Meet the 7 Pilot Regions of Danube Ruralscapes

After months of research, field visits and knowledge exchange across the Danube Region, Danube Ruralscapes is entering its next phase: turning insights into action.

This summer, our pilot regions will become the working grounds of the project, bringing together local communities, universities, experts and stakeholders to explore how rural landscape identity can support more sustainable and resilient futures.

Stretching from the Ipoly Valley in Hungary to Budjak in southern Ukraine, the pilot regions reflect the remarkable diversity of the Danube Region. They include cross-border landscapes, wine-growing areas, river ports, mountain settlements, historic villages and wetland environments, each shaped by its own cultural heritage, traditions and everyday realities.

The seven Pilot Regions are:

Ipoly Valley (Hungary)
Baranja (Croatia)
Braničevo (Serbia)
Iron Gates (Romania)
Nikopol (Bulgaria)
Danube Delta (Romania)
Budjak (Ukraine)

While each pilot region has its own character, they share a common goal: strengthening the connection between people, place and heritage through practical approaches to rural landscape development.

Over the coming months, the pilot regions will host university building camps, local discussions, field activities and capacity-building actions. These experiences will contribute directly to the development and testing of the Danube Ruralscapes Architecture and Rural Landscape Identity Guides - practical tools designed to support communities, planners, decision-makers and heritage professionals across the Danube Region.

Together, these seven regions form a living laboratory where local knowledge, cultural heritage and contemporary challenges meet. Their stories, experiences and lessons will help shape a shared framework for understanding and supporting rural landscapes along the Danube.

This is where the next chapter of Danube Ruralscapes begins.

📍 Stay tuned for our Summer Edition.