Merry Cemetery in Romania: Complete Guide
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The Merry Cemetery in Romania is way the fuck up there in the very north of my country, close to the Ukrainian border. Not only that, but it is so far away from most tourist spots, I would actually count this as one of those “off the beaten path” places.
I visited “Cimitiru Vesel” or the Merry Cemetary in Romania this past summer on a big road trip through the country, and I liked it more than I thought I would!
That said, I have a few notes for you if you’re planning a visit to make the trip worthwhile.
My biggest lessons learned when visiting the Merry Cemetery are:
- Very few people speak English in this town. Go with an English-speaking guide to translate the grave site poems – this is literally the best (and funniest) part of the experience.
- I had a home base in the town of Breb, and drove up to the Merry Cemetery for the day.
- Spend 3-4 days in the Maramures area and see more of the painted monasteries, hike, and the traditional activities that define this region (mostly centered around church and food). More details on that below…
On one hand, the Merry Cemetery is one of the most unique and funny (yes, funny!) places I’ve traveled to in a while – worth it if you’re in northern Romania. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique blue colored an decorated crosses above each gravesite inscribed with funny little poems about that person’s life – and most are super cheeky, like town gossip!
On the other hand, that is all this town has to offer (beyond a bit of tourist shopping). It’s also quite a drive to get up there. Luckily, there are a bunch of other pretty things to see in the Maramureș area, so worth the trip.
PLANNING A TRIP TO THE MERRY CEMETERY?
🏠 Best Places to Stay:📍Casa Moroșenilor – Village of Breb – One of my favorite stays in Romania. This little village home is totally remodeled, but they’ve kept the authentic vibe of the old Maramureș style architecture.
✅ Best Tour When You Visit: Visit the Merry Cemetery with a Romanian Guide because everything is in Romanian, and you need the translation to understand the wittiness and play in some of the poems on the crosses.
🚨 Travel Insurance I Use: Safety Wing Nomad Insurance Complete. Travel medical insurance is a must when planning a trip to Eastern Europe because we’re adults, and it’s called being responsible. Insurance is important not just because of the financial side when something goes wrong but also because you’ll be glad to have someone to call and help you sort out medicine abroad – in a foreign language.
✔️ The Essential Plan is best for mid- to short-term travelers covering travel risks and unexpected medical issues, starting at around $56 for 4 weeks. If you’re going hiking in the Carpathians like I did, you will want to add on the Adventure Sport option. (BEST FOR SHORT TERM TRAVEL)
✔️ The Complete Plan is a lot more comprehensive and is best for the longer-term traveler (like more than a month). The key to this one is that it includes the Adventure Sports add-on, plus routine healthcare stuff, maternity, cancer screenings, chiropractic, etc. if you need it. This is actually the best bang for your buck if you’re a digital nomad like me. (BEST FOR DIGITAL NOMADS)
🚗 Car Rental I Use: Discover Cars (I usually get the smallest automatic, and it does just fine on the roads of Romania)
About the Merry Cemetary in Romania
The Merry Cemetery is located in the village of Săpânța, a town way up there in northern Romania in Maramureș County.
The reason my family and I visited is because it’s one of the most unique burial sites in the world. I think it got super famous because it transforms a graveyard, a traditionally sad place, into one filled with bright colors and playful storytelling. This coupled with the power of Instagram, and here we are!
HISTORIC IMPORTANCE: In 1999, the Merry Cemetery was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Wooden Churches of Maramureș.
Inside the Merry Cemetery, each cross is painted in vivid shades of blue, green, red, and yellow, and decorated with carvings of scenes from the deceased’s life. The poems, written in rhyming couplets in Romanian, are funny, sometimes brutally honest, but always heartfelt reflections on their lives or deaths.
PRO TIP: All the poems and stories on the crosses are in Romanian. This is why you need someone with you who can translate the humor and context.
The Merry Cemetery was started by Stan Ioan Pătraș, a local sculptor and poet, in the 1930s. Pătraș had a vision of celebrating life rather than mourning death.
He believed that humor and honesty could be a more uplifting way to commemorate someone’s life. The inscriptions on the crosses were meant to tell the stories of the deceased with a mix of humor, candor, and a reflection of their personality or role in the community.
