The 13 best things to do in Chișinău and Moldova!

Last updated on July 30th, 2026 at 01:45 pm

Want to know the best things to do in Chișinău – and Moldova itself?

Well, first of all straight up, Chișinău is not what most call a beautiful city like some in Europe. But, there is just something about it! It feels good! Its probably got something to do with the local Moldovans really wanting you to enjoy their little country that they are so proud of, or the almost weird, but wonderful things you can see here, or maybe its just the cool mix of architecture. I don’t know.

Whatever it is, despite a lack of incredible city vistas and whatever else makes some cities so popular, Chișinău is absolutely worth the visit! At the very least – its interesting! Given its place between the old east and the EU and the mix of thoughts on that.

Contents

Trip Planning Checklist

The best things to do in Chișinău!

Day Trips from Chișinău

Things to pack for Chișinău

Where to stay in Chișinău

Frequently asked questions about Chișinău

Travel Tips for Chișinău

Related Posts

Trip Planning Checklist

These are the booking platforms I personally use for all my travels. If you book through these affiliate links, it helps support this site and keeps me producing free travel guides – at absolutely no extra cost to you. Thanks so much for the support! Cheers!

All in one – if you want to book flights and accommodation as a package, use expedia

Flights – use skyscanner or booking.com to find and book your flight – I often find the same flight cheaper than booking direct with the airline!

Accommodation – use booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld. I use both.

Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.

Tours and Activities – book with Viator or GetYourGuide. Top picks for Chisnau are:

• Take a walking tour of the city or this Private Cherry Liqueur tour topped off with a bar visit and drunk cherry! Trust me – its delicious!
• Take this Soviet Era Tour of Transnistria trip Back in USSR – Transnistria or this one day in Transnistria or Tiraspol: Guided City Tour with Hidden Gems
• Visit Manuc Bey castle and the Milesti Mici wine cellar or similarly Visit the Largest Winery in the World and Manuc Bei Mansion

Car rental – I usually use DiscoverCars

Insurance – I usually use EKTA , but another good option, especially if you are from the US is SafetyWing. EKTA works well as they accept any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!

Buses, trains, ferries – 12Go is often my first option for buses, ferries and trains – they are expanding worldwide but are very strong in Asia. They cover parts of Europe like Germany and France, and Australia and Latin America – especially Argentina.

Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – it means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!

Thanks so much if you use one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!

The best things to do in Chișinău

On with the details…..the best things to do in Chisinau! I also cover the amazing day trips you can take from the city – absolute must dos!

1. Take in the wide mix of architecture – Soviet, historical, and modern

Honestly, one of the best things to do in Chisinau is just walk around and look at all the architecture! There is a great mix of architecture in the city, with plenty of soviet, historical and modern buildings. Dotted amongst them are plenty of mosaics which adds interest to the city and often gives depictions of Moldovan life.

A walking tour of the city is a great way to see a lot of these buildings (and the following things to see in Chisinau). Or go on a bike tour of the city and take in some green spaces as well as get some exercise!
I also recommend this Private Cherry Liqueur tour topped off with a bar visit and drunk cherry! Trust me – its delicious!

These are just a few of the buildings you should try to see on your visit:

Soviet architecture in Chisinau

The Chișinău State Circus building – no longer in use but being renovated (in 2026) – its worth seeing!

The Romanita Collective Housing Tower – a fascinating circular housing tower!

The City Gates – two symmetrical housing blocks built as ‘city gates’ in the 1970s. The last soviet building of note – and not quite finished with the planned infrastructure as Perestroika  put a halt to that!

The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova – built in 1976 and was the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Moldova.

Historical architecture in Chisinau

The Chisinau City Hall – completed in 1902 but destroyed during WWII, and rebuilt soon after. It is really impressive!

The Mykhailo Kotsyubinsky Lyceum built in the 1860s and a educational institute today

Hertza House  (Casa Herta) built in 1903 in Viennese baroque style – and resembling a very pretty cake! (Its ner the Parliament building.)

The Organ Hall was the result of a design competition for a city bank, and was used as a bank until 1978 when it was decided it should become a concert hall.

