Baia Mare · Sighet · Sapanta · Viseu · Borsa · Barsana
What do you see in Maramures?
Short version — memory: the Sighet Memorial; family: the Baia Mare Planetarium; traditions: Sapanta + Barsana; narrow-gauge railway: Viseu; mountains: Borsa; museums: Baia Mare Mineralogy. Six stops with official fares where published and measured access from 3 bases. Below: the full verdict, the fares and measured access.
The quick verdict
Pick by what you want: memory, family, traditions, narrow-gauge railway, mountains or museums. Stop-to-need matches are editorial recommendations; fares are the operators' published ones, where published.
| Memory | Sighet | The communism victims memorial: 25/15/10 lei. Summer daily 9:30–18:30; winter Tue–Sun 9:30–16:30, Monday closed. From Baia Mare 66.4/76; from Cluj 180.1/205. |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Baia Mare | Planetarium: 20/5 lei, free for pensioners/pupils/students; Tue–Sun 9–16, hourly shows. From Cluj 131.8/157; from Sighet 66.5/76. |
| Traditions | Sapanta + Barsana | The Merry Cemetery (no official fare found — uncited) + Barsana Monastery (weekday services 7:00/19:00; Sundays and feasts 9:30/17:00). From Sighet: Sapanta 27.7/60, Barsana 19.7/28. |
| Narrow-gauge railway | Viseu de Sus | Fares, schedule and access: the dedicated narrow-gauge guide — not duplicated here. |
| Mountains | Borsa | Gateway to the Rodna Mountains; no official fares read — measured access only. From Sighet 78.7/111; from Cluj 167.4/195. |
| Museums | Baia Mare | Mineralogy: 20/5/10 lei, Tue–Sun 9–17 (last entry 16:30), guiding 50/100 lei. From Cluj 131.8/157; Monday closed. |
Access, measured by road
Three bases, six stops — Viseu is missing from the table: access is in the narrow-gauge guide. OSRM times are continuous driving, no stops, no traffic — mountain roads (to Borsa, Viseu) stretch them.
Method: OSRM car routes on OpenStreetMap, measured on 17 September 2026. Times are continuous driving, no stops and no traffic, one way.
| From | To | km | min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cluj-Napoca | Baia Mare | 131.8 | 157 |
| Cluj-Napoca | Sighetu Marmației | 180.1 | 205 |
| Cluj-Napoca | Săpânța | 207.2 | 264 |
| Cluj-Napoca | Borșa | 167.4 | 195 |
| Cluj-Napoca | Bârsana | 171.5 | 195 |
| Baia Mare | Sighetu Marmației | 66.4 | 76 |
| Baia Mare | Săpânța | 93.5 | 135 |
| Baia Mare | Borșa | 125.3 | 158 |
| Baia Mare | Bârsana | 65.3 | 75 |
| Sighetu Marmației | Baia Mare | 66.5 | 76 |
| Sighetu Marmației | Săpânța | 27.7 | 60 |
| Sighetu Marmației | Borșa | 78.7 | 111 |
| Sighetu Marmației | Bârsana | 19.7 | 28 |
Shortest access listed: Sighet–Barsana, 19.7 km / 28 min. Longest: Cluj–Sapanta, 207.2 / 264. Opposite directions sometimes differ by 0.1 km (separately measured routes).
The stops, in order
The official fares, compared
The three anchors with published fares: the Sighet Memorial, the Baia Mare Planetarium and Mineralogy. Sapanta and Borsa have no official fare found.
| Site | Fare | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Sighet Memorial | adult 25 · pensioner 15 · pupil/student 10 | summer daily 9:30–18:30; winter Tue–Sun 9:30–16:30, Monday closed |
| Baia Mare Planetarium | full 20 · reduced 5 · free pensioners/pupils/students | Tue–Sun 9–16, Monday closed; hourly shows |
| Baia Mare Mineralogy | adult 20 · pensioner 10 · pupil/student 5 | Tue–Sun 9–17, Monday closed; last entry 16:30 |
Mineralogy: photo 25, video 50, guiding Romanian 50 / foreign languages 100 lei (groups under 10, by appointment). Online tickets: easy2visit (Mineralogy), nightz (Planetarium).
