Moldova Explorer

Tucked between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is one of Europe’s last true hidden gems – a land often overlooked, yet rich with history, layered cultures, and quiet, unspoiled charm. This journey invites you to step off the tourist trail and into a country shaped by centuries of shifting empires, enduring traditions, and surprising beauty. From the tree-lined boulevards of Chisinau to the echoing wine cellars of Cricova, the forgotten Soviet echoes of Transdniestr to the ancient cave monasteries at Orheiul Vechi, each day peels back another layer of this enigmatic country, offering a rare glimpse into a Europe that time almost forgot.

The tour begins in the relaxed capital, Chisinau, with time to explore its parks, monuments, and Soviet-era grandeur before heading out to the peaceful Capriana Monastery and the tradition-rich village of Clisova Noua. You’ll then cross into Transdniestr – a breakaway republic frozen in time – where the capital, Tiraspol, and the historic fortress town of Tighina offer a rare glimpse into a living Soviet past. The journey continues with visits to Orheiul Vechi, a striking monastery carved into a cliffside, and Cricova’s sprawling underground wine city, where Moldova’s finest vintages await. Further north lies Soroca, with its imposing medieval fortress and vibrant Roma community, followed by a visit to the unique autonomous region of Gagauzia – where Turkic roots blend with Orthodox tradition-, before returning to Chisinau for a final night.

More than just a sightseeing tour, this journey is an immersion into a land where cultures meet, identities intertwine, and history is never far beneath the surface. Whether tasting wine in centuries-old cellars, exploring villages little changed by time, or uncovering Moldova’s forgotten corners, this is a rare opportunity to discover a Europe few have seen – and one you won’t soon forget.

Highlights

  • Explore the charming capital of Chisinau
  • Visit the unrecognised country of Transdniestr
  • Wine tasting in the vast cellars of Cricova
  • Learn about the Gagauz ethnic minority

Day 1 - Chisinau

Arrive in Chisinau and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. Overnight Bristol Hotel or similar.

Chisinau
Pretty Chisinau is characterised by tree lined avenues, white washed buildings and imposing civic monuments and as the capital is the economic centre of Moldova. Founded in the 15th century it has been ruled by Russians and Ottomans, located at an awkward point between the two giant empires, and became the capital of the province of Bessarabia in the 19th century. It suffered much during the Second World War and much of what you will see has been rebuilt, on a typical Soviet grid system of streets. It contains one of the highest proportions of green spaces within any major European city, with many parks and lakes within its boundaries.

Day 2 - Chisinau – Capriana – Clisova Noua

Spend the morning exploring Chisinau, one of Europe’s greenest cities. We visit some of its key monuments including the St Teodora church, the Arch of Triumph and its collection of striking 19th century buildings. We then head to the 15th century Capriana Monastery, and the village of Clisova Noua with its small museum on Moldovan customs and traditions. Return to Chisinau for the night. Overnight Bristol Hotel or similar. (B)


Day 3 - Transdniestr

Cross the border into the breakaway republic of Transdniestr, one of Europe’s oddest entities and something of a throwback to the days of the Soviets. We explore the ‘capital’ Tiraspol with its stark monuments and also visit the town of Tighina, once an important trading centre and with an impressive 16th century fortress to explore. Return to Chisinau for the evening. Overnight Bristol Hotel or similar. (B)

Transdniestr
Transdniestr, or Transnistria, is a European oddity – a tiny breakaway state within Moldova between the River Dniestr and the Ukrainian border that is unrecognised by other nations but to all effects and purposes functions as a completely separate country, with its own government and army. Once part of the Soviet Union along with the rest of Moldova, when the Cold War ended its population decided to declare independence, sparking a war with Moldova – things are peaceful now but the two states eye each other cautiously from across the border. Ethnically it has far more ties with Russia, and you will hear Russian being spoken here – part of the basis for its claims of sovereign status is that while the rest of Moldova was ceded to Turkey following the Russo-Turkish conflicts of the 18th century, Transdniestr remained Russian, hence they cannot be considered to be the same country. The capital Tiraspol is a rather odd but intriguing place where the Soviet Union doesn’t seem to have quite died, and is fascinating to explore for an insight into what life was once like behind the Iron Curtain.

Day 4 - Orheiul Vechi – Cricova

Visit the monastery complex of Orheiul Vechi, one of Moldova’s most important historic sites and dating back to the 13th century. We then head to the vast wine cellars of Cricova, around 80 metres underground and consisting of tunnels that stretch for more than 120 kilometres. Explore this unusual site with opportunities for wine tasting at the end. Overnight at Bristol Hotel or similar. (B)

Orheiul Vechi
The Orheiul Vechi Monastery complex is carved into a cliff and dates back to the 13th century, although it has only recently come back into use after being abandoned in the 18th century. It contains a chapel and a sleeping area for monks, and the cliffside is dotted with small caves and places of worship, dug over thousands of years by ancient Dacian tribes.

Day 5 - Soroca

Head to Soroca, once a Genoese trading post and home to a rather impressive fort, which we explore. We also visit a community of gypsies, where we will be able to learn about their unique traditions and customs, before heading back to Chisinau. Overnight Bristol Hotel or similar. (B)

Soroca
Located in the north of the country, Soroca sits on the banks of the Nistru River and has its origins in the medieval Genoese trade post of Olchionia. The historical centre is worth exploring but its most impressive site is the fortress. The original wooden fort, which defended a ford over the Dniester, was an important link in the chain of fortifications on the Dniester and Danube rivers, and was of vital military importance during the Russian-Turkish wars. It dates back to the 15th century, founded by Stephen the Great and later rebuilt by Petru Rareş, and was originally built to defend against the Tartar armies.

