Fodor's Expert Review Peles Castle
A fairy tale castle come to life, Peles is a stunning Neo-Renaissance/Gothic structure that sits tall upon the Carpathian Mountains. It dates to 1883 and is estimated to have cost a whopping 16,000,000 gold Romanian lei (roughly $120 million today). The former royal residence has more than 150 rooms, each more stunning than the last, a bubble of gold and carved wood. It's estimated that the castle's art and antiquities collection includes nearly 4,000 pieces of armor and armaments and 2,000 paintings. Audio guides are available, and if you're on a time crunch these are a better option than the tour guides, who may not be available immediately. Part of the complex is the splendid Art Nouveau-style Pelisor Castle, which was built by King Carol I for his nephew, the future King Ferdinand, and finished in 1902. It's less castle and more stately home, but still well worth a visit, and it's much less crowded than Peles.