The Chisinau Train Station (and see the Memorial to the Victims of Stalinist Repression outside) – built in the 1870s and destroyed during WWII but rebuilt soon after. It has been renovated recently and is a really pleasant railway station!

Modern architecture in Chisinau

The Presidential Palace – built during the communist era but a modern design!

The Complex Midtown – modern residential building integrated with commercial property – its sleek and contemporary.

Le Roi International Business Center – modern, eco-minded and with a nod to the local history and environment in its design.

The Sky Tower – a modern skyscraper with a minimalist design.

2. Find some of the mosaics dotted around the city

There are also many mosaics across the city and worth keeping an eye out for – apart from the ones you see on some buildings. Some to look for are:

• The Stone Flower Fountain mosaic – at the entrance to the Stefan cel Mare Central Park
• The No Thermonuclear Weapon mosaic – Strada Andrei Botezatu 13
• The Mosaic of Opera near the Opera House
• The Soviet mosaic at the Central Bus Station – Mitropolit Varlaam St 58

3. Visit one of the museums – The National Museum of Fine Art or the National History Museum or…..

On 31st August 1989 Street, just close to Central Park are the National Museum of Fine Art – a beautiful light and spacious building with a good display of artworks – and the National History Museum of Moldova – another beautiful building with ancient to modern exhibits.

And, there are also other museums you might like to visit including:

The Alexander Pushkin House Museum – dedicated to Pushkin and his work and the time he spent in Chisinau

The Military History Museum – quite the spectacle and gives more than an insight into Soviet military history. Its definitely worth having a look outside even if you don’t like that kind of thing or you don’t want to go in!

The Chisnau City History Museum – small but with a tower and view near the Valea Morilor Park – each floor is dedicated to a different era.

The National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History of Moldova – in an interesting oriental style building with some nice mosaic work!

Note that most of the museums don’t have much in terms of English translation, but the staff are usually very friendly and helpful – or google translate works well!

4. Check out all the busts in Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great) Central Park – its the who’s who of Moldovan literature…

This is a cute little central park and it was once named after Pushkin – a monument to him still stands there. However, now the park has walking paths lined with busts of the who’s who of Moldovan and Romanian literature! Its good to see and people watch, and close to the next few things on the itinerary!

5. See Stephen the Great…

On one of the corners of Ștefan cel Mare park, there is of course a monument to its namesake – Stephen the Great to us in English! (You can also see him on all the Moldovan banknotes!)

Stephen the Great was the Prince of Moldova at the end of the 15th century and during his very stable reign, he won 34 out of 36 battles and is still considered by most Moldovans as the greatest leader the country has had! The statue was placed here in 1928, but moved to Romania during WWII and was only returned in 1989 to its current location!

6. Walk on to the Triumphal Arch…

Almost across the road from the Stephen the Great monument is Moldova’s own Arc De Triomphe! Who knew there were so many? This area between the Arc and the Monument is also turned into a Christmas market and ice-skating rink in winter so if you are there at that time – enjoy!

7. Then visit the Nativity Cathedral

Behind the Arc de Triomphe, in another part of the park is the city’s beautifully decorated Nativity Cathedral. Do go inside and see for yourself. There are so many beautiful churches in the area but if you are only going to see one, this is a good choice!

I’m not religious, but one of the best things to do in Chisinau, and all Moldova, is to go and enjoy the gorgeous decorations of the churches. They are magnificent. This pic shows a tiny bit of the detail in the Cathedral.

8. After all that – take a break and join the new cafe scene

The young ones in Chisinau have got right into the cafe scene and there are plenty of very nice little cafes to take a coffee break in. Happily for me, they also tend to have oat milk!!

Just wander and pick one that looks nice – there are probably new ones popping up all the time. It’s a great way to sit and enjoy people-watching the locals – definitely one of the most relaxing things to do in Chisinau!

9. See the Eternity Memorial Complex

In the Central Cemetery at Alexei Mateevici St 11 there is a monument dedicated to Soviet soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War. The memorial is a pyramid of five meter tall stone rifles and a 5-pointed star with an eternal flame in the center of the monument.

