48 (or 72) Hours in Chisinau

A local's guide for tourists and business travelers

Today we’re going to do something rather different at Moldova Matters and taking a look at the country and capital through the lens of what experiences you might enjoy if you travel here. For those readers who don’t already know, it is worth pointing out that after coming to Moldova as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2012, I stayed around in order to start one, then multiple companies in the restaurant and hospitality space. Because of this I’ve taken a particular interest in the huge growth of Moldova’s hospitality sector over the last 10 years and the transforming face of Chisinau that came with it.

Much of the inspiration for writing this article now is the upcoming European Political Community Summit on June 1st. For a few days Moldova will become the center of Europe’s political world, with over 40 prime ministers and heads of state already confirmed at the event. Along with such people come loads of others from staffers to journalists covering the conference. Given that the airport will be closed June 1 & 2 for diplomatic flights many non-official guests in Moldova will have to spend a little time here in addition to the summit days. Given all of that, I thought it would be a great time to share some of my favorite locations and experiences with Moldova Matters readers so that anyone coming to Chisinau can find as much to love about this small, often sleepy, European country as I do.

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Without further ado here is my practical guide to spending 48 (or 72) hours in Chisinau.

Orienting Yourself…

The first thing people usually ask me about traveling to Moldova is about language - specifically whether or not they can get by with English. The answer isn’t exactly straightforward and will vary a lot based on context. Moldova does not historically have much of an industry based up around tourism specifically. With that said the staff at most hotels and many restaurants will have some people who speak English and almost all tourism locations (with the notably exception of government run museums) will have English speakers. In Chisinau the primary language of work and communications is Romanian but nearly everyone speaks some level of Russian as well. Outside of restaurants and hotels you are unlikely to find many English speakers - for example shops and supermarkets, bus stations, train stations and taxi drivers. That shouldn’t be much of an impediment if you plan a bit and set your expectations accordingly.

Get In

Most travelers to Moldova will come in via the Chisinau International Airport. The airport itself is small but very modern with good food options and waiting spaces for people catching a flight. That said, the airport is closed on June 1 & 2, and travelers should avoid booking anything with AirMoldova as the company is insolvent and has canceled most (if not all) flights for the foreseeable future.

The next closest airport is in Iasi Romania and passengers can find busses, mini-busses and vans traveling from Iasi to Chisinau pretty much around the clock. This isn’t the most comfortable trip as busses are usually of the semi-official sort and leave on a rolling basis when they are full. It is also possible to grab a taxi / Uber from Iasi to Chisinau but it won’t be cheap and will have to be negotiated with the driver. The trip in bus or taxi lasts around 3 hours including the border crossing.

There are also bus and train options from Romania and Ukraine with a broad variety of operators. Rome2Rio is a great site for viewing route options and getting an idea of where you can book such travel.

Get Around

Once you’re in Chisinau you’re going to have to figure out transit pretty quickly. At the airport there is a taxi stand which will get you a ride to anywhere in the city for a modestly inflated price. Things are a bit more complicated at the bus and train stations depending on what time you’re arriving. I recommend preparing with a taxi app that will let you call a taxi and set the route without having to explain it in Romanian or Russian. Taxis are a very affordable option in Chisinau with prices ranging from $2 (local trips) to around $15 (maximum to the airport). Prices might be a bit higher in peak times but still remain super affordable compared to most European cities. Note, Uber, Lyft and other international ride share companies don’t operate in Moldova.

Here are a couple of taxi apps to consider:

• Yandex Go (Google Play | App Store) - Yandex (Russia’s Google) operates the most ubiquitous taxi ride share app in Chisinau. The app lets you pay with cash or card and works in English. Note: Yandex has fallen under Russian sanctions after the start of the war. The company relocated some subsidiaries outside Russia to dodge sanctions and the app remains available from Apple and Google in Moldova. Anecdotally I’ve heard that depending on your phone’s home of origin it might not be available. It’s also worth noting that many governments do not allow their workers to use Yandex apps. Still, it’s the biggest in Chisinau so it’s worth noting.

