Is Moldova Worth Visiting?
/I must admit – before I visited the capital city of Chisinau in Moldova, I didn’t know too much about the country. As the least visited country in Europe, the main reason I visited was to simply answer the question – Is Moldova Worth Visiting?
So, is Moldova Worth Visiting? Read on.
What I found is that the answer may not be what you think it is.
Despite the country’s ornate churches, green spaces and famous wine, not too many people are raving about visiting Moldova. Moldova is one of the last European countries in the world that I would consider relatively ‘undiscovered’, and this itself presented a truly unique experience.
Cascading Stairs at Valea Morilor Park
Moldova isn’t exactly a staple on the tourist trail – but should that change soon? Let’s find out.
Introduction to Moldova
Moldova is a landlocked country in the Balkan region of Europe, bordering the larger countries of Ukraine and Romania. During its long history, Moldova’s ownership has transferred back and forth from Romania to Russia. It was part of the Soviet Republic after World War II until it declared its independence in 1991.
Chisinau’s architecture is a mix of modern and Soviet styles.
Since its independence, Moldova has struggled to find its footing, especially compared to neighbouring nations. A few factors owing to a lack of self-government, economic problems and its landlocked location led to Moldova being the poorest country in Europe. However – things are on the mend, as Moldova currently holds the highest GDP growth in the continent.
Moldova has struggled, but is gradually improving year on year.
Controversies in the country still loom, such as the existence of Transnistria, a separatist Russian-aligned breakaway state that is currently internationally unrecognised. Still, despite its ups and downs, Moldova has slowly been attracting an increasing number of tourists who are looking for a rewarding off-the-beaten track, authentic experience.
How to Get to Moldova
Asher in front of The Triumphal Arch in Chisinau, Moldova.
Even though Moldova is the least visited country in Europe, it still boasts a pretty robust flight network, making it relatively easy to get to if you’re already in the surrounding region.
We flew in from Bucharest Airport (OTP) as there were daily flights from the Romanian capital, making it an easy choice. At the airport, we noticed flights also arriving regularly from Istanbul, London, Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Dublin, Vienna, Rome, Bologna, Milan and Athens.
You can check Skyscanner to see if you can fly into Chisinau Airport from your city.
Not interested in flying? You can also take a long distance bus from cities such as Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi and Odesa.
How Long Should I Stay in Moldova?
National Museum of Moldova in Chisinau
If you’re looking for a quick trip of 3 days or less, I would recommend you just explore the capital, Chisinauand maybe take 1-2 day trips out. If you wanted to fully explore the country and see some of the countryside and lesser-known attractions, you can get to most places using the local bus network or by renting a car.
Since it’s most likely your first time in the country, I would recommend staying in Moldova for 3 days.
Where to stay in Chisinau, Moldova
Chisinau is surprisingly packed with safe, great places to stay, and the best part? Most places are extremely affordable! Here are our handpicked recommendations for places to stay in Chisinau, Moldova.
Budget: Hostel Amazing Ion
This funky hostel has been impressing budget travellers for a while now. With clean rooms at a fraction of a price you would normally pay, you can’t go wrong with this choice. Both bunk bed and private rooms are available.
You can take a closer look at Hostel Amazing Ionika CenterCity by clicking here.
Mid-Range: London Boutique Hotel
A hotel like this is usually priced at double of what you would have to pay in Moldova, so what did we do with this information? We took advantage, of course 😄 . This is an amazing, modern hotel in a safe, central location.
You can take a closer look at the London Boutique Hotel by clicking here.
Luxury: Nobil Luxury Boutique Hotel
This fairy tale luxury hotel is surprisingly quite affordable given the quality of its rooms, facilities and location – just minutes away from Cathedral Park. The Nobil Luxury Boutique Hotel is one of Chisinau’s best rated hotels.
What’s There to See in Moldova?
Leafy Cathedral Park in Chisinau
There is plenty to see in Chisinau that will keep you occupied for at least 1-2 days. Here is a rundown of what I would recommend visiting.