10. And close by, the Ciuflea Monastery

The Ciuflea Monastery is another beautiful building not far from the Central Cemetery and the Railway Station on Strada Ion Vasilenco. Built in 1858 and painted blue with gold domes! Its definitely worth seeing – even just from the outside! (I can’t get enough of them!)

11. Walk down the Cascade Stairs and around the lake in Valea Morilor Park – and find the Little Prince Statue

Its a great green space just on the edge of the city – but still very close by, and worth some time. Start at the Cascade Stairs – which are what I’d call ‘European grand’ complete with flowing water and fountains. They connect the city to the lake.

In the park is the teeniest tiniest statue of all time – of the Little Prince! Super cute. The bronze statue is only 11 cm high! Going down the stairs, its on the right side of the lake! It replaces one of the spheres on top of the fence – sphere no 23 to be exact (or planet B-612)!

A final note – there is also a statue for the Little Prince’s love – the rose. Turn left when you come down the stairs – its also very small! Given I like to be hiking and swimming and outdoors in general, plus there is a little bit of fun involved, I thought this was one of the best things to do in Chisinau! But of course that’s me….

Fun side note – the last “Little Prince” things I saw on public display was in El Salvador!

12. Visit the Jewish Cemetery and Dendrarium Park (botanical garden)

Close by to each other you will get some nice green space here! Dendrarium park has ponds and fountains, statues (some interesting) and gardens as well as general green space. Its nice to wander through (even in winter) – especially on your way to the Jewish Cemetery.

The cemetery is one of the largest in Europe, its overgrown generally, and there is a sad history. The Nazis shot jews against the walls of the cemetery and the bullet holes remain.

13. Try the Cherry Bar and Moldovan food

I don’t normally write about food or places to eat or drink – its just not my thing. But I did love the Cherry Bar – Piana Vyshnia. There is one drink only sold here – Sour Cherry Liqueur which is a traditional Moldovan drink. They serve it hot and cold. I took hot given it was a very cold night and it was absolutely delicious! You can have a great time here! (Its opposite the I love Chisinau sign on Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Boulevard 103.) Alternatively finish off a tour of the city here on this Private Cherry Liqueur tour.

For easy access to Moldovan food try the chain La Placinte – you will find it is good quality and genuine (on Alexander Pushkin Street 33). One traditional restaurant I tried and really liked for the traditional decor and the food is La Șezătoare on Strada Alexei Şciusev 51.

Even better is to really deep dive into learning about traditional Moldovan food on this Central Market Food Tour with Tastings.

Day Trips from Chișinău

This is absolutely essential to do when you are in Chisinau!!

There are plenty of day trips you can make – either on a tour or by catching local buses. Unless of course you have a car in which case it is very easy! These are some of the best options:

I . Go to Hincesti to see the elegant Manuc Bey Castle either with GetyourGuide or Viator – including a visit to Milestii Mici winery!

2. Visit at least one of the famous wineries – Milestii Mici or Cricova! These wineries have incredible undreground wine cellars – the biggest in the world!! With 250 kilometers of wine cellar, complete with underground streets, – you simply have to go to see it! One of these day trips is the perfect way to experience it all:

• Cricova and Milestii Mici Wineries
• Cricova Winery, Curchi Monastery, & Old Orhei
• Milestii Mici – Underground Winery Tour Including Wine Tasting!

Whichever you choose, for me this is an absolute “must do!”

3. Go to Moldova’s very own Soviet bloc. Visit Transnistria – or Pridnestrovie as its known to locals. It’s an unrecognized country – but you still need your passport to visit! Honestly, for me this is also an absolute “must-do.” Take one of these great trips:

• Soviet Era Tour of Transnistria
• Back in USSR – Transnistria
• One day in Transnistria
• Tiraspol: Guided City Tour with Hidden Gems

You can also read my Pridnestrovie or Transnistria post and decide if you want to go just for a day or go and stay!

