A country of great contrasts
1. FOR THE WINE
Moldova's extensive vineyards have become very popular, becoming what many consider to be “Europe's next great wine destination”. The Milestii Mici, Cricova and Purcari wineries are their greatest exponents.
two. POLITICAL FAMOUS
They say the astronaut Yuri gagarin he entered the Cricova winery in 1966 and did not leave for a couple of days. True or not, this place has a special magic that has called various politicians. the russian president Vladimir Putin , for example, celebrated his 50th birthday here, and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel he spent more time in Cricova than in the rest of Moldavia. Your most mythical wine? The Kodrinskoye.
3. AND REAL FAMOUS
Other interesting vineyards are those of Purcari, founded in 1827. The essential Negru de Purcari, known as "the wine of the queen of England", is the favorite of Elizabeth II and continues to be valued as one of the best in the country. It is produced with cabernet sauvignon, saperavi and rare neagră.
In Moldova, there is also good wine
Four. GUINNESS AWARDS SITE
If you only have time to visit one winery, the recommendation is that you get lost in ** Milestii Mici **, which offers 200 kilometers of barrels and bottles (they say two million) and has been considered the largest winery in the world by the 2007 Guiness Award. Its sweet wines are among the best in Europe.
5. RECONSTITUENT FLAVORS
It is not necessary to go to wineries to taste the best wine. If you visit Moldova in winter, there will be no better remedy against the cold than asking for a Izvar, a delicious hot red wine made with black pepper and honey.
6. SOVIET PRICES
Those who prefer to taste a brandy will find no better place than the kvint factory , which since 1897 produces high quality spirits at very affordable prices (from two euros) . The place is one of the prides of Transnistria, a self-proclaimed independent territory on the other side of the dniester river.
Transnistria, border between two worlds
7. BORDERS BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
this territory, Transnistria defends a very clear idea: preserve the Soviet past. We can tour it during the day – the visa only lasts a few hours – and live first-hand the experience of walking through a communist town. There are daily buses between Chisinau and Tiraspol.
8. MATRUSHKAS AND TROLLEYBUSES vintage
They seem taken from another era and allow you to visit cities like Chisinau from a new perspective. Surely it will be difficult for you to communicate with the drivers, who they only speak romanian or russian , but these means of transport will give you a unique perspective of the daily life of the country.
9. FLOWERS EVERYWHERE
It is one of the great passions of the Moldovans; and that's why there are plant sellers on most street corners, rose stalls in all markets and dozens of gardens full of flowers.
10. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR HEROES
For them it is Stefan Cel; for us Stephen III of Moldavia. This 15th century prince is a true national hero and statues, churches, monasteries and parks have been erected in his honor. In fact, Stefan cel Mare is the main street of Chisinau and is lined with shops, restaurants and -beware!- of cobblestones protruding from the ground.
Unconditional love for heroes.
eleven. TRADITIONAL GASTRONOMY
Speaking of restaurants, you cannot leave the country without having entered ** La Placinte .** Its walls are decorated with Moldovan ornaments and symbols, multicolored lamps and a representative letter of the food of the country. It is a chain; but it's wonderful.
12. FOR THE PLACINTE
The restaurant takes the name of this traditional Moldovan dish, pronounced “pla-chin-ta” . It's about a fried bread stuffed with homemade cheese, cabbage, potatoes, pumpkin and practically any ingredient you can think of. The mămăligă is another of the basics: a tasty deep yellow cornbread.
13. DISHES WITH A LOT OF FLAVOR
Also famous are the Domneasca cakes, the pelmeni – a kind of tortellini stuffed with meat –, and the vareniki, with potatoes and mushrooms. Soups are another of the basics of Moldovan cuisine : okroshka with cheese, borsh with meat and soleanka with tomato are the most common.
Moldova, country of good food
14. PROPOSALS FOR BARISTAS
For coffee, there is no better place than Tucano Coffee . Although it is also a chain, it retains something genuinely unique in each of its locations. Super-comfortable sofas, free Wi-Fi, and great products and drinks are three more than enough reasons to visit.
fifteen. EUROPEAN APPROACH
Also worth visiting is the first shopping center in Moldova, opened in 2008. Malldova –a play on words with mall (shopping center) and moldova (the name of the country in English) -, is one of the few European symbols of the capital , with various shops, restaurants and cinemas. You will also find a sample of the huge hypermarkets that characterize the city.
16. ARTISAN SOUVENIRS
The Chisinau Bazaar , now converted into a souvenir square, is a nice place to see painters drawing and buy a souvenir. Crafts, wooden spoons, magnets and relics from the Soviet era are mixed among the little shops.
Orheiul Vechi, an essential valley
17. LITERARY CITY
If you like the Russian poet and novelist Alexander Pushkin you can visit his house in the Moldovan capital , which preserves original furniture and personal belongings, including a portrait of his idolized Lord Byron. Pushkin began here to write his famous Eugene Onegin.
18. ORTHODOX ODES
Located in the central park of Chisinau, the impressive Nativity Cathedral stands in one of the liveliest squares in the town. In it you can attend various Orthodox services, as well as admire its incredible multi-colored interior with golden walls.
19. VISITS OVER THE VALLEY
No trip to Moldova is complete without visiting Orheiul Vechi . This impressive archaeological complex one hour from Chisinau is one of the most beautiful places in the whole country. Here I know they preserve remains of the Thracian civilization , ruins of a 14th-century Mongolian fortress and remains of cave monasteries. A spectacular combination of incomparable beauty.
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