Central region

Șoldănești District

Administrative seat: Șoldănești

A district on the bank of the Dniester, a hilly area with traditional villages and river landscapes.

The Șoldănești district is situated in the central part of the Republic of Moldova, towards the north-east, in the Centre Development Region. Its seat is the town of Șoldănești. The district stretches along the right bank of the Dniester, which marks the eastern limit of the territory, with the Transnistrian region lying beyond the river. Its position, between the central plateau and the Dniester valley, gives it a varied and picturesque relief.

Geography

With an area of roughly 598 km² and altitudes reaching about 338 metres, the district has a hilly relief, specific to the Moldavian Plateau, with high banks and deep valleys descending towards the Dniester. The population density is about 61 inhabitants/km². The landscape is characterised by wooded hills, by the steep limestone slopes of the river valley and by the streams that feed it, creating a remarkable natural setting.

Population and economy

At the 2014 census, the district numbered around 36,700 inhabitants, being one of the most ethnically homogeneous: Moldovans/Romanians make up over 96% of the population, with small Ukrainian and Russian communities. The economy is predominantly agricultural, based on viticulture, fruit growing, cereals and animal husbandry, to which the food industry is added. The district's population has fallen steadily in the post-war period, from almost 50,000 inhabitants in 1959.

Heritage and history

The picturesque banks of the Dniester within the district host several monastic settlements and old churches, set in a natural landscape of particular beauty, part of the string of tourist sites along the river valley. The villages preserve a rich heritage of vernacular architecture, traditions and crafts specific to the area. The seat settlement gained its administrative status in the 20th century, and the district was reorganised into its present configuration within the modern administrative reforms, after having appeared, in its first form, in the country's administrative structure as early as the Soviet period. Through its ethnic homogeneity, its well-preserved traditions and the remarkable landscape of the Dniester valley, the Șoldănești district remains an area representative of the rural world of central Moldova, with tourism potential linked to the sites along the Dniester valley.

What the area is known for

Malul Nistrului

More to see in the area

Wineries & wine Monasteries Places to visit

Type: District
Region: Central region
Administrative seat: Șoldănești

Detailed statistics (population, area) are updated from official sources (the National Bureau of Statistics).

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In this district

What to find in Șoldănești District

Everything we have documented here — sights, places to stay, meals and wineries, with real Google ratings.

Attractions

(2)

Stejarul lui Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt

4.8(227)

At Cobîlea, in Șoldănești district, grows an ancient oak that local tradition links to the name of Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt (Stephen the Great, Moldavia's 15th-century ruler). It is one of the best-known trees in the Republic of Moldova and a landmark of symbolic weight for the community, visited for its impressive size. It has 4.8 out of 5 from more than 220 reviews. Access is free, in the open air, at the edge of the village.

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Parc Șoldanești

4.2(233)

The park in Șoldănești is the green space of this district administrative centre, open at all times and used daily by locals. With 4.2 out of 5 from more than 230 reviews, it is an honest place for a walk, with no tourist pretensions. It works as a break if you are visiting the district — the ancient oak at Cobîlea, for instance — or crossing north-eastern Moldova towards the Dniester valley.

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And nearby, beyond the district border

Places in neighbouring districts, less than 40 km away, if you want to stretch the route.

Stay2.8 km

Hotel - Restaurant Dumbrava

4.4(103)

Dumbrava operates at Șoldănești, a small town in the north-centre of the country, set between the Răut valley and the bend of the Dniester — a convenient distance from the cave monasteries of Saharna and Țipova. It is a hotel and restaurant in the same place, with an outdoor terrace and the option to book, in the mid price bracket. Families with children are welcomed. For the route of the Dniester monasteries, Șoldănești is a logical point of support: you have a good road towards Rezina and towards Saharna, and in the evening you do not have to look for somewhere to eat.

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Restaurant14 km

Retro

4.4(330)

A café and bar on the walkway along the central street in Rezina, right in the promenade area of the town on the Dniester. Long hours, identical all week, from ten in the morning to midnight — it works as well for the morning coffee as for a drink late in the evening, which in a town of this size means a great deal. Terrace, bookings accepted, breakfast served, space for groups and families with children. Free parking of its own and on the street. Prices in the mid range. Dogs are not admitted.

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Restaurant14 km

Drive Cafe

4.6(128)

Drive Cafe is a gastropub in Rezina, a town set on the bank of the Dniester, in the district that also holds Saharna monastery. The hours stretch from ten in the morning to eleven at night, and on Saturday and Sunday until one in the morning — a sign that the weekend has a different rhythm. It has a terrace, takes children and groups and accepts bookings. Parking, in the courtyard or on the street, is free. The bar-restaurant format makes it suitable both for a meal and for a long evening after a day on the north-eastern monastery route.

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Restaurant15 km

Plai

4.0(108)

On bulevardul Alexei Șciusev, in Rezina, the town on the right bank of the Dniester, facing Rîbnița. It is registered as an events venue, not as a restaurant with an à la carte menu — and that defines its function. It opens at ten in the morning and runs until eleven at night, on every day of the week, with no day off. It is, therefore, the address for weddings, christenings and group meals in the Rezina area, not the place you walk into on impulse for lunch. Wheelchair access is not provided.

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Restaurant15 km

Restaurantul / Terasă "Lilia"

4.4(146)

On strada Mihai Eminescu, in the centre of Rezina, on the right bank of the Dniester. The terrace is part of the name and of the identity of the place, used intensively in the warm season. Hours from nine in the morning to eleven at night, every day, with breakfast served and vegetarian options on the menu. Of the venues in the area, it is the best equipped for accessibility: parking, entrance, toilet and wheelchair-adapted places — the full combination, rare in the provinces. Bookings accepted, free parking. Prices in the mid range.

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Restaurant15 km

Galanto Cafe

4.4(579)

Galanto Cafe stands on the walkway along the central street in Rezina, a town on the bank of the Dniester. It runs daily from ten in the morning to half past eleven at night, with breakfast served — a window that covers both the morning coffee and the late evening, in a town with limited options. It has a terrace, takes children and groups and accepts bookings. The seating is wheelchair accessible, parking in the courtyard and on the street is free, and prices sit in the mid range. Pets are not admitted.

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