After Pătraș passed away in 1977, his apprentice, Dumitru Pop, carried on the tradition, making sure the cemetery retained its unique identity.
This approach challenges the typical attitudes toward death and offers a glimpse into the local culture, blending humor, folklore, and spiritual traditions.
Merry Cemetery Funny Translations
Here are a few examples of translated epitaphs from the cemetery’s crosses:
The Village Flirt
“Ioan Toaderu loved horses. One more thing he loved very much. To sit at a table in a bar. Next to someone else’s wife.”
The Village Drunk
“Here I rest. Stefan is my name. As long as I lived, I loved the bottle. I used to sit in my chair, my wife scolded me, But I still loved her—because she stayed silent when I drank.”
These funny yet poignant messages make the cemetery a celebration of humanity’s quirks and imperfections.
Planning Your First Trip To The Merry Cemetery
The Merry Cemetery is open to visitors year-round and is located in a super small town called Sǎpânța, Maramureș in northern Romania.
Here are a few things I would do to make the trip worth it. We made a few technical mistakes along the way, so I just wanted to share best practices.
✅ Nothing in the Merry Cemetery is in English. Get You a Guide!
A few companies offer organized tours of the Maramureș region, which typically include the Merry Cemetery, the famous painted wooden churches, and stops at local Maramures houses so you can see small town Romanian life. Wait till you see how they wash clothes!
My best advice on Merry Cemetery tours is this:
✔️ Local Walking Tour of Merry Cemetery (1.5 hours): Great if you’re already in Sapanta and just need a translator to give you history, context, and the Romanian flare.
✔️ Maramureș in a Nutshell (8 hrs): Great one-day tour of the top highlights including the Merry Cemetery, Barsana Monastery, and small-town village life lunch. They take care of logistics and will pick you up anywhere around the town of Sighetu Marmatiei.
✅ The easiest and best way to get there is by driving.
From the town of Breb where we stayed in Maramureș, it’s a 45-minute drive. Roads are generally in good condition, and the views of the countryside along the way are super pretty. If you’re coming from Cluj-Napoca, the drive takes about 4–5 hours (240 km/150 miles).
Small parking areas are available near the cemetery, with small fees paid in cash ranging from 5–10 RON.
If you’re not driving yourself, there are a few companies that offer organized tours of the Maramureș region. This is a good option if you want to learn more about the history and culture without worrying about logistics.
✅ The logistics are pretty simple!
The cemetery is open year-round, and you can visit anytime during daylight hours, which is basically from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The Stan Ioan Pătraș Memorial House (Museum) is open Tuesday t Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It’s closed on Mondays.
Entry fees are about 10 RON (about $2.20 USD). Payment is usually cash only, so carry some local currency. The Museum next door is 5–10 RON ($1–$2 USD). It’s worth a visit to see Pătraș’s workshop and learn about the origins of the cemetery.
✅ What to wear, when to visit, and what to do there!
The best time to visit is basically anytime except maybe winter because it’s super cold.
We went in July, and the weather was perfect. Make sure to wear comfy shoes, and something to cover your shoulders if you’re entering the church – Romania is pretty Orthodox and when we went, there’s a nun at the entrance checking if you’re decent.
Mornings and late afternoons are quieter times to visit. We went around lunch though, and it wasn’t that bad.
If you like to shop, you’ll notice that there are a bunch of little stalls outside the Merry Cemetery, selling traditional clothes, food, and crafts. Just a heads up that these are touristy, so the clothes are not super authentic, rather replicas made in Turkey.
PRO TIP: For reference, an authentic Romanian hand woven womans blouse is about $150. The “knockoffs”, which I think are still nice should be around $20. I got one in Sapanta and love it!
Where To Stay Near The Merry Cemetery
There are tons of little towns near the town of Sapanta, where the Merry Cemetery is located, but I would only recommend a couple because they’re cute, close to most things you’d want to do, and super authentic – the village of Breb, and the town of Sighetu Marmației (the most Romanian AF name ever!)
We stayed in Breb and made this our home base for exploring the Merry Cemetery and the Maramures area. It was the best!!
Where To Stay In Breb
📍Casa Moroșenilor – Breb – One of my favorite stays was in Breb. This little village home is totally remodeled, but they’ve kept the authentic vibe of the old Maramureș style alive. It was so quiet at night, and we were waking up to birds in the morning! Oh, and there’s a cute cat that comes along every day for pets!
