Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sinaia Monastery
Offline map
(Str Mănăstirii; adult/child 4/2 lei; 10am-4pm Mon-Sat)
Halfway between Peleş and
the centre, the Sinaia Monastery, home to about 20 monks, is well worth a look. Inside the
gate, the large Orthodox church
(biserica mare)
before you dates from 1846; two icons in-
side were presented by Russia's Tsar Nicholas II in 1903. Outside are prayer candles.
Included in the admission price is a small
History Museum
(Muzeul de Istorie) in
which some of the monastery's treasures are displayed, including the first translation of
the Bible into Romanian (in the Cyrillic alphabet), dating from 1668.
The
tomb of Tache Ionescu
, the head of a transitional government for a few months in
1921-22, is in the building next to the small church. Quotations from his speeches are
carved in stone on the mausoleum's interior walls.
MONASTERY
Activities
Skiing, hiking and biking are the main draws in the Bucegi with a good range of basic, in-
termediate and advanced runs, and similarly challenging walking routes.
Skiers drive, bus or take a cable car to Cota 1400 (one way adult/child 18/11 lei), a fest-
ive scene with sleds to hire, open-air grills, a ski-hire shop and a chairlift. From here you
can also take the second cable car to Cota 2000 (one way adult/child 32/18 lei) to access
some 40km of wild skiing around Mt Furnica; the 2½km Carp trail, descending from Mt
Furnica to Cota 1400, is the toughest. Located on top of the Bucegi plateau above the
Sinaia resort is an 8km cross-country route, as well as a 13-bend bobsled track. There are
six black runs in total, seven red, and three blue runs.
In summer these trails (at least 30 to choose from) are great for hikers, and many can be
biked, but following a recent accident, the local tourist board appeals for experienced,
confident riders only to use the trails. Otherwise keep to newly asphalted roads. The road
from Sinaia to Cabana Piatra Arsa has been resurfaced and takes about two hours by bike.
Snow
Offline map
(Str Cuza Vodă 2a; 9am-6pm)
A good source of equipment and information in town,
Snow, near the cable-car station, hires skis (40 lei per day) and bikes in summer, and of-
fers ski instruction services.
SKIING
Bike and Ski Rental Outlet
SKIING
