Travel to Maramures
The county of Maramureş 
has such a rich tourist offer that the only thing which is not available within its limits is the sea. For the rest, from mountain trips and extreme sports to cultural and religious tourism, according to each one’s preferences and the season, the regions covers everything.
Maramures Wooden Churches
Tradition and Transition
Mocanita
Sapanta Merry Cemetery
Maramures Mountains
Rodna Mountains
Iza Valley
Tisa Valley
Mara and Cosau Valleys
Gutai-Tibles Mountains
Lands of Lapus, Chioar and Codru
Festivals in Maramures
Vadu Izei Festival
Festivals in Bucovina
Travel Bucovina
Travel Romania
If you are fond of nature, you will surely love the breathtaking natural landscapes of the mountains and of the river valleys. Over 30 natural protected areas, mild meadows, full of green in the summer and of snow in the winter, mountains covered by evergreen forests, are all mirrored in crystal clear waters, spread all over the region.
No matter in which season you visit them, these places have their special charm and magic, and you will find yourself in the middle of unspoiled nature and idyllic surroundings. The generous nature offers great possibilities of peace and recreation. For those who like exploring, a wide range of trips can be done both in the river valleys and in the mountains. Hikers will be delighted to find out that Maramureş has a complex network of forestry trail and marked footpaths, which offer great views of the villages and of the amazing landscape: small lakes, waterfalls, caves, natural reservations, rare fauna.
Maramures Map
Click on the map for a full resolution Road Map.
But Maramureş not only gives a geography lesson; culture and history are two of the main characteristics that define this region. There are numerous historic sights, museums and memorial houses. The fame of the region is mainly due to the traditional architecture monuments, more than 200, perfectly preserved up to the present times. Lovely traditional houses, marvelous wooden gates, famous all over the world, beautiful wooden churches, with sky-touching towers, are, for the local people, part of the everyday life.
Built centuries ago and decorated inside with fantastic frescoes, there wooden churches are not simply museums: they are open to the public and religious ceremonies are performed here regularly.
The uniqueness and the great value of these churches was recognized by one of the most important world authority, UNESCO, who has included eight of them on the World Heritage List.
Maramureş is also the land of the rural simplicity. You will be amazed to discover the rich folk traditions and customs that survived throughout the centuries, and were not altered by the influences of the modern times. Traditional rural life, folklore and customs are still preserved here, as the “moroşeni” (people from Maramureş) knew how to keep their traditions high and many folk events are still part of daily life.
You will see how farm activities can be done without using the modern farm machinery, which is virtually unknown to the people here, who still use hand-made tools and traditional technical instillations.
You will see everywhere people wearing hand-made traditional costumes; you will take part in vivid folk festivals; you will listen to the traditional music of the “ceteră” (fiddle) and of the “zongoră” (guitar), and you will dance “hore” and all kinds of folk dances. You will admire the traditional “ştergare” (towels), “procuţe” (rugs), “cergi” (counterpanes) and “blide” (ceramic dishes). You will meet open-hearted and hospitable people, who will invite you to drink with them a glass of “horincă de prune” (plum brandy). You will drink milk directly from the source, you will eat fresh eggs right from the nest and fresh vegetables from the back-garden.
Enthusiasts of sports will be delighted to find out that a wide range of possibilities is available in Maramureş. Indoor sports can be practiced mainly in towns and resorts. The varied landscape of the county enables an extensive offer of outdoor sports.
Winter sports are very popular in Maramureş, a mainly mountainous area that is covered with snow for several months during the year.
Shopping in Maramureş
Maramureş is known for its folk costumes, carpets, wooden objects, clopuri (men’s straw hats), pottery and painted icons on glass and wood. The craftsmen continue the traditions handed down from generation to generation. Masks, traditional costumes, carved wooden objects, embroideries and carpets are still part of daily life.
The traditional woollen carpets, blouses meticulously woven by the women (but sometimes also men!), vests embroidered from Botiza, Vadu Izei, Săpânţa, and the wickerwork objects worked with great patience in Vadu Izei, Sat Şugatag, Sălsig and Fărcaşa are a testimony to the living heritage of the moroşeni.
Woodworking is much appreciated in Maramureş, where the material is plentiful. It is used for most household objects, as well as building the houses. The different parts of the house are decorated with carvings, such as the pillars of the veranda or the farmyard gate. Especially talented are considered to be the craftsmen of Săpânţa, Vadu Izei, Bârsana, Glod, Ieud, Săcel and Breb.
An ancient occupation in the zone is the making of pottery. There is one well-known workshop, the unglazed red ceramics centre in Săcel, but also other less well-known artisans.
In most villages, there are artisans that sell their produce at home. In some villages, there is a tourist information point where the wares are sold, but even when there is no official sales point, it is easy to find the artisans by asking around.
Sports in Maramureş
Enthusiasts of sports will be delighted to find out that a wide range of possibilities is available in Maramureş. Indoor sports can be practiced mainly in towns and resorts. The varied landscape of the county enables an extensive offer of outdoor sports.
Hiking remains one of the most practiced sporting activities in the region. The beautiful mountains, hills and plains can be discovered by following marked or unmarked paths. Trekking combined with camping is also very frequent, although there are few campsites with facilities.
Hunting is quite popular. The bigger game includes deer, roebuck, chamois, bear, fox, wolf and wild boar, while the small game includes hare and birds such as grouse, woodcock and pheasant.
