Today’s destination is Maramures, a
\npicturesque and charming region in northern Romania, known for its century-old
\ntraditions observed to date, and for the special events devoted to its
\ntourists. At the same time, Cavnic and Borsa mountain resorts boast functional
\nskiing tracks, both for beginners and for professional skiers. <\/p>\n
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We talked to Dan Carpov, the head of
\nthe Tourist Information Centre with the Maramures County Council. He told us
\nabout two upcoming events, namely the 10th edition of the Christmas
\nin Maramures Festival, hosted by the Village Museum in Baia Mare, and the 50th
\nedition of the Marmatia Customs and Traditions Festival held in Sightetul
\nMarmatiei. Dan Carpov:<\/p>\n
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The Christmas in Maramures Festival
\nhas reached its tenth edition, and is aimed at introducing the rural life and
\ntraditions of Maramures to the urban population. We could call it a
\nmini-festival. We will have carollers from ten villages, from all the areas in
\nMaramures. It will be a celebration of tradition, local food, merry-making and,
\nlast but not least, winter-specific folk outfits. It’s an open event. We are
\nused to seeing tourists who are usually visiting Maramures at this time of the
\nyear come and join the celebration. Many people called us asking for accommodation
\nand inquiring about the event. We will have groups of carollers, as well as a
\nspecial show staged by the Transylvania National Folk Ensemble, but also
\nchildren’s choirs from various parts of Maramures. <\/p>\n
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There will be practically ten days
\nof fantastic events in Maramures, Dan Carpov told us. Over December 17-27 the
\narea will host a wide array of Christmas-related festivals and events. Dan
\nCarpov:<\/p>\n
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On December 27 we will kick off the
\nWinter Customs and Traditions Festival. This year the festival celebrates 50
\nyears of existence. It’s a festival that has been held without interruption
\naround December 27. It’s a nationwide event, all the more so as this year we
\ncelebrate 100 years since the Great Union, so we will be presenting Christmas
\ntraditions from all over the country, from Banat, Moldavia, Bukovina, Dobrogea
\nand Oltenia. All the country’s folk regions will be represented. The festival
\nis held in the city centre, so it will be delightful to see so many people
\nparading in traditional outfits. We will have mask games, winter traditions,
\ncarols, all sorts of things. <\/p>\n
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There are also thematic tours of the
\narea that tourists can take to ensure a wonderful stay in Maramures:<\/p>\n
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Tourists can sign up for a tour of
\nthe wooden churches. Of course, it’s a lot better to do that during the warm
\nseason, but it’s also wonderful to visit Maramures in wintertime. We’ve had
\nsnow at Christmas for many years, and people who visit Maramures when it snows
\nwill see that the churches host various events at Christmas. It’s all very
\nbeautiful, the atmosphere is very warm, it’s like a family welcoming you like
\nan old friend. Nature outings are more for the summer season, but we’ve
\nreplaced the bikes with horse-drawn carriages and sleighs, available to our
\nguests. Starting December 17 and until the end of the year we will be urging
\ntourists to engage in such activities.<\/p>\n
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If you’re looking to exercise and do
\nsports during your winter holiday, Maramures is the perfect place. Dan Carpov:<\/p>\n
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We have very good news. We have
\nofficially opened two skiing slopes in Maramures, with a third one pending in
\nBorsa. Right now, we have the Cavnic slope up and running, we’ve had snow and
\nwe’re keeping it properly functional with the help of artificial snow. It was
\nopened on December 1 and I can tell you I’ve personally inspected the slope and
\nit’s in excellent condition. Moreover, the slope in Suisor is also open, and
\nBorsa will be next. <\/p>\n
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Of course, prices for accommodation
\nvary. For instance, one night per person in a three-star guesthouse for a
\nminimum stay of three nights with half-board and Christmas dinner included
\ncosts around 55 euros. For more detailed and customised offers you can call the
\ntravel agencies, as there are many to choose from, Dan Carpov told us:<\/p>\n
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I am glad to say that we have a lot
\nof accommodation alternatives in our area. Guesthouses offer a wide range of
\nevents, apart from the traditional Christmas or New Year’s Eve meals. Once we
\nofficially launch the Christmas season on December 22, there will be even more
\nevents adding to the list. The narrow-gauge train on Vaser Valley is also a
\ntourist-favourite attraction at national level. We have special surprises in
\nstore for our tourists around the winter holidays. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Todays destination is Maramures, a picturesque and charming region in northern Romania.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":147611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43423],"tags":[39309,116464],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-149478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travellers-guide","tag-maramures","tag-romania-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n