Sighetu Marmației

Sighetu Marmatiei (also spelled Sighet), with its 41,000 inhabitants, is the main town of the Maramureş region (northern Transylvania, Romania). Inhabited since the Stone Age, the settlement was first mentioned in 1334, and as town, in 1352. Today, Sighet is the gateway of Maramures, and one of its most important tourist attractions.

Get in

By plane

Nearest airport is Baia Mare at approx. 70 km, which is served by Tarom. From Baia Mare a bus or car connection is recommended.

A more likely destination for traveling by plane would be Cluj-Napoca. From Cluj-Napoca there are several possibilities of getting to Sighetu, like train, bus or car.

By train

• 1 Sighetu Marmației Railway Station (Gara Sighetu Marmației). There are several connections to Sighetu Marmaţiei from different towns in Romania and one direct connection to Budapest. 

From Ukraine you can take a train to Solotvyno, then cross the border by foot.

From Poland you can take a train to Lviv, then to Solotvyno.

By bus

If coming from Romania, Baia Mare will most likely be your first stop from which there are several buses daily, see autogari.ro. Dracard and other companies run about 15 minibuses a day M-F (fewer on Sa and Su) from Autogara Baia Mare on Strada Garii (1 hr 45 min, 12 lei, Sep 2018).

Sighetu has a border crossing with Ukrainian town of Solotvino to which you can get from Lviv and other cities by train or bus.

By car, bike or on foot

You can get in from Ukraine via the border crossing at Solotvino. The bridge over the Tisa is old and one could say a point of tourist interest.

• 2 Sighetu Marmației border crossing (Punctul de trecere a frontierei Sighetu Marmației). The only border crossing on the Ukrainian-Romanian border that can be used by pedestrians and bicycles 

Get around

You can reach all sights in the town on foot. The open-air part of the village museum is 3 km away from the centre.

See

• 1 The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance (Memorialul Victimelor Comunismului și al Rezistenței). The former prison of the Maramureș County, built in 1897, today a museum of European significance, under the aegis of the Council of Europe.  

Maramures Village Museum

• 2 Maramureș Village Museum (Muzeul Satului Maramureșean). An open air museum, with over 30 wooden houses dated to 17-19th centuries and a 16th-century wooden church  
• The Elie Wiesel House (today "The Jewish Culture and Civilization Museum", the place where was born Elie Wiesel, laureate of the 1986's Nobel Prize for Peace). 
• 3 Maramureș Museum (Muzeul Maramureșului). Rich displays of 15th-19th century icons, carpets, furniture and other ethnographic stuff 
• The Archaeological, History and Natural Sciences Museum (the former Piarist Monastery, built in 1730).
• 4 The Reformed Church (Biserica Reformată). The oldest building which survived-dated in 14th century, mixture of Gothic and New Gothic styles).  
• The Roman-Catholic Church "Saint Carol Boromeu" (built between 1730-1806, Baroque style, sun clock above the entrance, an Armenian altar, paintings and statues).
• The Ukrainian Orthodox Church "Elevation of the Holy Cross" (built between 1791-1807, many saints relics).
• The Sephardic Synagogue (built in 1900-1904, Mauric-Renascentist style).
• The Jewish Cemetery and the Soap Monument (3.000 graves, like those of the founders of Hasidic movement - Teitelbaum dynasty. The Soap Monument contains two boxes filled with soap made by Jews gassed at Auschwitz death camp).
• 5 Paupers' Cemetery (Cimitirul Săracilor). About 50 former Romanian dignitaries, ministers, bishops, academicians, journalists, who were killed in Sighet jail during 1950s are buried in anonymous graves. (updated Jun 2015)
• The Steam engine (built in 1943, model Henschel&Sohn).
• The Livestock Market (very colourful, takes place every first Monday of each month).
• The Central Market (daily, where the merchants sell vegetables, fruits, dairy produces, handcrafts).
• The Cultural Palace (built in 1912-1913, looking like a medieval castle, Eccletic-Romantic style).

Buy

If you walk east along the main street, you'll come to three supermarkets: Carrefour, Lidl and another one. Further out of town is a hyper-markets -- Kaufland.

Eat

There aren't many restaurants in the town - mostly cafes, bars, and fast food places along the main street selling pizza and shwarsas.

Sleep

• 1 Cobwobs Hostel, Str. 22 Dec 1989 nr. 42, ☏ +40 740 635 673. Cozy hostel in the center of Sighet with comfortable rooms and caring owners 40 lei (dormitory bed). (updated Mar 2017)
• Motel Buți, Strada Similar Barnuțiu, nr. 10, ☏ +40 745 619 592. Comfortable hotel with shop. Breakfast included. Double 260 lei. (updated Sep 2018)

Go next

• Săpânța with the Merry Cemetery
• Baia Mare, the county's capital
• Vișeu de Sus with steam forest train