Find places in Moldova

Must-Haves

• National Museum of History of Moldova (Centru)
  The best overview of Moldova from prehistory to independence, in a grand old building.
• National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History (Centru)
  A striking Moorish revival building with dioramas, folk costumes and a mammoth skeleton.

Fun for Everyone

• National Museum of Fine Arts (Centru)
  Moldovan and European painting in a calm, central setting.
• Organ Hall (Centru)
  A historic concert hall with classical, organ and folk performances.

Off the Beaten Path

• Holocaust Memorial Chișinău (Ierusalim Street)
  A quiet memorial to the Jews of Chișinău, once one of the region's great Jewish cities.

Must-Haves

• Nativity Cathedral (Cathedral Park)
  The city's main Orthodox cathedral, with its bell tower and a lively park around it.
• Arc de Triumf (Great National Assembly Square)
  The city's landmark arch, the natural starting point for a walk along the main boulevard.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hotel Cosmos (Negruzzi Square)
  A bold Soviet modernist tower that architecture fans love to photograph.
• Chișinău State Circus (Râșcani)
  An enormous Soviet circus building, restored and hosting shows again.
• Gates of the City towers (Dacia Boulevard)
  Twin Soviet apartment towers that greet you on the road in from the airport.

Must-Haves

• Ștefan cel Mare Central Park (Centru)
  The oldest park in the city, with the national hero's statue and the Alley of Classics.

Fun for Everyone

• Valea Morilor Park (Valea Morilor)
  A lakeside park with a long cascading stairway, paddle boats and summer crowds.
• Botanical Garden of Chișinău (Botanica)
  Wide gardens and greenhouses on the city edge, lovely in spring blossom.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dendrarium Park (Buiucani)
  A quiet arboretum of trees and ponds, perfect for a slow walk.

Off the Beaten Path

• La Izvor Park (Buiucani)
  A long chain of lakes where locals walk, cycle and picnic.

Must-Haves

• Piața Centrală (Centru)
  The central market, a noisy maze of cheese, honey, pickles, fruit and homemade wine.

Fun for Everyone

• Mall Dova (Centru)
  A modern mall for practical shopping, a cinema and a food court.

Must-Haves

• Vatra Neamului (Centru)
  Traditional Moldovan dishes in a cosy, folk styled dining room.
• Gastrobar (Centru)
  Modern Moldovan cooking paired with a strong local wine list.

Low Cost and Authentic

• La Plăcinte (Several locations)
  A popular chain for plăcinte, soups, mămăligă and quick traditional meals.
• Andy's Pizza (Several locations)
  A homegrown chain locals love for pizza and Moldovan basics.

Fun for Everyone

• Propaganda Café (Centru)
  A quirky, vintage filled café restaurant with a broad, family friendly menu.

Must-Haves

• Tucano Coffee Ștefan cel Mare (Centru)
  Reliable coffee and a busy terrace on the main boulevard.

Must-Haves

• Carpe Diem Wine Shop and Bar (Centru)
  A beloved wine bar with a huge choice of Moldovan small producers by the glass.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Robin Pub (Centru)
  A friendly pub popular with locals and expats for beer and match nights.

Must-Haves

• National Wine Day (Great National Assembly Square)
  The country's biggest party, with producers pouring wine in the main square each October.

Fun for Everyone

• Mărțișor Festival (Citywide)
  A spring festival of music each March, when people exchange red and white charms.
• Chișinău City Day (Citywide)
  Concerts and street events each October celebrating the capital.

Must-Haves

• Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel (Centru)
  A reliable international hotel in the centre with a spa and pool.
• Nobil Luxury Boutique Hotel (Centru)
  An elegant central hotel favoured by business and leisure travellers.

Great for Date Night

• Bristol Central Park Hotel (Centru)
  A comfortable hotel right by Ștefan cel Mare Park.

Fun for Everyone

• Hotel Chișinău (Centru)
  A big, central hotel with simple rooms close to the main sights.

Must-Haves

• Orheiul Vechi Cave Monastery (Butuceni)
  A candlelit chapel carved into a cliff above the Răut river bend.
• Church of the Ascension of Saint Mary (Butuceni)
  A white hilltop church with the best view of the whole valley.

Fun for Everyone

• Curchi Monastery (Curchi)
  A handsome blue and white monastery on the way from Chișinău.

