👑 The Royal Path – Day Trip to Sinaia (Free, Easy Hike)

## 👑 The Royal Path – Day Trip to Sinaia (Free, Easy Hike)

Let’s spend a relaxed Saturday in Sinaia — the royal mountain town! 👑
We’ll take the train, walk the King’s favorite forest path (Poteca Regală), enjoy autumn views, royal stories, a picnic, and maybe a coffee before heading home.

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🟢 Note: Meetup limits this event to 10 participants, but everyone is welcome to join!
This is a free activity, and we’ll coordinate more easily through our WhatsApp group:
👉 https://chat.whatsapp.com/FGUre1lPzrwLL6p7MlT3zj
⚠️ Important: There are not many seats left on the 09:16 Softrans train, so please book your tickets soon from https://www.softrans.ro!
(You can cancel and get your money back if something unexpected comes up.)

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We’re going on a relaxed day trip to Sinaia, perhaps the most beautiful mountain town in Romania and once the favorite residence of the royal family.
Our goal: to walk their favorite hiking path — the Poteca Regală (Royal Path) — an easy, scenic route through the forest with great views and a few royal stories along the way. 👑

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### 🚆 TRIP PLAN

📅 Date: November 1
🕘 Departure: 09:16 Softrans train from Bucharest (Gara de Nord)
🕙 Arrival: 10:48 in Sinaia
From the station, we’ll walk through town to the Sinaia Monastery, arriving around 11:10 — the traditional starting point of the Royal Path.
We’ll then hike the same route once used by the Romanian royal family to reach their favorite picnic spot at Stâna Regală.
It’s a gentle, beautiful forest trail that takes about two hours total, but we’ll go at a relaxed pace — around three hours including photo stops and a picnic lunch.
Along the way we’ll stop at the Franz Joseph Rock, named after the Austrian Emperor who admired the panorama during his 1896 visit to King Carol I.
We’ll also pass the Royal Waterfall, a small cascade hidden in the forest. (It’s great for photos — but I’m not sure if the water there is suitable for drinking.)
We should return to the Monastery area around 14:10.

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### ☕ AFTER THE HIKE

We’ll stroll around Sinaia town, maybe stop for a coffee or snack, and then head back to the station for the 16:52 Softrans train to Bucharest, arriving around 18:27.

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### 🧭 GOOD TO KNOW

• 🟢 Free activity — everyone covers only their own train ticket.
• 🚆 Train tickets cost 59 lei total (29.5 lei each way) and must be purchased in advance from https://www.softrans.ro.
  There’s a small chance you won’t be able to buy them on board, and seats may sell out — not many are left, so please book soon!
• 🚶‍♀️ Easy hike: around 8 km total, gentle slopes, suitable for beginners.
• 👟 Hiking shoes or sturdy footwear required (the trail may be uneven).
• 🧥 Layered clothing recommended — mornings are chilly, afternoons mild.
• 💧 Bring at least 1.5 liters of water — there’s no reliable place to refill bottles. (We’ll pass the Royal Waterfall, but I’m not sure if it’s suitable for drinking.)
• 🥪 Bring lunch or snacks for our picnic break.
• 🌤️ We’ll go even if it’s cloudy, but may postpone if heavy rain is forecast.
• 💬 For coordination and quick updates, please join our WhatsApp group:
  https://chat.whatsapp.com/FGUre1lPzrwLL6p7MlT3zj

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### 🏰 Fun bits of history you’ll discover

• Sinaia was nicknamed “The Pearl of the Carpathians” and became Romania’s first true mountain resort.
• King Carol I loved the area so much that he built Peleș Castle here — one of Europe’s first electrified palaces.
• The Royal Path was designed so the royal family could walk, not ride, up to Stâna Regală for picnics and tea with their guests.

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Join us for a relaxed autumn Saturday — a royal trail, mountain air, forest colors, and good company! 🌿