Gourmet Tour in Moldova

On arrival at Chisinau International Airport, you will be transferred to your accommodation in Chisinau. After settling in, you can have a walk through downtown and explore the city centre on your own.

In the evening you will have dinner at La Taifas traditional restaurant in Chisinau. During dinner at the restaurant, you will be enveloped in the traditional atmosphere, created by the traditional style of the restaurant, the traditional dishes and of course the traditional live music show – the special flavor of the restaurant.

In the morning, you will set off on a time travel to Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) to see a natural amphitheater revealing a territory which was first inhabited 40 000 years ago. The Cultural, Natural and Landscape Reserve Orheiul Vechi includes a series of historical and cultural monuments as well as natural landscapes in the gorge of the Raut River. Ancient fortifications, cave monasteries, monks and hermits – here you can follow the history of this region. The originality of Orheiul Vechi landscape is due to the gorge of the Raut River, dug under the form of a canyon in the limestone layers of the former Sarmatian Sea, about 14 million years ago. This region is famous for its natural, rustic food and endless hospitality. In every home, you will be welcomed as the dearest guest.

The day will continue at Butuceni guesthouse, where you will enjoy the lunch, during which you will taste traditional more Moldovan dishes such as “zeama” (chicken soup with homemade egg noodles), “mamaliga” and Moldovan sweet roll-ups which melt in the mouth.

Next, you will discover Cricova winery – the only wine enterprise that was awarded the highest state prize “The Order of the Republic” and has been declared by law a national cultural heritage. During the excursion at Cricova winery in the tourist train, at a depth of 80 m, you will discover the wonders of this place. Cricova underground galleries are formed by over seventy streets covering an area of nearly 120 km, each bearing Bacchic names: Sauvignon, Cabernet, Cahors, etc. The jewel of the underground treasure is the National Collection, including over 600 types of wine totalling about 1 million bottles. Here you will admire the oldest bottle of wine - "Jewish Easter Wine", dating from 1902. You will also visit the unique production of sparkling wine, where a professional guide will tell you about all the process of producing sparkling wines using the famous French-style Méthode Champenoise. In one of the tasting rooms, the sommelier will explain the rules of wine tasting and help you better reveal the taste and bouquet of each type of wine.

The day will begin with the visit of “Arta Rustica” handicraft complex in Clisova Noua village. The handmade carpets in Clisova Noua are of amazing interest and beauty. The traditional Moldovan carpets have been included in UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage. The creation of only one canvas takes several months. Every carpet is a work of art. The craftsmen of Clisova Noua village put their whole soul and free time into their craft. They restore unique carpets according to old photographs. They use only natural materials and authentic technique during the weaving process. After visiting Tipova Cave Monastery, you will return to Chisinau.

Then, you will travel to Lalova village where you will visit Hanul lui Hanganu guesthouse and have a culinary masterclass on cooking traditional Moldovan “sarmale” - vine or cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables. The particularity of more “sarmale” made here consists in the fact that they are very small and you will surely have a nice experience preparing them. Hanul lui Hanganu guesthouse is the perfect choice for a quiet and full of emotions stay. Here, you will surely fall in love with some of the most popular dishes in Moldova. During lunch, you will discover the taste of delicious dishes cooked following a recipe containing secrets passed down from generation to generation.

After lunch, you will visit Tipova Cave Monastery. Located near Tipova village, the monastery with the same name is considered one of the oldest monastic establishments on the territory of Moldova. The heritage, which consists of 18 rooms, dug into the rock at an astounding altitude, represents an impressive museum in the open air. The Tipova River, on its flow to the Dniester, creates many waterfalls with the height above 10-16 meters, which a long time ago used to move the millstones of the numerous watermills.

