Itinerary
Four Days in Moldova, From the Capital to the Cliffs of the Raut
Moldova is small, and nowhere in it is much more than a few hours' drive from Chisinau, so a first trip is built around the capital: a day in the city, day trips to the wine cellars and the monasteries, and one night in the countryside below the cave monastery of Orheiul Vechi. Four days cover the essentials, and the autumn harvest is the finest season to come.
Updated 2026-10-08
Day 1: Chisinau
A day in Chisinau covers the cathedral park and the Triumphal Arch on Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, the national museums, the Central Market and an evening of Moldovan wine in one of the city's wine bars.
Day 2: the cellars and the Codru hills
A morning underground in the galleries of Cricova or Milestii Mici, booked ahead, then an afternoon in the forests of the Codru hills at the monastery of Capriana, back in Chisinau for the night.
Days 3 and 4: Orheiul Vechi and Curchi
North to Orheiul Vechi, with a stop at the monastery of Curchi on the way, and a night in a rural guesthouse in Butuceni below the cliffs, with home cooking and the family's wine. The next morning belongs to the cave monastery and the walks along the ridge, before the drive back to Chisinau.
With more time
A fifth day reaches the monasteries of Saharna and Tipova in the cliffs above the Dniester, a longer drive to the north-east, or the second of the great cellars and a wine estate in the south. Travellers on a slower trip add more nights in the villages.
Getting about and the seasons
A car with a driver or day tours from Chisinau make the trips easy, and minibuses from the capital's bus stations reach the towns and villages for travellers with time. Spring brings blossom and green hills, summer is warm, and September and October bring the grape harvest and, on the first weekend of October, National Wine Day in the capital; winters are cold.