• Letz Taxi (Google Play | App Store) - Letz is a local competitor to Yandex that has been growing in recent months. They have a similar app with cash and card options and a large number of cabs as they partner with local taxi companies.

In addition to Taxies, Chisinau has a robust public transportation network of busses and trolleybuses. Trips cost 6 lei ($0.34) and service is regular. Some trolleybuses on main routes have card readers for payment but it is best to keep some lei in your pocket just in case yours doesn’t.

Note: There will likely be disruptions in the Centre and Botanica sections of the city around the summit.

To understand bus and trolleybus routes you can use the app EasyWay (website | Google Play | App Store) which also shows real time GPS information on some routes (the city has not yet upgraded all vehicles with this function).

Also, for short distance trips the electric-scooter craze has come to Chisinau and you can get a Bolt scooter from most parts of downtown with their app (Play Store | App Store).

Food & Drink

Now here’s the fun section. As a restauranteur and a foodie I prefer to travel with my stomach leading the way and Chisinau has a lot of great options for people so inclined. Naturally this is not an exhaustive list but really my own top picks for a variety of places. Obviously my own businesses are noted as such for full disclosure.

Note: When doing your own research on places in Chisinau Google maps is probably the best option. TripAdvisor also has a good list but has struggled a bit to keep up with locations that closed during COVID and new locations opened since COVID that may never have listed themselves.

Breakfast & Coffee

Chisinau isn’t historically much of a breakfast town with somewhat limited options outside of what hotels offer. That said there are some great places if you’re willing to walk a bit or hop in a cab. Coffee is another matter as there are ubiquitous vendors and little cafes all over the city center and in most parks. Here are my top picks:

• Rozmarin (facebook | instagram | google maps) - This is an amazing cafe a short cab ride or around a 20 minute walk from the city center. They have a variety of breakfast options but are also excellent for their panini sandwich lunches or for gathering at dinner with a bottle of wine.

• Crosta (facebook | instagram | google maps) - Crosta is located outside the city center in the Riscani district (15 min cab ride) but is well worth a visit for their delicious breakfasts and warm atmosphere.

• Tucano (facebook | instagram | google maps) - Tucano is often called Moldova’s Starbucks because the chain has locations around Moldova, Romania, Germany, the UAE, Ireland and more. In reality this isn’t a fair description as Tucano has a unique and much more playful ambiance than the American chain. The coffee shop serves up fresh ground coffee as well as a selection of light food.

Traditional Moldovan Restaurants

• Gök-Oguz (facebook | google maps) - This is my all time favorite traditional Moldovan restaurant. They primarily serve Gagauz cuisine from the southern autonomous region of the country. That said, they also have a selection of traditional foods from across the Moldovan ethnographic culinary scene. Ask for their house wine (vine de casa) or select from a bottle list of excellent local wines to go with your food. The only downside is the location which is not far from the center but is inaccessible for people preferring to walk or scooter due to the roadside location in a semi-industrial area. Best to hop a cab to this location.

• Fuior (facebook | instagram | google maps) - It would not be right to call Fuior “traditional” per se as they take a modern approach to local Moldovan dishes. The restaurant has an excellent menu and local wine selection. Best to reserve in advance as it is very centrally located especially with regards to hotels preferred by business and diplomatic travelers.

• Vatra Neamului (facebook | instagram | google maps) - This is an older restaurant, centrally located, with a menu of Moldovan / Romanian traditional dishes. The atmosphere is friendly, if a bit ornate, and the traditional food and wine selection show off much of the best Moldova has to offer.

Restaurants with International Cuisine

• Gastrobar (facebook | google maps) - Gastrobar specializes in cooking with “Big Green Egg” ceramic grills and has a Greek and Mediterranean menu focus. The restaurant is cozy, centrally located, and boasts a great wine selection.

