The Merry Cemetery and Maramureș in a day
Romania begins just across the Tisza, which is why people travel there from Zakarpattia without an overnight stay. The schedule of excursions to Romania from Uzhhorod holds three routes, and the most popular of them is the vivid excursion to Romania at ₴3,500 - the one that goes into Maramureș, to the Merry Cemetery and Baia Mare. Here is what the place is and why it leaves such a strong impression.
The Merry Cemetery: why people travel there on purpose
The Merry Cemetery in the village of Săpânța is arguably the most unusual graveyard in Europe. Instead of dark stone it holds carved oak crosses painted bright blue, each one bearing a picture and a rhymed epitaph about the person buried beneath it.
It began in the 1930s: a local carver, Stan Ioan Pătraș, started cutting into the crosses not only names but scenes from the life of the deceased - ploughing, herding sheep, weaving, healing, fighting. He wrote the texts with humour, at times quite blunt humour. His apprentices carried the tradition on, and today there are more than eight hundred such crosses.
The effect is hard to put into words. You walk into a cemetery and instead of mourning you find an account of ordinary village life - ironic, tender and entirely without pathos. That is why the Merry Cemetery is not “a trip to a graveyard” but a trip to a very human view of death.
Maramureș is a region, not a single stop
Săpânța sits in Maramureș, a historic region split by the border: the northern part stayed in Zakarpattia, the southern went to Romania. So you find the same landscape there, similar villages, wooden architecture and plenty of familiar faces and languages.
Maramureș is known for its wooden churches with tall spires - several are on the UNESCO list. These are not museum reconstructions but churches people still attend.
The second stop on the route is Baia Mare, the region’s main town. An old mining capital with a square, a tower and a calm centre, a good place to stop for lunch and stretch your legs after the drive.
How long the day takes
It is a full day: an early departure and a late evening return, with the border crossing already built into that time. Crossing the Tisza is not a formality - queues do happen, so the return time in the programme is approximate.
The practical advice is the same as for any trip abroad: do not schedule anything unmovable for the evening of the excursion. Take water and a snack with you, especially if you are travelling with children.
What the price includes
The price covers transport by comfortable coach and the work of the guide according to the programme. Entrance tickets, meals, souvenirs and personal expenses are paid separately. Medical insurance is not included and can be arranged separately if needed.
A lunch stop is part of the programme, and there is free time for photographs - Săpânța is exactly the kind of place where you want to walk slowly and read the crosses one by one.
Documents and money
You need a biometric international passport valid for at least three months after the return date. An internal passport or ID card will not get you across, and a child travels on their own international passport.
Romania uses the leu, not the euro. Cards are accepted in towns, but in the village and at souvenir stalls a little cash is more convenient. You can exchange money locally; budget for lunch, entrance tickets and small purchases.
The other Romanian routes
If ethnography is not what you are after, Romania offers two more trips. Salina Turda at ₴4,700 is an underground salt mine turned into something between a museum and an amusement park: a Ferris wheel, boats on an underground lake, lighting set straight into the salt walls. The day is long, around twenty hours, but the impression is powerful.
The second option is Romania with the salt lakes of Solotvyno: the price for this route is quoted by a manager, as it depends on the group and the dates.
A simple guide: for culture and human stories, Maramureș with the Merry Cemetery; for an underground spectacle, Salina Turda; for water, the salt lakes.
Who this trip suits
The route is family-friendly: children handle it well and there are no long hikes. It works particularly well for travellers who have already seen “classic” Europe with its cathedrals and squares and want something else - a living tradition that was not staged for tourists.
Dress for the weather: you spend most of the day outdoors, and in Maramureș mountain weather changes faster than it does down in the valley.
How to book
Press “Book” in the excursion card and leave your name and phone number - a manager will call to agree the date and details. Departure is from Uzhhorod, Koriatovycha Square; joining in Mukachevo is possible by arrangement, so mention it when you book. The manager will confirm the exact meeting time - please arrive 10-15 minutes early.
