Sinaia: what to see in the Pearl of the Carpathians, 98 km from Dracula Land

Sinaia is the town that put the Prahova Valley on the tourist map. It is called the "Pearl of the Carpathians" for its rare mix of mountains, royal palaces and architecture from around 1900. It is about 98 kilometres from Gherghita and deserves at least a full day.

A short history

The town takes its name from Sinaia Monastery, built in 1695 by the high official Mihail Cantacuzino after a pilgrimage to Mount Sinai. Around the monastery a small mountain settlement slowly grew up.

Everything changed in the second half of the 19th century, when King Carol I chose Sinaia as his summer residence and built Peles Castle here. The Bucharest aristocracy and middle class followed his lead: elegant villas, hotels, a royal railway station and a casino appeared, and Sinaia became the most sought-after resort in Romania.

What you can see

Sinaia Monastery: the old church from 1695 and the large church built in the 19th century, plus a small museum of old church objects
Peles and Pelisor Castles, a few minutes from the monastery (we have written a separate guide)
Sinaia Casino, opened in 1913, today a conference and events venue in the middle of the central park
Dimitrie Ghica Park, with shady paths, named after the statesman Dimitrie Ghica, linked to the resort's early days
Sinaia railway station, with the royal waiting room once used by the royal family
The cable car to Cota 1400 and Cota 2000, giving access to the Bucegi plateau: spectacular views in summer and ski slopes in winter

How to get there from Dracula Land

The distance from Gherghita to the centre of Sinaia is about 98 km, roughly an hour and a half.

take the DJ100B and join the A3 towards Ploiesti
from Ploiesti continue on the DN1, via Campina and Comarnic, to Sinaia
in town, park in the centre and see everything on foot: the monastery, the park, the casino and the path to Peles are all close to each other

By train you can go straight to Sinaia station, from Ploiesti or Bucharest, on the line to Brasov.

Practical tips

In summer, take the cable car up in the morning: clouds and showers often build up on the ridge in the afternoon.
In winter the DN1 can be busy or covered in snow; check the road conditions before you set off.
If you also want to see Peles, start the day with the castle and leave the monastery and the park for the afternoon.

More about Sinaia's history

A key moment in the town's development was the opening of the Bucharest–Predeal railway in 1879. The train brought more and more visitors to Sinaia, and the resort filled with elegant villas, many of which still line the streets of the centre. The casino, opened in 1913, was modelled on those of the French Riviera and became the meeting place of high society between the wars.

When to go

Spring and summer: walks in the park, the cable car to the Bucegi plateau, easy hiking trails
Autumn: the forests around the town and the castles turn spectacular colours, and the crowds thin out
Winter: the slopes at Cota 1400 and Cota 2000 draw skiers, and the centre of the resort has a festive atmosphere

A walking itinerary through Sinaia

in the morning, Peles Castle and Pelisor, while they are still quiet
lunch in the centre of the resort
in the afternoon, Sinaia Monastery, then down to Dimitrie Ghica Park and the Casino
towards evening, a stop at the station, with the royal waiting room and period architecture

All the sights in the centre are a few minutes' walk from each other, so once you have parked you can leave the car until you leave.

With children

The central park is good for a break with children, and the cable car is usually an adventure for them. It can be cold on the Bucegi plateau even in summer, so bring extra clothes for the whole family.

Sinaia Monastery in more detail

The monastery has two churches, built almost 150 years apart. The old church, from 1695, is small, with thick walls and a porch in Brancovan style, and keeps the atmosphere of the early days. The large church, built in the first half of the 19th century, is taller and brighter, and its interior paintings were redone at the end of the same century. Inside the precinct there is also a museum of icons, old books and religious objects, one of the oldest museums of its kind in the country.

The casino and Sinaia around 1900

The casino was built to plans by architect Petre Antonescu, in the spirit of the great European casinos of the time. Today it hosts conferences, exhibitions and events, and the building and the park in front of it keep the atmosphere of old Sinaia. A walk through the surrounding streets, full of old villas with turrets and wooden balconies, completes the picture of the resort in its golden years.

Where to stay

Sinaia is easy to see on a day trip from the Dracula Land area. Find accommodation in and around Gherghita on our accommodation page.