Mircea Crisbășanu, Via Soarelui: “The route does not belong to a single person or entity; it is the route of all people from Dealu Mare “

Discover the heart and soul of Romania’s Dealu Mare region through the captivating journey of Via Soarelui, courtesy of Mircea Crisbasanu, the initiator of the project. This interview delves into the key features of Via Soarelui, highlighting its emphasis on cultural exploration, wine tasting, traditional crafts, nature immersion, community engagement, education, and recreational activities.

What is Via Soarelui and what does it aim to do?

Via Soarelui is a 170km long hiking and cycling trail that promotes and highlights the Dealu Mare wine region. The route is only 1h30m away from Bucharest and it was built by Nucu Association members and volunteers with the purpose of creating the context for visiting and discovering wineries, people with stories, local producers, tourist attractions, artisans, and landscapes from the counties of Prahova and Buzau.

What makes Via Soarelui more than just a route? How does it connect people and experiences?

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The route aims to connect Ploiesti to Buzau and mostly follows unpaved roads, paths or gravel roads, all far away from motorised traffic. The first finalised segment at this moment links Urlati and Ceptura and is 20km long. This route segment was launched at the end of June and around 100 tourists took part in the event starting at Conacul Nucu, the best place for anybody to enter the trail.

Via Soarelui is one of the fewest projects that equally promote gastronomy, wine tourism, historical monuments, and the natural diversity of the Dealul Mare area. More than that, the route brings visitors closer to the community by offering them a chance to meet the locals, friendly and hard working producers, guesthouse hosts, gifted village cooks or passionate and gifted craftsmen.

What would you say has been the driving force behind Via Soarelui and what inspired you to initiate this project?

Since I moved to Urlati, in 2013, through the guided cycling tours I have organised, I’ve met some of the wonderful people of Dealu Mare. Via Soarelui aims to connect them all and proves that Dealu Mare is about more than just great wine. This area has significant potential for the development of themed tourism; however, at this moment, there are only a few tourist routes, while a unified strategy to integrate the existing resources into a circuit is lacking. Tourism is growing in Dealu Mare as we speak, but I believe the development here needs to be centred on a well-defined set of values: preserving the traditions, valuing the built and living heritage, promoting good quality food, respecting the environment, slow travelling, and less use of engines.

In what ways does Via Soarelui promote sustainable tourism practices and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the Dealu Mare region?

A viable tourism product such as Via Soarelui brings so many benefits to the local communities: from increasing the sales of the small fruit producers to bringing more groups and events to top quality wineries.

The route is definitely an instrument that brings many good quality tourists in the area, people who are willing to consume various local services. When a group of hikers from Bucharest visits a local beekeeper, let’s say, he receives validation and appreciation for his hard work. Not only do the visitors taste the honey products, but they also buy some honey jars and tell their friends how enjoyable visiting the beehives was. The pride around local values and producers is shared by visitors and locals alike.

Another important aspect of the project is stimulating the active involvement of stakeholders (public authorities, local producers, sponsors, etc.). The route does not belong to a single person or entity; it is the route of all people from Dealu Mare. While extending the marked route segments, more local authorities will need to take responsibility for maintaining the trail.

The key features of Via Soarelui are:

• Exploring Local Culture: Visitors have the opportunity to discover and better understand the local culture, traditions, crafts, and stories of the people in the Dealu Mare area.
• Wine Tasting and Local Products: Visitors can explore wineries and local producers, with a chance to taste the wines and traditional products of the region.
• Promoting Traditional Crafts: The route may include meetings with local artisans who share and demonstrate traditional crafts, such as barrel making, woodworking, blacksmithing, etc.
• Exploring Natural Landscapes: The route passes through varied natural landscapes, such as vineyards, plains, hills, and provides a chance to explore the local flora and fauna.
• Connecting with the Local Community: By promoting local producers, wineries, and other small businesses, the route can support the local economy and rural communities.
• Education and Information: The route provides educational information about the history, culture, and traditions of the Dealu Mare region, contributing to a deeper understanding of this part of the country.
• Recreational Activities: In addition to hiking and cycling, the route may include other recreational activities, such as picnics, birdwatching, horse riding or even volunteer activities for environmental conservation.

What are some of the attractions promoted by Via Soarelui along its route?

In Dealu Mare you will find the biggest density of wineries from Romania, so there are plenty of big and small wineries that can be visited for wine tasting sessions. Lacerta, Vitis Metamorfosis, SERVE, and Dagon are just a few of the good wineries around.

The route also brings you to local producers such as Geo Mihaila, a beekeper from Urlati, where you can taste three types of honey, learn how to differentiate natural from counterfeit honey, and find out more about beekeeping. Adrian Aldea from Ceptura is one of the last barrel makers in the region and a visit to this workshop is a must. He will show you how wine barrels are produced using hand tools and ancient techniques and you also get the chance to taste the wine he produces himself. The wine will come alongside delicious pastrami and mouthwatering homemade doughnuts, so imagine how hard it is to leave Adrian’s place.

Many other places can be visited, including the Bellu Museum, a 19th century manor showing a great collection of unique artifacts and furniture, the lavender gardens in Urlati (Gradina Magica de Lavanda), a horse riding venue in Urlati or a beautifully restored centuries old manor, Conacul Nucu, which provides an authentic space for events and accommodation.

The route starts from Conacul Nucu, but if you reach km 15 you enter a fantastic trail, a true “greenway,” a reconverted former industrial rail that used to bring the train to load coal from the local mine in Ceptura. The train is gone now, but the route will remain through slow tourism.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in developing the route and how have you overcome them?

We’ve always been involved in community initiatives. In 2022, we created a 21 km hiking trail segment around Urlati, and in 2014, we established 7 cycling routes. I have been providing guided cycling and hiking tours for tourists since 2011. Our association operates in the Urlati area, where we have established relationships with local stakeholders. But Via Soarelui is so innovative and it brings many challenges for the organisers. The first 20 km we set up involved a lot of garbage cleaning, trimming of invasive vegetation, and motivating a large group of volunteers.

It was a challenge to go from vision to reality and from 0 to 20 km. You first need friends and partners who dream with you. We had help from the Zi de Bine Association, who were our sponsors for this project phase.

How did it all happen on site?

First and foremost, two research teams explored the route between Ploiesti and Buzau on foot, by bike, and by car, to identify interesting points along each segment.

Next, as you can imagine, we cleared invasive vegetation and then ecologically rehabilitated our section of the route. Here, we received a helping hand from diligent volunteers. Even the Mine Road, the old industrial railway embankment, was cleaned up and it’s now a must-see. Here, we built a 7-metre-long bridge, clearing the way.

We produced and placed markers for the trail’s signage and stone markers sculpted by stonemasons from the village of Naeni. We set up two rest areas with viewpoints, where we placed tables and benches made from special acacia wood that lasts longer over time.

And last but not least, we made a website—viasoarelui.ro—,where you can find route information and details, as well as stories about the locals, wineries in the area, and more.

What role do local communities play in the development of Via Soarelui, and why is their involvement important?

Most of our volunteers are locals from Urlați and Ceptura. The project will live and flourish only if the locals adopt it and consider it also “their own”.

How can travelers and tourists support Via Soarelui and be a part of its growth and success?

We are searching for new volunteers to help us extend the marked route and we’re always seeking additional funds and talking to sponsors in order make this project sustainable. They can follow our Facebook Page or visit our website.