Outdoor
\nperformances, spectacular firework displays and Christmas fairs are all on
\noffer these days in Romania’s cities. In the countryside, however, the
\natmosphere is completely different. Maramure\u0219, in the north of the country, is
\none of the most popular regions with tourists, owing to its picturesque
\natmosphere and old-world charm. The area is also becoming a popular skiing
\ndestination, with the resorts of Cavnic and Bor\u0219a providing facilities for both
\nbeginners and advanced skiers. Whether they come for skiing, walks or rides in
\nhorse-driven sleighs, visitors will be well catered for. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Edit Pop is the
\nhead of the Eco Maramure\u0219 association, whose activities are aimed at promoting
\nresponsible tourism, while providing an exciting experience. She tells us more:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Maramure\u0219 is
\nvery rich in tourist offers. When we think of Maramure\u0219 we think first of all
\nof traditions and traditional villages, as well as of activities taking place
\nin nature and which have kept nature almost intact. During winter, we can speak
\nof walks around the village, rides in horse or dog driven sleighs, as well as
\nhorseback riding. Maramure\u0219 is also a skiing destination. Not far from where we
\nare now there are ski slopes in Cavnic and Mogo\u0219a, but there are also others in
\nthe Bor\u0219a area. Cross-country skiing can
\nalso be practised, but this requires special equipment.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The local,
\nfamily-run guesthouses in the region also provide their guests with
\ntransportation to visit nearby villages, important churches in the area or to
\none of the live demonstrations of local crafts organised for the benefit of
\ntourists, and which usually end with a small party with music and a sampling of
\nlocal dishes and drinks. Edit Pop from the Eco Maramure\u0219 association says
\nhandcrafted objects are in high demand at this time of the year:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
There are signs
\npointing to the artisans’ workshops so tourists can easily find them. Tourists
\ncan thus watch as the famous Maramure\u0219 gates are being carved out of wood. I
\nrecently took a group of tourists to watch just such a demonstration. Others
\nmake the little decorated bells, which are typical of this part of the country.
\nWe also organise visits to see traditional technical installations such as the
\nwater mill used to process wool, as well visits to traditional households where
\ntourists can watch the women weave and stitch. Tourists are encouraged to have
\na try themselves.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
A stay in a 3-daisy guest house located 46 km
\nfrom the Maramure\u0219
\nInternational Airport and 25 km from the Maramure\u0219 Village Museum will cost 890
\neuros per person over 24th to 28th December. Decorated in
\na rustic style, with large rooms, and a splendid view over the Gut\u00e2i Mountains,
\nthis kind of guest house, some of which have their own trout farms, can be the
\nperfect choice. And if you happen to be in these parts for the Christmas
\nperiod, you will have the chance to experience one of the oldest folk customs
\nknown as Viflaim, a kind of theatre
\nperformance inspired by the Bible in which young men wearing masks will go
\ncarolling around the village. Edit Pop says the period around New Year’s Eve is
\nalso characterised by lots of traditional customs: <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Romanian
\ntourists come to Maramure\u0219 for its traditions and customs. People also go
\ncarolling around New Year’s, which lends an atmosphere of celebration to the
\nvillages. Lots of festivals are organised at this time of the year. On the 27th
\nand 28th of December, for example, Sighetu Marma\u021biei is home to a festival of winter customs and
\ntraditions where visitors can see many traditions from different parts of Maramure\u0219 and beyond. It’s hard to say what
\ntourists like best, it depends on personal preferences as well, but we always
\nhave positive feedback when people have a chance to experience life in a
\nvillage and find out about the story of the place itself. They like
\nexperiencing life in the countryside not in a museum, but by seeing what
\nactually goes on in the village, the customs and traditions that are still
\nalive.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
To book a
\nholiday in Maramure\u0219, you can go to the website ecomaramures.com. Edit
\nPop, from the Eco Maramure\u0219 association,
\nalso recommends using the mobile phone app of the same name, which is free of
\ncharge, and can be found in the Android or IOS stores: <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Both the app
\nand the website provide detailed information about the activities available in
\nthe area, including facilities, experiences, tourist attractions, protected
\nareas, outdoor activities, village events and artisans. All this information is
\nmade available for tourists and we even created 2 and 3 day modules called The
\nStories of the Places: the Story of the Hay-Making, The Story of Wood and the
\nStory of Wool, which are in fact tourist packages. They are designed for a
\nvisit of two or three days and can also be combined. Tourists will always find
\ninteresting things to do in Maramure\u0219 and will go home with a bag full of
\nexperiences they will not easily forget.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The mountains of
\nMaramure\u0219 are already covered in snow and more snow is expected in the hills
\nat the foot of the mountains, which will surely make for a dream-like Christmas
\nsetting. <\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Northern region of Maramure\u0219 is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Romania.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":151121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43423],"tags":[39309],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-151120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travellers-guide","tag-maramures"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n