Chisinau is a fantastic city to visit with lots of great things to do and see.
We visited Moldova’s capital and loved it. We admired the paintings in Cathedral Park, learned about the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, and ate delicious Moldovan food.
Moldova might be one of the least visited capitals in Europe, but it’s definitely worth a trip.
In this post, we’ll cover the best things to do in Moldova and give you some practical travel tips.
Short on time but still need to book your trip? Then check out the following resources, which you will find useful.
Book a hotel in Chisinau:
- Komilfo Hotel (mid-range, close to Cathedral Square)
- Gregory Boutique Hotel Chisinau (a bit more comfort, beautiful palace-style rooms)
- Hotel Villa Natalia (budget, spacious and affordable rooms)
Check out these tours in and around Chisinau:
- Private walking tour of Chisinau with a local
- Central Market food tour with tastings
- Visit Transnistria, the country that doesn’t exist
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Things to do in Chisinau
#1 Cathedral Park
Cathedral Park is one of Chisinau’s most iconic squares in the heart of the city.
The most important sight in this square is the Nativity Cathedral. This Orthodox cathedral dates back to 1830. It served as an exhibition centre during Soviet times and was converted back into a cathedral afterwards.
The bell tower stands separately from the cathedral. It’s a much newer building, as the original was destroyed in the 1960s and only rebuilt in the 90s.
The park around the cathedral is lush and green, with lots of trees and bushes. There’s a cafe northeast of the Cathedral with tables in the park.
We visited in March, before the beginning of spring, and it was already bustling with people soaking up the first rays of sun.
If you go to the edge of the park, a bit more to the northeast, you find an alley where artists sell their paintings. Take a moment to walk around and see some of their works.
Fun fact: we saw a similar park when visiting Bishkek, where artists sold their paintings.
1h
#2 Triumphal Arch
On the southwestern side of Cathedral Park, you can find the Triumphal Arch. It was built in the 1840s to celebrate the Russian victory over the Ottomans.
Chisinau was once home to multiple triumphal arches, but this one is the only one that remains.
Opposite the Triumphal Arch, on the other side of the road, stands the Government House.
#3 Alexander Pushkin House
Alexander Pushkin was a Russian poet who lived in Chisinau in the early 1820s. He spent a total of three years in Moldova, where the Russian government exiled him.
The house in Chisinau, where he lived for a few months, is open to visitors. We loved coming here as it was a great opportunity for us to learn about a poet that we knew very little about.
In fact, we were surprised that we didn’t see more tourists here, as we found our visit very interesting.
Besides the house where Pushkin lived, which is decorated with furniture from his time, there’s a small museum next to it.
Don’t miss the little Baba Yaga house in the backyard. Baba Yaga’s a witch from Slavic folklore who lives in a house with chicken legs! You can find it in the garden.
1h
#4 National Museum of Ethnography
The National Museum of Ethnography is one of my favourite places to visit in Chisinau.
It’s located in a beautifully decorated building with a stained-glass ceiling, which does not just look great on photos but also gives it a special and unique atmosphere.
Inside, you can find exhibitions on Moldovan culture as well as natural history. Go down to the basement, and you’ll even see a skeleton of the predecessor of today’s elephants.
While we found the mix of cultural and natural history elements a bit random, we enjoyed our visit here.
There are plenty of exhibits to learn about the region’s culture and even some traditional costumes on display.
1h
#5 Valea Morilor Park
The Valea Morilor Park is also known as the Valley of the Mills Park.
It dates back to the 1950s and is a popular meeting spot for locals.
One of the highlights here is the Cascade Stairs, with fountains running down their middle. We visited in March, so unfortunately, the fountains weren’t on yet, but it was still a beautiful sight.
If you need a break from the city, this is a great place to come to. Most people stay close to the city, but you can walk around the artificial lake and enjoy nature.
There’s a coffee shop along the way, as well as a seafood restaurant which only opens in summer.
1/2-2h (depending on whether you just take a short look or surround the lake)
#6 Chisinau Central Market
The Central Market is the biggest market in Chisinau that you can visit. It spreads out over several blocks, with shops and stalls spilling into adjacent streets.
The market is divided into sections, each of them dedicated to a different good. You can find fruit and vegetables, but also clothing, daily necessities, and much more.
It’s a lot of fun to walk around and get lost in this maze of stalls for a while.
If you’re interested in Moldovan food, you can also book a tour of the Central Market, which includes some tastings. That way, you can learn more about the produce on offer from a local who takes you around.
