Discover Moldova with #MOLDPRES: Hiking and cycling - a tourist novelty, with direction to Inima Nistrului

A new destination of cycling and hiking, directly to Inima Nistrului (Dniester’s Heart)  

A new route of cycling and hiking – Inima Nistrului (Dniester’s Heart) – has been launched with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and of the government of Switzerland, providing to cyclists a unique experience of 42 km along the Dniester river. The project is part of an initiative on development of the tourist infrastructure in the region and has the goal to promote the sustainable tourism and the development of local communities.     

The cycling route comprises segments which connect the settlements Pohrebea, Dorotcaia, Parata and Cosnita and is covered by bicycle in about 4 hours and 30 minutes and by foot – in 10 hours and 30 minutes. The route is accessible starting from spring till autumn, during dry weather and can be covered in both directions.     

The cyclists and hikers can enjoy spectacular landscapes of the islands and villages from the area, as well as a rich diversity of species of birds, inspects and small mammals. The route is marked properly on the roads of Moldova and local roads, where increased attention to traffic is recommended.     

Itinerary, part of a wider network of tourist routes of the region

The Inima Nistrului is integrated into a wider network of tourist routes, connecting with the roads from Vadul lui Voda and the one to Criuleni and Rezina.   

The cycling route was developed by the tourist micro-cluster Dniester’s Heart, set up in 2023 with the support of the government of Switzerland and UNDP, within the project, Resilient and inclusive markets in Moldova.  

UNDP and its partners back the development of 17 economic clusters in Moldova, developed around specific industries and sectors, which facilitate the access to markets and resources, ensuring an efficient cooperation within the community.    

What is Inima Nistrului?

Inima Nistrului is an emerging micro-cluster, the development of which is facilitated by the Resilient and inclusive markets in Moldova, Switzerland-UNDP project.   

The micro-cluster was officially institutionalized on 27 September 2023, when the key actors of the region signed the agreement-memorandum on the creation of the cluster, elected the leadership bodies and approved the roadmap of development for a period of three years.  

The principal rural tourism destination of Moldova, till 2035  

The vision of the micro-cluster’s development implies its transformation into the main rural tourist destination of Moldova till 2035, providing a wide range of high-quality services, with the goal to attract at least 200,000 tourists visitors per year.  

To achieve this vision, the micro-cluster is to attract at least 100 businesses involved, including at least 30 boarding houses (which are to provide over 200 accommodation places), five restaurants, 10 fast-food units, a selection of at least 20 district services of entertainment for tourists and 30 providers of high-quality agro-food products.   

Correspondent: Lilia Grubii