Visit Inside Peles Castle & Pelisor Castle in Sinaia, Romania

Peles Castle, or Castelul Peles, is a beautiful castle in the town of Sinaia in Romania. It is one of two castles in Sinaia that you can visit or see from the outside. I visited Peles Castle in spring, summer and winter, each of which had its charms.

The castle looks very interesting when it is snow-covered in winter, but it is much easier to walk around in spring or summer. If you enjoy visiting Romanian castles, you can combine a visit with the neighbouring Pelisor Castle.

Map of Peles Castle in Sinaia, Romania

The grounds are a short walk from central Sinaia. The estate includes quite a few buildings of interest, including:

• Peleș Castle’s main building.
• The Knights’ House.
• Pelisor Castle, the smaller neighbour.
• The House of the Architect.
• Economat Villa.
• The Guardhouse.

They constructed all of these in similar styles, which adds to the site’s charm.

Viewpoint

There is a viewpoint marked on Google Maps near the street market. This is a great place to photograph the castle, framed by a wildflower meadow, forest and the mountains behind.

History of Peleș Castle in Romania

They built Peleș Castle between 1873 and 1914, and held its inauguration in 1883. King Carol I, Romania’s first king, commissioned the castle. After visiting the beautiful Carpathian Mountains, King Carol I fell in love with the region. After purchasing the land, the king decided on the designs; however, the original plans were not original enough for him. However, German architect Johannes Schultz came up with a more original design that the king liked.

This led to the construction of Peleș Castle, a grand palatial alpine palace. It combines unique features of classic European styles. The design blended Italian elegance with German aesthetics along Renaissance lines.

The complex also included the neighbouring Pelișor Castle, completed between 1889 and 1903. This was to be the home of his heir, the future King Ferdinand I, and Queen Marie of Romania. In today’s money, the castle cost US$120 million to build.

The Exterior & Gardens

Peles Castle is beautiful from every angle, and you can enjoy the views while exploring the castle’s grounds.

Although it is called a castle, it is a palace in both design and function. The building blends Neo-Renaissance and Gothic Revival styles. Some consider it similar to Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany in terms of influences. The castle also has a Saxon influence in the interior courtyard facades.

Inside Peles Castle

To enter the castle, buy tickets, then head to the door at the other end of the main courtyard. Ring the doorbell and wait for your ticket to be checked.

The Baroque style influenced the castle’s interior decoration. It features lots of heavily carved wooden details and exquisite fabrics.

Peleș Castle has 3,200 square metres of interior space, spread over several floors. The rooms inside have a theme, many of which are dedicated to world cultures. Inside, you can view offices, libraries, armouries, art galleries and lavish dining rooms.

They also have rooms by style, including Florentine, Turkish, Moorish, French or Imperial – quite the eclectic collection. Throughout the castle, you can see collections of statues, paintings, and furniture. They also have weapons, armour, gold, silver, stained glass, ivory, porcelain, tapestries, and rugs.

Highlights

Some of my highlights of the tour of the interior are the following:

• The castle’s collection of arms and armour is extensive, comprising over 4,000 pieces. The armour is fantastic to look at. I was particularly impressed with the horse and soldier in full armour.
• The red carpet up the stairways was lovely; these were also lavishly decorated.
• German Renaissance designs inspired the main reception hall. The main features were made of walnut wood and included panels depicting other German castles. Also on display here were some rather nice French tapestries from the 18th century.
• The old music room was lovely and included a variety of instruments, including a grand piano and a harp. The stained-glass windows depicted Romanian fairy tales.
• The Moorish hall was fantastic and very grand to look into. The Alhambra Palace in Spain inspired the decoration. This room had a fountain, gold accents, marble, and oak furniture.
• The perfectly laid-out dining hall was very intriguing, with wooden walls and delicate china.
• The theatre was great; it had lavish artwork on the walls, a stage, and some rather impressive red curtains.
• The corridor with Chinese and Japanese vases was rather impressive, too.
• The reception hall from the first-floor balcony is absolutely stunning. It has many wooden elements, including spiral staircases and decorative details.
• The guard room is a fantastic office; it includes the desk used by King Carol I.

