Moldova Travel Guide
Contents
Moldova, where you can see every shade of green, is a complete agricultural country with its fertile soil. Moldova is among the most well-known and prestigious wine producer countries of Europe. All Moldova is home to fertile lands, especially Chisinau, the capital city of the country.
You should not be surprised if you come across castles, monasteries, churches, monuments and historical mansions in the colorful streets of Moldova, which has a very diverse culture. If you wish to visit these beautiful and peaceful countries to learn about its culture, daily life and history, you can choose your flight ticket from Pegasus Airlines’s advantateous flights.
General Information About Moldova
Continent: |
|
Capital of Moldova: |
Chisinau (The largest city) |
Country Code: |
MD |
Language: |
Romanian also known as Moldovan |
Area: |
33.846 km2 |
The difference between GMT: |
GMT/UTC+2 - GMT/UTC+3 |
Telephone Code: |
+373 |
Domain Extension: |
.md |
Currency: |
Moldovan Leu (MDL) |
Plug Type: |
Type C and F |
Official Language
Romanian, also called Moldovan, is the official language of Moldova. Besides, Bulgarian, Gagauz, Russian and Ukrainian are spoken in the country.
Common Phrases
Good Morning: Buna Dimineata
How are you?: Ce mai faci?
How can I go to the X?: Cum pot merge la X?
Thank you: Mulțumesc
Capital of Moldova
The capital and the largest city of Moldova is Chisinau. In addition, Chisinau is Moldova’s commercial and industrial center and located at the heart of the country.
Location of Moldova
Moldova, one of the most beautiful countries in Eastern Europe, is a charming landlocked country. Moldova, neighboring Ukraine and Romania, is considered to be one of the very small and easy-to-see countries.
Currency in Moldova
Moldova uses its own currency named Moldovan Leu (MDL). The currency name originates from the word “lion” in Romanian. 21.21 Moldovan Leu equals 1 Euro.(2021)
You can easily find an available ATM in Moldova and you can use your credit card. Nevertheless, it will be better to carry Moldovan Leu around in Moldova.
How to Get to Moldova?
There are many different ways of how you can travel to Moldova. Surely, the most comfortable, fastest and confident alternative to travel to Moldova is by airplane. Moldova has only one international airport in Chisinau named Chisinau International Airport.
Flights to Moldova take place 3 times a week. Passengers can prefer direct flights from Antalya International Airport to Chisinau International Airports. In addition, passengers planning to travel from Chisinau can fly indirectly via Antalya to Adana, Ankara, İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Kayseri, Trabzon, Amsterdam, Berlin, Beirut, Stockholm, Duesseldorf, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Genoa, London-Stansted, Stuttgart and Tel-Aviv. You can fly directly and connect at the most affordable prices with Pegasus Airlines.
Transportation from The Airport to The City Center
You can reach any part of Moldova from the city center of Chisinau by minibus or private airport services. Very affordable services move every 40 minutes. If you want to go directly to where you want to go, you can travel by using a taxi or renting a car.
Public Transportation in The City Center
There is no subway in Chisinau. You can provide urban transportation in Chisinau with minibuses and trolleybus called rutiere in Moldova.
Accommodation in Moldova
Moldova can be identified as a rich country in terms of hotels and hostels. Especially in Chisinau, you can probably find a convenient place to stay. Moldova also offers a huge opportunity in terms of apartments daily. In Moldova, householders may offer transportation service from the airport. You can safely use Airbnb to rent an apartment in Moldova.
Traditional Moldovan Dishes: What to eat in Moldova?
Moldovan cuisine especially attracts the attention of tourists. You should definitely taste the Sarmali which is quite similar to Turkish Sarma. Raçitura and Mamaliga, which are among the most popular tastes apart from Sarmali, are also highly popular in Moldova.
You can also try the delicious and famous Moldovan wines. You will enjoy the world-famous wines, which are the important source of income of Moldova, with their unique dessert. You can also attend wine festivals to taste the wines in which you can find in almost every city of Moldova.
Best Time to Visit Moldova
Moldova has a very mild and rainy continental climate. Because of the proximity to the Black Sea, Moldova’s climate is mildly cold in winter and relatively warm in summer. The heaviest rainfall in Moldova takes place in early summer and in October.
It is better to travel to Moldova in summer because of the severe climatic conditions. As the weather reaches a sufficient temperature as of April, it becomes comfortable to travel in Moldova. This period lasts until September and October. Furthermore, this period is the period of festivals, so it would be much more convenient and fun to visit Moldova between these dates.
