If you can choose when to come to Moldova, choose autumn. September and October are the harvest months, when the vineyards are full of life, the wineries receive the most visitors and the country celebrates the product that defines it.
National Wine Day
On the first weekend of October, the centre of Chișinău turns into a vast festival devoted to wine. Dozens of wineries present their wines for tasting along the main boulevard, and alongside them you will find food, music, crafts and workshops. It is the best moment to compare producers without driving to each winery, and a chance to discover small estates you would not otherwise have found.
The harvest in the vineyards
Autumn is also when the grapes are picked, and many households make their own wine. In the wine villages, fresh must — the sweet grape juice, drunk before fermentation — is the taste of the season. If you reach a country guest house, there is every chance you will catch it, alongside warm bread and walnuts, another of Moldova's autumn products.
Landscapes and weather
In autumn, the vine-covered hills turn yellow and red, and places such as Orheiul Vechi or the banks of the Dniester look their best. The weather is mild in September and early October, with sunny days and cool evenings — ideal for walks and hikes.
What to do
- Book a wine tour in advance; the wineries are in greatest demand in autumn.
- Combine the festival with a trip to Orheiul Vechi, spectacular in autumn colour.
- Take a jacket for the cool evenings and for the underground cellars, where it is always 12-14 degrees.
- Book accommodation in advance for the Wine Day weekend, when the city fills up.
Mild weather and colourful landscapes make autumn the loveliest period for a first visit. See also the country's wineries.
And other reasons to come in autumn
Beyond the wine, autumn is the season of village fairs and patron saints' days, with food, music and crafts. It is also when walnuts, quinces and table grapes ripen, and the markets fill with colour. The forests of the Codru and the banks of the Dniester change their dress, which makes the walks and the photographs all the better.
One word of warning
The National Wine Day weekend crowds Chișinău out: the hotels fill and prices rise. If you want quiet, choose another week in October — you will catch the same harvest and the same colours, without the crowds.
In short, if you come to Moldova only once, come in autumn — it is the season in which the country shows itself at its most generous, in the glass and on the table.