• Tiflis (facebook | instagram | google maps) - This Georgian restaurant has a great selection of Khachapuri, Khinkali and all your favorite Georgian dishes. It’s not as centrally located as other options on this list and requires around a 15 minute cab ride from the center. Ask for their house wine (vine de casa) or enjoy their selection of local bottled wines and Georgian brandy Chacha (though be warned - it can be strong).

Eat & Drink / Pubs

• Taproom 27: A Hoppy Place (facebook | instagram | google maps) (Disclaimer - this is my restaurant, the successor to Smokehouse which I co-founded in 2015) - Taproom 27 is a small bar / pub that boasts a selection of 20 local craft beers and ciders sourced from all around Moldova. The menu is American with a focus on sandwiches and Tex-Mex (tacos, quesadillas, nachos). In addition to craft beers there is a classic cocktail menu. If you’re looking for wine it is best too look elsewhere on this list as the selection is quite limited. What make Taproom unique on this list (and in Chisinau) is having lots of bar seating for individuals and small groups - often leading to good conversations and new friends as the night rolls on.

• Keller Holz Gastropub (facebook | instagram | google maps) - Keller Holz is an Austrian-Moldovan brewing company that also operates some great restaurants including Fuior listed above. Their Gastropub bills itself as a craft beer restaurant with their house beers but equally excels in a wine selection. The food is “European” with a range of pastas to steaks to hamburgers.

• 513 (facebook | instagram | google maps) - This pub has been around for a long time in various forms for good reason. The menu offers a number of great options for casual dining and they have a good selection of craft beer, wine and traditional cocktails. What 513 excels at is ambiance driven by the excellent design and great staff.

Bars (limited or no food)

• Plin cu Vin (facebook | instagram | google maps) - If you’re looking for a great place to drink Moldovan wine this is it. Plin cu Vin is a centrally located wine bar tucked away on a side street right by the central square. Wine is sold by either bottle or glass and customers often spill outside onto the quiet street to talk and socialize while enjoying fine Moldovan wines. Come here if you’re looking for a lively social place to enjoy local wines.

• Marlene (facebook | instagram | google maps) - Marlene is the bar that brought the high end / craft cocktail revolution to Chisinau. Centrally located in an old house renovated in an art-deco style Marlene boasts a selection of excellent cocktails as well as indoor and outdoor seating ideal for enjoying them.

• CasaRoz (instagram | google maps) - CasaRoz is a brand new location opening this month just in time for the upcoming Summit (hopefully… otherwise this plug will be a bit lost). It is a wine and craft cocktail bar with a limited menu of Spanish tapas. The location is quite out of the way and in spite of not being far from the center it’s best to taxi so you’re sure to find it. This place is a bit of a hidden treasure, built in a remodeled 19th century house in a neighborhood mostly known for the Bazaar, it boasts a really cool atmosphere in addition to the drink menu.

• Piana Vyshnia / П'яна Вишня (facebook | google maps) - Piana Vyshnia (The Drunken Cherry in English) is the Chisinau location of a legendary Ukrainian company from Lviv. They do one thing and one thing only - Vishnovka, or sour cherry liqueur. If that’s not your thing it is located as part of the “Teatrul Gastronomic” where you can get a wide selection of other drinks as well as food. What makes this place special is just how much of a crowd it draws. People young and old stop in for a drink (or a few) after dinner and the crowd spills out all around the sidewalk and into the park next door. In spite of this, the simple single item menu means that you almost never have to wait long for drinks.

• LaBrewtory Brewery (facebook | instagram | google maps) - (Disclaimer - I’m a partner in this company) - LaBrewtory is an American-Moldovan craft brewery located about 10 minutes from downtown Chisinau by cab. It’s the only brewery in the city to have a taproom and extensive indoor / outdoor seating open daily. Ask at the bar for a tour of the brewery or just for samples of whatever’s on tap today. Labrewtory specializes in craft beer and craft ciders.

