About Moldova

 
The Republic of Moldova is a small country (33 843 km2) located in the south-east of Europe, lying between the two rivers, the Dniester and the Prut, and neighbouring with Romania and Ukraine. Moldova, or sometimes called Bessarabia, represents a multinational state, with modern cities, beautiful landscapes, populated by charming and hospitable people.
The vicinity of the Black Sea and the abundance of sunny days have created the perfect climate for the grape cultivation. If you look closer to the map of Europe you will notice that the outline of the Republic of Moldova resembles to the shape of a bunch of grapes.
The sparkling Moldovan wine, which has been served for centuries at the acclaimed royal tables, continues to win gold and silver medals at the prestigious international contests.
There are a great number of cosy restaurants and wine cellars where you can always try the refined Moldovan wine and enjoy the diverse and delicious national cuisine. 
The Moldovan people are talented, merry and kind. Their customs can be seen in the igniting dances, fascinating songs, and amazing historical facts.
Another interesting fact is that on its tiny territory there are concentrated many monuments of other cultures such as:  Byzantine, Roman, Ottoman, Tatar, Hungarian, Polish-Lithuanian, Judaic, German, Old Russian etc.
The beauty of the sceneries and the generosity of this land, have fascinated such people as: Orpheum, Pushkin, Eifel, Tolstoy, Chaliapin. The hills covered with secular woods, the mossy rocks, the coolness of the lakes, the grape plantations scattered along the river banks – all can be appreciated only if come here and see it with your own eyes.
Come and visit us – you are always welcomed here! 

Why should you visit Moldova?

1. None of the European countries is able to fascinate you with its visible contrast between the achievements of the modern civilizations, as seen in the cities, and the everyday life of an ordinary peasant.
2. Only in Moldova you can find the largest wineries in the world (more than 200 km of underground galleries), that have been recorded by the Guinness book for holding the biggest wine collection on the planet.
3. Only in Moldova you can find such a large number of monasteries scattered amid the ancient woods and river banks (including the oldest rock monastery in Europe), and concentrated on such a small piece of land, that is sometimes called ‘The Bessarabian Wonderland’.
4. Only in Moldova you can find the unique natural formations called Toltry (some reef formations from the Samarian Sea dating back 10-20 millions years B.C), that created through time, grots and caves of unbelievable forms, and formed landscape areas.
5. Only in Moldova the local crafts are still kept as they were centuries ago, and at the same time they do not interfere with the modern European production.
6. Only in Moldova you can truly enjoy the benefits of the best diet in the world, as only here you will find the freshest ecological fruits and vegetables collected straight from the trees and bushes.

Chisinau

In order to get more acquainted with the attractions from Moldova you should start your journey with its capital – Chisinau. The city is considered to be one the Europe’s greenest cities, located on seven hills (same as Rome, Lisboan, Prague, Brussels, and Istanbul) and on the banks of the river Bic. The capital boasts with a reach history, outstanding present and prosperous future.
The territory of the present Chisinau has been populated from the ancient times (the years 35-8 B.C), but the records show it was officially founded in 1436. Chisinau has the status of a historical city. It has always been the place that attracted famous people. The Serbian queen used Chisinau as her getaway city. Here, Calypso – Byron’s mistress, a Hellenic woman of a rare beauty, loved to come for fashionable dance balls, sirenising local men.  Chisinau was always attracting the Russian imperators, poets, philosophers. Here lives the title holder of the ‘Best Cio-Cio San in the world’. In Chisinau were born notable architects, commanders, composers, astronauts, artists, writers and many others.
Chisinau will surprise with its abundance of nightlife, large number of various restaurants, hotels, casinos and entertaining centres. Everyone will notice the quality-price ratio at the SPA saloons and the medical aesthetic centres.
Places to visit in Chisinau?

1. Take a walk on the central boulevard ‘Stefan cel Mare’ and gaze intently at the richness of the architectural styles and be a part of the unhurried city life.
2. Visit the National Museum of Natural History and Ethnography which holds one  of the world’s biggest dinosaur skeleton – deinotherium.
3.  Attend one of the shows at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre - winner of various international prizes.
4.  Try the delights of the traditional Moldovan cuisine in one of the numerous city’s restaurants ( «Popasul Dacilor», «La Taifas», «Curtea Vinatorului» and many more)
5. Make an exotic visit to one of the city’s open markets, and be surprised by its structure and organisation.

