Chisinau
A lusciously green city, nestled cozily along the banks of the Bac River, Chisinau, Moldova is a compulsory destination for travelers seeking wonder and mystic. Sunflower fields dance around whitewashed villages surrounded by rolling green hills. Old world charm effortlessly oozes from the 13th century style architecture within this city, which was originally built around a natural spring. The spring is now located on Pushkin Street, named after Aleksandr Pushkin, who was, arguably, the greatest Russian poet of all time.
The appeal of the Orheiul Vechi, is not only one of the most spectacular attractions of Moldova, this monastery, carved into a limestone cliff, is said to be one of the wonders of the world. This mysterious, haunting cave created by the blood, sweat, and tears of orthodox Christians in the 1200’s remains a sacred place of worship to this day. Moldova is well known by wine connoisseurs of the world as having delightful and tasty wineries that offer not only wine, but also an experience that will never be forgotten. This is especially apparent at Cricova, a winery with an underground labyrinthine of wine storage 328 feet below the surface. With 74 miles of roadways, all named for the particular wine stored there, you can stagger along Merlot or Pinot Street sipping on exquisite wine, laughing with the locals, and allow yourself to be seduced by the magic of one of Europe’s largest and rarest wineries. Unlike most historical cities, Chisinau does more than just give you a glimpse of her history. You can actually relive part of Moldova’s past at the National Archaeology and History Museum. Roman statues greet visitors at the door, symbolizing Moldova’s Latin heritage, and there is actually a man there who was a political prisoner in a WWII workers’ camp. He takes guests through his 12 year ordeal with a first-hand account of what it was really like to have all human rights and freedoms taken from you.
Experience the exotic heritage and modern marvels of Chisinau, Moldova, Eastern Europe’s best kept secret.
