Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Around Baia Mare
SURDEŞTI & AROUND
Approaching Surdeşti from Baia Sprie, you pass through
Şişeşti
village, home to the
Vasile Lucaciu Memorial Museum. Vasile Lucaciu (1835-1919), appointed parish priest
in 1885, built a church for the village that was supposedly modelled on St Peter's in
Rome.
The towering church (72m) at
Surdeşti
is one of the most magnificent in the Mara-
mureş region and listed as a Unesco monument. It's well worth the hike for its wall and
ceiling paintings. The church, signposted 'Monument' from the centre of the village, was
built in 1724 as a centre of worship for the Greco-Catholic faithful. Two kilometres south
in
Plopiş
is another fine Unesco-protected church with a towering steeple. Ask for the key
at the house nearby. A further 14km south is the town of
Lăschia
. Its church dates from
1861 and has a bulbous steeple.
BAIA MARE TO IZVOARE
North of Baia Mare a small road twists and turns through the remote villages of Firiza,
Blidari and Valea Neagră, culminating 20km north of Baia Mare at
Izvoare
, where there
are natural springs.
Viewing churches is not on the agenda here; come to wallow in the mountainous coun-
tryside dotted with delightful wooden cottages and ramshackle farms. The most popular
hiking destination in the area is Igniş Peak (1307m), also frequented by paragliders.
This route is not served by public transport. A hiking trail (five to six hours, marked
with red triangles) leads from Baia Mare to Izvoare; it starts about 3km north of Baia
Mare along the Baia Mare-Izvoare road.
Ţara Chioarului
The Ţara Chioarului region in the southwestern part of Maramureş takes in the area im-
mediately south of Baia Mare. The numerous villages, most of which boast traditional
wooden churches, form a convenient loop that is ideal for a two-hour drive by private
transport.
