Overview private guided tour in Maramures and Bucovina
Maramures is the place where the time stands still. It is one of the few places in Romania and Europe where the old customs are still kept alive. Maramures is a vivid museum in open space and it offers a real journey back in time.
Bucovina, on the other hand, is an idyllic place with very nice landscapes, spread villages on the rolling hills, splendid monasteries and the egg painting. Book now and enjoy this private guided tour in the unforgettable Maramures and Bucovina!
Highlights on this tour:
- the famous landmarks: The merry cemetery from Sapanta (it is in the top 10 of the most interesting, unique graveyards in the world); Barsana Monastery, wooden churches that are part of the UNESCO heritage; a ride with the narrow gauge steam train (Mocanita) on Vasser Valley
- the visits in the authentic villages deep in the heart of Maramures. These visits will show us the daily life of the locals and the famous craftsmen
- the traditional lively nights spiced with dancing, singing and all sorts of religious celebrations. The locals are very fond and proud of their old traditions. They will all gather around, dressed in their costumes and take part in the most importants events in their community; a celebration, festival, or a Sunday service at the church, all these are not to be missed
- do not forget about the traditional romanian food and the kind and warm smile of the locals
- the painted monasteries in Bucovina
- the pottery workshop in Marginea
Is this a story you could easily fall in love with? It certainly is. Join us for a unique experience in Maramures!
,,We recently had the pleasure of spending 10 days on a custom tour of Romania with Dan as our guide and planner extraordinaire. We communicated by email for more than 4 months and his attention to detail and his quick responses were most impressive. He asked lots of questions to get a sense of what we wanted and he absolutely came through with flying colors. We could not have been more pleased with the end result. We had so many experiences that were memorable: Sunday church service in Breb, visiting with a woman who was spinning wool, helping me obtain a wonderful basket at a watermill, visiting palinka distilleries in the homes of locals. Dan was always attuned to our needs and remained flexible throughout our trip. I would not hesitate to recommend him and his very careful driver, Adrian. Thanks so much, Dan and Adrian.” Kay, from the USA, about this tour
Where: Maramures & Bucovina
Highlights: The Merry Cemetery from Sapanta, Barsana Monastery, narrow gauge steam train (Mocanita), authentic villages, Sucevita and Moldovita painted monasteries, egg painting craft, Marginea black pottery workshop.
Available: all year round
Departure points: Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca. Other departure points available upon request
Customizable: yes
Detailed program:
Day 1: We are heading to Maramures, Poienile Izei village.
Accommodation in Poienile Izei, at a guesthouse.
Day 2: Visit to the famous landmarks: The Merry cemetery from Sapanta (it is in the top 10 of the most interesting, unique graveyards in the world). In Sapanta we will also visit the workshop of the cemetery’s creator, where the merry crosses are made. Nearby, we will stop at the impressive Sapanta Peri Monastery, the tallest wooden church in the world.
In the afternoon, we will visit Barsana Monastery, the most representative construction for Maramures architecture.
Accommodation in Poienile Izei, at a guesthouse.
Day 3: Walk through the villages of Maramures.
Depending on the season, we will see different activities: women standing outside on the porch knitting or washing the carpets they make in a traditional washing machine called ,,valtoare” (natural whirlpool), using the water from the river. We can see the men who boil and make the famous strong drink called ,,horinca” (60% alcohol proof), in their own distileries. Of course, they will be more than proud to invite you to taste their famous brew.
We are not going to miss the most famous craftsmen either. We will go inside their houses and see how they make the famous wooden gates; we will observe the women weaving carpets, bags, or making the traditional Maramures hats.
Accommodation in Poienile Izei, at a guesthouse.
Day 4: Today we will do things very…very…slow! Yes, you are in for a great experience: a ride with the narrow and slow gauge steam train (Mocanita) on Vasser Valley.
Later on, if there is a celebration, festival, or a Sunday service at the church, we will be a part of it, sharing the joy and admiring the beautifully coloured traditional costumes.
Because it is our last night in Maramures, we will have a special one, with traditional singers!
Accommodation in Poienile Izei, at a guesthouse.
Day 5: Today we are heading to the beautiful Bucovina, in Paltinu village, driving on Prislop pass. Along the way we will enjoy scenic landscapes and then stop in Ciocanesti village, which is now a museum because of the painted houses in the area.
Accommodation at a guesthouse.
Day 6: We will start our day with the beautiful Moldovita painted monastery, part of the UNESCO heritage. Later on we will visit a local family and participate at their famous craft: egg painting, which is specific to Bucovina.
Accommodation at a guesthouse.
Day 7: Not far from our guesthouse there is another splendid painted monastery called Sucevita, another place that is a must see. After the visit at the monastery we will make a quick stop at Marginea, at the pottery workshop, for a live demonstration.
Accommodation at a guesthouse.
Day 8: This is the last day of the tour. We will stop at Voronet monastery, famous for the interesting and unique shade of blue used on the exterior walls.
End of program and transfer to the departure point of the tour.
Price upon request.
