Moldova - Off the Beaten Path: Luxury at a Reasonable Price

This Ex Soviet country is not very popular when it comes to tourism. Since it separated from the Soviet Union in the 90’s, not much has changed. It is still known as the least visited European country; in 2013 the number of tourists was about 9,000. But, they don’t actually mind, they like to be known as off the beaten path destination. The fact that Moldova is not visited by crowds of tourists does not mean that this little country doesn’t have impressive history and culture or some of the unique places with untouched nature.

Moldova is a really cheap destination, and the luxury that you will get there is more than the half price lower than in some of the popular destinations; average paycheck here is about $100, so according to that you can picture the prices. You can find great accommodation with even greater prices. The most luxurious hotels in the capital will cost you about $300, but you can find much cheaper options. Also, people in Moldova are very friendly and hospitable; maybe that is the advantage of the small number of tourists, they have the time for all of them. Some of the things Moldova is most famous for are the amazing monasteries and wine production. Tourists may have not heard about Moldova, but wine lovers certainly did. This country has over 3,000 years long tradition in wine production and unique wine cellars near Milesti Mici; those are actually real underground labyrinths that are about 55km long and somewhere reach about 80m underground. Experts believe that these labyrinths are over 200 km long, but most of them are not researched yet. They also have a wine festival in October, but you don’t have to wait that long to taste some of their finest wines.

Bucovina is a unique and especially beautiful region of the country; you will encounter there pure and untouched nature. Thick forests and magnificent mountain peaks of the Carpathians spread over picturesque landscapes with rivers and houses scattered on the hills. This is also the place where some of the most amazing monasteries of Moldova are located. Here are the painted monasteries that are a part of UNESCO World Heritage. Murals painted in these churches and monasteries represent one of the most important parts of Moldavian artwork preserved for almost 5 centuries. They are not just painted inside, but outside too and nowhere in the world can be found such high-quality and so well preserved murals.

Chisinau is also an interesting city to visit; like many historical cities, it is built on seven hills. Other interesting thing is that it is called “white city” because of the many building made of limestone. You can find monuments and some of the important administration buildings almost in the center. It is also one of those cities that is full of greenery; Chisinau has so many parks that it is ranked high on the list of the “greenest” European capitals.

Archeological sites like Old Orhei, scenic Moldavian villages, parks of nature and many more things that will take your breath away can be found in this destination forgotten by tourists. The adventure is waiting for you; don’t miss to visit this amazing country.