It is possible to hunt with one’s own gun or to rent one from the AGVPS (Asociaţia Generală a Vânătorilor şi Pescarilor Sportivi din România, i.e. Romanian Sportive Hunters’ and Anglers’ General Association) for about 30 €.
Fishing in Maramureş can be done both on the lakes around Baia Mare and the other towns and on the rivers, for example Lăpuş, Someş, Tisa, Iza, Mara and Vişeu. The species fished include carp, trout, pike, chub and catfish among others. Fishing is prohibited between March and mid-June, and there are also certain areas where fishing is banned in order to protect endangered species.
Skiing is practiced in several resorts that have modern slopes, such as Borşa, Izvoare, Mogoşa, Cavnic and Şuior, but also outside the resorts. Skiing off-track is recommended only to experienced skiers. The ski resorts also have facilities for snowboarding, sledding, tobogganing, etc. Ice climbing is possible on some waterfalls during winter, such as Ciuroi, Strungi and Izvorul Cailor.
Rock-climbing can be practiced in various locations: in the Rodna and Maramureş Mountains (Pietrosu Peak, Piatra Rea, Piatra Arsă, Comanu Mic, etc.), in Igniş-Gutâi-Ţibleş Mountains (Creasta Cocoşului, Piatra Tisei, Piatra Biserica Vulpii, Piatra Custuri, Piatra Săpânţei, Cheile Tătarului, Piatra Şoimului, Igniş Peak, etc.).
The numerous forestry roads enable both motor sports (motocross, off-road) and mountain biking in the Maramureş, Rodna and Gutâi Mountains, among forests of fir and spruce, on roads that follow the river courses.
Paragliding and hang-gliding in Maramureş offers not only the delight of flying, but also that of admiring the beautiful landscape. There are several gliding places: on Mogoşa Peak near Cavnic, Dealu Minei near Baia Sprie, Ţibleş Peak, Creasta Cocoşului, Pietrosu Peak, Piatra Rea, Bătrâna Peak, etc.
For rafting, canoeing and kayaking enthusiasts there are several good locations. Vişeu, Vaser, Mara, Iza, Săpânţa, Cavnic and Lăpuş Rivers are strongly recommended during March-April when the melting snows in the mountains raise the level of water and make the rivers more navigable.
Several other outdoor sports have become very popular in the last years. Caving is possible in the numerous caves scattered in the mountains of the region (Iza Cave and Piatra Rea in the Rodna Mountains, Cave with Bones and Ponorul Jitelor in the Tibles Mountains, and the many beautiful caves in the Maramures Mountains). Nature photography and wildlife watching can be practiced in all the wild and remote mountain ranges of Maramureş. Of great interest are also the numerous natural reserves, where nature lovers will be delighted to discover rare protected species of plants and animals.
Where to Stay in Maramureş
The offer of accommodation in Maramureş is twofold: on one hand there are hotels and motels in the bigger towns and resorts; on the other hand there are small family-run pensions in the villages, as well as in the towns.
The hotels definitely lose in comparison, for they are often rather impersonal and don’t reflect the specific character of the region. The pensions are charming and the hosts are even more so, most often trying to make your stay a memorable one. They are very rarely found in an old house, but usually in a newly built appendix to the old farm. The bonus of this is that there is running water, toilets and showers!
All hotels are classified according to a national system, going from one to five stars.
Also the pensions get stars, depending on the level of bathrooms, and the existence of phone and TV. Here the owners can prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner, if needed. Staying in a pension means that one can become quite involved in the life of the owner and his family, especially if the stay is long.
The accommodation prices for a pension are much lower than for a hotel. If one wants to stay in an authentic wooden house, then the way is to ask around upon arrival in a village, and to find out if anyone rents a room.
Camping sites are also graded with stars, going from one to four. Here the best grade is a one star camping ground. The best way to find where the sites are is to look for an updated map in a tourist agency, as the sites change quite a lot. Loc de campare signs along the roads mark places where one is allowed to camp.
The first class sites often have small wooden cottages or bungalows (called căsuţe) for rent, hot showers and small kitchens, while already the second class sites are rather rudimentary.
Hotels in Baia Mare
Ambassador Hotel
Baia Mare , Str. Moldovei 2
0262 250242
0262 250238
Hotel Carpati
Baia Mare , Str. Minerva 16
0262 214812
Web page: www.hotelcarpati.ro
Hotel Mara
Baia Mare , Bulevardul Unirii nr. 11
0262 226656
www.hotelmara.ro
office@hotelmara.ro.
Eurohotel
Baia Mare , bd. Bucuresti 23
0262 222405
E-mail: office@eurohotel-bm.roo
Web page: www.eurohotel-bm.ro
Hotels in Botiza
Pensiunea Dorina
Botiza , Nr. 678
0262 334208
0723 591260
E-mail : dorina@dorina.ro
Web: www.dorina.ro
Pensiunea Ana Orghici
Botiza , Nr. 4
0262 334023
0262 334 050
E-mail: ioana_orghici@yahoo.com
Hotels in Sighetu Marmatiei
Hotel Nova
Sighetu Marmatiei , Str. Bogdan Vods 219
0262 315615
0788 219617
0788 219601
Email: office@hotelnova.ro
Web page: www.hotelnova.ro