Baia Mare two museums
- Planetarium: 20/5 lei, free for pensioners/pupils/students; Tue–Sun 9–16, hourly shows.
- Mineralogy: 20/5/10 lei, Tue–Sun 9–17 (last 16:30); guiding 50/100 lei; tickets online too.
- Both closed Monday. From Cluj 131.8/157; from Sighet 66.5/76.
Access: Base + stop: two museums with official fares in one town.
Sighetu Marmației memory
- The communism victims memorial: 25/15/10 lei.
- Summer daily 9:30–18:30 (arrive by 18:00); winter Tue–Sun 9:30–16:30, Monday closed.
- From Baia Mare 66.4/76; from Cluj 180.1/205. Base for the Iza valley.
Access: In Sighet; combine with Sapanta (27.7/60) and Barsana (19.7/28).
Săpânța traditions
- The Merry Cemetery: no official fare found — blogs say 10/5 lei, uncited here.
- Measured access only: from Sighet 27.7/60; from Baia Mare 93.5/135; from Cluj 207.2/264.
- Combine with the Sighet Memorial on the same day (editorial advice).
Access: Scene + measured access; ask the fare on site.
Vișeu de Sus narrow-gauge railway
- Viseu narrow-gauge railway: fares, schedule and access in the dedicated guide — not duplicated.
- The dedicated guide covers Viseu, Sovata and Moldovita.
- Book ahead in season (editorial advice).
Access: See the narrow-gauge guide for fares; only the road here.
Borșa mountains
- Gateway to the Rodna Mountains; the park site is JS-only, with no readable figures.
- No official fares read — measured access only: from Sighet 78.7/111; from Cluj 167.4/195.
- Schi-romania has no Borsa; we invent no ski fares.
Access: Mountain scene + measured access; check the weather first.
Bârsana monastery
- A nunnery, 22 km south-east of Sighet (official site).
- Services on weekdays 7:00 + 19:00; Sundays and feasts 9:30 + 17:00. Phone: 0770 662 380.
- Wooden churches: the analysis in the dedicated guide. From Sighet 19.7/28.
Access: Quiet + services; the shortest access listed.
The Merry Cemetery has no official fare found (blogs quote 10/5 lei — uncited), and Borsa has no official fares read. Narrow-gauge fares live in the narrow-gauge guide, and the wooden-church analysis in the dedicated guide, not here.
Practical
Money
Memorial 25/15/10, Planetarium 20/5/free (pensioners/pupils/students), Mineralogy 20/5/10 — all from the official pages. Sapanta and Borsa: no fare cited.
Hours
Monday closed at all three anchors (the Memorial only in winter; daily in summer). Planetarium 9–16, Mineralogy 9–17 (last 16:30), Memorial 9:30–18:30/16:30.
Bases
From Cluj: Baia Mare 131.8/157 (nearest). From Baia Mare: Sighet 66.4/76, Barsana 65.3/75. From Sighet: Barsana 19.7/28, Sapanta 27.7/60 (no traffic). Viseu: see the narrow-gauge guide.
Pointers
Viseu narrow-gauge railway: the dedicated guide. Wooden churches: the dedicated guide (analysis, not visiting hours). Rodna Park: official JS-only site.
Questions
Is it open Monday?
Generally not: the Planetarium and Mineralogy are closed Monday all year; the Memorial is closed Monday only in winter (daily 9:30–18:30 in summer).
What does the Merry Cemetery cost?
No officially published fare found (no town-hall site found) — blogs say 10/5 lei, uncited. Ask on site.
Where do I get narrow-gauge tickets?
From the dedicated narrow-gauge guide: fares, schedule and measured access for Viseu, Sovata and Moldovita.
When are services at Barsana?
On weekdays 7:00 morning + 19:00 evening; Sundays and feasts 9:30 + 17:00 (monastery site). Phone: 0770 662 380.
How long is the drive?
Measured examples (no traffic): Cluj–Baia Mare 131.8/157; Baia Mare–Sighet 66.4/76; Sighet–Sapanta 27.7/60; Sighet–Barsana 19.7/28.
What do I do with kids?
The Baia Mare Planetarium: pupils enter free, hourly shows, Tue–Sun 9–16. The Memorial suits older children (editorial advice).