Romania - Eastern Europe - page 512

Wallachia remains largely undiscovered, losing out to its famous northerly neigh-
bor; most travelers get their “facts” directly from Dracula movies, associating the thrills
of vampire tourism with Transylvania, whereas the “real” Count Dracula actually ruled
Wallachia. Vlad the Impaler had his princely court in the city of Târgovi @ te, and any
claims to a “Castle Dracula” really belong to the awesomely situated citadel at Poien-
ari, north of the little town of Curtea de Arges, where there's another beautiful cathe-
dral. Finally, north of Bucharest, on Wallachia-Transylvania border, there is the ski
resort of Sinaia, which boasts one of Europe's most beautiful palaces, Pele @ , now the
finest museum in the country.
SINAIA
Sinaia is 135km (84 miles) N of Bucharest
Right near the Wallachian border with Transylvania, in the beautiful Prahova Valley at
the foot of the Bucegi Mountains, Sinaia is regarded as the Pearl of the Carpathians.
When Romania became a kingdom in the late 19th century, this was chosen as the
site of the royal summer palace, an absolute must-see on any Romanian itinerary. It's
also an extremely popular weekend getaway for well-to-do city folk, and one of the
country's most popular ski destinations, centered on Mt. Furnica.
ESSENTIALS
Sinaia is on a busy rail line between Bucharest (126km/78 miles) and Bra @ ov
(48km/30 miles); there are regular connections with both. If you plan a day trip from
Bucharest, catch the morning InterCity train (between 9:45am and 10:15am) to
Sinaia, and return to Bucharest on the 5:48pm. Another possibility is to stop in Sinaia
and continue to Bra @ ov by fast train at 3 or 6pm.
Sinaia is pretty much a walker's town. If you're self-driving, ensure that your hotel
has parking (those reviewed here do), as traffic can get frustrating in busy periods.
Taxis, buses, and maxitaxis are available for trips into the hills.
At the town hall, you'll find the tourist information center (B-dul Carol I 14;
& 0244/31-5656; www.infosinaia.ro). You can procure more information about the
town from Dracula's Land (B-dul Carol I 14; & 0244/31-1441; daily 9am-6pm),
which also offers accommodations deals with sizable discounts. Adventurous types can
ask after hikes into the surrounding mountains; it may be worth hiring the services of
a guide.
In winter, you can get information and hire equipment for winter activities from
the aptly named ski school and shop, Snow (Str. Cuza Voda 2a; & 0244/31-1198 );
beginners can sign up for inexpensive private lessons. Experienced skiers have only to
join the queues for the cable car ( & 0244/31-1674 ) behind Hotel New Montana.
WHERE TO STAY & DINE
Despite the influx of Bucharest's wealthy weekend-getaway crowd, there are sadly no
really good accommodations options in Sinaia. There's also really only one note-
worthy restaurant in town, and that's Taverna Sarbului (Calea Codrului; & 0244/
31-4400; daily noon-1am) which has the monopoly on satisfying hungry, ravenous
carnivores. Things get incredibly busy—even medieval—as the waitstaff swoops
around with feast-size portions of legendary meat dishes.
Caraiman Conveniently situated across the road from the train station (up a steep
pedestrian embankment), this has been operating since 1881. Guest rooms still
exhibit some signs of its former glory; although certainly no longer luxurious; they're