Coronavirus restrictions and closed borders are forcing travelers to pay attention to those cities and countries where they had not even planned to vacation before. However, many of these locations are truly worth a visit – and not a fleeting one, but a full-fledged vacation. We’ll tell you what Moldova might be interesting about and what to do there if you have seven whole days at your disposal.
Photo: paparazzza/shutterstock.com
Day one: Exploring Chisinau
How to get to Chisinau
Air service with Moldova has been resumed. Travel time from Moscow to Chisinau is from two to three hours, for an air ticket you will have to pay from 11,000 rubles* per person round trip.
You can get to the city from the airport by trolleybus No. 30 (goes to Banulescu-Bodoni street), by express bus “A” (to Dmitry Cantemir Square) and by minibus No. 165 (to TSUM). The fare is 3 lei (one lei is a little more than four rubles*). You can also take a taxi.
Where to stay
- Nobil Luxury Boutique Hotel — from 10,900 rubles per night per person . This is a luxurious five-star hotel with its own spa, beauty salon and panoramic restaurant on the top floor. Located 10 minutes’ walk from the Cathedral of the Nativity and the National Memorial Museum.
- Bernardazzi Grand Hotel & Spa —from 7400 rubles per night per person.Wonderful hotel located in the city center next to the Town Hall and the National Philharmonic.
- Hostel City Center —from 660 rubles per night per person. Inexpensive but stylish hostel next to the Cathedral Park and the Arc de Triomphe.
Where and what to try
- Raf Honeybee (coffee drink with buckwheat honey and pollen) and PumpKing pumpkin pie at Tucano Coffee Moldova.
- Lamb with hominy and tsuyku (plum moonshine) at the national restaurant Popasul Dacilor.
- Chorbu soup with lamb ribs and other dishes of the Gagauz – a Turkic people from the south of Moldova – in the national restaurant Gok-Oguz.
- Placintas (filled flatbreads) and mititei (sausages) in the network of Moldovan canteens La Placinte.
- Stewed lamb, placinta with cherries and feta cheese and homemade wine at La Taifas restaurant.
What to see in Chisinau
Once upon a time, Chisinau had many architectural delights: French style and features of Gothic, Byzantine and Romanesque architecture were mixed here. However, 90% of the buildings did not survive the war, and today the city center mainly consists of “Stalinist” houses. To get a comprehensive picture of the appearance of Chisinau, walk from the Moldtelecom building to the monument to Stephen III the Great along Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, and then walk to the parliament building. Nearby there is a location that has long been favored by photographers – a circus building built in the constructivist style.
Chisinau has many picturesque parks that will appeal to lovers of leisurely walks. Among them is the park named after Stephen III the Great (in Soviet times it was named after A. S. Pushkin, and to this day the Alley of Classics with 27 busts of Moldavian and Russian writers has been preserved here), “Valea Morilor” (“Valley of Mills”) with an artificial lake, beach and amusement park, “Valea Trandafirilor” (“Valley of Roses”) with a cascade of ponds and rose plantations and an arboretum famous for its collection of aquatic plants.
There are also museums in the city that are worth getting to know better: for example, the National Museum of the History of the Republic of Moldova, the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, the Museum of the History of the City in the premises of a 19th-century water tower and the Pushkin House Museum.
To explore Moldova better, rent a car and go on short one-day trips, because the main attractions of the country are scattered throughout its territory. Renting a car in Chisinau on OneTwoTrip will cost 3,100 rubles per day.
Day two: Palace of Manuk Bey and Ialovena
In the small town of Hincesti there is an amazingly beautiful estate – a palace built for the Turkish diplomat and Russian intelligence officer Manuk Bey Mirzoyan by the Italian-Swiss architect Bernardazzi. The hallmark of this building is the bizarre underground passages, where, according to local legend, the treasures of Manuk Bey were hidden (although he himself died before the construction of the palace was completed, and did not have time to enjoy the luxury of his chambers).
Photo: Frederick Doerschem /shutterstock.com
On the way back, do not pass by the city of Ialoveni, known as the wine-making capital of Moldova (the local sherry is even named after it – Ialoveni). The most interesting estate is called Milestii Mici: it is included in the Guinness Book of Records due to the largest collection of wines in the world. According to conservative estimates, 1.5 million bottles are stored here, and the cellar galleries stretch for 200 kilometers. It is worth visiting a tasting and a tour of the vineyards (the noble varieties Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer and Chardonnay are grown here).
