Explore Maramures

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Explore Maramures Be a local in Romania www.ecotourism-romania.com www.explore-maramures.com

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Transcript of Explore Maramures

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Explore Maramures Be a local in Romaniawww.ecotourism-romania.comwww.explore-maramures.com

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Historical Maramures “Visiting Maramures is an extraordinary experience, like walking into a fairy tale or stepping back into medieval Europe” (By Sarah Shuckburgh)

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Be a local everywhere!Explore Travel is the travel agency that pushes conventional tourism to a new stage - that of traveling to the essence of things. For this reason, we go for the authentic, for the melding of the traveler in his new environment. We cherish travelers that don’t visit cities just for the sake of doing so, those that try to mold their passion for traveling into a new and unforgettable journey.

And we’re just like them. We travel because we want to discover new things, be it at Covent Garden or in the Antananarivo Central Plaza. With each new journey, we seek out the new and the unconventional - so we can take you somewhere exciting. Even in a city you’ve visited before.

We do this by delving deeply into the culture of the regions we visit and by living there, for a few days, as if we were locals. Wherever you decide to go, we’re bound to find an authentic way of experiencing it. We’re glad to know you’re with us and that, together, we can become locals anywhere.

The Explore Travel Team

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WWF Romania choose Maramures as a conservation priority area primarily because of its nature values consisting of: a dense hydrographical network belonging entirely to the upper Tisa river basin, the longest tributary of the Danube; forest habitats that are the preferred home of wild mammals like the brown bear, lynx, Carpathian deer, wild boar, fox, squirrel, wolf, deer, hare, marten as well as the specific biotope of many birds and biodiversity-rich grasslands.WWF Romania has developed an innovative funding mechanism to support nature conservation and a sustainable path of development in the Mara-Cosau-Creasta Cocosului area, in the heart of Historical Maramures. Through this mechanism a link has been established between tourism businesses and protected areas administrators so that the latter have the resources they need to implement conservation measures.The goal is to help the area become a proper and officially recognised ecotourism destination. Gradual steps to achieve this are being made: developing an integrated network of quality tourism services and building a consistent brand identity. The logo created for the area is used as a tool, to help tourists identify those businesses that are operating in a responsible and environmentally-friendly way. The Explore Maramures programme includes products and services from the ecotourism destination and contributes to the local conservation fund. Choosing to visit Maramures through this programme gives tourists the power and the opportunity to positively influence the way the area and local communities develop.

Maramures is located in the geographical heartland of Europe. The part of the county beyond the mountains hedgerow, known as “Historical Maramures”, is a land of wooden churches, mythological richness, impressive landscapes and very ancient customs. While looking ahead to develop, it has preserved the culture, traditions, and lifestyle of a medieval peasant past. With its picturesque countryside of small villages, rolling hills, pastures, and meadows full of wildflowers, Historical Maramures epitomizes all that the rural lifestyle encompasses: interaction with locals is totally refreshing, and visitors have a unique opportunity to step back

Be a local in Maramures!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

» Go to a religion service in one of the beautiful wooden churches.

» Join the locals for making hay.

» Visit a peasant market to see the local trade in grain, chickens and pigs.

» Go picking berries, herbs and mushroom.

» Learn to prepare polenta, “balmos” or traditional sweets.

» Carve your own wooden spoon or sew a “zgardana” (necklace) of glass beads

in time and witness simpler lives. Historical Maramures is like a living museum that is at once within reach yet simultaneously beyond the grasp of the curious traveller.

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Day 1: Baia Mare – Breb----------------------------------------------------------------------------Arrival in Baia Mare. Transfer to Breb (52 km) by minibus. Arrival at the guesthouse.Free time. Lunch at guesthouseIn the afternoon, you are free to wander around Breb village, an authentic open-air museum. Enjoy the amazing, luxuriant surroundings and take in the beauty of the wild flowers. Take advantage of the quiet narrow pathways which go up and down through people’s yards and onto the pastures bordering the small village. The village has taken its current name of Breb in 1715. On the 20th of September it is mentioned as Viata Olahalis or Hodpataka, which could be translated as “the village of the creek with brebi”, where breb stands for “beaver”. The village still preserves important historical sites: the wooden church, built probably in 1531, significantly altered between the 18th and the 19th centuries, as well as the former Greek-Catholic confessional school.Afterwards, you will spend some time with one of the local craftsmen. In Maramures,

