Prislop Pass, the highest in the Eastern Carpathians

Prislop Pass is a mountain pass in northern Romania, linking the two regions of Maramures and Bukovina over the Rodna Mountains, Carpathians at an altitude of 1,416 meters. Prislop also known as DN18 is probably the most beautiful pass in Romania which links Viseu, Moisei and Borsa (Maramures) to Campulung Moldovenesc (Suceava).

National Road 18, which crosses two mountain versants, Gutai Mountains and Rodna Mountains, is considered one of the most amazing scenery in the country, displayed by nature. Prislop has a length of 50 kilometers, between Borsa (on the west side) and Sesuri Village, Cârlibaba (on the east side) and an opening width varying between 30 to 40 kilometers.

In winter the pass is blocked by the snowfalls and due to the altitude, but in the summer the tourists have an amazing view over the Obcinile Bucovinei, the Rodna Mountains with Pietrosu (2303meters) and Ineu (2279meters) peaks.

Every year, on the third Sunday of August, following the day of Saint Mary (in the Orthodox Calendar) an inter-county festival takes place which promotes traditions, customs, traditional costumes and songs. The folk festival, ‘Hora de la Prislop'( The Dance in Prislop) takes place in Prislop Pass, 1,416 meters altitude. Hora de la Prislop is a traditional event in Romania and it was mentioned for the first time in Latin documents in 1738. It was forbidden for a long period of time, but restarted in 1968. It gathers annually a large number of participants, tourists too, and the record was set in 1973, when over 50,000 people came to Prislop Pass.

While in the area you can also visit Muzeul Radacinilor (Roots’ Museum), a museum funded by Stefan Grec, who collected for over 40 years around 100 bizarre-shaped tree roots. There is also a room which showcases various objects that have belonged to soldiers who died here during the two World Wars. He arranged a veritable museum right in his home, where tourists can visit for free. The museum also gathers a numismatics collection, mine flowers and painted eggs from Maramures and Bukovina.