Tickets & Prices

They offer a variety of ticket options for entry to the building, including student, concession, and child tickets. You can also opt for the ground and first floors to see more. There are free ATMs in town; however, in an emergency, there is a paid one.

They also have strict photography rules inside: two options for personal use and one for commercial use, which is expensive.

Toilets are available on site if you enter through the door to the right of the ticket office. This is also the exit after the tour of the castle’s interior.

Peles Castle Tours

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You could also opt to visit one of the many tours of the castles of the area. You can book these in advance on booking sites, including Viator.

Other Buildings to See

Pelișor Castle

Pelișor Castle is a small castle within the Peles Castle Complex. The castle is interesting to visit, whether you go inside or just mooch around the grounds. The exterior blends seamlessly into the mountainous landscape, and I can see why they chose this location as a summer residence.

Pelișor Castle was completed in 1903 and was to be the summer home of King Carol I’s heir, the future King Ferdinand I, and Queen Marie of Romania. The castle was designed primarily in the Art Nouveau style. Pelisor certainly looked great from the outside, so I decided to pay the entrance fee and have a look around.

Things to See Inside the Museum

The inside was rather nice, not as grand as the neighbouring building but lovely all the same. Some of my favourite features inside include the following:

• The dining room was all laid out, looking ready to host a summer party. This had some rather intricate yet solid-looking dark-wood chairs.
• A pleasant office with very comfy-looking chairs and an enormous desk.
• A lavish bedroom with lots of gold features and lighter-wood furniture. This had portraits of Queen Marie, who looked very much like the Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Square, Birmingham.
• The Children’s Playroom had some great-looking toys from the era.
• The golden room is rather unique and lavish.

The House of the Architect – Casa Arhitecților

Casa Arhitecților (House of the Architect) is a timber-framed building which dates from 1900.

Economat Villa – Now Carol’s Gastro Bierhaus

Economat Villa is now home to Carol Gastro Bierhaus. The building is over 130 years old, and construction was completed between 1880 and 1883.

Carol Gastro Bierhaus is a restaurant in the Economat Villa. They serve food and drinks. On my visit, I enjoyed some German beer on their terrace. The building also includes a hotel, Complex La Tunuri – Vila Economat. You can book or find out more on Booking.com.

Opening Hours

They are open every day except Mondays, with the same opening hours. They are open from 9:15 am to 5:15 pm, with the last entry at 5:15 pm. However, entry to the first floor is available from 10 am to 4:30 pm. To check for updates, see their opening time webpage.

They recommend visiting for 2-3 hours to experience the castle fully. I spent this long and agree with you.

Pelisor Castle has different opening hours from the neighbouring castle. Pelisor Castle is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:15 am to 4:15 pm. Entry tickets to Pelisor Castle are 20 lei for adults, which is about £4. They have concessions for children, pensioners, and Eurocard holders. Visitors pay the entrance fees at the ticket office next to the main entrance.

Travel to Sinaia

I got to Sinaia by train from Brașov. This line also has direct trains from Bucharest, Sighișoara, and trains all the way from Vienna. You can also drive to the town. Car parks are available, including a dedicated car park for castle visitors.

To reach Peles Castle from Sinaia train station, take a nice uphill walk past the monastery, then head via a street market to the viewpoint. From the viewpoint, a lovely path leads past a few restaurants to the castle entrance.

Are Peles Castle & Pelisor Castle Worth Visiting?

The castles are beautiful and well worth the visit, both inside and outside. They seemed pricier than other similar castles, such as Corvin Castle, which appealed to me more because of its longer history.

The inside is exquisite, and the decor was very enjoyable to look at. Sadly, the photography rules took the shine off the visit for me. Still, it’s a great tourist attraction and a big part of a visit to Sinaia.