Since I keep going on about how wonderful the little village of Breb is, I should probably suggest some places for you to stay at. There’s plenty of choice – but do make your reservation well in advance, because Breb is a popular place among Romanians and international tourists alike. Here are my favourite places – starting with my absolute favourite which also happens to be the cheapest!
Babou Maramureş campsite and hostel
Babou is like an anchor to me: whenever I am hiking in Maramureş, I will always go there to rest in between hikes. It is definitely one of my favourite places in Romania. I’ve seen a lot of people arrive there planning to stay for only one or two nights, and ending up staying for over a week. It is that sort of place: it makes you want to slow down to just take it all in. The campsite itself is wonderful – pitch your tent under one of the many apple trees or at the back near the haystack, and then relax in one of the hammocks. If you don’t feel like pitching your own tent, there is good news! You can either rent a tent or ask for a bed in the hostel (which is a refurbished old barn). You can buy beer and wine at the campsite, have a traditional dinner at the neighbours, explore the labyrinth the village is, hike to the Creasta Cocosului, rent a mountainbike to explore the surrounding countryside and villages, and much more. I promise it will be a very rewarding stay! Don’t forget to take a look at some of Eveline’s hand-drawn postcards – if you can’t wait you can also buy them right here.
http://baboumaramures.com/ | campsite: 25 RON p/n (adult) | rental tent: 75 RON p/n (two persons) | bed in hostel: 50 RON p/n
Pensiunea Mărioara
Pensiunea Mărioara is owned by the lovely Mărioara and Viorel and is hard to miss: it is one of the pensions at the bottom of the asphalt road as you enter the village from the main road. You can stay in either the traditional wooden house or in the new pension. All rooms have been decorated with traditional carpets though. They are spacious and the bathrooms look just perfect. To complete your experience, you can order traditional breakfast and dinner. Or cook your own using the grill in the spacious garden.
http://www.marioara.ro/ | phone: +40 744 145 349 (Viorel) or +40 766 271 254 | room: 50 RON pppn | breakfast: 20 RON pp | traditional dinner: 40 RON pp
Pensiunea Maramu’
Pensiunea Maramu’ is just a few hundred metres up the road from Mărioara; opposite the new(ish) white Orthodox church that towers over the village. Although the pension is modern, you are really staying on a farm, and are even invited to join the peasants in the field if you like! The rooms are all furnished in a traditional way; there is a terrace and a garden and you can use the fridge and the grill. Great place for families.
http://pensiuneamaramu.weebly.com/ | phone: +40 760 149 552 / +40 734 587 905 | room: 100 RON/night (2 pers.) | breakfast: 20 RON pp | dinner: 30 RON pp
The Village Hotel
The Village Hotel is really a little village inside a village. Either rent one of the beautiful cottages or a room – I love the Casa Pictata, the painted house. You will find breakfast in the fridge. There are plenty of dinner options – you can dine at a local farm, up in the mountains with a shepherd, or even enjoy a roasted pig dinner if there is a big enough group around. You can even explore the village on a horse cart ride!
http://www.villagehotelmaramures.com/ | phone: +40 723 223 059 |double room 220 RON | Casa Pictata 270 RON
Rent your own cottage
If you want complete privacy and independence, maybe renting a cottage is the best option for you. Here are two that I ran into in the village; phone numbers are in the pictures. I’m not sure if the owners speak English – but do give it a go!
Breb is waiting to welcome you! You may find it hard to leave again…
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