Discover the Republic of Moldova

With 5,215 reviews, Cricova has the largest volume of feedback of any winery in Moldova — and it is one of the few visited aboard a miniature train, through the more than 120 kilometres of galleries cut into limestone north of Chișinău. The tour takes in the old collections and the sparkling wine areas, and a restaurant of its own operates above ground; no accommodation is offered. The hours shorten at the weekend: 10:00–20:00 Monday to Friday, 10:00–18:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Average rating, 4.7. Bookings on 0792 02 999.

The Guinness record for the largest wine collection in the world — over two million bottles — is the argument with which Mileștii Mici draws its 1,277 reviews, at an average of 4.7. The limestone galleries run for tens of kilometres beneath the Ialoveni district, south of Chișinău. The visit includes a tour and tasting, and a restaurant operates on site; no accommodation is offered. The hours, daily 10:00–18:00, end earlier than at most wineries in the country that run tours, so a visit is planned for the earlier part of the day. Contact: 0671 21 121.

Crama Tătaru is at Pitușca, in the Călărași district — in the heart of the Codru area, the wooded hill country of central Moldova and one of the country's three zones with protected geographical indication. The access road has no official name, which says enough about the scale of the place. It is a small, family-run winery, with few visitors and unusually generous hours: daily, from 10:00 to 23:00. Booking ahead remains essential, since receiving guests depends on the hosts rather than on dedicated staff. Recommended for those who prefer a quiet visit, without organised groups, and who are not put off by a last kilometre of country road.

The residence built in 1893 by the last governor of Bessarabia is today the country's second wine estate by number of reviews, after Cricova: 4,285 opinions, at an average of 4.5. The complex at Bulboaca, in the Anenii Noi district, works as a single operation — cellar tour, restaurant, accommodation and gardens — and stays open daily, from 10:00 to 22:00. Given how sought-after it is, particularly at weekends and during the events season, contacting it in advance on 0620 01 893 or at castelmimi.md is advisable.

Vinăria din Vale is based at Slobozia Mare, in southern Moldova, close to the Prut floodplain — a warm lowland area with a very different profile from the hills of the country's centre. The address on Unirii street marks an industrial-scale producer, with its own distribution and dedicated website. Access is on weekdays, from 08:00 to 17:00, with Saturday and Sunday closed, so a visit has to be planned in advance and confirmed by phone. This is not an improvised weekend stop. Suited to visitors interested in the technical side of winemaking, and to those combining southern Moldova with a foray into the lake country along the Prut.

With 2,926 reviews, it is the most heavily reviewed place to stay in Chișinău, and the 4.7 average holds up despite that traffic — a combination few hotels sustain. Radisson Blu Leogrand is officially rated at five stars and occupies number 77 on strada Mitropolit Varlaam, 130 metres from the A. P. Chekhov Theatre, 250 from the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre and 290 from Cathedral Park. Reception and bookings on 022 201 201.

EcoDor operates in Orhei, on Scrisului Latin street, in the northern part of the town — that is, less than half an hour by car from Orheiul Vechi and the cave complex at Butuceni and Trebujeni. It is a town hotel, with its own website, that welcomes families with children. For anyone who would rather not sleep in the village at Orheiul Vechi and prefers urban comfort, Orhei is the logical choice: shops, pharmacies and petrol stations are all at hand. A good base for a day at Orheiul Vechi and another towards the monasteries of Curchi or Saharna.

Gregory Hotel stands at 83/1 Alexei Șciusev street, in a central and quiet area of old houses and shaded streets, a short walk from Ștefan cel Mare boulevard. It is a family hotel, with elegant rooms, some with a balcony, and a buffet breakfast. The entrance and parking are wheelchair-accessible, and children are welcomed without reservation. It suits those who prefer a small, well-kept place where the staff recognise you from the second day, rather than a large, impersonal hotel — and who want to reach the centre on foot in ten minutes.

The highest-rated place in the whole selection: 4.8 from 549 reviews, a score that is hard to reach in any accommodation category. Amazing Ionika Hostel operates on Mihail Kogălniceanu street, in a central area of Chișinău, and is aimed at travellers on a tight budget. There is no wheelchair access, and bookings are made through locahotels.com or on 0606 39 551.

The guesthouse at Tudora is on Ștefan cel Mare street, in the Ștefan Vodă district, close to the bank of the Dniester and to the south-eastern corner of the country, where the river runs near the border. It is a bed and breakfast that welcomes families with children. The data does not detail other services, so meals and parking arrangements are worth confirming in advance. For a route through the south-east, Tudora works as a quiet base: the Purcari vineyards are close, as is the Dniester floodplain — an area with little traffic, but with good landscapes at sunrise.

A perfect 5-star rating from over 2,000 reviews — a combination few venues in Chișinău sustain at this volume. The restaurant, with Eastern European cooking, is on strada Arborilor, in a residential area outside the centre, and has free parking of its own, useful if you come by car. Open daily 10:00–22:00, it accepts bookings and takes groups and children.

On strada Arborilor, Trattoria Della Nonna is the Italian restaurant with the largest volume of custom in Chișinău — and, at mid-range prices, one of the most affordable on this list. Open daily 10:00–22:00, it serves everything from breakfast and brunch to dinner, with wine, beer, cocktails, coffee and desserts, plus a vegetarian section. It has no terrace, but the interior is fully wheelchair accessible — parking, entrance, toilet and seating at the table. A separate children's menu and good space for groups. Free parking on site. Booking is all but obligatory at the weekend.

Gagauz and Bulgarian cooking from southern Moldova rarely reaches the menus of the capital, and Gök-Oguz is the address that keeps both, in a venue with a courtyard and a terrace on strada Calea Orheiului 19/A. Its 1,862 reviews, at an average of 4.7, make it one of the best-rated traditional restaurants in the city at that volume. Daily hours, 10:00–23:00. The Memorial to the Victims of Fascism is about 580 metres away. Bookings on 0794 68 852 or at gok-oguz.md.

On strada Pușkin, a couple of steps from the centre, Fuior is one of the best-regarded restaurants in Chișinău — a Moldovan name, long hours and a steady clientele. Open daily 11:00–23:00, it serves from breakfast through to dinner, with wine and beer by the glass, cocktails, coffee and desserts, plus vegetarian options. The terrace works in season, and the interior has a toilet adapted for people with disabilities. It is in the city's expensive bracket, but suitable both for dinner for two and for group or family meals. Bookings are accepted and recommended. Street parking only, free.

On Bănulescu-Bodoni, a few steps from Chișinău's administrative centre, Divus plays on two levels: steakhouse-style grilling and European cooking, with a café side that keeps the place open from midday until late evening. It opens at 12:00 and closes at 23:00, every day of the week, but the kitchen is built around dinner. Wine and beer by the glass, cocktails, desserts and coffee, plus vegetarian options. There is a terrace and a children's menu, though the space is designed rather for adults and for group meals. Booking is possible and worth doing on a Friday or Saturday evening. Street parking only, free.