Sinaia is a really popular vacation town in Romania both in winter and summer. We were only there for two days and we regretted not staying another night because it is a magical and fun town with a stunning view. People like to go skiing when it snows and enjoy it in the warmer weather as well!
We arrived in Sinaia from Brasov and basically it was a 10 day trip that started from Cluj Napoca and ended in Bucharest. We did the whole trip with a rental car.
Tips before traveling to Sinaia
SIM card
I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.
Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.
The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.
Car rental in Sinaia
We were twice in Romania and both times we rented a car because we wanted to travel and explore the suburbs and not just travel in central cities. I think this is the most convenient and fun way to travel in Romania. Car prices are low and the roads are easy to drive.
You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through them because they save me time (instead of going to several websites) and they also have the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies.
Attractions in Sinaia
You can get ideas for other cool things you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attractions site is tiqets the second is Get your guide and Viator.
Where to stay in Sinaia
The town is filled with boutique hotels, and we stayed at Pension Casa Teo which was a walking distance from the park Bucegi Natural and from the cable car. It turned out that we were only guests of the hotel because we stayed on weekdays. It was super awesome, we got upgraded for the suite with a hot tub and a terrace. The hotel itself has been through a big renovation and looks entirely new.
The room was really spacious and clean. For breakfast we were served some fresh vegetables, cheese, sausage, eggs, bread, butter and jam, and some coffee. It was served in the bar area of the hotel, and when they have more guests, they serve a buffet. They also sell some apple juice that is made locally, so we got some for the road before we went to Bucharest.
We really liked the location of the hotel, it was nice and quiet. It’s located uphill and not in the center of the city. If you are traveling by car, then I definitely recommend this hotel.
Gondola Sinaia
One of the coolest things to do in Sinaia is going uphill with the cable car. It’s a necessity in the winter because you probably will go skiing, but if you are there in the summer time it’s definitely worth a climb because the view from up there is absolutely beautiful.
There are 3 cable cars in Sanaia, and we went to the newest one. While we were there we didn’t know that there were any others but this was closest to our hotel, and we were happy with it.
When we purchased the tickets there was an option to go to 1400 meters or continue to 2000 meters, and we picked the 2000 option. You can also go on a nice hike to get up there and go down with the cable car, or either climb up with some mountain bikes. Roman said he wanted to do that next time we visit.
The views were absolutely breathtaking from up there. The only bad thing is that we didn’t take in consideration that it’s actually going to be cold in June on a 2000 meters mountain top. It was insanely cold, so I highly recommend bringing a proper winter attire. Bring a hat as well, it was super windy.
When we went down to 1400 meters we decided to sit at the nice restaurant, sip on some orange juice, and enjoy the view.
Address:
Aleea Telegondolei, Sinaia
Hours:
Up to 1400 meters: Wednesday – Monday 09:00-17:00, Tuesday 12:00-17:00
Up to 2000 meters: Wednesday – Monday 09:00-16:30, Tuesday 12:00-16:30
Tickets:
1400 meters and from the 1400 to the 2000m is 35 Lei for a round trip and 20 for one way – adult. Round trip is 25 Lei and 20 for one way – child.
Going 2000m is 55 Lei for a round trip and 35 for one way – adult. 35 round trip and 20 one way for a child.
Peles Castle
This is a palace, but everyone calls it a castle. From the moment you step inside it feels like you’re in a fairytale. The road to the castle is scenic with a lot of green views, and the garden itself is highly maintained and it has some statues and a lot of flowers. Even the restaurant nearby is really impressive and is inspired from the design of the castle. It’s a really popular area and it’s always packed with visitors. You should go early to beat the crowd.
You can visit the first floor but if you want to visit the other 2 then you’ll have to pay extra. If you’d like to take pictures inside then you’ll need to pay for a pass. You can also join a guided tour of the castle. The castle is really impressive and it’s easy to see why so many people want to visit it. It’s very luxurious and unique. Each room is an entire world and it totally makes you want to take over and move in. My least favorite part was the crowd, but that’s usually that way it’s like in touristy places.
Address:
Aleea Peleșului 2, Sinaia
Hours:
Wednesday-Sunday 09: 15-17: 00 Monday and Tuesday closed
Restaurants in Sinaia
Great burger place
Before traveling from Sinaia to Bucharest, we pulled over for lunch. We went to a random restaurant that was nearest to our car rental office. I got a vegan burger and Roman ordered a normal burger with some extra toppings! We realized that we were late so we ended up taking the burgers for the road. Even though it was a short experience, it was a good one. The waiters were kind and there were some good vibes. We sat outside, and the weather was lovely! We also enjoyed the decor, it reminded us of summer!
I must say, it was not easy eating burgers while driving! Poor Roman, he had to eat and drive at the same time. Even though it was was a struggle they were some amazing burgers! Luckily the bread was really fresh and didn’t collapse on us. The vegan burger had some potatoes and a lot of toppings. Roman’s burger had some real quality meat, and with the toppings and sauces it was made into the perfect burger! As a side, we got some delicious baked potatoes. We will definitely be back, and it will be the first place we’ll visit next time we’re in Sinaia.
Address:
Strada Cuza Vodă and Aleea Serei
Taverna Sarbului – Serbian cuisine
About 200 meters from the hotel we stayed, there was a lovely Serbian restaurant that we decided to try. The space was very large, so if you’re a part of a big group then it’ll be perfect for you. They had probably the largest menu with the biggest variety I’ve ever came across!
There were so many options to choose from, and it was really hard to decide what to order! Eventually we ended up ordering a Serbian sausage, Greek salad, chicken with peppers, potatoes with spinach, and some soup. Everything was good, but it was nothing special. Just simple and good food. My favorite was the dish with the potatoes and spinach, but prepare yourselves for a lot of garlic!
Address:
Calea Codrului 34, Sinaia
Hours:
Everyday from 11am-midnight.
Irish House – an Irish Bar
Since we had a late lunch, we figured it’ll take a while until we’ll eat again. We searched for dinner at around 10:30pm and most restaurants were already closed. Luckily the Irish bar was still open and we got there half an hour before they closed the kitchen!
For starters we ordered 2 soups. I got chicken noodle and Roman ordered churbe soup. Both were really good, and mine was just the way I like it! Roman had a lot of beef in his so he was satisfied! For a main dish I ordered a grilled fish, and Roman ordered a shepard’s pie, and also some pickles – which were fantastic. The fish was really fresh and tasteful, and I really enjoyed it.
The food was great, the prices were low, and the service was fantastic.
Address:
Bulevardul Carol I 18, Sinaia
Hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or write to me on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram. Looking for more information about Romania? I have more posts about Romania on my blog.
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