see all the schedules, times of each route and prices.
Train
The train in Romania does not have as many direct routes as the buses. However, this means of transport is still a good idea for those who want to get to Sinaia from Bucharest or Brasov. The price of the trip is very similar to that of the bus and the time of the bass is somewhat shorter. To know prices and schedules you can consult the official website cfrcalatori.ro.
