VISIT maramureS
The almost medieval way of life, the farming and traditional customs, mixed with contemporary influences have been preserved here as nowhere else in Europe. And the hospitality and kindness of the locals are unique.
Maramures is an Eco destination where the lifestyles like "slow living” and “back to nature” are still practiced, like the self-sufficient farming!
Notwithstanding the globalization, the lack of enforced regulations and the demolitions, there are still quite many wooden houses, built from horizontal beams of oak and pine, of small dimensions, with high pitched roofs, some keeping the specific porch with sculpted columns, and, rarely, a roof of pine shingles (more and more expensive and requiring replacement every 25 years). You can also see many wooden gates, sculpted with ornaments inspired by magic, totems and by cosmic, pre-Christian symbols.
Through the yards of these micro-farms (almost all the households are actually just that) can be seen stables and pens for animals, barns for hay and agricultural tools and, sometimes, “tree pots” on which are hung colorful pots and pans.
The old villagers are the guards of traditions, performing various ancient crafts: woodworking, weaving clothing, carpets, vegetable-dyed rugs (UNESCO' Intangible Cultural Heritage) and other textiles, manufacturing straw hats, colorful waistcoats, barrels, pine wood shingles, ritual masks, Bridal crowns, bead necklaces or traditional leather footwear; weaving hazelnut fiber baskets; forging metal; carving funeral crosses; painting icons on glass and wood. On hidden places they still run water powered flour mills, fulling mills, carding mills, laundries, alcohol copper stills, and other machines.
Large areas were never treated with pesticides because modern farming has simply not reached the hills. The vegetables, fruits (ancient breeds!) meat and dairy produced there have a taste from your childhood, while the air and water are as pure as champagne!
It's a must to see the colorful livestock markets, the making of the hay on the fields, the terraced hills or the landscapes looking like in Tuscany, Switzerland or Colorado. Discover the secrets of the sheep cheese in the wild mountains where the shepherd dogs fight often against wolves and bears...
And, don't forget about the almost 100 wooden churches, some of them protected by UNESCO (Poienile Izei, Ieud-Deal, Budesti-Josani, Desesti and Barsana-Jbar), half of them being erected between XVI-XVIII centuries in "Maramures's gothic style" and painted hundreds of years ago, but also the newly erected wooden churches and monasteries (like Barsana or Sapanta); the Merry Cemetery from Sapanta (you will be amazed to hear the real story behind); the Vaser Valley steam train; the Sighet's Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance, the Village Museum and the Ethnographic one; the Jewish heritage (Ellie Wiesel museum, Drimer House and the Sighet' Synagogue, Elephant House from Viseu and some 40 cemeteries);
Maramures preserves one of the richest biodiversity in Europe, with 11000 plant and animal species, a heaven of wild flowers (orchids, edelweiss, etc.), butterflies and birds, with virgin forests (UNESCO world heritage) hosting large carnivores and many endemic species. In the region there are also hundreds of mineral springs (most of which are not used) and even salt lakes. You can visit the Rodna National Park, Maramures Mountains Natural Park or the Ignis Volcanic Plateau...
To see all sights from above, you can choose one of our day tours.
Maramures is an Eco destination where the lifestyles like "slow living” and “back to nature” are still practiced, like the self-sufficient farming!
Notwithstanding the globalization, the lack of enforced regulations and the demolitions, there are still quite many wooden houses, built from horizontal beams of oak and pine, of small dimensions, with high pitched roofs, some keeping the specific porch with sculpted columns, and, rarely, a roof of pine shingles (more and more expensive and requiring replacement every 25 years). You can also see many wooden gates, sculpted with ornaments inspired by magic, totems and by cosmic, pre-Christian symbols.
Through the yards of these micro-farms (almost all the households are actually just that) can be seen stables and pens for animals, barns for hay and agricultural tools and, sometimes, “tree pots” on which are hung colorful pots and pans.
The old villagers are the guards of traditions, performing various ancient crafts: woodworking, weaving clothing, carpets, vegetable-dyed rugs (UNESCO' Intangible Cultural Heritage) and other textiles, manufacturing straw hats, colorful waistcoats, barrels, pine wood shingles, ritual masks, Bridal crowns, bead necklaces or traditional leather footwear; weaving hazelnut fiber baskets; forging metal; carving funeral crosses; painting icons on glass and wood. On hidden places they still run water powered flour mills, fulling mills, carding mills, laundries, alcohol copper stills, and other machines.
Large areas were never treated with pesticides because modern farming has simply not reached the hills. The vegetables, fruits (ancient breeds!) meat and dairy produced there have a taste from your childhood, while the air and water are as pure as champagne!
It's a must to see the colorful livestock markets, the making of the hay on the fields, the terraced hills or the landscapes looking like in Tuscany, Switzerland or Colorado. Discover the secrets of the sheep cheese in the wild mountains where the shepherd dogs fight often against wolves and bears...
And, don't forget about the almost 100 wooden churches, some of them protected by UNESCO (Poienile Izei, Ieud-Deal, Budesti-Josani, Desesti and Barsana-Jbar), half of them being erected between XVI-XVIII centuries in "Maramures's gothic style" and painted hundreds of years ago, but also the newly erected wooden churches and monasteries (like Barsana or Sapanta); the Merry Cemetery from Sapanta (you will be amazed to hear the real story behind); the Vaser Valley steam train; the Sighet's Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance, the Village Museum and the Ethnographic one; the Jewish heritage (Ellie Wiesel museum, Drimer House and the Sighet' Synagogue, Elephant House from Viseu and some 40 cemeteries);
Maramures preserves one of the richest biodiversity in Europe, with 11000 plant and animal species, a heaven of wild flowers (orchids, edelweiss, etc.), butterflies and birds, with virgin forests (UNESCO world heritage) hosting large carnivores and many endemic species. In the region there are also hundreds of mineral springs (most of which are not used) and even salt lakes. You can visit the Rodna National Park, Maramures Mountains Natural Park or the Ignis Volcanic Plateau...
To see all sights from above, you can choose one of our day tours.