The wooden church of Breb------------------------------------------------------------------------The wooden church of Breb is one of the most important monuments of its kind in Maramures, Transylvania and probably in all of Romania. With a structure built in 1622, a tower from 1531 – the oldest tower preserved in a wooden church in Romania –, along with still visible mural paintings dating from 1626 (also amongst the oldest preserved artwork in Romanian wooden churches), with a valuable icon collection from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, an arch beam unique for its sculptures and an archaic

roof preserved beneath the current one, this site is a must-visit. The church is part of a well-maintained architectural and religious ensemble that includes a room for memorial and consecration services, a cemetery with stone, wooden and wrought iron crosses, dating from various periods, a bell-tower from 1992, wooden gates – one from 1790 – and a parish house from 1903 (replacing the initial one, built in 1801). Ancient boundary and roadside crucifixes dotting the beautiful natural scenery are also worth mentioning. Here you can also experience from up-close the well-kept local rituals and traditions.

wood is an important raw material and a source of inspiration for a great variety of artwork. The old artisan makes wonders out of wood, sculpting “pecetare” (seal engravers used by women for breads involved in various rituals), “fuse cu zurgalai” (spinning wheels) or small objects for domestic use, richly decorated with traditional local motifs, such as crosses, wolves’ teeth or solar symbols. All the wooden pieces in these objects are bound together perfectly, without nails. During the

summer, the craftsman works in an open-air barn, enjoying a wide-view of pastures dotted with haystacks against a blue sky. The man is over 90 years old, so he knows lots of stories – he will tell you which is the best wood for a spinning wheel or a spoon and if you’re keen, he will even make room for you at his work table. While giving a help in hand, don’t forget to take in the beautiful panorama.Dinner at guesthouse.

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Day 2: Creasta Cocosului – Gutai Mountains---------------------------------------------------------------------Walk from the guesthouse to Creasta Cocosului (1394.7 m), the most beautiful peak in Gutai volcanic mountains. A red-cross marked pathway starts from Breb village, going through Taul Morarenilor and Taurile Chendroaiei before reaching, after about three and a half hours, Creasta Cocosului. Taurile Chendroaiei are two small lakes – remnants of a glacier lake – mirroring the spectacular Creasta Cocosului. Both are about 5 meters wide, and 10 and 15 meters long, respectively. Surrounding them, on the former surface of the glacier lake is the “tinov” – a raised surface of about 4 meters high – an active peat moor created in the bog area left by the drying glacier lake. The peat in this grassy marsh is considerably thick, up to 8 meters.

Creasta Cocosului – is one of the most spectacular andesite landforms, shaped as a rooster’s crest – as its name indicates in Romanian – and is part of the volcanic cone which erupted nine million years ago; it offers the best panorama of Tibles and Ignis Mountains, while providing a habitat for lynx and predatory birds, important at European level: the golden eagle and the lesser spotted eagle. Your guide will offer you some insights about how habitats are connected to protect big carnivore mammals in the area.Have a packed lunch up on Creasta Cocosului.The descent follows the “red ribbon” trail for about two hours, until reaching Pintea Viteazul Inn. Minibus transfer to Budesti, where your visit continues on a traditional wagon pulled by horses through Budesti and Sarbi.

Similarly to Breb, Budesti and Sarbi are villages where you will appreciate how the local communities value their wood. You will visit the wooden church of Josani, a UNESCO world heritage site and you will socialize with the locals in their traditional houses. The iconic architectural elements to focus on here are the famous wood-sculptured gates typical for Maramures.

