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Maramures is one the best kept Europe's secrets, the place where the time hasn't moved 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 are preserved 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 its museums and churches.
2. Vaser Valley, where runs the only steam powered train.
3. The wooden churches protected by UNESCO (Poienile Izei, Ieud-Deal, Budesti-Josani, Desesti and Barsana-Jbar), erected between XVI-XVIII centuries, in "Maramures gothic style" and 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 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 largest 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 (he 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.

If you have any questions about Maramures's atractions, accomodation or if you need any help, please contact Adela or Teo ( adelaalma@gmail.com or teofilivanciuc@yahoo.com, which speak English and French.

Vaser Valley, where you can find the only logging train hauled by narrow gauge steam engines (760 mm) still in use in Europe, crosses the Maramures Mountains in the middle of one of the most wild and beautiful Romania's landscapes.

The Vaser River is 62 kilometres long, forming a spectacular canyon-like valley, where cliffs alternate with fir and beech forests, clearings and mineral water springs.

The access point to the Vaser Valley is the town of Viseu de Sus, which is also the starting point for "Mocanita" ( the narrow gauge steam train), the only means of transportation in the valley. Built between 1930-1932 for the express task of transporting wood, the train is still used for the original purpose, attracting thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Over there are running several steam engines: the oldest one was built in 1910 ("O&K") followed by one other made in 1921 ("Krauss") and 5 Romanian steam engines built at Resita between 1953-1955. On the railway run also several Diesel engines (built in 1960's-1970's) and other vehicles.

The journey is long and with several fuelling stops. The train can also fall off the rails, but at the slow speed of 10 km/hour that poses no danger. The passengers (who are experienced in the matter) help get the train back on the rails using anything they can lay their hands on: cut pieces of wood, chains, axes, or hooks.

The main line is 43 km long (Viseu de Sus-Comanu), with other two branches (Novat Valley-13 km long, and towards Stevioara-3 km), and usually takes (just until Faina, the main station, situated at 32 km from Viseu), between 3 and 4 hours.

A journey with the Mocanita is like going back in time: on the valley is not cell phone signal (there are working only radio stations), there are no shops, and provisions of food and other consumables have to be made before departure. Also there is no certainty about the departure and return hours. The Vaser Valley is on the border zone with Ukraine, and a valid identity card or passport has to be brought along.

For the timetable, which is changed often, you should contact Adela or Teo ( adelaalma@gmail.com or teofilivanciuc@yahoo.com), which speak English and French.

Sighetu Marmatiei (also spelled Sighet), with its 41.000 inhabitants, is the main town of the Maramures region (northern Transylvania, Romania). Inhabited since the Stone Age, the settlement was first mentioned in 1334, and as town, in 1352. Today, Sighet is the gate of Maramures, and one of its most important touristic attractions. What to visit here:

1.The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance (the former prison of the Maramures County, built in 1897, today a museum of European significance, under the aegis of the Council of Europe).

2. The Village Museum of Maramures (an open air museum, with over 30 wooden houses dated back to XVII-XIX centuries and a XVI century wooden church).

3. The Elie Wiesel House (today "The Jewish Culture and Civilization Museum", the place where was born Elie Wiesel, laureate of the 1986's Nobel Prize for Peace).

4. The Ethnographic Museum of Maramures (rich displays of XV-XIX icons, carpets, furniture and other ethnographical stuff).

5. The Archaeological, History and Natural Sciences Museum (the former Piarist Monastery, built in 1730).

6. The Calvin Church (the oldest building which survived-dated in XIV century, mixture of Gothic and New Gothic styles).

7. The Roman-Catholic Church "Saint Carol Boromeu" (built between 1730-1806, Barocco style, sun clock above the entrance, an Armenian altar, paintings and statues).

8. The Ukraininian Orthodox Church "Elevation of the Holy Cross" (built between 1791-1807, many saints relics).

9. The Sephardic Synagogue (built in 1900-1904, Mauric-Renascentist style).

10. The Jewish Cemetery and the Soap Monument (3.000 graves, like those of the founders of Chasidic movement-Teitelbaum dynasty. The Soap Monument contains two boxes filled with soap made by Jews gassed at Auschwitz death camp).

11. The Cemetery of the Poor (where are buried in anonymous graves about 50 former Romanian dignitaries, ministers, bishops, academicians, journalists, who were killed in Sighet jail during 1950's).

12. The Steam engine (built in 1943, model Henschel&Sohn).

13. The Livestock Market (very colourful, takes place every first Monday of each month, and every wednesday).

14. The Central Market (daily, where the merchants sell vegetables, fruits, dairy produces, handcrafts).

15. The Cultural Palace (built in 1912-1913, looking like a medieval castle, Eccletic-Romantic style).

If you have any questions about Sighet, its atractions or accomodation there, please contact Adela or Teo ( adelaalma@gmail.com or teofilivanciuc@yahoo.com), which speak English and French.