Day three: “The Gypsy Capital” Magpies
Soroca is a city with an extraordinary architecture, standing on the border of Moldova and Ukraine and popularly nicknamed the “Gypsy capital of the world.” The area called “Ringing Mountain” is inhabited mainly by gypsies who lead a sedentary lifestyle, and they own the most luxurious mansions. Local residents are willing to make contact with tourists, talk about their lives and do not refuse to “gild their hands.” In another part of the city there is the medieval Soroca Fortress, built in the 15th century. Tourists are also attracted by Bekirovsky Yar (a rock made of gypsum and sandstone) and the Monk’s Cave located in it.
On the way, you can stop by the honey museum in the tiny village of Rachula – it was opened by a hereditary beekeeper who equipped a room for tastings. There is also the Rechula Women’s Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God. Also on the way you will meet the Kurki Monastery, an architectural monument of the 18th century, standing on picturesque green hills.
Day four: “Village Museum”, Mimi Castle and Bendery Fortress
Photo: lindasky76/shutterstock.com
We recommend devoting the fourth day to three key attractions of Moldova – fortunately they are located on the same route. In the morning, go to the “Museum of the Village” – it is located at the exit from Chisinau, right after the “City Gate”. This is an open-air ethnographic reserve: several reconstructed houses and the 17th-century Assumption Church, considered the largest wooden church in the country. Its interior makes the structure similar to the churches of Bukovina; You can also see ancient icons inside.
Then head to Bendery to explore the 16th-century citadel, one of the oldest structures remaining in the country. The Bendery fortress stands on the banks of the Dniester River: quite recently it was thoroughly reconstructed. On the excursion you will be told about the country’s connections with Italy, Poland and Turkey during different periods of its history.
By the way, you can have a nice lunch in Bendery at the designer restaurant “Old Bastion”: be sure to order rabbit in creamy mushroom sauce and a board of fried cheeses.
Photo: FrimuFilms/shutterstock.com
But we suggest ending the day at Mimi Castle – a successful attempt to create a wine chateau in the open spaces of Moldova. This place was built in the 19th century as a residence for the last governor of Bessarabia, Constantine Mimi, but during the Soviet era it stood abandoned and fell into disrepair. Not long ago, Moldovan winemakers bought the building, built a landscaped park with fountains around it, and equipped a tasting room and wine cellars. Visitors especially appreciate the local white wine with a subtle tomato aroma.
Day five: Old Orhei and the monastery in Saharna
Old Orhei is one of those textbook Moldavian locations that cannot be missed. This is a large-scale historical and archaeological complex, which offers an impressive view of the Dniester River. It consists of the Butuchensky rock monastery, the ruins of the Geto-Dacian fortress (dating back to the 6th – 1st centuries BC!), caravanserai and baths from the times of the Golden Horde. You can come here for both sightseeing and hiking in the surrounding picturesque hills.
If you still have time after visiting Old Orhei, take a look at the Sakharnyan Trinity Monastery: it is interesting because many of its rooms are carved into the rock. This is the main pilgrimage site in the country: the relics of St. Macarius are kept here, and on the top of one of the nearby rocks, according to legend, the Mother of God herself left her mark.
Day six: Kodra Nature Reserve
Save the sixth day for relaxed hiking and contemplation of nature: go to the Kodri Nature Reserve, through which the watershed of the Kogilnik and Byk river basins passes. This is a unique natural reservoir, where deciduous forests coexist with vineyards, apple orchards and floodplains – floodplain areas flooded in the spring.
Day seven: Shopping in Chisinau
Photo: Multipedia/shutterstock.com
Before leaving, don’t forget to buy souvenirs, including edible ones. At the Rogob sausage chain, buy pastrami, a local delicacy made from marinated and smoked meat. At the city market, grab fresh or canned gogoshar peppers and a jar of local vegetable stew – givecha. It is better to buy Moldavian sweets (sweets, waffles, toffees, pies) in the Bucuria factory’s branded stores; “drunken” grapes in chocolate are especially good.
Lovers of decorative cosmetics have long known that in Chisinau, Viorica Cosmetic brand stores deserve special attention, famous for their high quality and low prices for their products. There is a Korean cosmetics store called Moonglow in the city; prices there are much lower than in similar stores in Moscow. And in the Herb store you can find all kinds of products from iHerb: it’s a little more expensive than when ordering from the website, but you don’t have to wait several weeks for delivery.
Well, at the Chisinau market, buy perfumed oils, linen textiles with traditional embroidery, glazed ceramics and woolen items knitted by Moldovan grandmothers.
*Prices valid at time of publication
