Berryland Recreation Complex is a place in Hunedoara County where man and nature write a charming story. It's a relaxing story, with the taste of sweet and aromatic berries, bird songs, plenty of greenery, and a fairy tale landscape that you can only find at the foot of Retezat Mountains.
As soon as you step inside the gate, a real oasis of well-being reveals in front of your eyes. Bird songs mix perfectly with relaxing music, meant to install a state of well-being from the very entrance.
And for younger visitors, this place is full of surprises and challenges. Playgrounds and adventure areas await with many challenges, and the bird farm will fascinate them. Moreover, here you can pick and eat berries to your heart's content, enjoy peace and the company of loved ones, and then go home with all kinds of delicious goodies and fully recharged batteries.
The place where this recreational complex is located is still in full development. And what is yet to be achieved here is unimaginable.
Luck smiled upon them in the Hațeg Country
The implemented concept here is unique in the county and came to life in 2018, when a couple, she from Bucharest, he from Timișoara, stumbled upon the key to success in the wonderful Hațeg Country, in Bretea Română.
After a period of living abroad, the two decided to return to their home country and start their own business with berries. They searched throughout the country for a suitable land for developing these crops, but fate made them find exactly what they were looking for in the Hațeg Country, at the foot of Retezat Mountain.
"Here, in the Hațeg Country, it was the only place, among the many we saw, where the entire area was consolidated. Moreover, the area was suitable for cultivating berries, and the tourism potential is fantastic, with many sights to visit," said Ana Maria Neculai, in an interview with GO Hunedora.
In the beginning, there were the solid wood and reed arbours. Now, it's a rapidly growing recreational complex.
The two entrepreneurs started their journey with the intention of producing fruits, and that was about it. They planted the bushes on a nearly 20-hectare surface, took care of them with great dedication, and waited for the fruits to ripen: strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
They weren't thinking about the tourism aspect at the time. This idea came later, when they saw that people were eager to participate with them in picking the fruits and were fascinated by the beauty of the landscape that was revealed to them.
„"Then, we thought of creating an atmosphere, and we set up a few arbours where those who came to us could rest after picking the fruits and, at the same time, admire Retezat in all its splendor.
Essentially, from a few arbours, we ended up creating a complex. A recreational complex whose first construction phase was inaugurated last year, in April 2022. Arbours were erected, table games were placed: billiards, ping-pong, plus a fast food area," added Ana Maria Neculai.
A park with lots of greenery, birds, peacocks, squirrels, and adventure spaces for children at the Berryland Recreational Complex
The two businessmen did not stop at those simple gazebos located near the berry crops, but wanted more. Thus, this year, they come up with a plethora of other news. They have decided to breathe life into this place and have created a splendid park where each shrub and plant is placed in the right place in perfect harmony.
"From May 1st, we invite people into nature. We will have aviaries with singing birds, relaxing music in the background to amplify the feeling of well-being. All seasoned with the enticing scent of strawberries, the first to ripen," says Ana Maria Neculai.
And the surprises for this year do not stop here.
Older children, up to 12 years old, also have a new playground. A space with 23 adventure trails, three mini zip-lines, climbers.
Also, from summer, everyone who comes to the Berryland recreational complex will be able to admire the bird farm, ducks, chickens, and peacocks. Squirrels and rabbits are next on the list."
Accommodation spaces in four-star carriages, each representing a county in the country
And because some visitors want to spend as much time as possible in Berryland, the administrators thought it would be appropriate to offer accommodation spaces as well. And not just any kind of spaces, but carriage-houses, with all the comforts of the city, in the heart of nature.
"This is a major project, and in the future, we anticipate from 2024, we will also have accommodation spaces. In this regard, we have already started to build ten of the 42 spaces.
It's about carriage-houses, each representing a county in the country. We want to bring to the forefront the rustic style, combined with the modernism of today's life. There are people who want to enjoy life in nature but without giving up the comfort of urban living," added the Continental Berries representative.
Each carriage symbolizes, decoratively, a county in the country. The beds will be made of manually worked logs, and the lampshades will have papyri with the history of each county.
Portraits with traditional costumes from the respective area will be placed on the walls, and each carriage will have the coat of arms of the county it represents at the entrance. Therefore, a modern carriage, which will be entered with a card, will provide slippers, and even a relaxing bath, like a four-star hotel.
Saltwater Pool and Apitherapy at Berryland Recreation Complex
Next year, two pools will be put into operation: one with saltwater and the other with freshwater. The story of the saltwater is quite interesting.
Ana Maria Neculai says that shortly after they purchased the land, they drilled deep to identify a source of water for irrigation. However, at 180 meters, they hit saltwater from a salt lake.
„"At that time, the discovery of this spring was a drama for us. But now we see it as a real treasure. We will extract saltwater from there to fill the pool.
People will be able to come for treatment. We will have saunas for treatment, dry and wet, as well as a room with zero-gravity massage chairs," adds the entrepreneur.
In the same project, the couple included a room for apitherapy. Basically, those who enter here will inhale air from beehives produced by bees. There will be sessions of 30 minutes each, and the benefits are multiple, especially for people who suffer from asthma and other respiratory system conditions.
"We sell at the farm gate. Big retailers suffocate producers!"
Once you arrive in the land of berries at Bretea Română, not only can you eat and pick directly from the plantation, but you can also purchase from the wide range of products made by the locals here.
„"We sell the fruits at the farm gate. We had a timid attempt to sell to big chains, but in this case, the producer is suffocated by the big retailers who want to make a huge profit.
While as a producer, you barely manage to cover your expenses. In past years, we also made home deliveries, and we process most of the fruits into jam, syrup, and even refreshing drinks that our guests enjoy after a fruit-picking session," says Ana Maria Neculai.
When does fruit picking start at Berryland Recreation Complex?
The first fruits, strawberries, can be picked from the beginning of June, while blackberries and raspberries can be picked after mid-July.
La intrarea în complex se achită o taxă de intrare de 35 de lei pentru adulți și 25 lei pentru copiii peste 3 ani. În acest preț intră vizitarea complexului, o consumație la alegere, fie apă, ori un smoothie, cafea, cappucino sau vată pe băț, înghețată sau minigogoșele trecute prin fântâna de ciocolată, dar și accesul pe culturile Continental Berries pentru a culege fructe și a mânca pe săturate.
Regula e că, odată intrat aici poți mânca câte fructe poftești, ce culegi pentru acasă plătești. Totodată, ai acces la o serie de activități precum jocuri de societate, biliard și ping – pong, fotbal și hochei de masă, dar şi la terenul de volei, tenis cu piciorul și badminton.
The Berryland Recreational Complex is open from Monday to Sunday, from May 1st to October.
More info on www.berryland.ro
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