Exterior of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity
The inside of the Cathedral is equally stunning.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity and neighbouring tower is the most impressive building you will see in the city. Located in the beautiful leafy Cathedral Park, you’ll also be able to walk to grand structures such as The Triumphal Arch and Stephen The Great Monument.
The Triumphal Arch in Chisinau
Stephen The Great Monument, Chisinau
Speaking of parks, you should also visit Dendrarium Park and Valea Morilor Park, the latter of which has a beautiful little lake and Cascade Stairs. Worth mentioning is also the Victory Memorial and Eternal Flame Complex, an impressive memorial created in 1975 to honour soldiers who died while at war.
Valea Morilor Park, Cascade Stairs
Ralph at the Victory Memorial and Eternal Flame Complex
If you’re a fan of museums, I would recommend checking out the National History Museum of Moldova, National Museum of Fine Arts of Moldova and the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History. They are all in walking distance from each other, and I particularly liked the exterior of the Ethnography Museum.
Ornate architecture of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History
A little bit further away from the city centre are two attractions you should definitely have on your list of places to visit. The first is Ciuflea Monastery, a blue-painted, gold-domed church and monastery constructed in 1858. The architecture of this monastery is simply breathtaking and reminded me of the gorgeous St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Golden-domed Ciuflea Monastery in Chisinau
Interior of Ciuflea Monastery
The second must-do is the Village Museum, which isn’t really a museum (in my opinion), but simply a hauntingly beautiful 1600s church in the middle of a picturesque garden. I visited this on the way back to Chisinau Airport since the two are closely located to each other.
Other attractions I would recommend visiting include the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Presidential Palace, and – this one is so random but I have to include it – Pao Pao Bubble Tea.
Village Museum, Chisinau
In case you didn’t know, I’m a big fan of bubble tea and the bubble tea in Chisinau was surprisingly amazing. Feel free to skip this if you’re not a boba fan. 😂
Favourite boba stop in Chisinau!
Chisinau, Moldova Walking Tour
You can see this cathedral on the below Chisinau Walking Tour.
We’ve browsed the internet so you don’t have to, and we’ve handpicked the best-rated, safest and most affordable tours to recommend to you.
👉 For a hassle-free way to visit Chisinau’s highlights, book this safe 3-hour Walking Tour of Chisinau With a Private G which includes 7 different stops, such as the Victory Memorial Complex, Cathedral Park, Ciuflea Monastery and Transfiguration Cathedral.
What Are The Best Day Trips to Take from Chisinau?
Interior of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior
Look beyond Chisinau and visit some of the most interesting parts of Moldova, including the USSR separatist state of Transnistria, where you’ll feel like you’ve moved back in time. Or, check out Moldova’s famous wine region and enchanting countryside by visiting Cricova Winery and Old Orhei.
Here are our handpicked, 5-star recommendations for you:
Ultimate Transnistria Day Trip from Chisinau: Including Bender Fortress, Tighina Military Cemetery, Tiraspol and House of Soviets – This is the highest-rated, most comprehensive tour of Transnistria on Viator. You can’t go wrong with this one.
Best of Moldova: Cricova Winery, Old Orhei Tour, Curchi Monastery Tour – This is the day trip that you can’t miss if you’re looking to explore Moldova’s wine, striking nature and hidden beauty.
How Do I Get Around Chisinau?
From Chisinau Airport, you can use the rideshare app Yandex Taxi, which works similarly to Uber. In fact, you can use Yandex to pretty much get anywhere around Chisinau.
Once you’re in the city centre, around the vicinity of Cathedral Park, you’ll be able to walk to most places as the attractions are not that far away from each other.
I would advise against using a taxi as they are known to charge way more than what you would pay using the Yandex Taxi app.
Reasons to Visit Moldova
In front of The Triumphal Arch and Cathedral Park in Chisinau
Why should you visit Moldova? Here are some of the reasons I found Moldova to be a great place to visit.