Nightlife

Sorry... this section empty. That’s not because Chisinau doesn’t have a big nightlife scene, it’s really just that I’m not much part of it. I’m a restaurant and pub guy so any advice I give on places with loud music and round the clock parties would be no better then you get from Google. Sorry!

Chisinau Attractions

A lot of travelers to Chisinau complain that there isn’t really all that much to do in the city and that isn’t wrong. Moldova’s real beauty and attraction for tourists lies out in the countryside and rolling hills covered in sunflowers, lilac or vineyards. With that said Chisinau is not without charm, interposing cold Soviet architecture alongside modern construction and lots and lots of green spaces. Locals call Chisinau a “green city” referring to tree lined boulevards and lots of parks and green spaces to stroll through.

Most visitors will first go downtown and see Cathedral Park and Stefan Cel Mare Park right in the city center.

Stefan Cel Mare in the park. He’s on all the money and kinda a big deal here. Photo attribute Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons

Walking through these parks leads you by the Government building, Parliament and the Presidential Administration, also known as 3 buildings that could not possibly have more divergent architectural concepts.

If you’re looking for a stroll through a park a bit further away from the hustle and bustle of traffic you can also go walk around Valea Morilor lake found close to the city center.

In terms of museums, most in Chisinau are not super friendly to non-Romanian speakers but this is starting to change with some new exhibits having English captions. Also, they work limited hours and not all days of the week so check on the website or google maps before going to confirm their hours. For those who are interested here are my top picks:

• National History Museum (google maps) - As the name would imply this museum has numerous exhibits showing Moldovan history through the ages. It’s an old fashioned museum that lets you self guide through various rooms and see exhibits on different stages of Moldova’s long and complicated national history.

• Military History Museum (google maps) - The Military history museum is my favorite in Chisinau. Outside there are some Soviet era tanks and planes you can walk around. The first few rooms are pretty standard showing the medieval, Ottoman and Russian Imperial progression of Moldovan military and history. What is really interesting is the later part of the museum which is more modern in the sense of being designed experientially - to put the visitor more into the period being covered. These rooms show the history of the 1992 war with Transnistria as well as rooms dedicated to the victims of Soviet oppression.

• Ethnographic Museum (google maps) - The Ethnographic museum looks at Moldovan history through a cultural and traditional lens with exhibits on traditional dress, homes and industry (mostly farming) over the ages. There are also exhibits of local flora and fauna as well as a room size relief map of the entire country.

All three museums have their own charms, but to really experience Moldova it is better to get out of Chisinau and visit the countryside.

Get Out & Explore Moldova

Of all the sections of this article this one will be by far the most incomplete. Rather than picking my favorite locations all across Moldova to visit, I’ll focus here on practical day trips for travelers who are based in Chisinau but would like to experience a bit more of what the country has to offer. For anyone looking for a more extensive listing of great places to visit check out Moldova’s official tourism website or visit the national tourism center in Chisinau.

Wineries

Moldova is world renown for its wine and visiting a winery is often the best way to enjoy both the local wine culture and see part of the country far different from Chisinau. For this list I’ve picked 2 that are close to Chisinau and are themselves very very different - Cricova and Asconi wineries. For a bigger list, as well as the ability to book tours from Chisinau check out Winerist a local tour company.

Cricova Winery (facebook | instagram | google maps) - Cricova winery calls itself a “subterranean city” for very good reason. It has the second largest wine cellars in the world with 74 kilometers of underground tunnels used for production, aging and tasting wines. The largest wine cellar in the world, Mileștii Mici, is also in Moldova but doesn’t sport quite as nice a touristic experience (or the same quality of wine). A tour of Cricova involves a ride on an electric tram through the tunnels with stops on streets named for the wines being aged in that section. Visitors will also see the sparkling wine production housed 80 m underground and visit the national wine collection including some of the oldest bottles on display anywhere. Tastings are done in a set of underground tasting rooms with various styles of decor. It was here that Yuri Gagarin had quite the party on returning from space and Vladimir Putin hosted his 50th birthday party. The complex can be reached by city bus for the intrepid or by around a 20 minute taxi ride from Chisinau.