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The wooden church of Budesti-Josani (a UNESCO world heritage site since December 1999) is a place of worship displaying “cheotori” (wooden clasps) from 1643, considered a “magnificent” construction for its age and long time afterwards. The building, the biggest wooden church in historical Maramures, is impressive in size and artistic value, adorned with popular murals from 1762.Sarbi village displays a great array of finely sculpted wooden gates. It is worth stopping to take a look at the traditional, water-actioned mechanical systems: the mill, batoza (the water-powered thresher), piua (a thumping device in which heavy wooden beams pummel hot, wet sheep wool into felt for coats, waistcoats and blankets), valtoarea (a washing machine which tumbles clothes in a churning pool), the palinca-making devices – examples of peasants’ ingenuity, still used today for cereal processing and washing woolen fabrics. In Sarbi village there are many highly-skilled craftsmen – hay and wood chips hat makers, who add a final touch to the traditional costumes in Maramures; sheepskin coats and breastplates makers; wood sculptors creating, among others, surprising horinca bottles, in which a spinning wheel or a wooden ladder seem to miraculously appear out of nowhere.Dinner at guesthouse

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Traditional gates------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Usually built with three columns and a front (the upper gate lintel) made of oak tree and with a furred roof, the typical Maramures gates have often been compared to “triumphal arches”, which the peasants, proud of their descent, would go through. Building the structure, sculpting the motifs, going through the gate entailed a specific ritual, based on deeply-ingrained beliefs (of a more mythical origin). Thus, the oak tree was cut during the full-moon period – to keep the household away from troubles and “evil hours”. Then, carrying the wood from the forest would be done only on a working day, with no fasting (either on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays), for good luck. Under the column supporting the threshold, people would place money, holy water and frankincense, to keep the plague away, while the columns would be decorated with human-

like faces, supposed to protect the family house and fortune.Some of the sculpted motifs bear magical connotations, but most of the elements used by craftsmen reveal a mythological pre-Christian universe: the rope, the knots, the solar rosettas, featuring simple or concentric circles, an anthropomorphic Sun – all based on an ancestral solar cult; other motifs include: the tree of life (a symbol of eternal life and abundance), the snake (household guardian), human faces, birds, the wolf tooth, the pine tree, etc.For peasants in Maramures, passing through the gate was almost a ceremony that purified them mentally, from the profane world, and prepared them to enter into the family and household universe. Usually, passing through a gate symbolizes transformation in all traditional cultures.

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Day 3: Ride on the Mocanita train----------------------------------------------------------------------------Breakfast at 6 am. Departure to Viseu de Sus, at 7 am, on the minibus. Mocanita will depart the station at 9 am.The steam train for tourists has been in circulation since 2000. The trains go up to Paltin station (21.6 km), at about two hours away from Viseu de Sus, reaching a very pleasant point for a layover. Sometimes known as the «Vaser Valley Railway» the forestry railway of Viseu de Sus is a unique example of technical cultural heritage. Travelling over a network of narrow-gauge track (of 760 mm gauge), you can still find wood-burning steam locomotives running alongside several diesels and railcars. The railway winds up the valley with many curves, over bridges and through wild romantic scenery of the Romanian Carpathian

Mountains.While in Paltin, you can spend some time in nature, have a picnic, take in the view from the platform installed on a rock nearby or make a short trip to the Second World War galleries. You can also follow a route (of about 45 minutes) created by WWF Romania and the National Park of Maramures Mountains – a theme route during which you will find out more about the importance of the forest and the area’s biodiversity. You will be guided by a national park ranger.Lunch at Paltin resort layover. Return to Viseu de Sus train station at 3 pm, the latest.On your return to Breb, you will briefly stop in Sacel to visit the workshop of one of the most famous ceramics artisans in Maramures. Sacel ceramics is one of the oldest and most important type of traditional pottery in Romania.

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Sacel pottery--------------------------------------------------------------------Sacel is the only pottery center in the country where un-enamelled, red pots are polished with stones, something done only in Moldova, in the case of black ceramics. Sacel pottery is made of high quality, burnt red clay, extracted deep from the ground, from wells at about 10-15 m deep. Pots are shaped, decorated and manufactured in a similar fashion to Dacian ceramics. However, the oven used to burn them, dating from the 16th century, resembles more the Roman ovens. There is a great variety of Sacel pottery: jugs, milk pots, pots to give away during memorials, sieves, three-legged pans, plates. They all are polished using stones, creating a zigzag design and undulating lines; their brownish color is given by grinding a specific type of stone, while their decorum is brush painted.

