Weekend getaway in Chisinau – how can two days in the capital of Moldova surprise you?
Do you also have those destinations that you keep postponing, convincing yourself that there is still time, that you have other "more interesting" places to see first? That's what we did with Chisinau. Although it was so close, we always found reasons to leave it for another time: the regional context, the prejudices related to the communist-looking architecture, which we were already so used to at home, and the impression that it didn't have too much to offer.
But we admit – we were totally wrong! Chisinau turned out to be one of the most pleasant and unexpected travel surprises of recent times. A green, clean city, with a bohemian air and a tranquility that surprises you from the first moments. We left without expectations and returned with a big smile on our faces, with that rare feeling of “wow, what a discovery!”
In this article, we invite you to explore the beauties of the capital of the Republic of Moldova with us. Maybe, after reading the lines below, you too will feel the urge to add Chisinau to your list of next getaways. And a little spoiler: it's an ideal choice for an extended weekend!
This is exactly how we discovered Chisinau – on a two-day trip – and we want to show you how you can do the same, step by step.
Content
What you need to know about Chisinau and the Republic of Moldova
Language
In the Republic of Moldova, the official language is Romanian, as established by the country's Constitution.
The Russian language has the status of a language of interethnic communication, being very widespread in certain areas of the country, especially in regions such as Transnistria or Gagauzia.
In Chisinau, most residents are bilingual and speak both Romanian and Russian fluently.
Prices and Currency in Moldova
The official currency in Moldova is the Moldovan leu.
The exchange rate of this currency, in July 2025, is:
- 1 EUR ≈ 20 MDL
- 1 RON ≈ 4 MDL
Prices in the city are very affordable. For example, a cappuccino costs around 1.5 euros, a meal at a restaurant about 10 euros, wine tours up to 20 euros / person, prices for vignette and internet are also low.
We managed everywhere with just the card, there was no need to change into local money. At the restaurant we left a tip either with the card, where it was possible, or in Romanian lei.
Internet in Moldova
With how cheap the internet is in Moldova, I don't see why you wouldn't install a local esim on your phone.
You can buy esim directly from Mobimatter (with the code DENIS39489 for a discount on your first purchase) or Airalo (with the code DENISA1254 for a discount on your first purchase), with prices starting at 5 euros.
Or, as we did, perhaps a little more complicated, but cheaper on the other hand, is to buy an esim directly from the official website of the Moldtelecom communications network: moldtelecom.md. An esim bought from here costs only 2 euros, and you have 10 GB of internet for 2 weeks.
Safety
When it comes to safety, we can say that we did not feel any fear or anxiety at any time. There may be certain prejudices among you, that once you arrive in a developing country, you will experience certain feelings of fear at what is happening around you. But, I assure you, everything here takes place at a perfectly normal pace!
Basically, we were in another country, but with the feeling that we had not left Romania at all!
Where to stay in Chisinau
Accommodations in Chisinau are not among the cheapest, in contrast to the affordable prices of other consumer goods on the local market. The price of a room in a good hotel, let's say a four-star one, generally starts from 80-90 euros/night.
We stayed at Tulip Residence & Spa Hotel, a chic, modern hotel, with large and elegant rooms, and a terrace-restaurant with exceptional food. We paid 90 euros/night, in June 2025. The only disadvantage of this hotel was the small number of parking spaces available to customers, which meant we had to park on the street. But even so, we managed to find a parking space every time, and the experience of this accommodation was, in general, a good one.
What to do in Chisinau
Here is our itinerary from the two full days spent in the capital of Moldova. We visited the most known wineries, admired the important buildings in the center of Chisinau, enjoyed the delicious dishes of the local cuisine. I will present you details about each one.
Day 1
Cricova Winery
We started our mini vacation in Chisinau with a visit to the number one tourist attraction – of Chisinau and the Republic of Moldova, in our opinion.
It is about Cricova Winery, the national pride of Moldovans.
Cricova Winery is one of the largest and most important wineries in Moldova, and from a tourist point of view, the most famous.
What makes the Cricova Winery special? It is the entire underground city built and used to store wines. More precisely, it is a whole labyrinth of underground galleries, which stretch for a total of 120 km, at a depth of over 60 meters underground. Being stored at such a depth, the wines maintain their constant temperature of 12-14 degrees, which makes them retain the same special properties for many years.
In addition to the underground galleries, Cricova is also distinguished by the quality of the wines produced, the most prestigious being the sparkling wine produced according to the traditional French method “Champenoise”, through secondary fermentation in the bottle.
As a visitor, you have several guided tours available to you to take part in, to discover the wonders of the underground city of Cricova.
I recommend that you reserve your place in advance, especially if you plan to travel on the weekend or during holidays, directly from the official website: https://cricova.md/ro/excursii.