Secret of the Golden Carriage

(Cricova and Orheiul Vechi)
Tour duration: 7 hrsThe legend of the lost golden carriage by a Moldovan military commander, was once attracting the conquerors from all over, and nowadays it still continues to  attract the treasure hunters to Orheiul Vechi. Over the years, the gold from the carriage changed the meaning and the symbol of wealth. Today it represents the rich mix of different cultures, the emotional generosity of the Moldovan nation, the gold medals won at the international expos for the best wine varieties.
The following tour programme will give you the opportunity to visit one of the world’s largest underground winery  – ‘Cricova’. At a depth of 100 meters, you will discover the wine “city”, driving through the streets and boulevards named by the wine they store, with traffic lights at the intersections. Cricova will amaze you with its unique wine collection, with its richly decorated tasting rooms that have been visited by many famous people, with its great number of gold medals won at the international wine expos.
As a contrast to the richly decorated tasting rooms, try the contemplation of beauty from the century-old rocks – the tour to Orheiul Vechi, an open air complex museum. It boasts with traces of the first human settlements (40.000 years B.C.), Orheiul Vechi exposition centre that showcases the remains of different cultures; the rock monastery; Geto-Dacian fortress (IV-III B.C.); the house museum of a traditional peasant household.
You will be amazed with the preserved peasant’s households, their way of life, the simplicity and cordiality of the local people, and the generosity of the Moldovan tables. You will be left with good memories once you have lunch in one of the rural touristic complexes, prepared according to the old traditional recipes and enjoyed with some tunes from a folklore band.

The legend poured into the goblet.

(Мilestii Mici, Cricova, Chateau Vartely, Purcari)
The wine tours in Moldova, a country whose wine production roots go back in centuries, will please those who are thirsty for new impressions.  Some of the interesting moments from the tours will include: huge underground wine cities with a total road length of more than 200 km, underground waterfalls, secret stone rooms that were hiding the wine material from the soviet prosecution, the world’s largest wine collections, one of which has been noted by the Guinness World Record Book.
We can distinguish the following most notable wineries in Moldova: Cricova, Мilestii Mici, Branesti, Ialoveni, Purcari, Chateau Vartely and many more. They are enlisted for having wine tasting rooms and decorations in various styles.
The ‘golden collection’ of wines from Milestii Mici, one of the Europe’s biggest wine cellars, represents some two millions of balanced wine bottles that are being kept in the conditions provided by the mother nature. Everyone will enjoy the original decor of the Dionysius’ kingdom: wine fountains; articles of woodcarvings displayed in the tasting rooms; a working underground fireplace; the museum shop. There is no wonder why Milestii Mici is the title holder of hundreds of gold medals at various wine expos.
The Purcari winery was founded in 1827 on the premises of the former Afon-Zograf monastery. Here you can fully enjoy your time by admiring the original architectural masterpieces created according to the designs of the French wine estates; spend some time in the royal suits; play some tennis and billiard; try the magnificent cuisine; taste the best wine that is served at the royal tables of the European monarchs – all that make a truly ‘legend poured into the goblet’.

Arabesque trails

(Soroca fortress, Cosauti monastic complex, Rudi monastery) 
The northern part of Moldova will surprise you with unusual landscape forms, interesting historical touristic sights, plenty of settlements of the national minorities. 
The tourists will be amazed by the history of the Soroca medieval fortress (1499) – one of the world’s first rounded fortified and impregnable construction that was once an important defensive strategic point of the Moldovan state. By visiting the attraction you will get to know the secrets of the odd burials; find the hidden coin treasures; admire the truly amazing scenery.
You might be interested as well in getting to know more about the way of life of the Russian Old Believers, Roma (Gypsy) communities, the art of the Moldovan stonecutters, to visit the Cosauti monastery, the imprisonment place of the runaway monks.
Only at Rudi monastic complex, located in a dense forest, you will have the opportunity to see one of the most interesting monuments of the old Moldovan church architecture that influenced the church designs in the northern part of the Russian empire, and namely of the  Trinity Church (1777).  The monastery represents a men’s theological seminary building that has undergone some improvements over the years. It was built in an Old Russian style that catches everyone’s attention with its unusual shapes and the originality of the architectural plans.

Terra incognita

Gagauzia (Comrat, Besalma village)
A trip to the south of Moldova will amaze you with a large amount of unknown facts, and namely give you a closer insight into the exceptional gagauz culture – the descendents of the Turkified Bulgarians from the 7th century, that are of orthodox Christian confession and live nowadays in the Gagauz-Yeri autonomy.
The sightseeing program will cover such aspects as: the colourful culture of the gagauz people, the gagauz original cuisine, and the gagauz wine production. You will be able to enjoy the opportunity to socialize with the locals while having a glass of southern wine; have the opportunity to know better the gagauz wedding rites; be given a ride on a exotic light carriage; have lunch in a peasant’s mansion.
Transnistria (Bender, Ternovca, Rascov and Camenca villages)
The Dniester River separates Moldova and the unrecognized republic of Transnistria, which has preserved some aspects of the socialistic era, but at the same time, continuing to develop and amaze with its touristic sights.
In Transnistria you can visit one of the few fortresses in the world, remaining unexplored so far by the archaeologists. The Bender fortress was built in the 15th century when the country was ruled by Suleiman the Magnificent, and till now it still holds many riddles, undiscovered hidden treasures, underground passages, interesting stories and legends.
Transnistria will also amaze you with some other unique attractions such as: the Glory Memorial, the Bottle museum, the famous cognac factory KVINT.
By taking this tour you will also remember with pleasure the ruins of the antique synagogue, the visit to the acting polish kostel and to the former mansion of the Field Marshal General P.H. Wittgenstein.