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The Danube Region’s villages are rich in history, identity, and potential — but they face mounting challenges from depopulation, poor infrastructure, and the loss of traditional built environments. Today, we are proud to announce our role as a partner in Danube Ruralscapes, a landmark European cooperation initiative that aims to turn the tide.

Danube Ruralscapes is an Interreg Danube Region Programme project co-funded by the European Union, bringing together 15 partners from 6 countries along the Danube River. Over the next 30 months, we will work collaboratively across borders to design, test, and implement innovative tools for sustainable, heritage-based development in rural micro-regions.

Why It Matters

Rural areas are often sidelined in urban-centric policies, lacking the professional and institutional capacities to shape their own futures. In the Danube Region, this has led to the decay of architectural heritage, environmental degradation, and a decline in the quality of rural life.

Danube Ruralscapes responds to this gap with a bold vision: to empower village clusters to co-create practical, locally rooted solutions that preserve their unique identity while embracing sustainability.

Our Role at National Tourism Cluster "Bulgarian Guide"

As one of the project partners, NTC BG will contribute to piloting new governance models and community-based planning methods in rural areas of north-western Bulgaria. Together with academic, governmental, and civic partners, we will support the communication activities as Communication Lead, but also take crucial part in key activities such as:

• Development of Architecture and Rural Landscape Identity Guides tailored to the specific heritage, materials, and climate conditions of each micro-region.

• Capacity building through expert mentoring and knowledge exchange.

• Policy recommendations that can shape national and regional frameworks for rural development.

A Network of Knowledge

From Iron Gates to the Danube Delta, from Kneževi Vinogradi to Odesa Oblast, this project forms a transnational network of rural municipalities, universities, NGOs, and planning authorities. Together, we aim to build a sustainable future that respects and revitalizes the Danube’s rural heritage.

Follow the Journey

We invite community members, professionals, and institutions to follow and contribute to this transformative process. Updates will be shared regularly through our website and social media channels, showcasing the progress in pilot regions and sharing insights from our collective experience - #DanubeRuralscapes!

Let’s build rural futures where tradition meets innovation, and where every village becomes a beacon of sustainable living.

This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.