Chisinau, the multi-faced capital of Moldova

Republic of Moldova, landlocked between Romania and Ukraine in East-Europe, is one of the least visited countries in Europe. Despite the rather undeveloped tourism, the country has a lot to offer for international guests, and it’s holding secrets like worlds largest wine cellars. Actually the country is quite famous among wine enthusiasts, since notable amount of top rate, but still very affordable wines are produced in the country.

In this post we introduce Moldova’s capital city Chisinau, which we used as our home base when staying in the country. It is a centrally located, largish urban area with population over 700 000 in the metropolitan area, out of around 530 000 in the city itself. Most of Moldova’s tourist attractions can be seen by making day trips from Chisinau, but travelers interested in the less visited parts of the country can easily move around outside the capital either with own wheels or using public transportation. Accommodation options in smaller towns are somewhat limited, but nowadays you can find surprisingly lot of places online. In Chisinau, we stayed in a comfy apartment close to the city center.

Poverty and prosperity in Chisinau

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, but Chisinau as the financial and business capital is wealthier than other parts of the country. There are huge income gaps though, and that is clearly visible when wandering around the city. Life style of the clientele of glossy malls with brand boutiques probably couldn’t differ much more from the life of ”normal” people rummaging the piles of cheap sweat pants and shirts in street stalls. Not that rich people couldn’t make purchases from the street market as well, but surely you got the point.

Public infrastructure, like streets and parks, is in most parts of the city in desperate need of repairs. Huge holes in walkaways are a common sight, as well as patches over patches in pavements. But the overall atmosphere in the city is welcoming and even lively, once you get past the shady first impression.

Undeniable fact is that Chisinau, and Moldova altogether, is a cheap destination for western travelers. Decent double room, or even a whole apartment, can cost well under 15 euros per night, and you can get a fine dinner for two in a restaurant with just 10 euros. How does a large, meaty steak with side dish for 6 euros sound, tempting, right? Beer or glass of wine in a terrace for 1 € is a not bad deal either. Travelers on a budget, Moldova is waiting!

Chisinau could work well for digital nomads also, not that there is yet any boom with co-working bases or anything, but most hostels, restaurants and cafes have well- enough WiFi connection at least for blogging purposes.

What to see and do in Chisinau

In addition to enjoying the gastronomy, we roamed around the city and tried to capture the characteristics of it in pictures. There are not that much actual must-see-sights in the city, so just hitting the streets is the best way to see it all. On the main street called Bulevardul Stefan cel Mare si Sfant, is a wide, soviet-style plaza in front of the Government House.

On the opposite side is the Holy Gate, known as Chisinau’s own Arc de Triomphe, which looks somewhat out-of-the-place actually. Behind the gate lies the Cathedral Park, which is a popular place for evening strolls and overall hanging around. Getting further north-east from the main street is a pedestrian zone, that looks rather newly built, with some nice restaurants with terraces.

For joggers, there are several big parks with walkaways that work well for running. City streets are busy, there are plenty of traffic lights and sidewalks are uneven to say the least, so jogging along the streets is not that pleasant. We went couple of times to Valea Trandafirilor Park, that was quite close to where we lived. There are three small lakes in the park, with walkaways circulating them, some outdoor gym facilities, stalls selling drinks and snacks, and even a really run-down amusement park. This park makes a bit weird, but still nice place for running or walking.

Tip for those interested in craft beer – Litra Brewing is a great microbrewery with a tap room, located a bit outside of the city center. There are a couple of pubs with a good craft beer selection too.

Currency and language

Currency used in Moldova is Moldovian Leu, MDL. There is a huge amount of exchange offices / booths everywhere, and it is quick and easy process; just hand out your notes to the cashier and recount the pile of Leu’s you’ll get back, no passports or signatures were needed at least in those booths that we used. Exchange rates vary a bit, so it’s wise to compare them, and also make sure that there is no commission taken.

Official language in Moldova is Romanian, though locals like to call it Moldovian. It is basically the same language still, and Russian is commonly spoken also. English is not widely spoken, or even understood, but part of the younger citizens working in hotels and restaurants can speak it at least a bit. Some restaurants have their menu also in English, but with some simple food vocabulary it is easy to survive with Romanian menus as well.

Go now and see the unspoiled Moldova!

As a sum up, Chisinau is not a particularly pretty city compared to many other Eastern-Europe capitals, but for sure it is unspoiled, and attractive in other ways. What can you say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Probably part of the western tourists see Chisinau as a dirty and even off-putting city, while others dig deeper than the surface.

When planning your next holiday in Europe, why not to consider Moldova as a destination! Check out also this great article by a fellow travel blogger about why should you visit Moldova!