Drumul Maramureșului
The place
Drumul Maramureșului is a 250 km hiking route that crosses Maramureș county and Bucovina, from Sighetu Marmației to Vatra Dornei. The trail climbs into the Rodna Mountains (Pietrosul Peak, 2,303 m, the highest point of the Eastern Carpathians), passes through villages with traditional wooden houses, UNESCO wooden churches, and landscapes of authentic rural beauty. Maramureș is considered the most well-preserved traditional region in Europe.
Why go
The UNESCO wooden churches: Bârsana, Budești, Desești, Ieud, Plopiș, Rogoz, Șurdești. Câmpulung la Tisa. Pietrosul Peak (2,303 m). The Merry Cemetery in Săpânța. Budești with its authentic traditional folk costume.
A bit of history
Maramureș managed to preserve its folk traditions and customs almost intact thanks to its geographic and historical isolation. The wooden churches of Maramureș (17th–18th centuries), added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1999, are the symbol of this region.
Getting there
Sighetu Marmației: train from Cluj (4h) or by car. Vatra Dornei: train from Cluj (3h) or Suceava (2h). Cluj-Napoca airport.
Recommended gear
Mountain boots. Waterproof gear. Tent recommended for the mountain sections. Topographic map.
Best season
June–October. The Rodna Mountains are inaccessible in winter. Wildflowers on the high pastures in summer, colorful forests in autumn.