Optional stop at Ieud – a 14th century-old town with a wooden church and an etnographic museum. The church is made of pine wood, and some researchers consider it the oldest wooden construction in Europe. “The Ieud Codex”, a document from 1391, was found in the church’s attic and is considered the first writing in Romanian.Visit to Barsana – a little town with a wooden church and monastery, famous around the country and beyond. The Church of the Presentation of the Virgin was built in 1720 and was moved to its current

location in 1806. According to the legend, the church has been moved so that the souls of those killed by plague could rest peacefully in the shadows of the worship place. Further down, on the left side of the road, you will see Toader Barsan’s workshop, a renowned wood craftsman at national and international level. His son, Ioan Barsan, has inherited his talent and skill and continues the tradition, along his father. By the southern exit from the village stands Barsana Monastery, probably one of the most visited places in Maramures. Go in and enjoy

a unique feeling emanating from the surroundings. Most of the buildings here are open to visitors.In the evening you will learn how to make homemade bread and traditional cakes – you will visit one of the village housewives who will show you how to batter the dough, and while it rises, you will help prepare a cake typical for Maramures. Dinner will blend in perfectly with your freshly baked, warm bread, while desert will leave you with the sweet aftertaste of Maramures.

Dinner at guesthouse.

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Day 4: Be a local…in Maramures! Celebrate in the afternoon, along with the local artisans----------------------------------------------------------------------------Free time in the morning for various optional activities.You can stay in Breb and enjoy the guesthouse’s peacefulness. Get a book and read under the shadows of the trees, on one of the wooden benches or one of the swings in the garden. Or just sit and relax listening to the sound of the stream passing just outside the backyard.Or, during summer and autumn, join the locals heading for the pastures to mow the grass and gather the hay (optional activity). You can learn how to cut the grass with a mower, how to gather it using a wooden fork, how to dry it and make haystacks.If you’re visiting Maramures in

the fall – join the locals for the plum harvest and if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to help with making horinca (or palinca) (optional activity). Horinca is a staple product in Maramures and one of its best ambassadors. Maramures horinca is 100% natural, created using a traditional fermentation process, then distilled in copper cauldrons, on a wood fire.Distillation entails two phases – in order to obtain the 50% alcoholic strength and to refine and purify its final taste. Its preparation makes it special and sought after by everybody who gets a taste of it, making it a cultural brand by excellence. The locals care a lot about their traditional beverage, consistently saying no to whiskey or any other hard liquor. When you’re toasting with the host, make sure you drink up before putting your glass down. Otherwise, you might upset or bring them bad luck.

Do you like fresh cow’s milk? How about ewe-cheese and eggs? But do you know what route they take before ending up on your plate? If you’re curious, you can help your hosts by feeding the chicken, taking care of the cows and milking them or helping out with preparing cheese (optional activity).You could even visit the village’s blacksmith (optional activity). With a bit of luck, you will see how he puts shoes on horses, following a centuries-old ritual. Take a look at how a horseshoe is made and how it’s put on. Horses are brought here about four times a year, and winter horseshoes are different from summer ones. The blacksmith also needs an assistant – making the horseshoes requires rhythmically beating the iron, switching between two hammers at the same time;

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putting the shoes on requires even more help for holding the horse and its legs. The mouldy horseshoe is fixed with special nails, pierced through the hoof wall. It is said that horse shoes are lucky charms, so if you ever find one by the side of the road, don’t leave it behind!You can also choose to visit a weaver (optional activity). Women in Maramures have craftily used a loom to clothe their family, to decorate their homes and churches. Sewing needles and tired eyes during long winter nights have produced clothes and carpets, togs and cloths, bags, big or small, tablecloths and beddings. Each guesthouse had a “ruda” – the good room preserving the girls’ dowry, comprising of wool and hemp woven fabrics and everything else required by an orderly household. Fabrics vary in colour and pattern, according to their function and value. Carpets

have geometrical patterns, with contrasting colours, while their edges are adorned with human figures and traditional scenes. Towels come in flashy colours, in powerful tones of red and black, with sizeable motifs, resembling those on carpets. Cloths are colored in two, up to four colors. Authentic fabrics are dyed in natural colours, extracted from plants and tree bark. Over the summer, women pick up flowers and leaves, roots and treebark and use them to dye the wool, weaving pagan and Christian symbols into wonderful carpets.Enjoy the sitting* (“sezatoarea”) in the afternoon. Local artisans will gather in guesthouse garden – you will learn to make beaded collars, traditional masks and hats – the clop, the traditional hat in Maramures; you will encounter craftsmen producing agricultural tools such as ashwood forks and racks, designed for gathering the hay

and grass, as well as carpenters highly skilled in making crosses; you will learn how to weave baskets of different shapes and sizes, hand or back baskets to carry food or wood. We will show you how to make cloths and spin wool. But how could you leave Maramures without finding out more about its traditional costumes and even trying a typical shirt? You’ll be amazed to hear that an old-fashioned, handmade shirt can take a whole winter to be finished!While enjoying all this, you will also relish a background of songs and dances performed by a group of teenagers (locally known as “coconi”).