Places to Visit in Moldova
Spring and autumn are the best times to travel to Moldova. Much of the country lies between the Dnieper and Prut Rivers. Chisinau, one of the largest and most important places in the country, is located on the bank of one of the branches of the Dnieper River.
Having a multicultural structure, Chisinau stands out with its wine cellars. Apart from Chisinau, whose parks and cathedrals are remarkable, the cities of Tiraspol, Edinet, Balti and Bender are also listed as must-see cities. Archeological houses, mansions, castles, monasteries and churches, monuments and squares are among the places to be seen in Moldova, which has a cosmopolitan structure.
Albisoara Street
It is the oldest and most famous street of Chisinau. You can find important historical buildings and parks of the city on this street. Banks are also located on this street.
Ștefan Cel Mare Central Park
This park, formerly Pushkin Park, is considered to be the oldest park in Moldova. This park is also called Lovers Park because it is a meeting point for people. You can also see the statues of important figures of Moldovan history in Ștefan Cel Mare Central Park where you can spend time in the greenery.
Chisinau Military Museum
Weapons used in World War II are exhibited in the museum, which is one of the must-see places for those who are interested in history and wars.
Alexander Pushkin House
You can visit the house where writer Alexander Pushkin stayed after his exile from Russia. Thanks to the house that serves as a museum today, you can learn about the life and books of writer Alexander Pushkin.
Orhei Vechi Monastery
If you are interested in history, you must see Orhei Vechi Monastery. The monastery, one of the works of medieval Europe, also serves as an open-air museum.
National Art Museum
If you want to see Moldovan art closely, you can see the National Art Museum. The museum, where the works of Moldovan painters are exhibited, offers unmissable opportunities for art enthusiasts.
Valea Morilor Square
There are generally embassies in the square surrounded by buildings from the 1800s. It is one of the most frequented places by the Moldovan people.
Patria Cinema and National Opera and Ballet Theatre
In the theatre, which has been active since the 19th century, examples from Moldova's national cinema and world cinema are shown. It is one of the oldest and most important historical places of Chisinau and Moldova.
Shopping in Moldova: Best Souvenirs to Buy
You can buy Pushkin magnets to your loved ones or you can get t-shirts and cups as a souvenir. On the other hand, you can take the distinguished and delicious wines of Moldova to your loved ones. Souvenirs from Moldova will make you remember your holiday. You can also buy traditional Moldovian clothings.
Especially some products can be found quite cheaply compared to Turkey in Moldova. Since the currency of Moldova is Moldovan Leu, US Dollars or Euros may not be accepted for your purchases.
Night Life
You can enjoy the nightlife of Moldova after daytime activities, especially in Chisinau. Chisinau has a very lively nightlife. Especially thanks to the developed drinking culture, you can find places where you can have fun and enjoy the night. Night Club La Victor, Soho, Decadance Club, Dancer Planet and Malina Cocktail House are the most popular places in Chisinau.
Festivals in Moldova
In Moldova, most of the festivals are related to wine. Moldovan people are very fond of celebrations and festivals and are very welcoming to tourists. You can visit Moldova especially in summer but all the time until November. Because of the climatic conditions, the festivals in Moldova take place before November.
Wine Day - You can celebrate the Wine Festival in Moldova in the first week of October every year. Chisinau is the center of the festival. It is a rare opportunity to taste the best Moldovan wines and national tastes.
Ethno-jazz Festival - In the National Theatre “Mihai Eminescu”, this music festival gathers jazz musicians from all over the world every year in the second half of September.
Visa Process
Moldova does not belong to the Schengen area.
Moldova does not require a visa or a passport for Turkish people. After agreement between Moldova and Turkey, you can easily enter Moldova with your new type of chip IDs.
You can go to Moldova without a passport for touristic or business purposes. This saves you an additional financial expenditure even if you do not have a passport.
You can learn the details of the Moldova visa application process from the "Moldova Visa Information" article.
Things You Need to Know before Traveling to Moldova
- Cold Weather: If you plan to visit Moldova in winters, there may be severe weather conditions. You better take precautions before visiting Moldova.
- WC: All the restaurants in Moldova are likely avaliable, if you can’t find any public WC. Besides, you don’t need to make any payment.
- Expensiveness: Be prepared for the restaurants and the clubs in Moldova, because it can be very expensive.
Emergency Numbers
Currently, there are several emergency numbers in Moldova:
901: Fire brigade
902: Police
903: Ambulance
122 can be called for emergency situations such as gas accidents or fires, medical or police emergencies.