On my most recent trip overseas to Romania, bright and early I headed up into the Carpathian mountains to visit Peles Castle.

Located around 130km from Bucharest, it took about 2 hours to reach here from the city. The drive was pretty cool winding through the mountains with plenty of Romanian houses and dogs to spot on the way. We even had time to stop and stock up on snacks along the way to break up the journey.

Peles Castle was a place I’d never heard of and so I had no expectations; I was just simply looking forward to seeing some historical Romanian architecture.

Making the journey up to the castle involved creeping higher and higher up the mountains. Along the narrow roads it was interesting to see little stalls selling anything from cheese to clothing to the usual tourist tack. Mostly I enjoyed looking at the unique buildings – Never two the same. Something the UK should take some ideas from before we all live in glass houses.

The queue to get inside was long. I’m talking nearly an hour long! In other words, far longer than I’d ever normally wait. Unfortunately we’d already bought tickets and we didn’t have anything else in mind so we stuck with the guide and enjoyed the sunshine that was keeping us warm in line. Whilst waiting we could also admire the courtyard and architecture.

Once we finally made it in, despite it being highly crowded, it far exceeded my expectations. Each room had a purpose of course and our guide talked us through it all one room at a time as we made our way round.

The interior was filled with beautifully carved wood sculptures all over which is very much to my taste so I loved to admire these.

There was neverending artwork lining the walls of various figures alongside statues and monuments.

The decor was exquisite which of course it would be as it used to house the king and queen of Romania.

And another of my personal favourites was the stained glass windows that I always love to admire in churches and other buildings around the world.

The armouries were particularly impressive housing a variety of weapons as well as coats of armour too.

Once outside, the grounds looked pretty in the sunlight and with the snowy mountains glistening in the background.

Finally, knowing my enthusiasm for atlases I enjoyed looking at the old map that was displayed in the grounds. Interesting to see Ukraine’s location and how much has altered over the last century.

On our way back to the bus we noticed all the filming vans, gear and a sign for a set. I’m sure Hollywood were most likely back again filming the latest blockbuster. Peles Castle is located in the area most recently used for the backdrop of the popular Netflix series ‘Wednesday’ a spin-off from The Addams Family. I’m not surprised since it was a spectacular picturesque filming location.

I’m really glad we got to visit here and I must admit the places you visit with no expectations are often the best little gems.

~ Visited Peles Castle in March 2023