Chisinau is one of the least visited capitals in Europe, and those who come usually come for one reason: wine. Moldova has the longest underground wine cellars in the world, measured in hundreds of kilometres. The city itself is green, quiet and very cheap. Entry is comfortable for citizens of Azerbaijan. There are few flight options, so checking ticket prices in advance pays off. Below I have written a two-day route and the cellar question.
The city centre and the parks
Stefan cel Mare avenue is the city’s main axis, and along it are the Arch of Triumph, the government building and the National Assembly. The park of the same name is beside the avenue and is the most walked place in the city. The cathedral garden is in the centre, and concerts are held there in summer.
Valea Morilor park is larger and has a walking path around the lake. The National Ethnography Museum stands out for its building, whose architecture is in an Eastern style. Walking the whole city in half a day is entirely possible.
The Cricova and Milestii Mici cellars
Cricova is fifteen kilometres from the city and its underground corridors run for more than a hundred kilometres. You go in with your own car or on a tour, and the corridors have street names and road signs. Milestii Mici, meanwhile, is in the record books for the size of its collection. Both require registration in advance.
If you do not drink wine, the visit is still interesting, because the main impression is the corridors that feel like an underground city. Taking the tours in advance is a practical matter here, since reaching them by public transport is difficult.
Orheiul Vechi and around
Orheiul Vechi is an hour and a half from the city and is the loveliest place in the country. There is a cave monastery dug into the cliff above a bend in the river, and it is still in use. Traditional houses have survived in the village around it. Half a day is enough.
Soroca fortress is to the north, on the river Dniester, and is left from the Middle Ages. Transnistria is a separately administered territory, and crossing into it follows its own rules — check the situation before you go.
Food and prices in Chisinau
Moldovan cooking carries Romanian and Balkan influence. The layered pastry called placinta is the most common dish and comes in several kinds depending on the filling. Mamaliga is a cornmeal porridge served with cheese. Fruit and nuts at the market are very cheap.
This is one of the best-value capitals in Europe. A three-star hotel is 30–55 euros and lunch in a restaurant 6–12. Looking at hotel options by distance from the centre is enough, as the city is small. Official tourism information is on the moldova.travel site.
The season in Chisinau
May–June and September are the best months, at 22–27 degrees. At the beginning of October the grape harvest and the national wine festival take place, and that is the most interesting time of the year. Winter is cold and it snows. July and August are hot and dry.
Conclusion
Chisinau is a quiet two-day capital, and its value lies outside the city, in the cellars and at Orheiul Vechi. Register for the tour in advance, give Orheiul Vechi half a day, and keep the beginning of October in mind. For a visa and a route, fill in the application form.
Note: the prices in this article are those at the time of publication and may change with the exchange rate.
