Christmas in Maramures

Todays destination is Maramures, a picturesque and charming region in northern Romania.

Daniel Onea, 13.12.2018, 12:22

Today’s destination is Maramures, a
picturesque and charming region in northern Romania, known for its century-old
traditions observed to date, and for the special events devoted to its
tourists. At the same time, Cavnic and Borsa mountain resorts boast functional
skiing tracks, both for beginners and for professional skiers.

We talked to Dan Carpov, the head of
the Tourist Information Centre with the Maramures County Council. He told us
about two upcoming events, namely the 10th edition of the Christmas
in Maramures Festival, hosted by the Village Museum in Baia Mare, and the 50th
edition of the Marmatia Customs and Traditions Festival held in Sightetul
Marmatiei. Dan Carpov:

The Christmas in Maramures Festival
has reached its tenth edition, and is aimed at introducing the rural life and
traditions of Maramures to the urban population. We could call it a
mini-festival. We will have carollers from ten villages, from all the areas in
Maramures. It will be a celebration of tradition, local food, merry-making and,
last but not least, winter-specific folk outfits. It’s an open event. We are
used to seeing tourists who are usually visiting Maramures at this time of the
year come and join the celebration. Many people called us asking for accommodation
and inquiring about the event. We will have groups of carollers, as well as a
special show staged by the Transylvania National Folk Ensemble, but also
children’s choirs from various parts of Maramures.

There will be practically ten days
of fantastic events in Maramures, Dan Carpov told us. Over December 17-27 the
area will host a wide array of Christmas-related festivals and events. Dan
Carpov:

On December 27 we will kick off the
Winter Customs and Traditions Festival. This year the festival celebrates 50
years of existence. It’s a festival that has been held without interruption
around December 27. It’s a nationwide event, all the more so as this year we
celebrate 100 years since the Great Union, so we will be presenting Christmas
traditions from all over the country, from Banat, Moldavia, Bukovina, Dobrogea
and Oltenia. All the country’s folk regions will be represented. The festival
is held in the city centre, so it will be delightful to see so many people
parading in traditional outfits. We will have mask games, winter traditions,
carols, all sorts of things.

There are also thematic tours of the
area that tourists can take to ensure a wonderful stay in Maramures:

Tourists can sign up for a tour of
the wooden churches. Of course, it’s a lot better to do that during the warm
season, but it’s also wonderful to visit Maramures in wintertime. We’ve had
snow at Christmas for many years, and people who visit Maramures when it snows
will see that the churches host various events at Christmas. It’s all very
beautiful, the atmosphere is very warm, it’s like a family welcoming you like
an old friend. Nature outings are more for the summer season, but we’ve
replaced the bikes with horse-drawn carriages and sleighs, available to our
guests. Starting December 17 and until the end of the year we will be urging
tourists to engage in such activities.

If you’re looking to exercise and do
sports during your winter holiday, Maramures is the perfect place. Dan Carpov:

We have very good news. We have
officially opened two skiing slopes in Maramures, with a third one pending in
Borsa. Right now, we have the Cavnic slope up and running, we’ve had snow and
we’re keeping it properly functional with the help of artificial snow. It was
opened on December 1 and I can tell you I’ve personally inspected the slope and
it’s in excellent condition. Moreover, the slope in Suisor is also open, and
Borsa will be next.

Of course, prices for accommodation
vary. For instance, one night per person in a three-star guesthouse for a
minimum stay of three nights with half-board and Christmas dinner included
costs around 55 euros. For more detailed and customised offers you can call the
travel agencies, as there are many to choose from, Dan Carpov told us:

I am glad to say that we have a lot
of accommodation alternatives in our area. Guesthouses offer a wide range of
events, apart from the traditional Christmas or New Year’s Eve meals. Once we
officially launch the Christmas season on December 22, there will be even more
events adding to the list. The narrow-gauge train on Vaser Valley is also a
tourist-favourite attraction at national level. We have special surprises in
store for our tourists around the winter holidays.