1. You’ll get to visit the least visited country in Europe
Okay, maybe a bit of a strange reason to start – but hear me out. Not many people have visited Moldova, and by visiting, you’ll likely be the first to tell the tale in your circle. It’s a unique, novel experience that probably won’t stay that way for long.
2. There’s actually plenty to do in Chisinau and its surrounds
Lake at Valea Morilor Park
I have seen Moldova described as ‘boring’ or ‘uneventful’, but I was pleasantly surprised when I visited. There was a lot to see and do, and I found the attractions to be really interesting.
3. It’s one of the cheapest places you’ll visit in your life
Transfig 1
Caption: Exterior of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior
Moldova is one of the cheapest places to visit in the world. Everything was ridiculously cheap here, even compared to its neighbour Romania. If you’re looking for a getaway that won’t break the bank, Moldova is for you.
4. Moldova is clean and green
Asher in front of Cathedral Park
I’ve seen videos of Moldova depicting it as kind of run down, dirty and archaic (e.g. that video by the Youtube Channel, ‘Bald and Bankrupt’) but again, I was really surprised when I visited to see that there were plenty of parks, green spaces, trees and lakes. In general, everything was a lot cleaner and more orderly than I would have expected. I also think that this is a mark of a continually improving country.
5. Chisinau’s churches are simply stunning
Ciuflea Monastery
Between Metropolitan Cathedral, Ciuflea Monastery and Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, I’d say Chisinau is a pretty awesome place to visit churches and cathedrals – and trust me – I’ve visited a lot!
Unique colours used in the colours of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior
I was impressed by the ornate decorations of the interior of the churches, in particular, the Transfiguration Church and its use of peach and pastel green colours. This is something I’ve found to be really unique in the grand scheme of cathedrals.
6. Moldova is safe
Moldova didn’t feel any less safe than nearby countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and so on. I was able to walk around freely around Chisinau and felt completely safe. If safety is your concern, I’m happy to report that I didn’t encounter any issues here.
7. Visiting Transnistria: where else can you visit a USSR, Russian-backed separatist state?
Presidential Palace, Chisinau
This one is controversial, but if you’re curious about visiting Transnistria, I would say - just do it! It’s not every day that you get to safely visit such a contentious place and learn about its history.
👉 Interested in visiting Transnistria? You can easily visit on a day trip from Chisinau, click here to find out more.
Reasons to Avoid Moldova
I thought I’d have a lot more reasons why you shouldn’t visit Moldova, but I’ve only managed to come up with a few minor ones.
1. Moldova borders Ukraine and the situation can change (unlikely)
Ralph in front of The Triumphal Arch
Given the military conflict happening in Ukraine, there’s a very small possibility that war could spill over to Moldova. This seemed to be more of a possibility when the war started, but it looks like things have settled when it comes to the chances of Moldova being invaded. I don’t think that this will happen, but you should check the news and the advice of your local government to stay updated.
2. Moldova’s attractions aren’t mind-blowingly memorable
Another shot of Chisinau’s streets
I think this one is kind of obvious, but maybe worth mentioning again – Moldova doesn’t have the instant appeal of certain countries such as France, Spain or even Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania.
If you’re looking for the eighth ‘world wonder’, you probably won’t find it here in Moldova.
Final Verdict – Is Moldova Worth Visiting?
Yes, Moldova is definitely worth visiting. Although I was sceptical at first, Moldova won me over with its stunning churches, affordable prices, green spaces and authenticity.
Sculpture of skateboarding lovers found in Valea Morilor Park.
Victory Monument and Eternal Flame
If you’re looking to see some of the world’s most recognisable landmarks – look elsewhere. But if you find value in visiting somewhere off the beaten track, or if you’re the kind of traveller that’s unafraid to venture out to the lesser-known areas of the world, then Moldova is for you.
Another look at Cathedral Park in Chisinau
Moldova may not be the most obvious place to visit for everyone, but come visit, and you’ll be one of the few to be rewarded.
What do you think of Moldova? Do you have plans to visit? Let me know in the comments!
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