Romania > Peles Castle

Today we are going to visit Peles Castle. Visits to the castle are by time slot, which means we don’t have enough time this morning to go to a restaurant for breakfast. The supermarket isn’t helpful either — fresh bread isn’t available. We decide to have some yogurt for breakfast. At quarter to nine, we leave the apartment. We drive towards Sinaia, about an hour’s drive. We park the car in the parking lot. From there, it’s still a few hundred meters’ walk to the castle. Next to the main Peles Castle stands the smaller Pelisor Palace. We visit this palace first. Pelisor Castle is an elegant, small palace located right next to its bigger brother.

Romania - The smaller sister of Pele Castle

Pelisor has a character all its own. It feels more personal and is closely connected to the Romanian royal family at the beginning of the 20th century. Most rooms are still furnished as they were during the time of the last residents. Because the castle is not very large, we see it in about half an hour. We have a time slot at 12:45 for the larger Peles Castle. This means we still have time to eat something, which comes in handy since breakfast was rather light.

Romania - The castle was built in 1873 on the orders of King Carol I of Romania

Since we order just before noon, we can still order an omelet from the breakfast menu. At quarter to one, we join the queue for Peles Castle. The downside of the time slot system is that everyone arrives at the same time. We move closer to the entrance very slowly. Presumably, visitor flow is controlled to prevent overcrowding inside.

Romania - The beautiful passage inside the castle

After about half an hour, it’s our turn. We scan our tickets and enter the castle. Right as we climb the stairs, we are impressed by the beautiful hall. Peles Castle (Castelul Peles) is one of the most beautiful and impressive castles in Europe and is considered a national symbol of Romania. Construction began in 1873 by order of King Carol I of Romania. The castle served as the summer residence of the Romanian royal family

Romania - One of the rooms of Castelul Pele

. In total, there are 160 rooms decorated in various styles. The Grand Hall of Honor is lined with fine walnut and oak woodcarving and features an impressive glass roof that can be opened electrically. The armory, the music room, the theater room, and the library with secret doors are all stunning. After more than an hour, we are back outside. What a special experience. We return to the car in the parking lot and set course for Bucharest. Along the way, we stop to refuel. It is much warmer here than in Brasov, so we decide to have an ice cream as well. Around half past four, we arrive back at the Ibis Styles hotel in Bucharest. It feels a bit like coming home. At reception, we are already recognized. “Ah, you were here last week too.” We get two rooms on the second floor. In the evening, we go in search of a restaurant one last time. This time we walk away from the city center. While walking to the Grivita Pub & Grill restaurant, we pass dilapidated and abandoned buildings. Entire streets are empty. Buildings covered in graffiti. It’s sad to see historic buildings in such decay. Trees grow through the roof. Fortunately, the restaurant looks better. I order a burger, fries, and beer. A nice ending to the trip.

Romania - The rundown houses in Bucharest