# Maramureș: wooden churches and the Merry Cemetery

> 4-day road trip of about 199 km (123 mi) with 8 stops, from Baia Mare to Prislop Pass. About 2 h 45 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b7-maramures/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 199 km (123 mi) with 8 stops, from Baia Mare to Prislop Pass. About 2 h 45 min of driving in total. Tall shingled churches, carved gates, haystacks and horse carts in Romania’s most traditional corner, up to the Prislop pass.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 199 km (123 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 45 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Baia Mare → Prislop Pass |
| Countries | Romania |
| Updated | June 17, 2026 |

## Route description

From Baia Mare make a short detour east to Surdești, whose UNESCO oak church has one of the tallest wooden spires in Europe. Then take the DN18 over the forested Gutâi pass into historic Maramureș, a region of carved wooden gates and hay-stacked meadows.

At Săpânța, near the Ukrainian border, the Merry Cemetery’s blue crosses are painted with scenes and cheeky verses about the dead. In Sighetu Marmației the former prison is now a sombre memorial to the victims of communism.

The DN18 then follows the Iza valley past the modern wooden monastery of Bârsana; turn off at Bogdan Vodă for Ieud, whose small hill church holds 18th-century paintings. Sundays, when villagers wear traditional dress to church, are especially rewarding, but visit discreetly.

Continue up to Borșa below the Rodna mountains and the Prislop pass at 1,416 m, where the road crosses into Bukovina. Watch for horse carts and livestock on the roads, and expect some patchy asphalt; guesthouses offer home cooking and space to park.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Baia Mare** (Romania)
2. **Surdești Wooden Church** (Surdești, Romania): A UNESCO-listed oak church with a slender shingled spire more than 50 m high, among the tallest wooden structures in Europe. Ask in the village if the door is locked.
3. **Merry Cemetery** (Săpânța, Romania): Hundreds of bright blue carved crosses, each with a naive painting and a humorous verse about the person buried below. Come early before the tour buses.
4. **Sighetu Marmației** (Romania)
5. **Bârsana Monastery** (Bârsana, Romania): A modern monastery built entirely in the Maramureș wooden style, with a church spire of about 57 m, gardens and small shingled chapels.
6. **Ieud Hill Church** (Ieud, Romania): A small UNESCO wooden church on a hill above the village, with wall paintings from the 18th century. Ieud is one of the most traditional villages of the Iza valley.
7. **Borșa** (Romania)
8. **Prislop Pass** (Borșa, Romania): A 1,416 m pass between Maramureș and Bukovina, with views of the Rodna mountains. There is a small monastery and a meadow for a picnic at the top.

## FAQs

**How long is Maramureș: wooden churches and the Merry Cemetery?**
4-day road trip of about 199 km (123 mi) with 8 stops, from Baia Mare to Prislop Pass. About 2 h 45 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Maramureș: wooden churches and the Merry Cemetery?**
We suggest 4 days: about 2 h 45 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Maramureș: wooden churches and the Merry Cemetery start and end?**
It starts in Baia Mare and ends in Prislop Pass.

**Which countries does Maramureș: wooden churches and the Merry Cemetery pass through?**
Romania.