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          The Maramures proper in many ways is Romania`s remotest corner. Lying in the country`s extreme northwest, it`s tucked away behind mountains that guard it on its southern, northern and eastern sides. The Maramures and Oas are renowned for the beauty of their magnificent forests and their mountains. And their inhabitants for centuries past have been highly skilled woodworkers.
          You`ll see small houses differently shaped and often with magnificently-carved gateways. More woodcarvings may decorate the houses` exteriors. Here, too, needless to say, you`ll see many of the all-wooden small churches with tall wooden spires. You may also come on country women weaving superb rugs and hangings and other fabrics on handlooms, willing to sell them to you.
          Baia Mare, today the Maramures `s county town, is the starting point of our trip. Although it`s an ancient mining settlement the town today is mostly attractive with its newer parts to the south. Traces of the ancient fortifications which have survived include the Mint Tower (Bastionul Monetariei), down beside the River Sasar and the Butcher`s Tower as well. The 15th cenntury Stephen Tower (Turnul lui Stefan) was also once part of the town`s fortifications. The baroque Sfânta Treime (Holy Trinity) Cathedral, built by Jesuits in 1720, stands beside it.
          The surroundings region is very well worth exploring. The Firiza storage lake lies only 11 km away.
          Baia Sprie is basically a small mining town, 10 km away from Baia Mare. A 14th century Catholic church was paid for, by forced contributions from the miners.
          The Izvoarele (The Springs) spa is associated with a famous local outlaw, Grigore Pintea, as it contains Izvorul lui Pintea (Pintea`s spring). Known to everyone as Pintea Viteazu (Pintea the Brave) he was bravely fighting oppressive foreign occupying forces. He was killed during the 1703-11 anti-Habsburg rising. In snowy winter people come to ski in this spa.
          The road we are driving leads us through magnificently-forested mountain slopes. At the top of the Gutin Pass, we reach a very attractive stopping-place, with a car park and restaurant. It`s the starting-point for a popular footpath, not easy going, up to the Creasta Cocosului (Cock`s Crest) geological reserve in the Gutin Mountains.
          The descend to Desesti is very steep. Desesti, lying on Mara valley, is famous for its unforgettable winter holidays. It has an all-wooden church, as have several villages east of it. Hãrnicesti, Sat Sugatag, Vadu Izei have some specially striking carved gateways and are famous for their colourful local costumes. Vadu Izei (Iza Ford) is the point of the two roads` junction.
          One starting northward to Sighetu Marmatiei and the other eastward upstream Iza Valley. We choose the former to reach Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures depression`s main centre, Romania`s most northerly town. Its Maramures ean Museum illustrates all the region`s wealth of handwork - not only every sort of woodcarving, but also carpets, icons painted on glass, masks, clothing and household objects such as the carved distaff still used in hand spinning. The town`s main appeal however lies in its position at the junction of the Rivers Tisa, Iza and Ronis oara at the foot of the Gutin Mountains.
          Oncesti lies only 11 km from Sighetu Marmatiei. The wooden church dates from 1795. Traces of a Dacian settlement have been found here.
          Bârsana boasts a particularly lovely highly-steepled wooden church, decorated with paintings on canvas attached to its inner walls. The church is believed to have been built in 1390 and moved to its present hilltop position early in the 18th century.
          Strâmtura (Tartars` Passage) commemorates a ferocious battle against Tartar invaders in 1717. As well as the other described vilages, Rozavlea boasts a church made - unusually - of fir-tree truncks. It dates from 1717.
          Just before entering Bogdan Voda village, a turning on our right takes us to Ieud, which has two of the most famous of all this region`s wooden churches. One, up on the hill, is believed to date from 1364, which would make it the oldest of all the buildings of this type. Paintings on canvas by local artists of the 15th and 16th centuries are attached to the interior walls, being of extremely value.
          Going back to the main road, we reach Bogdan Voda, formerly known as Cuhea. The name was changed because the village is thought to have been the birthpace of Bogdan I, the first ruler of Moldavia. Bodan Voda`s wooden church dates from 1722.
          Leaving behind Dragomiresti, Sãlistea de Sus and Sãcel we approach Moisei, which looks modern, having been rebuilt in 1944 after the Nazis had shot 30 people in one house and set fire to the whole village.
          Borsa. The region`s occupations are divided mainly between mining and agriculture, but there`s a "tourist complex", which includes 3 hotels, tourist chalets, a campsite and ski runs. To the south you can follow a footpath marked by a blue strip to the Pietrosu Mare Nature Reserve, on the slopes of 2305 m high Mount Pietrosu in the Rodna Massif.
          We are returning to Miosei where the road that branches off to the right leads us downstream River Viseu back to Sighetu Marmatiei. Leaving Sighetu Marmatiei by the road running west, we arrive after 18 km at the village of Sãpânta, whose cemetery has become famous for its painted headboards. Unlike the epitaphs usually put on graves, these are colourful in both senses of the word and full of humour. They`re the work of one man, Ioan Stan Patras. A Frenchman once called it "the Merry Graveyard".
          We can continue past Sapânta through very lovely scenery to Negresti-Oas, where there is another small handicrafts museum.
          No one will ever forget the folk costumes local people wear during the celebration days of Christmas and New Year time, Saint George`s Day, Tânjaua of Hoteni (the 1st man set out to ploughing is celebrated), the first Sunday of May brings Sâmbra Oilor celebration day, when milk sheep are separated from the barren ones. It`s the time the sheep flocks went up to the mountains.

          "The Wooden Churches of Maramures" package tour

          By far the best way of saving time, money and seeing something is to buy a "fly and drive" package tour. The Tarom fights link Bucharest Baneasa airport with Tautii Magheraus local airport, some 20 km away from Baia Mare.
          However, we can also organize coach tours to Maramures, thus combined with the other packages included in our offer.