Breb is as authentic as it gets – it’s actually a traditional village with a quiet, rustic charm. We stayed in little old-school wooden houses with modernized toilets (thank God!) and loved it.
Think rolling hills, villagers going about their farm life chores, and dirt roads in and out of town. We even attended the Midsummer Festival in the village called Sanzienele organized by the local church. Staying in Breb will feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
⭐️ MY SELLING POINTS FOR VILLAGE OF BREB: It’s close to the UNESCO-listed wooden churches of Maramureș, and it’s perfect for hiking “Creasta Cocosului” and immersing yourself in local life and traditions. People here are super sweet, they mostly speak English and are known for their warm hospitality and home-cooked meals. (My Favorite Spot in Breb: Breb 148)
The second place I would recommend is the town of Sighetu Marmației, which coincidentally is the biggest town in Maramureș.
It’s close to major attractions like the Merry Cemetery (18 km/11 miles), the wooden churches, and the Memorial to the Victims of Communism Museum (which we didn’t get to see this. time around, but next time).
⭐️ HIGHLIGHTS OF SIGHETU MARMAȚIEI: It’s got easy access to nearby villages like Săpânța and the Merry Cemetery. It’s also close to the Memorial Museum to the Victims of Communism and Resistance. Also it’s the bigger town in the area, so a few more restaurants, lodging options, and cafes.
If you prefer convenience, stay in Sighetu Marmației. But if you’re craving authenticity and want to deep dive into Maramureș’s traditional lifestyle, Breb is your best bet.
5 Best Things To Do in Maramureș
Maramureș is incredible, full of history, traditions, and natural beauty. We stayed about 4 days in the area, so here are my favorite things to do.
1. Check Out Traditional Village Life in Breb
Breb is wonderful! Even for me, having spent most of my summers at my grandma’s farm in Romania, the village of Breb is above and beyond in it’s authenticity and cuteness.
It’s off-the-beaten-path, so much so that the roads in and out of the town are unpaved. And it only has 2 restaurants, both with home-made food from a tiny Romanian grandma in the back.
Staying here will give you a glimpse into Maramureș’s timeless way of life, with its traditional wooden houses, horse-drawn carts, and friendly people.
2. Visit the Merry Cemetery in Săpânța
This colorful, one-of-a-kind cemetery transforms the typically somber experience of death into a celebration of life through funny Romanian epitaths and brightly painted wooden crosses. Its bold approach to mortality reflects the Maramureș spirit of finding joy and storytelling in every aspect of life.
3. Ride the Mocănița Steam Train in Vișeu de Sus
The last remaining narrow-gauge forestry railway in Europe, the Mocănița takes you on a journey through the stunning Vaser Valley. The ride is full of breathtaking mountain views and a glimpse into Romania’s industrial past. The experience combines nature, history, and the charm of vintage travel. This is absolutely an Instagram moment – just a heads up, it’s a full day thing.
Website for booking the train ride: https://mocanita-maramures.com/
Duration: 6 hours back and forth through beautiful landscapes & mountains.
Cost: $20-30 a person (with meal)
Starting/Ending Point: Gara Viseul de Sus Train Station
PRO TIPS:
– Train leaves at 9:30 am so plan your schedule to arrive and park accordingly.
– Get there early so you have a parking spot, especially during the summer.
– Sit on the left side of the train. It’s where the best views are.
– I would also either pack snacks or get the “meal included package” because it’s a long trip.
4. Visit the Bârsana Monastery
This wooden monastery complex blends spirituality and artistry, featuring the traditionally intricately carved gates of Maramureș, a serene garden of roses, and views of the surrounding hills.
It’s a peaceful retreat and a living example of the Orthodox faith that has shaped Maramureș’s identity for centuries.
5. Explore the Wooden Churches of Maramureș
These UNESCO-listed churches, like the ones in Ieud, Bârsana, and Poienile Izei, showcase traditional Maramureș craftsmanship with their high spires and hand-painted interiors. Built entirely without nails, they stand as a testament to the region’s religious devotion and architectural ingenuity.
Conclusion: Visiting The Merry Cemetery in Romania
The Merry Cemetery in Săpânța is unlike any other burial site in the world.