Day 6 - Comrat

Drive to Comrat, the ‘capital’ of the semi-autonomous region of Gagauzia. The Gagauzians are of Turkic ethnicity but follow the Eastern Orthodox church, with a distinct culture and traditions. We visit a traditional (restored) Gagauzian house as well as the small ethnological museum in the village of Besalma, before returning to Chisinau for our final night in Moldova. Overnight Bristol Hotel or similar. (B)


Day 7 - Chisinau

Transfer to the airport for departure. (B)


What's included?

  • Airport transfers

    We include arrival and departure transfers regardless of whether you book flights yourself, or we book them for you. If you’re booking them yourself, then please let us know the details so that we can arrange the transfers.

    Please note though that if you arrive earlier than Day 1 of the tour, and leave after the final day, we may need to make an additional charge for an airport transfer.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation as listed in the dossier. The nature of the destinations that we operate may sometimes mean that we need to change hotels, but we’ll always endeavour to keep the same standards. Please be aware that as we operate in many countries where tourism is in its infancy, hotel standards may not be the same as you’re used to elsewhere.

  • Guides

    In most cases you will be accompanied by one guide from start to finish. However there may be occasions when this is not practical, for example if your trip covers a number of different countries. In these cases it often makes more sense to include different guides for each place, to take advantage of their specific knowledge of the destination.

  • Meals

    As listed within the itinerary / dossier (B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner).

  • Entrance fees

    Entrance fees are listed for those sites that we mention within the itinerary. If there are any other sites that you’d like to see, these would be at your own expense.

What's not included?

  • Visas

    We don’t arrange visas for our travellers, but if an invitation letter is necessary then we will arrange this for you. If you need any advice with visas then just give us a call, or alternatively a visa agency such as Travcour (www.travcour.com) can assist.

  • International flights

    Many of our travellers arrive from different destinations and so we don’t include international flights in the cost of our tours. If, however, you would like us to book flights for you, then just give us a call and we’ll be happy to discuss your options.

  • Travel insurance

    If you need any assistance with this, then let us know – although we can’t arrange it ourselves, we can point you in the direction of a reputable provider that can assist.

Visas

Most nationalities will not require a visa to enter Moldova (providing you don’t stay more than 90 days).

Visa regulations can change however and so we recommend that you contact your nearest embassy for the most up to date information.

You should ensure that your passport has at least six months’ validity after the end date of your trip. We also strongly recommend that your passport has a minimum of two blank pages next to each other – on the rare occasion it may lead to problems with visas and immigration authorities if it does not.

Health and vaccinations

We are not medically qualified and so we recommend that you speak to your doctor or nearest health professional for advice concerning recommended vaccinations. However, there are no compulsory vaccinations needed to enter either country. For more advice on vaccinations, you can also visit http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.

Insurance

It is a condition of joining our tours that you have suitable travel insurance in place, and we cannot accept travellers without insurance. All policies differ in terms of what they will cover, but as a minimum you need medical and health cover, which will cover you for the whole time that you are away. Most policies will also include cancellation cover, which will cover you if an unforeseen circumstance obliges you to cancel your trip. We recommend that you obtain your insurance as soon as you book your trip.

Please note that government travel warnings often affect the validity of your travel insurance, and you should check this with your insurance company.

Money

In Moldova the currency is the leu. We recommend taking either US dollars or Euros to exchange – these should be unmarked and with issue dates after 2006, otherwise they may be difficult to exchange.

Changing money is fairly simple – many hotels will offer this service and there are also banks and exchange bureaus in larger towns. Your guide will be able to advise of the best option. In the capital cities and larger towns there are also ATMs which accept foreign cards, although don’t count on these always working. Credit cards are not used as widely here as they are in other European countries, so you should only think of this as a back up rather than the main source of obtaining money.

Local conditions

When travelling to some of the destinations we offer you need to bear in mind that things won’t always work here as we’re used to them working at home. Travelling in underdeveloped and untouristed destinations requires both patience and a sense of humour. There may be problems with infrastructure, attitudes may be different, and maintenance may not be as high a standard as we would always like, but this is very much part and parcel of travelling in such a place. We aim to resolve any issues as quickly as possible, and thank you for your patience.

Travel advice

We keep a very close eye on the travel advice issued by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office so that we can keep you up to date with any warnings. At the time of writing the FCO advises against travel to Transdniestr.

We work very closely with our local team and are fully confident that we can operate tours safely in Moldova and Trasndniestr. Should you have any concerns over safety please do not hesitate to contact us and we can address your concerns.

This relates to advice from the British government – other nationalities need to check the stance of their own governments.

Please note that the information contained above is highly susceptible to change, and while we endeavour to keep up to date we recommend that you use this as a guide only. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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Date(s)
Price (PP) Exc. Flights
Single Supplement
Trip Status
Date -
19 April 2026
Price (PP) -
£1,075
Single Supplement -
£200
Trip Status -
Available
Book Now
Date -
22 August 2026
Price (PP) -
£1,075
Single Supplement -
£200
Trip Status -
Available
Book Now

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