Discover Romania

Discover Romania: Maramures Way

Photos courtesy of Maramures Way

What is Maramures Way and how did you come up with the idea?

Maramures Way is a 700 km tourist circuit route that connects and develops communities. It can be seen as the backbone of the Maramures region as well as a chance to make history. The route is designed to be completed on foot or on a bike, and on it tourists will find extraordinary landscapes, ancestral traditions and customs, adventures, relaxation, and all kinds of tourist attractions and beautiful people. But most of all, they will find themselves. On this fairy tale road, travellers will discover stories, legends, characters, and places that can enrich and heal the mind and the soul. We were inspired by Via Transilvanica and other similar routes from all over the world, such as El Camino de Santiago in Spain, but we adapted it to our region, which is unique in many ways.

Why the need for such an initiative in one of the most well-advertised regions of Romania?

It is a project that was born out of passion for one of the most special places on earth, Maramures. We want to offer tourists more accurate information in order to create realistic expectations. They must be aware that they will not encounter people dressed in folk costumes in Baia Mare, for example, but that they will be able to find great craft coffee there. The project aims to increase the amount of time people spend in Maramures, by offering a diverse choice of activities and improving the quality of tourist services.

A local NGO from the Maramures region has created an alternative map to help tourists discover the wonders of northern Romania. BR talked to Matei Tiboc, president of the Origini Maramures Association and initiator of the Maramures Way project.

By Oana Vasiliu

legends, creativity in handicrafts, simplicity in country life, joy in music, and more.

Do you see this project as complementary to other existing activities in the region?

This project also includes some well-known, short-distance mountain trails, and it also aims to gather multiple tourist services in the region: not only natural and cultural attractions, but also craftspeople, experiences (like on Airbnb), accommodation, and restaurants. There are many other such routes in the

world: Camino in Spain, Lycian Way in Turkey, Juliana Trail in Slovenia, Via Francigena in Italy, and many more. In Romania, the first route of this type was Via Transilvanica, which took shape 2018, while Maramures Way followed in 2019.

Can you present some of the experiences included in this programme?

We want to show people that there is a Maramures for everyone, especially for those who like taking walking trips and have a desire to dedicate more time to the area. We also target those who are passionate about traditions and folklore, nature lovers, creative people or those who just want to take a break from everything.

Maramures Way offers all kinds of experiences, from learning about a local family’s household chores to pottery, horseback riding or even experiences that give you an adrenaline boost, such as tandem paragliding.

What types of travellers are you looking to engage?

Maramures Way has something to offer to all kinds of people, with all kinds of motivations. Tradition is, indeed, at the centre of life, but there is also spirituality, nature, history and