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Travel and Tourism

Urlati - the hidden secret of Prahova

By Vivid writer: Friedrich Niemann

Friedrich Niemann discusses Urlati, a village where several stately homes provide respite from the hustle and bustle of Bucharest

Posted: 28/12/2009

Being a guest in this country one should behave and not criticise too vehemently; but while I thoroughly enjoy many aspects of Romania - its hospitality, natural beauty, countryside, all the picturesque small towns and villages - just thinking of them now makes me feel better - I frequently question the location of Bucharest and its immediate vicinity and jokingly challenge my Romanian friends, thus: "Why place your capital in the least attractive part of this beautiful country?" We can start discussing history and politics now and the underlying reasons for Bucharest becoming what it is, but that isn't my point. There are plenty of other capitals on the planet where you simply cross the city limits and enter into beautiful nature; you may want to have a look at Sofia in neighbouring Bulgaria. In Bucharest you have to fight the chaos of the crumbling, inefficient infrastructure and travel quite a distance to reach the beauty of the Carpathians, the Danube Delta or the rolling hills of Transylvania.

So I was excited to discover a place of similar tranquility within easy driving distance of the capital; I am referring to the Dealu Mare region, more specifically to the small town of Urlati, about 90 kilometres north east of Bucharest, in Prahova. Urlati is not a natural beauty but it is home to several hidden treasures. The town of Urlati was a retreat for wealthy Romanian families in the 19th and early 20th centuries, who built their manor houses, or ‘conacs' in the gently sloping foothills of the Carpathians, and lived there in the summer or produced Dealu Mare wines there. Today three of these conacs are open to the public for different reasons.

The first conac I came across in Urlati - and the first in geographical terms, as it is situated on the southern edge of town - is Conacul Urlateanu. Built in 1922 this conac is now operated by Cramele Halewood, a subsidiary of the British winemaker. Sitting on top of a small hill the site offers fabulous, panoramic views over the Walachian plain, as long as one ignores the vista of the refineries from Ploiesti westwards. Halewood operates the place as a refuge for wine connoiseurs. The visitor is invited to discover a world of tradition, based around wine and wine making. Guests can tour the cellars and receive a presentation of the wine making process up to the various maturation techniques. One can enjoy delightful wine tastings, which are offered in a specially designed room with a small boutique; visitors can buy souvenirs and, obviously, wine. Traditional food excellently cooked is served in a 19th century setting, either in a small private dining room, the main dining room or on sunny days in the surrounding garden. Conacul Urlateanu can host groups of up to 80 people in its beautifully appointed facilities and one should reserve ahead. Albeit on my very first and unannounced visit there, a lovely lunch for me and my friend was set up spontaneously. This is a spot where the sense of place comes to life.

Something we all have been waiting for over the years has finally arrived: a mini hotel with good to excellent four star facilities and service. Now this can be found in a beautifully restored former boyar manor house in a remote setting. Conacul dintre Vii is owned by Livia Popescu Tariceanu and lies on the outskirts of town. After driving up the small road lined with cherry trees, amid endless vineyards the visitor arrives at the gates of the conac, which open up into a wide yard, on top of which sits this moderately wealthy Romanian manor house. Within recent years the estate has been beautifully restored in a traditional yet slightly cosmopolitan style. The conac accommodates up to 47 guests in suites, junior suites and guest rooms, which are all furnished in a contemporary wood and wrought iron country style. Although bathrooms are quite small, they are very well laid out with quality amenities and a shower with memorably powerful water pressure. Guests can enjoy a comfortable lounge bar with open fire place, wine cellar and the main dining room. Earlier this year an outside pool had been added and activities like archery, hikes and programmes all around wine are available.

I have stayed there several times and have always enjoyed it, as service quality is above standard - a rarity in rural Romania. Hospitality is the true aspiration of Ms Tariceanu, as the focus is on healthy food with local ingredients, personalised service and an out-of-the-ordinary concept. What I really enjoy is the personalised welcome letter, which begins ‘Grand traveler, merry to be your hosts at the Conacul dintre Vii, arranged as is befitting and sheltered from the town rush …'

There is another surprise in Urlati. Situated a bit out of town, up another hill, Conacul Bellu sits in a beautiful and picturesque park. The manor house is an edifice and a national architectural monument since the mid-1950s. It used to be the guesthouse to the great mansion of the Bellu family, which did not survive the 1940 earthquake, and today a soccer field is situated where the mansion once stood.

The Bellu family came to Wallachia from Macedonia in the late 18th century and played a very active role in Romanian politics, business and culture. Renowned for their art collection, Baron Barbu Bellu was the donor of the Bellu cemetery in Bucharest in the mid-19th century, where many of the country's great artists are buried. One of the most important members of the Bellu family was Alexandru Bellu, a pioneer of photography in Romania, who lived until the 1920s and donated the estate in Urlati to the Romanian Academy. The museum of Conacul Bellu shows a rich legacy of paintings and decorative art, ethnography, rare books and documents of family history. Particularly the Turkish and the Japanese rooms are absolutely fascinating, as they are quite unique in Romania. The museum has been regularly refurbished and the last extensive renovation was completed in December 2008.

In Urlati, it is absolutely recommended to hike through the vineyards and discover the wooden church Sfanta Maria or Biserica Galbena. The visit gets a totally different twist, when you travel by horse carriage through the town, which can be organised easily by your hosts in Urlati.

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Comments:

1.

Thursday 21st January 2010 at 10:01 Vera Donat said: "Thanks for the info...Bucharest is dirty and expensive so going out of town to what seems a beautiful area is welcome."

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