The winery tour consists of a ride on a train through the underground galleries, with stops at various points of interest. It lasts approximately an hour and a half and starts at the price of 400 MDL (20 euros), the simple tour. If you opt for a tasting session, with 4 types of wine, the tour costs 650 MDL (32 euros).
We took the tasting option, but since only one of us could drink, the other being the driver, it wasn't necessarily worth it. But, if you are curious and wine drinkers, then the tasting is definitely an experience not to be missed! Just be careful not to get behind the wheel after tasting the wine, the police are very vigilant in this regard!
If you want to buy wine from wineries in Moldova, keep in mind that a maximum of 4 liters of wine per person is allowed when crossing the border!
If you don't have your own car to travel to the winery, you can consider such an organized tour departing from Chisinau: Din Moldova: Tur la Vinăria Cricova cu degustare de vin, or a tour with a visit to both wineries in the same day, Cricova and Milestii Mici: From Chisinau: visiting the Cricova and Milestii Mici wineries.
Keep in mind that the temperature in the gallery is constant, 13-14 degrees, regardless of the season. Therefore, don't forget to bring warm clothes with you, if you come here in the summer months!
La Placinte and Bonjour Café
After a full morning spent visiting the wine cellar in Cricova, a proper meal is also required. And where else if not “La Placinte”, translated as "At the pies" in English?
We also discovered the famous restaurant chain in Chisinau, “La Placinte”, and we can only say: it is absolutely mandatory to try the meals here. Both the famous pies (the one with poppy seeds and sour cherries was something to dream about), but also the food. Traditional, with a simple, clean, home-cooked taste!
You can find “La Placinte” restaurants scattered all over the city, there are quite a few, but I recommend you look for one located in the center. Of course, after a hearty meal, a good coffee goes well, right?
And for that I have a solution: look for the nearest park, and there you will definitely find a Bonjour Café!
Bonjour Café is a chain of cafes that can be found in all the parks in Chisinau. The atmosphere in which they serve coffee is more than pleasant, and the coffee is delicious! And affordable – a cappuccino costs only 1.4 euros!
Chisinau City Center
Flourished after a delicious meal at “La Placinte”, and refreshed by a delicious coffee at “Bonjour Café”, we set off to discover the city center of Chisinau.
Even though it doesn’t look like a classic European city, with large squares and crowded promenades, the center of Chisinau impressed us with its organization, if we may say so. It is clean, quiet, well maintained– everything seems to be placed exactly where it should be. We took a walk through the main points of interest in the center, which I will detail below:
Piata Marii Adunari Square
Piata Marii Adunari Square is the epicenter of the city, the central point of the capital of Moldova and the heart of Chisinau. It is the place where the most important events on the country's political and social agenda take place, being, at the same time, the largest square in Chisinau. It does not resemble a central square in European cities, pedestrian and full of terraces and shops. Instead, it is crossed by the entire Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, and is surrounded by important administrative buildings, such as the Government or the Parliament.
Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe is a symbol of Chisinau, one of the most famous monuments in the city and a landmark for all tourists, being located in the Piata Marii Adunari.
It was built in 1841, and is also known as the “Holy Gates”.
Chisinau Metropolitan Cathedral
Behind the Arch of Triumph is the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Nativity of the Lord, the most important place of worship in Chisinau, built in the neoclassical style in the 1830s. The church can be visited for free.
Administrative buildings of the Republic of Moldova
Near Piata Marii Adunari are also the most important administrative buildings of this country: Presidency of the Republic of Moldova, Government of the Republic of Moldova, respectively the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova..
They are imposing buildings – some built in the Soviet style, such as the Government building, others in a more modern style, such as the Presidency, but all are located at a relatively short distance from each other.
Stephen the Great Park
Stephen the Great and Saint is a true hero and symbol of Moldova, and we realize this just by looking at the names of some of the most important locations in Chisinau.
On the one hand, the main boulevard of the city, the most important artery in Chisinau, bears the name of the great leader.
Also, one of the most beloved parks by the locals received the same name, Stephen the Great and Saint, as a sign of respect for the historical figure so important for Moldovans!
Stephen the Great Park is located in the immediate vicinity of Piata Marii Adunari and the Triumphal Arch, and at its entrance stands the imposing statue of the great ruler of both Romanians and Moldovans: Stephen the Great!
What impressed us in this park, beyond the rich vegetation and the well-maintained alleys?
The atmosphere.
Coincidentally or not, we passed through the park on two consecutive days, and each time, we came across a real celebration of seniors, with dance music, elegant and happy people, and lots of good cheer! A social event organized by the city hall, but to which the city's seniors responded enthusiastically, gathering in large numbers. It was a real party, to which we also felt, involuntarily, invited to participate!
