OktoberFest 2008

OktoberFest 2008.

Click here for images from the event.

The little MOCANITA at Pension NAGY

You can admire a miniature steam locomotive in its entire beauty at the Nagy Pension.

The complete gallery here.

The pension in new clothes

Our Pension has put on a new wonderful dress.

Complete gallery here.

Water Mill

Our latest acquisition: The water mill.

Please visit www.pensiunea-nagy.ro for more details.

Accommodation and Freetime

With a capacity of 46 accommodation places, the NAGY pension offers you a variety of activities during your stay: carriage rides, ATV and bike rental, tourist routes in the historical part of Maramures and several other services for visiting the northern Maramures.

The NAGY pension offers accommodation possibilities for 46 persons, for the following prices:

6 - 3 bedrooms
14 - double rooms

Pricelist:

65 Lei/person in single room
50 Lei/person in double room
40 Lei/person in a 3 bedroom

Breakfast NOT included.

Price for Breakfast: 10 Lei

Pension NAGY - Accommodation in Viseu de Sus, Maramures

The NAGY Pension is situated in Viseu de Sus – near a great deal of tourist attractions like the Merry Cemetery from Sapanta, Wine Valley, the wooden monastery from Barsana, the Vaser Valley – which has become a true symbol for the Viseu city, where you can find the only logging train hauled by narrow gauge steam engines still in use in Europe– and offers you 18 rooms for accommodation and facilities: Restaurant, Bar, Jacuzzi, Sauna, Tanning Salon, ATV and bike rides, conference room, billiard, wireless internet, guarded parking, playground for kids, paintball.

We invite you to spend your free time in the heart of nature, in a refined and elegant environment.

Click for photos of Pension NAGY.

NATURAL DISASTER in Vaser Valley

Taking into account the dramatic situation created by the flood in Vaser Valley and its disastrous consequences, the steam train Mocanita will no longer be able to circulate for a period of time. We will let you know as soon as new information appear. Thank you for your understanding.

Popular song from Maramures - Frunza verde ca iarba

Popular song from Maramures - Frunza verde ca iarba

Popular song from Maramures

Popular song from Maramures.

Trip to Barsana Monastery

You must visit this place !!!

Grate view of Viseu

Images from Viseu de Sus

Image from Viseu de Sus

Girls from Maramures

Girls from Maramures

Maramures

„Maramures“is rich of sights for tourists. Most of them are reachable in a daytrip from Viseu de Sus by car; but as there are guestrooms everywhere, it is recommendable to make a several day tour or round tours.

A rough overview:

Country land Iza-Tal: Famous for its costumes (Sundays!), traditional wooden gates/doorways and –churches. Good hiking possibilities. Villages which are worth seeing: Ieud, Botiza and Barsana with its monastery (world cultural heritage!).
Sighet: Pretty, former Austrian-Hungarian small town, different museums (among them the open-air village museum), synagogues, big Jewish graveyard, birth house of Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel was born (museum today), and many others.
Sapinta: „Fröhlicher Friedhof“ (geschnitzte, bauernkünstlerisch verzierte Grabkreuze), viel traditionelles Kunsthandwerk, höchste Holzkirche Europas (Manastir Sapinta Peri), wunderschöne Umgebung (teilweise unter Naturschutz) usw.
Rodna-Mountains: Highest Mountain of Maramures, partly national park (Pietrosul), perfect for (several days) mountains tours.
Borsa Complex, Prislop: reachable with chairlift, skiing possibilities in winter, waterfall (Cascada), and marked trails.
Ocna Sugatag: health resort with sanatoriums, thermal baths, beautiful surrounding area.
Tisa: sensational private museums (art, antique, graphics) of the family Pipaş
Costiu: : swimming pool with salty mineral water, wild salt lake, beautiful position.
…and many more!

More details on ViseudeSus.Ro and Ecotours.Ro

Excursions and walking in Viseu de Sus

Even if the provincial town of Viseu de Sus is blessed neither with historical nor architectural constructions, there is always something to discover. In the centre, on a stroll through town, there is the former country castle (today city administration, “Primaria”), the town museum and quite close to each other three big churches: Romanian orthodox (built in 1933-37) with its typical domes, Greek-orthodox (built in 1912-1918) by the German minority.

Some side routes with their single-storey small houses have preserved still the charm of the old. Jewish stamped Viseu de Sus; unfortunately, the big synagogue was destroyed in seventies.

Worth seeing is also the formerly German quarter of the “Zipserei” (from Zipser row, row settlement), on the other side of the river, in whose lanes you can hear now and then the cosy Wischauer dialect. Above this quarter, on the so-called “Podori”, the German/Hungarian (Catholic) as well the big Jewish cemetery is situated, with a nice view on town and in the Rodna Mountains.

