Overview to Moldova: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
Flanked by the Ukraine to the northeast and Romania to the southwest, Moldova was once known as ‘the Garden’ of the Soviet Republic. Today it stands proudly independent, and it’s hard not to be impressed by the lengths the country has gone to in reinventing itself.
The meeting of old and new is most prominent in Balti, the country's second largest city. Here, the Old Town - whilst complemented by its newer counterpart - provides an abundance of architectural and cultural examples from a bygone era.
Further south, the pleasant capital of Chisinau also boasts attractions to entertain the visiting backpacker. The splendidly blue Church of Chisinau and the fascinating National Archaeology and History Museum are the standout spots.
Traveling away from the cities, Moldova’s whitewashed villages commingle with vineyards and tranquil lakes. And it’s here, too, with peaceful rural areas dominated by beautiful scenery, that the country really proves its worth as a travel destination.
The land is also dotted with striking sights. Embedded within sheer cliff-face caves overlooking the bubbling Raut River, the monastery complex of Orheiul Vechi, for example, is as beautiful as any in Europe.
It’s arguably the wine that really makes the Moldovan countryside standout, however. For what better way could there be to get to know a country and its inhabitants than by calling in on a small, family-run winery to try out their produce?
