Maramures villages
We have some of the most traditional villages in Romania on our door step. Breb being one of the most traditional. Come and see for yourself or get us to show you around our little world between the Mara and Isa valleys.
Want to stay in Maramures?
The traditional villages of Maramures
I take my jeep out with my trailer and go ‘picking’ as its called. I ask people what second had things they have and this leads me into all sorts of places and situations.
If you want to get right under the skin of the local communities and to see how people really live, this a great way to do it.
This section will be added to over time with more detailed information on the surrounding villages and what there is to see and do in each one.
Ocna Sugatag
Ocna Sugatag was once a major town in Maramures, the main interest in the area stemming from its status as a salt-mining centre. After the salt mines had collapsed and flooded, the town became known to Union leaders and communist supporters based in Baia Mare and Sighetu as a place to soak in the salt pools. Now, Ocna is a low-key tourist destination for families from Maramures. Ocna is 7km from Breb and has a post office, banks, ATMs and a Thursday morning market. There is one holiday complex with a large swimming pool, salt pools and a jacuzzi to relax in. There is usually a DJ and games for children, as well as sun-loungers on the pool-side.
There is a good market on thursday mornings there that are great if you want to buy a pig or a lump or salt for your cow to lick 🙂
Budesti
Budesti is the next village along from Breb. It is very similar to Breb but, as it is along a main road, has the feeling of being a lot busier as the traffic moves through, quickly swooshing around the horse-drawn carriages bringing hay home in the evenings.
Budesti is home to one of the wooden churches on the UNESCO World Heritage list where you can see the chain mail and helmet that belonged to Pintea Viteazul a true life Robin hood from Maramures.
Want to see more pictures of Maramures?
Souvenir Shops
There are a good selection of souvenir shops here that sell traditional crafts but you can also buy these goods from Breb, directly from the locals. Hard currency is scarce in Breb, so any money the locals can earn to purchase what they need on market day goes a long way.
Want to visit Maramures on an all inclusive tour?
Sarbi Village
The village of Sarbi is located near the Cosau river and within a couple of hours’ walk from Breb. Sarbi is known for its whirlpools and working watermills, and a hydro-powered system for washing clothes, rugs and blankets.
There are two wooden churches here, the Josani church dedicated to St Nicholas dated 1665 and the Susani church of St Parasceva built in 1667. See UNESCO World Heritage list for information on wooden churches.
Sarbi is also home to some talented hat-makers, a familiar part of male traditional dress, and there are plenty of woollen rugs for sale.
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The poems
Each person had their story of how they lived…. and how they died. Stan wrote poems to tell their tale and painted them on each cross. We have some books that translate these poems so you can read them before you go to the Merry Cemetery and look for them when you arrive. Great if you have kids with you, as it turns into a bit of a treasure hunt.