Closer Surroundings

The Viseu de Sus’ surrounding hills and mountains are ideally suited for easy day wanderings and excursions to nature.An attractive tour through picturesque scenery scattered farmsteads leads from the “Zipserei” in the Weintal (in Romanian Valea Vinului). This valley is known for its numerous mineral water springs (in Romanian Borcut). The visit of the small cloister Valea Scradei founded after the turn (in Romanian Manastir) is also worthwhile (an originally remaining side valley of the Wassertal). The cloister with its wooden church built in the typical Maramures style lies about 20 walking minutes form the village centre in marvellous surroundings. Way: From Viseu de Sus across the Zipser bridge, then on the right along the street 1. Mai (in Romanian Unu Mai) always along the river after about 3 kilometres again across wide wooden bridge, following the rails of the railway through the forest and further along the street leading to Valea Scradei.

Important: There are no footpaths in the west-European sense, never mind signpost. Best of all you follow your own sense and ask, if necessary, the friendly locals for the way.

Vaser Valley

A day trip with the forest railway offers a unique train adventure; but if someone wants to know the picturesque “Wassertal”, he should make a trip lasting several days. But such a very recommendable tour (suggestions for routes are further below) should be prepared carefully because the “Wassertal” is not populated and apart from alpine pastures completely covered with forests. Pure natur!

Pay attention while a several days trip:

• Physical fitness and travelling experiences are imperative.
• Have a tent with you! There are no overnight stay possibilities.
• Take enough provisions with you, no shopping possibilities.
• Appropriate shoes, protections against rain and warm clothes are imperative.
• Never travel alone!
• Go to the next train station if there are any problems or emergencies (radio contact), mobile phones have no reception.
• Respect the controls (border area!), always have your passport with you.
• Mind immediate vicinity to the border of Ukraine.
• Provide yourself with spring water only.
• In case of fog you can quickly lose your orientation! In emergency, follow the watercourse downwards.
• Caution against not supervised sheepdogs!
• Take maps and possibly a compass with you. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good maps about “Wassertalbahn” available at the moment. But useful copies could be acquired at the bureau of Ecotours S.R.L.

Routs (even marked in parts):

• Viseu de Sus – Valea Pestilor – Pietrosul Bardau (1850m) – Bardau CFF (2 days)
• Faina CFF – Novicior – Novicior CFF (1 day)
• Macarlau CFF – Vf Tiganului (1736m) – Vf Toroiaga (1930m) – Ripi – Ihoasa CFF (2-3 days)
• Ihoasa CFF – Valea Scradei – Viseu de Sus (1 day) (all of the routes could be travelled upon in the opposite direction and/or could be combined with each other)There are of course countless other possibilities for tours in „Wassertal“.

Travellers get competent advice and further suggestion for routs in the bureau of Ecotours S.R.L.

More informations on ViseudeSus.RO and Ecotours.Ro

Mocanita

Mocanita. Valea Vaserului

JOURNEY BY THE FOREST RAILWAY

General Information

The “forest” railway CFF Viseu de Sus, well-known as the "Wassertalbahn", is a private, company railway, no public train. Its purpose is the transportation of wood and the carriage of forestry workers to their work places in Wassertal. "Non-company persons" are also given the opportunity to travel by it.There is a regular passenger train, driven by a steam locomotive, for the numerous visitors. Visitor groups charter for themselves their own special steam trains.The train-tourism is organised by Ecotours S.R.L. by order of the owner of the railway, the R.G.Holz Company S.R.L.

Timetable

The "Wassertalbahn" drives daily and all year round, except on Sundays and public holidays, but without timetable.In general one to two trains leave the company area in Viseu de Sus in the early morning with empty wood-trucks and return in the evening, heavy-loaded with uncut timber.These "production trains", which are mainly driven by diesel locomotives, have a passenger car for the forestry workers-if necessary. Travelling by this train is possible in principle, but there is no claim of transport for common passengers. Therefore, Ecotours S.R.L. has introduced special trains, which are driven by steam-locomotives, for tourists and train enthusiasts (see "Trains for tourists" and "Groups").

Train regulations

Rules for travelling by the “forest” railway Viseu de Sus for non-company persons:

Passengers need a valid ticket, which can be bought at the “forest” railway station.
Travelling by the trains of CFF Viseu de Sus takes place at every passengers own risk; the company R.G.Holz doesn’t assume any responsibility at all.
Passengers must obey the orders of the guard; if necessary, he has the right to refuse the continuation of the journey.
Passengers are only allowed to travel by the special passenger trains; staying on platforms, wood-trucks and so on is forbidden.
Jumping on and off the train during the journey is strictly forbidden.
At the stations staying in areas of loading and forestry work is forbidden.
Departure times, routes and stops of the trains are subject to needs of forestry only and can hence be changed at short notice. Visitors have no right to transportation certain times.
The Vaser Valley is a frontier area; therefore always have your passport or your identity card with you.

