- Maramureș
- Ocna Șugatag
Ocna Șugatag
The salt-lake spa between the Mara and Cosău valleys, a few kilometres from the village of Breb and the UNESCO wooden churches of Budești and Desești.
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What to see in Ocna Șugatag
Things to see, picked to fill a whole day.
1UNESCO wooden churchBiserica de lemn din Budești Josani
The St Nicholas wooden church in Lower Budești (Josani), built in 1643, with a tall tower ringed by four small turrets and 18th-century paintings inside.
Budești (Josani)
2UNESCO wooden churchBiserica de lemn din Desești
The St Paraskeva wooden church in Desești, built around 1770, with its interior walls fully painted in 1780.
Desești
3Traditional village and wooden churchSatul Breb și biserica de lemn
A Mara Valley village below the Rooster's Crest (Creasta Cocoșului), with wooden houses and gates, folk dress still worn and a wooden church built in 1622.
Breb
4Water-powered folk machineryInstalațiile tehnice populare din Sârbi
A Cosău Valley farmstead where the stream drives a whirlpool washer, a fulling mill, a grain mill and a sawmill, a listed 19th-century ensemble.
Sârbi (comuna Budești)
5Salt lakes and spa poolsLacurile sărate din Ocna Șugatag
Salt lakes formed over the old salt mines closed in 1950, with outdoor pools in summer and heated salt-water pools in the complexes around them.
Ocna Șugatag (zona lacurilor)
Where to eat in Ocna Șugatag
Meals worth the trip.
- 1Trout farm restaurant
Păstrăvăria Alex
A restaurant and guest house with its own trout farm in the village of Mara, on the road to the Gutâi Pass, with tables outside by the fish ponds.
Mara (comuna Desești) - 2Traditional restaurant
Casa lu' Dochia
A small restaurant in a restored traditional house in Breb, with food cooked from local produce and a menu that changes with what is available.
Breb - 3Local-food restaurant
Breb 148 – Local Food & Garden
A small à la carte restaurant in an orchard at the edge of Breb, with seasonal dishes made from local ingredients.
Breb (marginea satului) - 4Inn with restaurant
Hanu lu Cobâlă
A traditional guest house with a restaurant in the hills south of Budești, serving Maramureș cooking, with a large garden.
Budești (pe deal, la sud de sat) - 5Bistro and café
Sweet Home Bistro Caffe
A bistro and café in the centre of the resort, next to the town hall, with burgers, steaks, platters, desserts and coffee from breakfast to evening.
Ocna Șugatag (centru)
Where to stay in Ocna Șugatag
Places to sleep well, picked for comfort and location.
- 1Farm guest house
Pensiunea Inima Maramureșului
A guest house at the entrance to Breb, with a new villa and a traditional house, a large yard with terraces and food cooked from the family's own farm produce.
Breb - 2Family guest house
Casa Grai Moroșănesc
A family guest house on Breb's main lane, with rooms in traditional style and home-cooked meals on request.
Breb - 3Riverside guest house
Pensiunea Mara
A guest house with six double rooms on the bank of the Mara river in Desești, with a large garden and food cooked mostly from its own produce.
Desești - 4Farmstead guest house
Casa Pintea de Sub Coastă
A family guest house on a farmstead in Breb, about 250 metres from the wooden church, with traditionally furnished rooms and meals cooked by the hosts.
Breb - 5Guest house with salt-water pool
Pensiunea Marea Alpină
A newly built guest house in the centre of the resort, with a heated indoor salt-water pool, an outdoor pool, a sauna and a restaurant.
Ocna Șugatag (centru)
Frequently asked questions
What to see in Ocna Șugatag?
We recommend Biserica de lemn din Budești Josani (unesco wooden church, Budești (Josani)): It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999 and is a listed historic monument, LMI code MM-II-m-A-04530. Other picks: Biserica de lemn din Desești, Satul Breb și biserica de lemn, Instalațiile tehnice populare din Sârbi and Lacurile sărate din Ocna Șugatag.
Where to eat in Ocna Șugatag?
We recommend Păstrăvăria Alex (trout farm restaurant, Mara (comuna Desești)): It holds 4.6 on Google from more than 9,000 reviews, the most of any restaurant in the area. Other picks: Casa lu' Dochia, Breb 148 – Local Food & Garden, Hanu lu Cobâlă and Sweet Home Bistro Caffe.
Where to stay in Ocna Șugatag?
We recommend Pensiunea Inima Maramureșului (farm guest house, Breb): It holds 9.7 on Booking from more than 180 reviews and 4.9 on Google from more than 350 reviews. Other picks: Casa Grai Moroșănesc, Pensiunea Mara, Casa Pintea de Sub Coastă and Pensiunea Marea Alpină.
How far is Ocna Șugatag from Baia Mare?
About 52 km by road from Baia Mare.
How do you choose the places?
For each category we pick at most five places and check them: they exist, they are open and they are worth the trip. We take no money to list a place.