Must-Haves

• Orheiul Vechi Museum Complex (Trebujeni)
  Archaeology from Dacian times to the Golden Horde town on the site.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Butuceni Ethnographic House (Butuceni)
  A traditional village house showing rural life in old Moldova.

Must-Haves

• Agro Pensiunea Butuceni (Butuceni)
  A village guesthouse with traditional rooms and huge home cooked meals.

Off the Beaten Path

• Eco Resort Butuceni (Butuceni)
  Rustic rooms, a garden and village dinners in the heart of Old Orhei.

Must-Haves

• Butuceni guesthouse lunch (Butuceni)
  Soup, plăcinte, mămăligă and homemade wine at a family table.

Must-Haves

• Răut river ridge walk (Butuceni)
  A gentle loop along the limestone ridge with the best views in Moldova.

Off the Beaten Path

• Trebujeni caves (Trebujeni)
  Quieter rock caves and paths along the gorge.
• Sunset at the hilltop cross (Butuceni)
  Watch the river bend glow at the end of the day.

Must-Haves

• Cricova Winery (Cricova)
  A vast underground wine city with tunnels named after grapes, toured by little train.
• Mileștii Mici Winery (Mileștii Mici)
  Enormous cellars holding a world record collection of bottles.
• Castel Mimi (Bulboaca)
  A restored castle winery with gardens, tastings, a restaurant and rooms.

Great for Date Night

• Asconi Winery (Puhoi)
  A family winery with a welcoming restaurant and long tasting lunches.

Fun for Everyone

• Château Vartely (Orhei)
  A winery with tastings, a restaurant and a hotel on the road north.

Great for Date Night

• Purcari Wine Château rooms (Purcari)
  Cottages by the lake on one of Moldova's most famous estates.
• Castel Mimi hotel (Bulboaca)
  Sleep at the castle and wake up among the vines.

Fun for Everyone

• Et Cetera guesthouse (Crocmaz)
  Comfortable rooms overlooking vineyards in the south east.

Must-Haves

• Château Vartely hotel (Orhei)
  Rooms on a working winery, handy for Orheiul Vechi.

Great for Date Night

• Asconi restaurant (Puhoi)
  Long, generous Moldovan lunches with the winery's own bottles.

Must-Haves

• Castel Mimi restaurant (Bulboaca)
  Fine Moldovan dining paired with estate wines.

Fun for Everyone

• Cricova wine shop (Cricova)
  Sparkling and still wines to take home, sold at the winery.

Must-Haves

• Harvest season tastings (Wine country)
  September and October bring grape picking, festivals and open cellar days.

Must-Haves

• Soroca Fortress (Soroca)
  A perfectly round medieval stone fortress on the Dniester river.
• Candle of Gratitude (Soroca)
  A clifftop tower with sweeping views over the Dniester valley.
• Țipova Monastery (Țipova)
  The largest cave monastery in Moldova, cut into the high riverbank.

Off the Beaten Path

• The Roma hill (Soroca)
  A hill of extravagant mansions unlike anywhere else in Europe.

Fun for Everyone

• Saharna Monastery (Saharna)
  A busy monastery in a wooded gorge with waterfalls nearby.

Off the Beaten Path

• Țipova waterfall (Țipova)
  A small waterfall hidden in the gorge below the monastery.

Fun for Everyone

• Saharna waterfalls walk (Saharna)
  A shady walk past streams and small cascades.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dniester riverside promenade (Soroca)
  An easy evening stroll by the river.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Soroca market (Soroca)
  A small town market for fruit, cheese and local life.

Must-Haves

• Gagauzia Regional History Museum (Comrat)
  Gagauz history, costumes and traditions explained in one stop.

Off the Beaten Path

• Besalma Gagauz Museum (Besalma)
  A village museum of Gagauz history and daily life.
• Taraclia Bulgarian villages (Taraclia)
  Churches, festivals and food of Moldova's Bulgarian community.

Must-Haves

• Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (Comrat)
  The town's main Orthodox cathedral on the central square.

Fun for Everyone

• Comrat central square (Comrat)
  The heart of Gagauz life, with the regional government buildings.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Comrat market (Comrat)
  Gagauz pastries, cheese and seasonal produce.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lower Dniester wetlands (Ștefan Vodă)
  A protected wetland loved by birdwatchers.