Eugen Doga Pedestrian Street
In Chisinau we also find a pedestrian street with a bohemian and relaxing air, but also full of life. Strada Eugen Doga is famous for its colorful sidewalks in the shape of piano keys, a tribute to art and music, in tune with the profession of the one whose name it bears – Eugen Doga, a famous Moldovan composer.
Bucuria Store
I think everyone knows the famous Moldovan sweets “Bucuria”! Aromatic, colorful, unique, chocolate candies with all kinds of fillings, each more special and different! With candied plums, with sour cherries in alcohol, with peanuts ... An incredible variety of candies and tastes!
Well, there is no visit to Chisinau without a stop at the Bucuria store, located on Stefan cel Mare and Sfant Boulevard!
Bucuria candies are, along with the wines of Moldovan wineries, the best and most delicious souvenirs that you can bring home to your loved ones, part of the country's culinary identity!
Day 2
Milestii Mici Winery
Day two starts with a visit to another winery! You could say that this vacation is with and about wine, although we are not big consumers of such alcoholic beverages! But we cannot ignore the fact that viticulture is part of the identity of this country, and represents an important component of local tourism.
So, we did what all tourists who arrive in Chisinau do: we visited the most famous wineries, and after Cricova, the next on the list was Milestii Mici.
The Milestii Mici winery is also a winery built above an underground city, a labyrinth of galleries even more extensive than the one in Cricova. If the galleries of Cricova measure a total of 120 km, those of Milestii Mici reach no less than 200 km.
In addition, the winery hosts a larger collection of wines, some of which are decades old.
We recommend exactly the same things here as at the Cricova winery, if you want to participate in a tour of the underground galleries, as we did:
- Book in advance on the official website milestii-mici.md, where a tour, without tasting, starts at 350 MDL (17 euros).
- If you don't have a car to get around, you can opt for an organized tour departing from Chisinau: Moldova: Wine tour to the Mileștii Mici winery with tasting, or a tour with a visit to both wineries in the same day, Cricova and Milestii Mici: From Chisinau: visiting the Cricova and Milestii Mici wineries
- The temperature in the galleries is constant, below 15 degrees, so in summer it is good to be equipped with thicker clothes
- If you want to buy wine from wineries in Moldova, keep in mind that a maximum of 4 liters of wine per person is allowed when crossing the border!
National Museum of History of Moldova
If there is one museum that no tourist should miss in Chisinau, it is the National Museum of History of Moldova! The museum operates in an old, beautifully renovated building, which used to house the Boys' Gymnasium.
We also arrived here, after our visit to Milestii Mici, and we enriched our general culture by exploring the recent history, and not only, of the Republic of Moldova.
What particularly impressed us was the way in which the relationship of the Moldovans with their common past with Romania is reflected. Here, with pride, we would say, images and information about the Great Union of Bessarabia with Romania in 1918 are exhibited, which underlines the importance of the historical ties between the two nations, up to the present.
The entrance ticket costs 50 MDL (2.5 euros).
Valea Morilor Park
For our evening walk we chose Valea Morilor Park, and we highly recommend it to you too!
It is a very nice place to explore, set up around a lake, with a circular alley of over 2 km, perfect for walking and relaxing.
We really liked the atmosphere, but also the diversity of recreational activities created for the residents of Chisinau: bike and running tracks, boats on the lake, terraces, including a sandy beach, where swimming is allowed in the lake. A place that seems to be very appreciated by the locals, considering the large number of people who were enjoying the sun, on the beach, on a June afternoon.
And if you want to admire something truly spectacular, do not miss the Cascade Stairs, located at the northern entrance of the park. It is an imposing building, with fountains and decorative sculptures, reminiscent of the elegance of a long-gone era!
Where to eat in Chisinau
Do you know what we liked the most in the Republic of Moldova?
The food! That simple, authentic, homely taste — just like we remembered from childhood.
Traditional recipes, unpretentious, but full of flavor. Maybe the photos don't fully capture the magic on the plate, but the taste, the appearance, the serving — all superlative. And the prices? Surprisingly friendly compared to any other corner of Europe.
An absolute must for Chisinau are the La Plăcinte — a chain with Romanian specialties, delicious food and a Romanian fairytale decor, which differs from one restaurant to another. You can find these restaurants absolutely everywhere, you just have to open Google Maps and search for the “La Plăcinte” restaurant closest to you.
And I want to mention here another place that you can’t miss in Chisinau. Or, better said, places. It’s the “Bonjour Café” chain of cafes, which you can find in almost all the parks in Chisinau. And believe me. there are a lot of parks here – Chisinau is a very green city! These cafes integrate perfectly into the relaxed atmosphere of the parks and offer a state of peace and pampering to those who choose to enjoy their coffee in such a bohemian setting. And let’s not forget, their products are absolutely delicious, and surprisingly affordable!
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