*Sitting will be organized only for groups of minim 8 persons.

Have dinner by the fire – our host will prepare a special menu!

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Day 5: Ignis Plateau----------------------------------------------------------–-----------------This day is dedicated to natural protected areas and traditional agriculture on Ignis Plateau. Travel by minibus through Tatarului Gorge, then by foot along the sunny pastures and deep forests, while discovering how nature is benefitting people, providing them with local plant remedies for every ailment. You will also learn more about the pastoral history of the area, which still provides lush and biodiversity pastures. Your guide will include information about

Sheep sambra--------------------------------------------------------------------The Sheep Sambra is an old custom in Maramures, a yearly spring holiday including folk music and dances where people dress in traditional clothing. It is also called Ruptul Sterpelor, meaning separating and counting the sheep. At the beginning of May, the sheep are divided into flocks and sent to the cots for the entire summer. The fertile sheep are separated from the sterile; the milk is weighted to establish the daily amount of produce the owners need. This is why the tradition is called “Milking the weigh” or “Measuring the milk”.

the conservation work done in collaboration with local shepherds, aimed at restoring abandoned fields.Have lunch at a traditional sheep cot on the plateau. You will be able to join the shepherds in their day-to-day activities: you will learn to milk the sheep, prepare the ewe and green cheese – while the shepherds will offer you an insight into their lifestyles high in the mountains. Lunch will include polenta, ewe and green cheese, lamb sour soup and marble cake. In Maramures, polenta is prepared in various ways; in the

past, it could also substitute bread when wheat flour was hard to find. The balmos, made of sheep cheese, milk and polenta, is the shepherds’ specialty.

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Wooden churches--------------------------------------------------------------------Religion is a big thing in Maramures, where there are over 100 wooden churches. Here, the locals gather to pray, cross, touch the icons and kiss the church rugs. To recognize their uniqueness and the skilled craftsmen in Maramures, eight of the about 100 old wooden churches in Maramures have been declared UNESCO world heritage sites in December 1999.The wooden churches of Budesti, Josani, Desesti, Barsana, Poienile Izei and Ieud Deal are in historical Maramures, those of Surdesti and Poplis are from the old Tara Chioarului, while that of

In the afternoon visit the wooden church in Manastirea Village (Giulesti), set on a former place of worship built in 1560 and brought down in 1782, during the reign of emperor Joseph the Second. The old little church includes a bell from 1679, hidden in a wooden bell-tower and rung using two ropes found in the narthex, as well as a funeral stone from 1712. Here, in the only church in the village, unlike in most historical, heritage churches in Maramures, two priests still hold Sunday and holiday services, one for the Greek-Catholic, the other, for the Orthodox locals.Visit Desesti wooden church, a UNESCO world heritage site. In 1717, after the Tartar invasion, the legend says the church was burnt down. Just one stone was left and tradition had not allowed the villagers to build another church in that place. The location was not the most fortunate, as many had died there, trying to put out the fire. Locals have tried five times to choose a new site for the construction. The fifth time they rolled the stone and it remained vertical, they chose the new church location. Its patron is Saint Paraschiva.

Dinner at a traditional trout farm, where locals have ingeniously managed to use the advantages provided by natural resources to preserve traditions.

the Saint Archangels in Rogoz is in Tara Lapusului.Together, these eight wooden churches represent a remarkable example of various architectural solutions from different areas and times. They are narrow, but tall, with long, spiny spires at their western sides, all speaking of the unique cultural landscape in this mountainous area in northern Romania.The technique used for bonding the wood and shingling the roofs, their ornate motifs on portals and frames supporting the columns, displaying chiseled and sculpted vegetal, animal and geometric elements, make them remarkable sites.

