Visiting Romanian Castles: Peleş and Pelişor (November 2024)

After spending some time appreciating the winter wonderland environment outside of the castles, it was time to check them out and see what the deal was. I started in Pelişor (aka, little Peleş). Wikipedia will tell you that it is the more modest counterpart, about 2/3 the size and toned down a bit in style to reflect its role as more of a residential palace. That vibe definitely came through, and became more clear when I stepped into Peleş a bit later.

My takeaway was that Pelişor had a classy, semi-groovy vibe as far as castles go. Worth seeing for sure if you're up here. Price of entry is something around $17.50 US, compared to $35 for Peleş. If you're pinched for time or economizing, then Peleş of course is the one to see and you should buy the ticket that provides access to all floors. I got through Pelişor in probably 15 minutes, then strolled over to Peleş, the facade of which was undergoing some repairs.


First entrance into Peleş gets your attention.

Then you work your way through a number of impressive rooms and levels.

This room would be solid for a lil' cocktail reception

And I could see myself camped out here with a pint of stout and my laptop, working on whatnot.

Not sure exactly how much time I spent inside. Maybe 45 minutes to an hour. I didn't linger too much as I needed to get myself up to Braşov, ideally before dark. So I took in the exterior a bit more before getting back on the road.