Nature reserve

Pădurea Domnească

A nature reserve situated in the Prut floodplain, protecting one of the oldest floodplain forests in the region, with ancient oaks. Here too stands the famous "Oak of Stephen the Great", and the area shelters a rich fauna.

The Pădurea Domnească reserve is the most extensive scientific reserve of the Republic of Moldova, spread over more than six thousand hectares in the districts of Glodeni and Fălești, along the floodplain of the river Prut. Established in 1993 and extending over more than six thousand hectares, it protects one of the oldest floodplain forests in Europe, a rare and fragile ecosystem shaped by the periodic flooding of the Prut. Holding the status of a strict scientific reserve, the place represents a true open-air laboratory for the study of floodplain forests.

Landscape and vegetation

The name recalls the times when these woods belonged to the rulers of Moldavia. The forest is made up of oak stands, poplar stands, willow stands and riparian groves, with species such as oak, poplar, willow, ash and maple. The pride of the place is its ancient oaks, some exceeding 250 years of age and heights of over 30 metres. Among them stands the famous "Oak of Stephen the Great", protected as a monument tree and linked by tradition to the great ruler. Oak occupies the greater part of the wooded area, followed by poplar and the other floodplain species, forming a mosaic of woodland alternating with glades, pools and oxbow arms of the river.

Fauna

The faunal diversity is remarkable: red deer, roe deer, wild boar, wildcats, martens and otters live here, and since 2005 a programme for the reintroduction of the European bison has been under way. The reserve hosts around 160 bird species. A particular attraction is the heron colony at "Țara stârcilor" (the Land of the Herons), where thousands of birds of several species nest, offering a lively spectacle especially in spring.

What you see here

Besides the forest itself, the reserve's area contains remarkable geomorphological complexes: the Butești gorge, with cliffs almost 40 metres high, the stone reefs of the Camenca valley and the group of mounds that gives the "Suta de Movile" area its name.

Getting there

The reserve is reachable from the town of Glodeni and the nearby villages, situated in the north-west of the country. Holding the status of a strict scientific reserve, access to the strictly protected zones is regulated, but with a guide or with the administration's consent it is possible to follow thematic trails intended for researchers, schoolchildren and nature lovers. Each year Pădurea Domnească draws thousands of visitors, especially school groups and researchers, being one of Moldova's most precious natural treasures.

What there is to see

One of the oldest floodplain forestsAncient oaksThe Oak of Stephen the GreatRich fauna

Activities

Drumeție

Observarea faunei

Fotografie

Type: Nature reserve
Area: Raionul Glodeni
Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn

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Where to sleep, eat and taste nearby

Places to stay, eat and taste from our directory, sorted by distance. Every one rates at least 4 stars on Google with over 100 reviews.

Stay11 km

Hotel BUTOIAS

4.4(306)

Hotel Butoiaș is on Mihai Eminescu street, in Glodeni, a town in the north-west of the country, close to the Prut valley and the Pădurea Domnească reserve. A café and a restaurant operate in the same building, which solves the question of meals in a town with few alternatives in the evening. There is a parking space adapted for wheelchair access, and families with children are welcomed. A practical base for anyone heading to Suta de Movile or into Pădurea Domnească — two natural sights hard to fit into a single day from Chișinău.

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Stay24 km

Hotel Konus

4.3(192)

Hotel Konus is on Alexei Mateevici street in Fălești, a town in the north-west of the country, between Bălți and the Prut valley. The area sees few tourists, which makes accommodation options scarce and worth knowing about in advance. The hotel has its own restaurant — a real advantage in a small town, where evening choices narrow quickly. Families with children are welcomed. It is more a one-night stop on the route towards the Prut or the northern reserves than a destination in itself. For that, it does the job.

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Restaurant32 km

White Nights Grill Terrace

4.9(894)

A family restaurant with a grill and a terrace in Bălți, built around the evening meal: it opens only at two in the afternoon, but runs until two at night, on every day of the week. It makes no sense as a lunch stop — it is the place you reach once the day is over, for a long meal with friends or family. It accepts bookings and takes groups and children. Abundant free parking: in the courtyard, on the street and in a garage. Fully adapted for wheelchairs — parking, entrance and adapted places.

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Restaurant33 km

Aurica

4.4(469)

Aurica is on strada Malinovschi in Bălți, the country's second city and the road hub of the north. The hours are those of an evening venue: daily from ten in the morning, closing at two at night for most of the week and at midnight on Wednesday and Sunday. Breakfast is served too, and bookings are accepted — the dining room is designed for groups and family meals. The seating and the toilet are wheelchair accessible. It has a terrace and free parking in the courtyard and on the street, at mid-range prices.

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Restaurant34 km

Moldova

4.6(246)

On strada Babinschi, in Bălți, the country's second city and the road hub of the north. The particularity that counts for any traveller: it is open twenty-four hours a day, on every day of the week. That turns it into a safety stop on the long roads towards Soroca or the northern border, at hours when there is hardly anywhere left to eat in the city. A dining room with no terrace, but with space for groups and families with children, and bookings accepted. Prices in the mid range, free street parking. Dogs are not admitted.

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Stay34 km

Lidolux Hotel

4.4(602)

Lidolux is on Decebal street, in Bălți, in an area set back from the town's administrative centre. The rooms have traditionally styled furniture, and the building stands out for its colour scheme. The facilities are above the local average: its own restaurant, an indoor pool and a gym. The entrance and parking spaces are wheelchair-accessible, and families with children are welcomed. It is one of the few options in the north of the country where you can swim whatever the season — useful if you are staying more than one night in the area.

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