Asconi Winery (facebook | instagram | google maps) - For a very different wine experience to Cricova go to Asconi winery. This winery is around a 40 minute drive from Chisinau and can be reached by tour company or by taxi. Asconi provides great tastings, a walking tour of their production and a traditional village restaurant experience. For those looking to stay the night they also have a “traditional village” built up on site with rooms and cottages for rent.

Other Day Trips

For those looking for day trips to something other than a winery, here are a few interesting options to consider:

• Orheiul Vechi / Butuceni (google maps) - Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) is a national cultural preserve around 45 minutes north of Chisinau. At the site there is a beautiful natural river gorge surrounded by limestone cliffs. In the center of the complex is a cave monastery but there are a number of other sites in the area including the rustic town of Butuceni with multiple options for traditional food and local wine. It’s best to take at least half a day here to enjoy strolling through the hills and enjoying the village museum.

• Kozy Village (facebook | instagram | google maps) - What if I told you that there was a goat village 40 minutes from Chisinau? Most people would ask “what is a goat village?” Well, it’s just that. There is a mayor of goat town (a goat), shops and houses for goats and even a jail for goats who get out of hand. The whole place is charmingly bizarre but never boring. Visitors to goat town change their Moldovan lei for the local goat currency at the entrance and can proceed to buy human food and wine as well as goat related items in the village. The whole attraction is the brainchild of a Ukrainian company that runs a series of seafood restaurants called Chernomorka that rapidly expanded to Moldova under pressures of the war early last year. It’s honestly charming and funny and well worth a visit. Note: Kozy Village is in the village of Pohrebea on the Dubasari peninsula that we discussed in a regional article about the security zone. Driving here entails passing a checkpoint of the Russian Army but not leaving Moldovan controlled territory. For most people this just means driving by some soldiers who have no right to stop any cars. That said, people with diplomatic plates may have more trouble as the “peacekeepers” have overstepped their bounds in the past stopping such cars or making a nuisance of themselves to drivers with Ukrainian plates.

• What about Tiraspol / Transnistria? Many tourists visiting Moldova consider a day trip to Tiraspol to see the statues of Lenin and experience what some call the “last corner of the Soviet Union.” Simply put, I don’t recommend going at this time. Tourists do still go to Tiraspol and there haven’t been any published incidents in recent months. With that said, given the tensions around the war, high security around the upcoming summit, and total lack of diplomatic support for foreign citizens in the unrecognized enclave, I don’t find it worth the risk. Partly, I’m cautious by nature about such things. But also, it’s really not worth seeing. Tiraspol is a sleepy town with a few statues of Lenin you can take pictures of. Moldova has much more to offer than Soviet nostalgia and more than enough for people to enjoy without checking this particular box. Just my 2 cents…

Conclusion: Once again, this list is not meant to be exhaustive. There are lots more amazing bars, restaurants and attractions that I left off of what is already a super long article. If I didn’t mention your favorite place feel free to write it up in the comments section!!

Also - You’ll notice I didn’t include any recommendations on hotels and places to stay. Chisinau has a lot of high quality hotels in various price brackets but I left it out for 2 reasons. Firstly, I’ve lived in this city for a long time and don’t have any useful first person experience in the area (I usually recommend Airbnb to friends traveling to the city). Secondly, given that the upcoming summit is pretty much the biggest event that Moldova has ever hosted and delegations have booked months in advance, the selection of hotels available is likely to be wildly different than on a normal weekend. So in the end I thought to just leave it to the booking sites.