Itinerary

• Day One - Crossing the Carpathian Mountains
• Day Two - Rural Mara Valley!  
• Day Three - Sapanta - the Merry Cemetery, Sighet Prison

This extension will take us to one of the most unique rural areas left in Europe - Maramures! Maramures is likely to be as far away culturally as you have ever been from the United States. Britney Spears, video games, shopping complexes, skyscrapers…not here!

One of the highlights of our Maramures trip will be the many UNESCO recognized wooden churches, magnificent structures constructed with craftsmanship and the pride of local artisans. Another wooden highlight of this area, who's main industry is logging, are the intricately carved gates that stand in front of peasant houses throughout this splendid area.

In Sighetu Maramatiei we will take a sobering visit to the former prison, now turned museum, where the cruel communist regime incarcerated and tortured many innocent people in their bid to take over control of the government and force the people into submission.

The highlight of Maramures, however, has to be the Merry Cemetery of Sapanta. This most unique place is the life work of a man named Stan Ioan Patras who carved colorful wooden crosses for the village cemetery with humorous epitaphs related to the life of each person interred!