What to see in Moldova: 4 must-sees

Admire Chișinău as you stroll Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard, where Soviet-era buildings stand alongside Orthodox churches with golden domes. Buy fruit and cheese at the central market, Piata Centrală, then have plăcinte and Cricova wine for dinner at a terrace downtown. Visit Cathedral Park and the Triumphal Arch, witnesses to 500 years of history under Russian, Ottoman, and Soviet rule. If you have time, head down to the nearby Mileștii Mici cellars, with more than 200 kilometers of underground galleries.

Pause at the edge of the limestone gorge that drops toward the Răut River and descend to the 13th-century monastic caves, carved by monks out of the living rock. At Orheiul Vechi, churches and cells peer out over the void, and from the still-active Orthodox monastery you can watch the valley curve between hills and orchards. Walk the trails linking the archaeological museum with the villages of Butuceni and Trebujeni, watch falcons and eagles patrolling the cliffs, and cross the bridge to the bell tower that marks the landscape of the Orhei region.

Explore Cricova, a few kilometers from Chișinău, where 20 kilometers of underground tunnels form the largest wine cellars in the world. Descend into its galleries carved from limestone and discover millions of bottles aging in stable conditions, alongside collections that include historic vintages. The electric train tour runs through underground streets with names of their own and tasting rooms where you'll sample Moldovan wines. Above ground, the area's natural surroundings invite you to stroll among vineyards and geological formations that reveal the limestone origins of the subsoil. The visit combines winemaking history, carved architecture, and the rural landscape surrounding this wine region.