4. Visit old Orheiul / Butecini and see the Curchi monastery in a cave in the cliffs. Or take this tour that finishes with sunset wine – Old Orhei and Butuceni breakfast & sunset

5. Head to the northern city of Soroca and its incredible Gypsy Hill and medieval fortress.

As I said you can go alone if you have a car (good idea) or on buses (not so easy but do-able). Alternatively its easy to take a tour or two. The advantage of a tour is that you can learn a lot from your guide and in some of them you can combine more than one thing in a day as you can see in 1, 2, and 4 above!

Where to stay in Chisinau

Book a hotel with booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld.
The following hotels and hostels have been hand-picked for their high ratings to get you started:

Luxury: highly rated are the Nobil Luxury Boutique Hotel or The Richmond Hotel or for something more boutique try the Gregory Boutique Hotel Chisinau

Mid Range: Try the Hotel Tulip Residence, or for an apartment try the Sky Exclusive Vip Apartaments

Budget: Try the Small House ApartHotel or Scandi on Flowers Street

Backpacker: I would recommend the one I stayed in – the Hostel Amazing Ionika Center City.

What to pack for Chisinau

• Lightweight layers for summer and shoulder season – warmer clothes in winter.
• Comfortable walking shoes
• A reusable insulated water bottle to cut down on single-use plastic waste.
• A very lightweight day pack for your water bottle, jacket etc – I use this one to be exact!
• High-SPF Sunscreen (SPF 50+) and cap or sunhat in summer
• Your camera/phone and power bank for day trips!
• Secure wallet / travel pouch for money and cards
• Travel plug adapter if you are from outside Europe.

Frequently asked questions about Chișinău

Q: Is Chișinău safe for tourists?
A: Yes, Chișinău is generally peaceful and safe. Governments advise exercising caution due to regional tensions, but these are unfelt when you are there!

Q: What about Transnistria?
A: Official advisories recommend avoiding the breakaway region of Transnistria due to its volatile security situation, so your insurance may be invalid. Personally I found it interesting and the people were nothing short of helpful and kind when approached – despite there usually being a language barrier. One local girl I talked to was horrified to hear what these advisories were saying! Really, you have to decide for yourself.

Q: How do I get from the airport to the city center?
A: The best option, apart from a taxi, is Trolleybus No. 30 or a local fixed-route minibus that runs directly from Chișinău International Airport to the center for a small fee.

Q: Can I use Euros, or do I need local currency?
A: You need local currency – see the Travel tips below.

Q: Are there local dress codes or behavior laws??
A: Yes, in Orthodox churches (headscarves for women, covered knees and shoulders for all). Otherwise not really.

Q: Does my EU/US phone roaming plan work in Tirana?
A: No. I used a yesim eSim but check Airalo too.

Q: Do I need a visa to enter Moldova?
A: Citizens from over 100 countries, including the EU, US, and UK, can enter visa-free for up to 90 days.

Travel tips for Chișinău

• The official currency is the Moldovan Leu (MDL). Major credit or debit cards are widely accepted in Chișinău hotels, large restaurants, and supermarkets but you need local cash for other things. ATMs are common throughout Chișinău, but notify your bank before you travel to avoid frozen cards.
• Exchange your cash locally but make sure you have clean unmarked and uncreased Euros (EUR) or US Dollars (USD), as local exchange booths (Schimb Valutar) offer excellent rates but will not accept damaged notes!
• The water is ok for teeth cleaning but drink filtered or bottled water.
• If you are not from Europe, bring a travel plug adaptor!
• Taxis are affordable using ride-hailing apps like Yandex Go or iDriver and public trolleybuses are cheap and reliable and easy to use.
• You can either download an e-sim before you go – I used a yesim eSim but check Airalo too. Or you can buy a, generally cheaper, local sim at the airport or in town. The two leading mobile networks are Orange Moldova and Moldcell.

Related Posts

Visiting a country that isn’t a country – a trip to Pridnestrovie or Transnistria!

Bucharest to Moldova – the train journey not to miss!

48 hours in Bucharest – here’s what you can do!

The 25 best things to do in the unusual European capital of Tirana!