Choose your trip

You’ll meet your local guide and driver at the airport. Check in at a 4* Hotel and free time. Independent dinner as guests will arrive with different flights.

After breakfast you’ll have a city tour about the capital of Moldova – Chisinau. It includes: The Central Park and the Alley of Moldovan literature classics, the monument of Steven the Great and Saint, Great National Assembly Square, the Triumph Arch, the “Nativity” Cathedral, the Organ Hall, the Market of souvenirs.

Independent lunch. In the afternoon, we shall visit the Military Museum from Chisinau and learn about the fate of this country during the Second World War and about its Soviet Heritage. Same accommodation. Welcome dinner in a local wine bar specialized in promoting quality Moldovan wines produced by small producers.

Next continue to Transnistria and after crossing the border we shall visit the Medieval Fortress from Bender – an impressive fortress built by the Turks in 16th century and the place where in 1713 Charles XII of Sweden had taken refuge after his defeat in the Battle of Poltava. Next stop -to a local village for a special lunch in a family-run Guesthouse. We will continue with a visit to Aquatir, a large sturgeon-breeding and black caviar-processing industrial complex. Late afternoon arrival in the capital – Tiraspol and city tour. Check in – 4 * hotel. Independent dinner.

Transnistria – is a breakaway territory within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova. Although not recognized by any state or international organization, it is de facto an independent state named the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. The country’s national coat of arms still includes the traditional hammer and sickle and the Lenin statue hasn’t yet been pulled down. The Pridnestrovie today may still retain the look of a Communist state and it’s called “the last remaining Stalinist dictatorship in Europe”.

Today we invite you to enjoy the military parade in the city of TIRASPOL, organised in the memory of all the victims of World War II. We will admire the festivities of the Victory Day and enjoy this unique atmosphere. After the parade – some free time for lunch, to meet local people and interact with them.  We advise you to try diferent kind of dishes and sweets freshly cooked in the market.

Later in the afternoon, we shall do a Treasure Hunt – but because we are in Transnistria, off course, the main treasure will be the Lenin Statues that they inherited from the Soviet time. We will drive towards the north, along the Dniester River. You will be amazed about the communist monuments still to be seen in villages and small towns like Grigoriopol and  Dubasari. Going back to Moldova and drive to Chateau Vartely where we will also overnight. Wine tasting and dinner. Chateau Vartely is one of Moldova’s newest wineries. They produce a range of fine wines that have obtained a considerable amount of appreciators all over the world.

After breakfast let’s stop at Curchi Monastery, a real pearl of our religious life. Here you’ll visit some churches, and among them – the “Virgin’s Assumption” Cathedral, built by the drawings of genius architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Later we shall drive to Old Orhei, Moldova’s most picturesque and fantastic historical site. Old Orhei is famous for the cave monasteries located there. This zone was ideal for the primary monasticism of early Christian community. It was isolated from the outer world. At the time when Christians came here there should have been smaller and bigger caves in the calcareous rocks cut by pre-historic tribes living on this territory. Today the monastery is inhabited by only one monk. Here we will have a typical Moldovan lunch in a nice cozy Moldovan house. Our next stop for today – at the world famous Moldovan Cellars – Cricova, which is a real underground wine city with wide streets, warehouses, tasting rooms. The total length of its galleries is 120 km. The constant annual temperature of + 12ºC and 82–95 % humidity are perfect conditions for aging quality wines there. Cricova is also well known for brilliant sparkling-wines produced by the classic French method. Excursion in the underground winery and arrival in Chisinau. Same accommodation and independent dinner.

Today we drive to Comrat, the capital of the smallest Autonomy in the world – Gagauzia. In order to understand who, the “gagauz” are we shall pay a visit to the Museum of History and Ethnography from Besalma village. There we will learn about the history, culture and daily life of the Gagauz from ancient times to the modern days. Next we head to Copceac to visit the last working “colhoz” from Moldova – a type of run by state farm. Here we will have a traditional Gagauz lunch, and experience the old communist life. The “Victory” collective farm was founded in 1947 and now is the leader in producing and exporting fruits and vegetables in the southern area of Moldova. It is the only surviving collective farm after the collapse of USSR. Return to Chisinau. Same accommodation.

If time allows we shall visit more soviet sights of Chisinau, pay a visit to the Lenin Statue that is kept nowadays in a local park etc. Transfer to the airport. Departure back home.