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Day 6: Visiting the virgin forest of Strambu-Baiut----------------------------------------------------------------------------Ride the minibus to Strambu-Baiut, a former mining town. Today the mines are closed, but exiting the town you will be able to see where coal is made. However, the main purpose of the trip is visiting one of the few remaining virgin forests in Europe, where human intervention is almost absent and about 30,000 species still live in harmony. Your hike will start along the forest route leading to the areas protected with the help of WWF Romania in Grosii Tiblesului Mountains. You will go through a theme track, learning about the forest’s uniqueness, its flora and fauna, the last giant trees in Maramures and responsible forest management basics.Lunch at a local guesthouse. Free time during the afternoon. Optional, you can choose to learn how to make traditional jams and syrups or how to preserve vegetables for winter. But first you must pick the fruits and vegetables. Depending on the season, you can make berry, apple or plum jams or syrups. You can also stew or pickle the vegetables. Dinner at guesthouse.

Virgin forests---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In Maramures WWF Romania works for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification of forests in partnership with forestry administrations. This certification means that these forests are administrated responsibly and their management takes into consideration environmental, social and economical criteria.So far, in Maramures 64.000 hectares have been FSC certified with the help of WWF Romania, which also works in Maramures for the identification and preservation of virgin forests. The project’s

objective was to save and protect the secular Strambu Baiut forests, through promoting the extraordinary landscape and the sustainable management of these forests, as a solution for local community development.The result was achieved, as the Maramures Forest Administration became FSC certified and committed to not intervene in any way in the forests’ natural processes. On a national level, now, 2.4 million hectares of state and privately owned forests are FSC certified.

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Day 7: Sapanta and Sighetu Marmatiei----------------------------------------------------------------------------Visit two renowned towns in Maramures: Sapanta and Sighetu MarmatieiThe Merry Cemetery, an important touristic attraction, has made Sapanta famous. Legends say that the Dacians would receive death cheerily, as they believed in eternal life and saw their passing away only as a passage to another world. They didn’t see death as something tragic, but as a chance to meet Zamolxe, their supreme god. The cemetery dates back from the mid 1930s and was created by Stan Ion Patras, a popular sculptor, painter and poet. His creativity brought to light this monumental, well-known work of art. For more than 50 years, the artist has created

hundreds of wooden crosses bearing humorous inscriptions. Each cross displays an epitaph evocating a significant fact from the dead person’s life. Patras died in 1977 and was buried in this cemetery, close to the church; he had designed his own cross before dying and his work is taken further by his apprentice, Dumitru Pop Tincu, who lives in his master’s house, which is also a museum. About 10 crosses are made every year.Visit also Sapanta-Peri Monastery, with its patron, St. Archangel Michael, sober and imposing, rising at 78 m above the ground! Currently, this monastery is the highest wooden church in the world, being included in the Guinness World Records.Lunch in a local restaurant.

During the afternoon, visit two of the most important attractions in Sighetu Marmatiei: the Maramures Village Museum (an open-air museum) and the Maramures Etnographic Museum. The former includes monuments in rural architectural style and aims to recreate a typical village, with households grouped according to the main historical areas in Maramures. At the Maramures Etnographic Museum, get a close look of objects used throughout history in basic activities around Maramures. The Etnographic museum also exhibits wooden and glass icons, traditional clothing, masks and costumes worn during the winter holidays etc.Transfer in the afternoon from Sighetu Marmatiei to Baia Mare.

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acknowledged at the same time as the most important project done by civil society to retrace and analyze its communist past, a unique endeavor in Eastern European countries.The Jewish culture Museum and the Museum House Elie Wiesel – with an exhibit dedicated to Elie Wiesel, a local of Sighetu Marmatiei distinguished with a Nobel Peace Prize.The Museum House Dr. Ioan Mihaliy de ApsaBuildings in the city center, most of them from the 19th century.

Sighetu Marmatiei--------------------------------------------------------------------Other touristic attractions:The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance is another important touristic site in the town (nearby the city hall). Since 1995 the former prison, turned into a memorial of the suffering, is under the patronage of the European Council. The first rooms in the museum were inaugurated in 1997, when the memorial was declared an “ensemble of national interest”, being

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A Fairy Tale in Maramures-a wonderland for children-----------------------------------------------------------------------------“Visiting Maramures is an extraordinary experience, like walking into a fairy tale or stepping back into medieval Europe” (By Sarah Shuckburgh)

Day 1: Baia Mare – BrebArrival in Baia Mare. Free are free to wander around Breb village, an authentic open-air museum.

