Sinaia Monastery Peles Castle Sinaia is one of the famous mountain tourist's station in Romania, located at about 120 km North from Bucharest and 35 km from Brasov. Coming from Bucharest on the National Road E60, you will arrive first in the city Cimpina, the true starting point of the Prahova Valley. Travel on through Breaza and Comarnic, and you will reach the first major Spa: Sinaia. Known as "The Carpathian Pearl", Sinaia is one of the oldest recreational sites in Romania. Surrounded by a splendid panorama, Sinaia preserved it's charm from ancient times. Numerous tourist objectives like the Sinaia Monastery, established in 1695, the Roayal Park and the Peles Castle (a real architectural jewel) avail themselves for easy access.The ancient Casino of Sinaia along with Sinaia hotels offer comfort, elegance and good quality services. Here guests can spend quiet evenings in unforgettable, authentic Romanian restaurants.From Sinaia, the winding road takes us through Poiana Tapului to Busteni. The many tourist possibilities offered at this point include: the Busteni-Babele cable car that takes us in 12-14 minutes to Babele chalet. Travelling back to Busteni affords us enough time to arrive in Predeal, the highest Spa in Romania (1100 m). Between Predeal and Timisu de Sus, lies the place where the Prahova River flows south. The Prahova Valley offer many natural jewels, unique panoramas and a succession of tourist objectives along with good quality hotels, surrounded by famous Bucegi Mountains Sinaia sits in a beautiful wooded valley, with ski slopes, a bobsleigh run, cross- country skiing pistes, and skating. The road from Bucharest runs along the known lovely Prahova Valey. In summer and winter, cable cars give you acces to the Bucegi massif in Carpathian Mountains, with spectacular gorges. Health cures are a speciality, while the Peles Castle is deservedly on every visitor's sightseeing list. Prior to Wold War Il and the abdication of the royal family, Sinaia was a summer retreat for Romania's aristocracy. A walk up the mountainside reveals many grand summer homes from this period. The first point of importance to be encoutered is the Sinaia Monastery. This is still a working monastery, with buildings dating to 1695. Many of the monks living here are quite old, wear traditional garb, and are quite happy to show you around and answer any questions you might have. Most of them speak German as well as Romanian. Just up the hill from Sinaia Monastery is Peles Palace. This is one of the best-preserved royal palaces in Europe. It served as the summer residence of the first Hohenzollern king of Romania, Carol I. Built in the latter half of the 19th century, it was the king's attempt to imitate the styles of his former homeland, creating a Bavarian setting in the mountains of Romania. The palace is ornately decorated, inside and out, with intricate wood carvings and paintings of scens form Wagner operas. Tours in English are available upon request In the center of Sinaia, just south of the Hotel Montana, is the teleferic. Here, from 8 to 4 each day, you may ride a cable car to the top of the mountain. Once there, you can look out over the entire countryside, taking in the grandeur of the Transylvanian Alps. You can take the cable car back down, or it is also possible to hike down the approximately two-hour trail. Oportunities for trips to the chalets in the Bucegi Mountains (Cota 1500, Virful cu Dor - elevation 2,000 m, Cuibul Dorului - 1,200 m, Babele - 2,206 m, Omu - 2,505 m, Padina - 1,525 m, Piatra Arsa - 1,950 m, Pestera - 1,600 m, Piscul Ciinelui - 950 m, etc). Historical monuments: the Sinaia Monastery, founded in 1690 - 1695 by Spatharus Mihail Cantacuzino, attached to which there is also a museum of Romanian religious art; the Peles Castle, built over 1875 - 1883 in the style of the German Renaissance, with Gothic elements. Dining and Lodging The Mont Banc offers traditional French cuisine in a very Germanic town. Here you can enjoy a hot drink made from a mixture of tea and rum. fundue, quiche, onion soup, and other delicious choices. Portions are very generous. Just across the street from the Place Hotel, this restaurant is a convenient stop for a late lunch after touring sites higher up the mountain. Newly opened in 1996, the Mara Sinaia is easily the grandest hotel in Romania outside Bucharest. Just south of Sinaia, it is within walking distance of the town and all tourist attractions. The service is superb, and and rooms are clean and spacioous, with excellent views of the mountainside. The restaurant provides Romanian fare is an elegant atmosphere. The menu ranges from seafood to pork, beef, and vesion. A verity of salads is avaible. Furnica. With a location that makes up for a disappointing apearance, this hotel is surrounded by villas that once belonged to the Romanian aristocracy and is just a short walk from the major toursit attractions. The hotel is clean and comfortable. The restaurant provides a good opportunity to sample traditional Romanian dishes like ciorba, a sour soup, fried cheese, and grilled meats. The Palace Hotel is centrally located, right in Sinaia. It is a state-run hotel and appears somewhat shabby, altrough it is spacious and clean. Economat. This hotel was built in the same Bavarian style as the nearby Peles Palace. Surrouded by mountains, it is very simple, comfortable, and ideally located. Hotel Mara.