Sinaia is more than just a resort, it is history… The city is officially documented first time around year 1200. Its position, on the valley that connects Muntenia (the southern part of Romania) with Transylvania, made of Sinaia one important village from old times. The city’s orthodox church is the oldest proof and one of the interesting places to visit. But the most interesting place to visit in Sinaia is the Peles Castle. This is one of the best-preserved royal palaces in Europe. It served as the summer residence of the first Hohenzollern king of Romania, Carol I. Built in the latter half of the 19th century, it was the king's attempt to imitate the styles of his former homeland, creating a Bavarian setting in the mountains of Romania. The palace is decorated, both the interior and the exterior, with intricate wood carvings and paintings of scenes from Wagner operas.