Sinaia Busteni DN1 E60
Sinaia (Romanian pronunciation: [siˈnaja]) is a town and a mountain resort in Prahova County, Romania. The town was named after Sinaia Monastery, around which it was built; the monastery in turn is named after the Biblical Mount Sinai. King Carol I of Romania built his summer home, Peleș Castle, near the town.
Sinaia is about 60 kilometres (37 miles) northwest of Ploiești and 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of Brașov, in a mountainous area on the Prahova River valley, just east of the Bucegi Mountains. The altitude varies from 767 to 860 metres (2,516 to 2,822 feet) above sea level.
The city is a popular destination for hiking and winter sports, especially downhill skiing. Among the tourist landmarks, the most important are Peleș Castle, Pelișor Castle, Sinaia Monastery, Sinaia Casino, Sinaia train station, and the Franz Joseph and Saint Anne Cliffs. Sinaia was also the summer residence of the Romanian composer George Enescu, who stayed at the Luminiș villa.
Buşteni (Romanian pronunciation: [buʃˈtenʲ]) is a small mountain town in the north of Prahova County, in central Romania. It is located in the Prahova Valley, at the bottom of the Bucegi mountains, that have a maximum altitude of 2505 m. Its name literally means treelogs in Romanian. One village, Poiana Ţapului, is administratively part of the town, formerly a separate commune prior to 1950. According to the 2011 census, it has 8,553 inhabitants.
Buşteni's average altitude is 900 m. It is one of the most popular mountain resorts, offering spectacular views, with lots of yearround tourism opportunities, ranging from skiing to mountain climbing.
The town and the surrounding mountains were the site of military confrontations in 1916, during World War I (see Romania during World War I). A large commemorative monument (about 25 m high), Heroes' Cross (Crucea Eroilor) lies atop nearby Caraiman Peak, at nearly 2,260 m. The monument is lighted at night and is visible from virtually everywhere in Buşteni.
Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1948 4,552 —
1956 8,591 +88.7%
1966 10,781 +25.5%
1977 12,223 +13.4%
1992 12,486 +2.2%
2002 11,787 −5.6%
2011 8,894 −24.5%
Source: Census data
The main local industries are wood industry and tourism. Many holiday houses have been recently built in the town.