Visiting Peles Castle, Romania: Tips for Avoiding Long Lines
Romania is a country rich with scenic charms that include the Black Sea, prehistoric ruins, and medieval fortifications. One of the most popular tourists’ attractions is Peles Castle . Filled with beautiful furnishings and architectural details to admire, the lines to get in can be daunting. Situated high in the mountains, in a town called Sinaia, Peles Castle is one of the best examples of a “modern castle” or grand palace. It’s popularity, however, can be a detriment and I would advise you be “strategic” as to when you schedule your time there.
I visited Peles Castle with a small tour group (15 people) on Friday May 2nd, the day after International Worker’s Day on May 1st, which in Europe was an extension to many people’s “long weekend.” It was a busy day at many tourist attractions and a harbinger for what waiting times must be during the Summer. My advice is to arrive as early in the day as possible or arrive later in the day, after the bulk of traffic has gone through, in which case plan to spend the night in Sinaia, known as “Pearl of the Carpathians.” Even better would be to visit in spring or autumn.
This was our last full day in Romania and whoever mapped out the travel sequence for my particular tour was probably thinking, “save the best for last.”
Constructed between 1873 and 1883, the building’s interior details include finely carved doors, spiral staircases, galleries and decorated ceilings built primarily in the neo-Renaissance Style. Electricity, modern plumbing and an elevator made it an innovation for the time-period. The building was commissioned by Romania’s first independent King, Carol I (1839–1914)
The challenges of our visit were exacerbated by a poor system for group admission and very long lines.
Standing in the middle of a mob can be anxiety provoking for anyone adverse to crowds. The recent pandemic, terrorist attacks, and fatigue can make mob scenes hard to endure. After a couple of hours of standing and waiting my husband and I opted to walk back to where the bus was parked. We’d wait inside the restaurant where our lunch had been scheduled and have a coffee. We didn’t “need to see” the castle.
Ten minutes later the rest of the group was back at the restaurant and our tour leader was ordering our lunch. We’d try again, after lunch, perhaps seeking individual admission. Timed entry was not an option. Aggressive tactics to gain entrance by other tour leaders might have been working for them, but our group had made no progress. We’d reach a certain point and then were standing in one place never advancing.
After lunch we had better luck. Another forty-five minutes in line and we managed to get in as a group, although due to the lack of time in our schedule we had to move fast. This means I took lots of photos to possibly study later, of few of which I share here.
Three of the folks in our group, however, opted to hang out at the restaurant and never did visit the castle, which was a shame. As you can see in the photograph directly above, the artistry of ceramics, metalwork, wood craft, and painting is inspiring.
While the communist dictator, Nicolae Ceauşescu, 1965–1989, wanted to move in to Peles Castle and did manage to abscond with a good deal of the weapon collection according to our guide, the caretakers at the palace told him living in the palace would be a danger due to an infestation of mold. They knew he was phobic about germs, bacteria and mold and wanted to keep him from destroying what they’d worked so hard to maintain. Their strategy was successful. He put his energies into constructing a grand parliament palace ( subject for another blog) and a opulent house for himself and his wife. They were. publicly executed in 1989.
The entire experience of experiencing the power of a crowd gives me multiple ideas for writing prompts. Mobs can become stampedes and literally crush members standing within the group who fail to move fast enough. Mobs can also be a power for change, bad and good. They can be frightening, but they can also be inspiring.
WRITING PROMPT:
Witness: Imagine an enormous crowd gathers and someone delivers a speech. Write a scene. What are the reactions? What happens physically and emotionally?
Standing in Line: You are waiting with hundreds of others for something. Are you waiting to get into the movie theater or to buy a loaf of bread? What are you waiting for and what happens? Are you or your protagonist patient? Are others pushing and shoving? How does it feel, smell, and taste. Remember that whatever you write about, access all five senses.
Maybe the scene can develop into something larger or you can use what you’ve learned to enhance a project you are currently writing.
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Thanks again.
Originally published at http://nadjamaril.com on May 13, 2025.