Trains for tourists

Who wants to visit the “forest” railway of Viseu de Sus, wants to go to "Wassertal" by a train, driven by steam.

The old steam machines,however, are only seldom in use and today, diesel-locomotives dominate. But for the pleasure of train-enthusiasts and tourists a train with steam locomotive operates daily from about mid May to September. It is a tourist and passenger train with a look-out car in the summer holidays.Steam-driven tourist train Departure: 8:30 am at the station (Ecotours-bureau) Viseu de Sus Route: Viseu-Faina-Viseu OR Viseu-Poiana Novat-Viseu Return Viseu de Sus: in the eveningSeason: Daily, except on Sundays and on public holidays from about mid May to September (without guarantee!)

Price: Return ticket € 8.-, reduction for teenagers; children under the age of 8 free (Wochenkarte für beliebige Fahrten während sieben Tagen Euro 25.-)Important: Bookings for groups of more than 10 persons are essential.Several times a year special "Level steam weeks" are offered in co-operation with the organization "Help for the Wassertalbahn", where steam locomotives are used instead of diesel locomotives. These "special weeks for railroad friends" are announced on www.wassertalbahn.ch and on the homepage of Ecotours S.R.L.

Groups

Organized visitor groups can rent their own special steam train on the “forest” railway. Composition of the train, date, departure time, route and (photo-) stops can be freely chosen! There is an especially lovingly renovated "traditional train", which consists of original wooden-passenger trains with open platforms. If requested, the train is catered for and/or on the way, a Picnic/Barbecue outside can be organized.An unforgettable experience and a great change on every tour of Romania! Please contact us (order form) or ask for a non-binding offer.

More information on Ecotours.Ro and ViseudeSus.Ro

Travel to Viseu de Sus, Maramures - BY PLANE

Apart from Bucharest Otopeni, also the airports Cluj-Napoca, Suceava, Sibium, Timisoara and Tirgu Mures offer international flights. Travel agencies or the internet inform you about the flight schedules.

Low budget airlines:
TAROM www.tarom.ro

(german: www.tarom.de)
MALEV www.malev.hu

CARPATAIR www.carpatair.com

If you come to Bucharest by plane, it is most comfortable to take the direct night-train (sleeping cars) to Viseu de Sus (see Journey by train). The continuation of the journey from Cluj to Viseu de Sus is possible by train (slow but charming scenery) or by bus. Time needed: 5 hours.

Click here for more details.

Travel to Viseu de Sus, Maramures - BY CAR

From Germany/Austria via the motorway Vienna – Nickelsdorf to Budapest (motorway M1). Either across the city towards Miskolc/motorway M3 (badly signposted) or via the southern bypass (M0) on the motorway M3 towards the East, exit Polgar – Nyreghyiaza – Mateszalka – Csengersima/Petea – Satu Mare.

Alternative: Leave the M3 already in Füszesabony and drive via Tiszafüred – Hortobagy – Debrecen – Mateszalka, with a stopover in National park of Puszta Hortobagy (many private guest rooms).

If you come to the Hungarian/Romanian border in the evening, it is adviseable to stay in Csenger (Hotel Schuster) or near the Romanian town Satu Mare. Horses and carts without light, pedestrians and bad street conditions make driving at night too risky in Romania.

From Satu Mare either over Livada - Negresti Oas - Sapinta - Sighet or Livada - Baia Mare - Gutin-Pass - Sighet to Viseu de Sus. Both routes are particularly delightful!

Hungary's motorways are subject to a toll (toll sticker "Matrica")
Also in Romania a toll sticker is obligatory ("Rovineta")
Romania has in the mean time a good network of petrol stations

Approximate travelling time without stopovers:

Vienna - Budapest 2 hours
Budapest - border Csengersima/Petea 5-6 hours
Satu Mare - Sighet - Viseu de Sus 4 hours
Crossing the borders takes between 20 and 60 minutes, depending on the density of traffic

Click here for more details.

Travel to Viseu de Sus, Maramures - BY BUS

Modern, international buses (for example "Eurolines") connect most Western European big cities with Eastern Europe. In Romania, apart from Bucharest, the bus also calls at Oradea and Cluj daily.A largely privatized bus network connects the bigger and smaller towns but unfortunately there is no central information office. Daily there are several buses from Cluj and from Baia Mare (over Sighet) to Viseu de Sus, but the small town can also be reached from Oradea and Satu Mare. Changing the bus is uncomplicated because the bus stops are central and, as a rule, next to the train station.
Long journeys by bus are a bit strenuous
Departure times might change, therefore always inform yourself in advance (it would be best to ask the bus drivers who are very helpful)
The fares are very cheap, also for international connections .
There are hardly any overcrowded buses (legal regulations!)

