Is one the best kept Europe's secrets, the place where the time hasn't move for decades, a place where the traditions, the wooden art and the human kindness are well preserved.
Close to the Ukrainian border, Maramures covers 3381 sqkm of valleys, beatifull villages, hills and mountains (up to 2303 m high). On this small surface can be found 5 UNESCO listed wooden churches, a natural reserve also protected by UNESCO, about 60 villages and small towns, the only narrow gauge industrial steam train still in use in Europe, and many other atractions. What to do:
1. Sighetu Marmatiei town, with ist museums and churches.
2. Vaser Valley, where runs the unique steam powered train.
3. The wooden churches protected by UNESCO (Poienile Izei, Ieud-Deal, Budesti-Josani, Desesti si Barsana-Jbar), erected in XVI-XVIII centuries, in "Maramures gothic style", painted hundreds of years ago.
4. The Merry Cemetery from Sapanta, unique in the world, famous for its colourful tombstones with native paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the persons that are buried there as well as scenes from their lives, today an worldwide known tourist attraction.
5. The tallest wooden church in the world (78 m high, erected at Sapanta, between 1995-2003).
6. Pietrosu Rodnei Natural Reserve, UNESCO listed since 1979, estabilished in 1932, part of the Rodna Mountains National Park, protecting edelweiss, gentians, marmots, chamois etc.
7. Maramures Mountains Natural Park, the biggest and wildest in Romania, covering 1480 sqkm, protecting 1260 plant species, bears, wolves, lynxes etc.
8. Breb Village, adopted by the HMS Prince of Wales (who bought there three old wooden houses).
9. Sarbi Village, group of water powered machines (fuiling and watermills, thresher, alcohol distilleries, whirlpools).
10. Budesti Village, the best preserved traditional Maramures settlement.
Those atractions of Maramures, and also many other, can be reached with the help of Adela and Teo guides ( adelaalma@gmail.com or teofilivanciuc@yahoo.com), which speak English and French.