Day 2: Creasta Cocosului – Gutai MountainsHiking on Creasta Cocosului – is one of the most spectacular landforms, shaped as a rooster’s crest

Day 3: Ride on the Mocanita trainMocanita ride - Travelling over a network of narrow-gauge track, the railway winds up the valley with many curves, over bridges and through wild romantic scenery of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains.

Day 4: Be a local…in Maramures! Celebrate in the afternoon, along with the local artisansMeet the local craftsmen and enjoy the sitting (“sezatoarea”)* in the afternoon(optional activities).

Day 5: Ignis PlateauJoin the shepherds in their day-to-day activities: you will learn to milk the sheep, prepare the ewe and green cheese – while the shepherds will offer you an insight into their lifestyles high in the mountains.

In the afternoon transfer to Baia Mare.

Maramures - the land of woods and rivers - bike tour - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Cycling enthusiasts will be delighted to find out that Maramures has a complex network of forestry trails and marked footpaths, which offer great views of the villages and of the amazing northern Romanian landscape: Maramures, the ‘land of silence’, ‘the land of woods’ or the ‘land of deer’, is one of the most isolated and undiscovered regions of Europe.Day 1: Get together in Baia Mare. Baia Mare - Lake Firiza -16 km from Baia Mare Day 2: The start of our cycling experience through Maramures. Izvoare-Pasul Gutai-Mogosa-Cavnic-Surdesti (-Plopis) ~40 kmDay 3: Surdesti – Cavnic – Budesti – Breb – Ocna Sugatag – Calinesti – Valeni – Barsana ~ 52 kmDay 4: Barsana – Stramtura – Rozavlea – Ieud – Bogdan Voda – Saliste de Sus – Sacel – Moisei – Viseu de Sus – Viseu de Jos ~ 75 kmDay 5: Viseu de Jos – Valea Scadrei – Novat with the steam train. Return by bike for ~ 16 kmDay 6: Viseu de Jos – Ruscova – Petrova – Barsana – Nanesti – Oncesti – Vadu Izei ~ 48 kmDay 7: Vadu Izei – Sighetu Marmatiei – Sarasau – Campulung la Tisa – Sapanta ~ 30 kmDay 8: Sapanta – Vratajel hut – Colibi hut – Plesca hut – Izvoare ~ 40 kmDay 9: Izvoare – Baia Mare ~ 25 km and departure

The essence of Romania----------------------------------------------------------------------------Authentic, Natural and Cultural are the words that best capture the essence of Romania, a dynamic country rich in history, arts and scenic beauty. Take a step back in time as you visit one of the world’s famous painted monasteries in Bucovina, the ancient, hilltop citadel in Sighisoara or an authentic, centuries-old, folkloric village in Maramures. Day 1: Visit Curtea de Arges city, the pottery center in Horezu and Sibiu – the 2007 European Cultural Capital.Day 2: Sibiu – Alba Iulia – Turda – Cluj. Tours of the cities.Day 3: Visit Baia Mare – the gate to Maramures, Sapanta with the famous Merry Cemetery and Sighetu Marmatiei reknown especially because of The Maramures Village Museum (an open-air museum) and The Maramures Etnographic Museum.Day 4: Breb – Barsana – Vatra Dornei. We’ll use this day to discover the UNESCO World Heritage wooden churches.Day 5: On this day we’ll visit some of the most beautiful Moldavian painted monasteries which became UNESCO World Heritage sites starting with 1993: Voronet and Sucevita.Day 6: Enjoy Cheile Bicazului – one of the most beautiful touristic areas in the country.Day 7: Brasov – Viscri – Sighisoara – Brasov. Time to explore Brasov – one of the greatest German cities in Transylvania, the medieval city of Sighisoara and Viscri with its fortified church.Day 8: Explore Bran Castle - famous after the Irish writer Bram Stoker called it Dracula’s Castle and Peles Castle – the summer palace of King Charles the First.

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