After visiting Tipova Cave Monastery, you will return to Chisinau

In the morning, you will discover Tighina Fortress located in Tighina town and built in the 15th century by the prince of Moldova, Stephen the Great. Originally built as a small wooden fort, it was later fortified in stone by the prince of Moldova, Petru Rares. Occupied by the Ottomans in 1538 (in a campaign lead by the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent), the fort was strengthened in 1541 and became the center of an Ottoman "raya" (in which were included the surrounding Moldavian villages). In the 18th century, the fort was strengthened by Moldovan craftsmen under the direct supervision of Dimitrie Cantemir. Tighina Fortress is an architectural ensemble of irregular quadrilateral plan, surrounded by wide walls, 2-3 meters thick, made of limestone and brick.

During the city tour in Tiraspol, you will discover Vladimir Lenin’s monument and the tank left from the Second World War. The city seems more to be a vestige of the Soviet past. Nevertheless, you will be amazed by the contrasts, one of which is the football complex „Sheriff” - a pearl of contemporary architecture.

In the afternoon, you will have lunch at a restaurant in Tiraspol.

Next, you will visit Kvint wine and brandy factory where harmony, refinement and tradition underlie the oldest and most genuine spirits. Here you will be acquainted with the taste of 10-30 years old spirits such as Surprise, Tiraspol, Kvint Sunny, Victoria and Suvorov. The professional sommelier and specialist in quality of Kvint factory will lead the tasting process. Chocolate products will accompany the brandy tasting, as they make a perfect combination. For each brandy type, the guests will be offered different types of chocolate, and a professional sommelier and specialist in quality of Kvint factory will lead the delicate process.

You will start the day by travelling to Comrat where you will enjoy a city tour. Comrat is the capital of the autonomous region of Gagauzia, located in southwest Moldova. This is a very interesting territory since the majority of its habitants are Gagauzians. These are the only representatives of Turkic origin that affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox Church. Gagauzians migrated from Bulgaria together with ethnic Bulgarians and settled in Moldova in 19th century. You will see such attractions as the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Museum of Gagauz Culture, Gagauz Art Gallery, Gagauz National University and Alley of Gagauz Glory.

The day will continue at Karagani winery – a family winery with a specific emphasis on the Gagauz origins of the Cerven family, who owns the company. Located in Vulcanesti, in the southern part of Moldova, this small family enterprise is engaged in grape cultivation more and wine production. Karagani wines are produced by original technology from selected grapes of European and national varieties, grown on its own vineyards. On this land, you will discover the tastes of Karagani wines and the specificity of Gagauz cuisine, while tasting Gagauz dishes such as gozleme, bulgur with lamb, shorpa, etc.

After lunch, you will visit the National Gagauz Museum of History and Ethnography “D. Cara-Ciobanu” in Besalma village. The museum presents the history, culture and everyday life of the Gagauz people from ancient times until nowadays. One of the personalities of this small nation was the writer D. Cara-Ciobanu, who spent his life promoting this culture. He founded this museum, which features more than 6,000 exhibits, including works by famous writers, poets and famous artists in Gagauzia. One of the most valuable item in the museum is the collection of original films produced during the Gagauz colonization of the steppe of Bugeac.

After the excursion at the museum, you will return to Chisinau.

In the morning, you will travel to Micleuseni village. Here you will enjoy an excursion with honey tasting at “Conacul Mierii” (Honey Manor) guesthouse where actually, in a small bees kingdom, with a bunch of beehives in the garden, the householder will disclose with patience all the secrets of a bee’s family. Here you will also have the opportunity to taste 3 types of honey.

Next stop will be at Mircesti Winery, nicknamed “Moldova's Little Tuscany,” is located in the village of Mircesti, 25 km from Ungheni and 80 km from Chisinau. The 15-hectare vineyard produces exceptional wines on the hills of Maguria. The wine cellar includes a boyar mansion in the Brancoveanu style restored in 2011, when the first vine cuttings were planted. Since 2020, it also offers a guesthouse with traditional cuisine. Here you will enjoy a fabulous wine tasting and a delicious lunch.

In the more evening, you will be transferred to Chisinau and have free time in the city.

On departure day, you will be transferred from the hotel to Chisinau International Airport. If your flight is in the afternoon, you will have the option to explore Chisinau for a while on your own in the morning and buy some souvenirs.