Click here for more details.

Travel to Viseu de Sus, Maramures - BY TRAIN

There are good connections from the big cities of Western Europe via Vienna to Budapest (Hungary) where you sometimes have to change the train station (by underground or taxi – Attention: high fares!).

The continuation of the journey to Viseu de Jos in Romania is a bit more complicated: Depending on the train connection, you have to change frequently and the departure times of the connecting trains are often uncoordinated. It is advisable to thoroughly study the timetables and to plan a possible overnight stay. There is a night train with couchette and sleeping cars from Bucharest to Sighet, which arrives in Viseu de Jos in the early morning. It is the most comfortable (and cheapest...) connection from the capital of Romania to Maramures! The night train also runs in the opposite direction.Three times a week, there is a train connection from Teresva or Rahov (Ukraine) to Sighet which may now also be used by foreigners since Ukraine abolished the compulsory visa for EU and Swiss citizens in 2005. From Sighet to Viseu de Jos, you can go by bus or by train and enjoy the charming scenery.

Timetables:

www.bahn.de (Germany)

www.cfr.ro (Romania)

www.oebb.at (Austria)

The fast trains in Romania must be reserved and are subject to extra fares.
From Viseu de Jos to Viseu de Sus (about 4 km) you can take the bus or hire a taxi

Attention: Should you have to travel alone, be careful at the train stations in Romania, which are said to be rather dangerous at night.

Click here for more details.

See the map of Viseu de Sus, Maramures

[ Click here to see the map zone of viseu de sus ]

Money. Viseu de Sus - Maramures

Viseu de Sus has several banks where money can be changed. There are several cash dispensers in the town, one of them directly at the police station in the Strada Republicii where you can provide yourself with cash using your current credit card. The exchange rates are fluctuating; at the moment you will get about 360 new Romanian Lei (state February 2006) for € 100.

Important: The old Lei (10 new Lei = 100,000 old Lei) is still valid.

Taxi

Several taxi enterprises offer their services; the trade is correct, the rates are put down and moderate (1 kilometre costs about 60 cents).
Taxi „SUN“ has its stand in the centre, in front of the "Casa de Cultura". Tel: 0740 244 233 or 0722 539 536 29.
Taxi „Anvis” " (also minibus) Tel. 0745 573 903 or 0742 828 107

More details on ViseudeSus.Ro and Ecotours.Ro

Image from Viseu de Sus

Shopping in Viseu de Sus, Maramures

In the numerous shops of Viseu de Sus the tourist can buy almost everything. The opening times are very customer-orientated; you can also make purchases on Sundays (some shops are even open non-stop!).

Local fresh products are offered at a small market directly in the centre, beside the city administration ("Primaria"). Or at the big weekly market ("Piata”) on the "Zipser bridge" at the entrance of the former German quarter, in each case Friday from about 9 to 13 o’clock. Here the small farmers from the surroundings supply themselves with the most necessary articles. They come to town on horses and carts. With its lively activity this weekly market is an experience for itself!

Food and drinking. Possibilities in Viseu de Sus, Maramures

The touristy offer in Viseu de Sus consists of countless bars and canteens, the offer, however, is apart from alcoholic drinks rather modest.

Tip: Espresso Bar Moak (street 1 Decembrie No. 31, in the center), cultivated atmosphere, various excellent coffees.

People eat at home in rural Romania; however, some restaurants offer typical food. Pizzeria Andra (street 22 Decembrie No. 25, in the centre) has a good kitchen – it exists not only of Pizzas!

Another excellent restaurant is the Roman in the Strada Carpti with its "Ciorba de burta" (sour Kuttel soup), probably the speciality of the Maramures. You can also eat quite traditionally at the Hotel Gabriela and in Hanul intre Raului, in the latter there is also danced to Romanian Disco music in the evenings. Youngsters meet at the Club Versus (street Libertatii No. 19); a trendy altered cellar vault whose entrance in a backyard is not easily found.

More details here and here.

Climate/holiday season in Viseu de Sus, Maramures

Generally, the climate in the Maramures is compareable to that of Central Europe, only a little more distinctive: Rainy spring, hot summers, extremely cold and winter months often rich in snow.

Ideal holiday season is from May to October; for mountain tours from June to September.

During the holiday seasons in August some of the better known places can be crowded. Farther away from the tourist centers the visitor finds the real, untouched Maramures, however, also in the midsummer.

More details here and here.