1h
#7 Try traditional Moldovan food
No matter where we travel, we love trying traditional food. One of our favourite things to do on holidays is to hunt down national dishes and try all the local delicacies.
Chisinau is the perfect city for diving into Moldovan food. There are a few restaurants specialising in local cuisine.
We loved going to La Placinte. It’s got a great selection of traditional dishes, and their desserts are to die for. Try the Cusma lui Guguta, which is one of the best desserts I’ve ever tried.
One of the most popular local dishes is Mamaliga, a dish made from maise flour, which is like thick polenta.
#8 National History Museum of Moldova
If you can only visit one museum in Chisinau, make it the Ethnographic Museum or the Alexander Pushkin House.
But if you have time to visit more, we recommend the National History Museum of Moldova. It deals with the history of, you guessed it, Moldova.
If you’re like us and know very little about this country, this is your best chance at expanding your horizons.
Plus, the museum is located in what looks like a palace, with beautifully decorated rooms.
1h
#9 Stroll along Boulevard Stefan cel Mare
Boulevard Stefan cel Mare is the central axis that runs through Chisinau. It’s a wide boulevard with shops, theatres, cafes and restaurants on both sides.
Most bus lines run along this boulevard. It goes past the Central Market and Cathedral Square, and this is where you find the Triumphal Arch.
Boulevard Stefan cel Mare is popular with locals who come here for shopping or for going out with friends. It’s always lively and well worth a stroll.
1/2-1h
#10 Day trip
If you have enough time, we highly recommend taking a day trip from Chisinau to explore more of Moldova.
One of the most popular day trips is visiting Transnistria, the country that doesn’t exist. Transnistria is an unrecognised nation that split from Moldova in 1992. It is not recognised internationally, even though it has its own government, currency, postal system, constitution and much more.
While we went to Transnistria independently and think it’s a very easy day trip from Chisinau, we are aware that not everyone might be comfortable travelling independently to an unrecognised country.
If you prefer, you can join a guided tour to Transnistria and explore the country with a guide.
Moldova is famous for its wine, so another option is to take a day trip to a winery. Mileștii Mici, for example, is famous for having the largest wine cellar in the world, with a tunnel network that stretches along a total distance of 200 kilometres.
Cricova winery is also popular and offers fantastic wine tastings.
If you want to see more of Moldova, the easiest way to do so is to join a guided tour. This tour, for example, takes you to a famous monastery, to the wineries and to a traditional Moldovan village.
Practical information
How to get to Chisinau
Getting to Chisinau is relatively easy. You can find flight connections to Chisinau airport from multiple European cities. If you’re coming from farther away, you’ll likely have to connect through one of the major airline hubs.
From Chisinau airport, you can take a local bus to get to the city itself. Bus line 30 leaves directly in front of the airport terminal.
If you’re already in Romania or Ukraine, you can take a train. There’s a connection to Bucharest in Romania and to Kyiv in Ukraine.
Getting around Chisinau
We found Chisinau a walkable city with a relatively compact city centre.
If you want to go longer distances, trolley buses and regular buses connect most sights. We only took them to the airport, as we walked everywhere else.
Taking the bus in Chisinau is easy. You can look up the lines and timetables on Google Maps, so you know exactly which station to get on and off at. Once you’re on the bus, a conductor comes to you so you can pay the fare.
If you want to take a taxi, you can hail one on the street. Another option is to use a ride-sharing app. Uber doesn’t operate in Moldova, the local alternatives are Letz and Yandex Go.
Best time to visit Chisinau
You can visit Chisinau year-round and have a good time.
July and August are high season, as that’s the time for school holidays in Europe. You’ll see plenty of other tourists, or at least more than the rest of the year.
Winter can get cold enough for snowfall. We visited in March and saw bits and pieces of snow on the ground that hadn’t melted yet.
Autumn and spring are great because temperatures aren’t too hot yet, but the trees already have leaves, which makes parks look far more cheerful. In the end, though, the season doesn’t matter as much when visiting Chisinau, just choose what works best for you.
There you have it, the best things to do in Chisinau. We loved exploring Moldova’s capital and had a wonderful time here.
If you prefer going out with a local, check out this private walking tour. A local will take you around Chisinau and show you their favourite places, as well as give you recommendations for where to eat and drink. Book it now for insider information.
Don’t forget to try traditional Moldovan food, which was one of the highlights of our trip. Check out our Moldovan food guide to learn more about this relatively unknown cuisine.
While you’re here, take a look at our other posts about Moldova, which will help you plan your trip.
Until your next adventure!
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