Peleș Castle is the showpiece of Sinaia and one of the most extraordinary royal residences in Europe. Built between 1873 and 1914 in a Neo-Renaissance style with Bavarian and Wallachian influences, it rises from the Carpathian forest on terraced gardens above the Prahova Valley. The exterior — dozens of turrets, carved wooden balconies, and half-timbered galleries — looks borrowed from a German fairy tale and planted in the Romanian mountains.
The interior is overwhelming in its variety and opulence. Over 160 rooms cover every European decorative style imaginable: a Hall of Honour with Gothic vaulting, a Turkish Parlour with carved cedarwood screens brought from Damascus, a Florentine room in red and gold, a Hall of Arms lined with suits of medieval armour, and private apartments stacked with Meissen porcelain, Flemish tapestries, and leather-bound libraries. The building was designed not just as a residence but as a demonstration of what the young Romanian kingdom could achieve.
The adjacent Pelișor Castle, built slightly later for Crown Prince Ferdinand and Queen Marie, is worth visiting separately. Marie designed the Gold Room herself in a Romanian folk style with Byzantine elements, and her art nouveau private apartments are among the most striking interiors in the complex. Combined tickets are available.
Peleș gets very crowded in July and August. Arrive early on weekdays. The castle is closed on Tuesdays.