Things to Do in Sinaia, Romania: Travel Guide & Tips

Sinaia is a beautiful town in central Romania, surrounded by mountains and offering plenty to do. The highlights include some fantastic tourist attractions, such as Peleș Castle. Because of the mountains, Sinaia is a top location for hiking and, in the winter, a popular ski resort.

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Sinaia is a town and mountain resort in Prahova County, in the historical region of Muntenia. It is in a mountainous area of the Prahova River valley, just east of the imposing Bucegi Mountains. The town was named after the Sinaia Monastery, which was named after the Biblical Mount Sinai in Egypt.

Throughout the area, there are various places to dine out, including restaurants, cafes and fast-food outlets. One of my favourite meals was at Marami on their outside terrace. There are many options for places to stay in Sinaia, including some great ski resort hotels.

Things to Do In Sinaia

You can find tours to Sinaia and purchase attraction tickets on the Viator website.

Peleș Castle

Peleș Castle was built as the summer residence of King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth. This is a rather stunning place to see from the outside or to visit the interior and take in many fascinating aspects. The interior covers an eclectic combination of styles, including Italian Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque. The castle’s museum contains lovely collections of fine arts, furniture, stained-glass windows, and weapons.

Pelișor Castle

Pelișor Castle is the neighbour of the bigger Peleș Castle; however, it is still a great place to visit. They built the castle for the heir of the monarchy to live in. The castle was constructed between 1899 and 1902. King Carol I ordered it built as the residence for his nephew and heir, the future King Ferdinand, and his consort, Queen Marie.

Sinaia Monastery

Sinaia Monastery was once a royal residence; it dates back to the 17th century. It was designed to serve as both a monastery and a fortified stronghold along the route from Brasov to Bucharest. The site has two churches, a bell tower and a museum.

The museum contains collections of religious icons and crosses from the 17th century. It also has the first Romanian Bible and other precious objects.

The Artisan Market

There is a nice artisan market between the monastery and the Peleș Castle viewpoint. This is on a tree-lined pedestrian walkway. They sell a variety of crafts and gifts for tourists to buy here, including toys for children and local art.

Personally, I bought some snacks: a corn on the cob, followed by a basket of fresh berries, which was delicious.

Sinaia Casino

Sinaia Casino is a lovely building in Dimitrie Ghica Park. They completed the casino in 1913 after being commissioned by King Carol I. The casino was a popular tourist attraction between the two world wars; however, the fun stopped when the communists took over.

Sinaia Ski Resort

Sinaia is a winter sports resort and especially popular for downhill skiing. The area has 16 ski slopes of varying difficulties. For both skiing and snowboarding, there are just over 10 miles of slopes and an additional 3 miles of ski routes available. There are 10 lifts that transport people up the ski slopes.

Hike in the Bucegi Mountains

The mountainous area where Sinaia is located is part of the Bucegi Natural Park. The park is to the east of the town, covers a total area of 126 square miles, and is great for hiking on a variety of trails. You can get a head start into the mountains on the cable car towards the higher areas overlooking the area.

To the west of Sinaia are the equally nice Baiu Mountains. For those that like to cycle off-road, the area has four dedicated mountain-bike trails. Komoot has routes on record for hikers to follow in the Prahova area.

Ride the Gondola into the Mountains

The Sinaia Gondola is a perfect way to reach the mountaintop overlooking the town. The views of the nearby mountains are scenic in all seasons, particularly in winter, when the peaks are snow-covered. There are a few bars and restaurants at the top and at the Cota 1400 level, so you can make a full day out on the mountain.

Other Tourist Attractions

• Visit the George Enescu Memorial House, which is the former home of the Romanian musician.
• Dimitrie Ghica Park, which has pretty features, a play area, and a funfair for children. The park is also home to the Bucegi Reserve Museum.

Getting to Sinaia in Romania

Driving is possibly the quickest option for visiting Sinaia; however, there are good rail links from Brasov or Bucharest. However, if you are visiting from further afield, you can take the train from Vienna to Bucharest via Budapest.

The train station is rather pleasant and has the usual steam train on display that Romanian train stations have. There is a nice place to sit and wait for the train with refreshments called Royal Cafe Sinaia.

Is Sinaia Worth Visiting?

Yes, Sinaia is well worth visiting; the mountain resort is stunning, with a backdrop of mountains. The principal attractions are fabulous, and I enjoyed visiting a few times. Ease of access to the mountains is also a plus, especially if you enjoy adventures or winter sports. I also found plenty of nice places for refreshments. Sinaia is one of my favourite places to visit in Romania.