Three days does not sound like much, but distances in Moldova are short: from one end of the country to the other is under four hours by car. That means you can see the capital, go down into an underground cellar, reach Orheiul Vechi and take in a monastery on the bank of the Dniester without running. Here is a balanced route, tested by plenty of visitors.
Day 1: Chișinău
Start gently in the centre, on Ștefan cel Mare boulevard, with a speciality coffee and a walk through Cathedral Park to the Triumphal Arch. At lunchtime, head to the Central Market — the best introduction there is to local flavours: sheep's cheese, pickles by the kilo, honey and seasonal fruit, bought straight from the producers.
In the afternoon, pick a museum — the National Art Museum or the Museum of Ethnography and Natural History — and a walk through Valea Morilor park. In the evening, a traditional dinner of plăcinte (filled pastries), zeamă (chicken soup) and a glass of local wine, perhaps at a wine bar in the centre. Practical details on the capital are in the Chișinău guide.
Day 2: a winery and the villages near Orhei
In the morning, book a tour at Cricova or Mileștii Mici — limestone labyrinths tens of kilometres long, which you travel by car or on a little electric train. It is always 12-14 degrees down there, so take a jacket. A visit with tasting lasts around two hours.
In the afternoon, head up to Orheiul Vechi, about an hour from Chișinău. Here, on a meander of the Răut, the cliffs shelter a cave monastery, while the villages of Butuceni and Trebujeni keep their traditional houses and guest houses where you can stay the night and eat home cooking. It is the most authentic night of the route.
Day 3: the monasteries on the Dniester
Head north-east towards Saharna and Țipova, two monasteries on the steep bank of the Dniester. At Saharna a string of waterfalls and a trail through the canyon await; at Țipova, cells carved directly into the rock above the water. They are a few kilometres apart and can be seen on the same day, before you return to Chișinău.
Getting around
The most convenient option is a car — your own or hired — since many of the sights are hard to reach by public transport. Alternatively, you can combine the city's cheap taxis with an organised tour for days 2 and 3, which includes transport, a guide and tastings.
What it costs and when to go
A weekend like this, with accommodation, meals, a wine tour and transport, fits comfortably into 150-250 euros per person. If you have an extra day, add Soroca Fortress in the north or a southern winery such as Purcari. The loveliest time is autumn, in harvest season, and especially the first weekend of October, when Chișinău holds National Wine Day.
