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Capital and largest city of Moldova
Photo: Photobank MD from Chisinau, Moldova, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Chișinău, pronounced "Kishinau" with "nau" as in the English word "now", is the capital of Moldova with a population of around 780,000 in the metro area (2018), and 250,000 people coming each day for work and entertainment. It is a busy working city, but it has some sites of interest, and is a base for exploring other parts of the country.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Parcul Catedralei
The centre is adorned with the Nativity Cathedral, the main church for the city. To the southwest is the Triumphal Arch constructed in 1841, which is the centerpiece of the Great National Assembly Square. Across Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard is the Government House. The city's biggest flower market is on the north side of the park along Bănulescu Bodoni Street. At the intersection of Ștefan cel Mare and Bănulescu Bodoni, there is a statue of Ștefan cel Mare.
Monumentul lui Ștefan cel Mare
The monument to Stephen III of Moldavia who, in the 15th century, achieved European fame by resisting the Turkish attacks. He was one of the most prominent rulers of late medieval Eastern Europe, noted for his long reign, military leadership and astute diplomacy. The monument is the gateway to the beautiful park of the same name.
A 9-hectare park featuring three major lakes with pedal boats and several restaurants. It is possible to walk there to the center, and thus allows you to visit the Cathedral Theodor Tiron on the way. Otherwise, from the city center, reach the more popular southern entrances by trolleybuses 1, 4, or 8, and the less popular Northern side by bus 46.
A 32-hectare wooded park offering pleasant, almost secluded walks.
Grădina Botanică din Chișinău
The largest park in Chișinău.
Muzeul Satului
Next to Botanica, if you head west after you exit the gates, you can find a path which will take you towards a couple of wooden churches built in Northern Moldova and re-assembled in Chișinău. There is a new wooden gate with traditional carvings leading up to the churches.
Parcul Valea Morilor
Very large park with a lake which offers acres of largely untouched landscape scenery in the heart of the city. There is a popular 2.5-km running and cycling marked circuit of the lake.
A large park in Buiucani. Costs about 10 lei to enter. Nice gardens, lake, forests and sports field.
Parcul Alunelul
In the western part of the city, in the Buiucani district, lies a small park covering just 11 hectares: Alunelul Park. The park was established in 1958 on the site of a Jewish cemetery; part of the cemetery was simply demolished, while some of the human remains were relocated to the new cemetery situated just above the park. Deep within the park stands the memorial complex dedicated to the victims of the 1903 Chișinău pogrom (installed in 1993). In late 2020, Alunelul Park underwent a beautiful renovation, much to the delight of locals and visitors to the capital alike. The park's main attraction is a multicolored fountain featuring 284 water jets and lights. During the summer season, the fountain's jets dance to the rhythm of the music, reaching heights of up to 10 meters.
The Jewish Cemetery is still in use. It contains new and very old graves. It used to be one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe. At one point, between 40% and 60% of Chișinău's population was Jewish. The Jewish Cemetery also contains an old destroyed synagogue and a monument for the Torah scrolls. The street leading to the cemetery (Milano Street) is one of the last remaining stone-paved streets in the city.
A little way out of the center is a memorial commemorating the victory of the Soviet army in World War II. There is also an eternal flame in memory of Chișinău's unknown soldiers who died in World War II. It is behind the military and civilian cemeteries. Reach by taking trolleybus 9 or 13 from Ismail Street.
Casa-muzeu „Pușkin"
You can visit the house where the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin lived when in exile from Russia from 1820 to 1823.
Spend a few hours exploring the exhibits, and pay attention to the walls, floors and roofs of the building. There are some explanations in English.
Muzeul național de etnografie și istorie naturală
The palaeontological part of the exhibition includes a skeleton of Deinotherium, a fearsome prehistoric relative of elephants. There is a good collection of traditional dresses, and a scale model of Moldova. Even if you don't enter the Islamic-inspired exterior facade is quite stunning, particularly late afternoon when it catches the sunshine.
Muzeul Național de Artă
Muzeul de Istorie a Orașului Chișinău - Turnul de Apă
Location of a small local history museum.
Muzeul Militar
Containing all sorts of Soviet-era military vehicles, such as tanks and a MIG fighter jet.
Centru Vechi
Historic area of Chișinău, dating to 1436. It includes a blend of neoclassical-style buildings and charming cobblestone streets.
Teatrul de operă și balet
Catch a show of one of the top ballet companies in Eastern Europe. The company has toured all over the world, from Tokyo to Johannesburg. Show times and information can be found on the website.
This beautiful old theatre has floor seating and two balconies. They have multiple productions running at the same time, so if you are staying for a week, you may have four different plays to choose from, and films in the 'studio'. Comedies tend to communicate better if you don't know the language.
Check for 'In Original English Language'. Most movies are either dubbed in Russian or original with Romanian subtitles. There is normally no Romanian dubbing, just subtitles.
Offers a selection of dishes paid per weight. Open 08:00-21:00, 20% discount after 19:00.
For cheap blini (pancakes/crepes) and zeama.
In the basement of the court building in Banulescu Bodoni Street is open from 11:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00. The simple food is a good value (25 lei for soup, main dish, and chefir; 40 lei maximum for a meal; 2 lei for tea as of 2010). Walk up the street from the two parks, the court building is on the right just before ASEM University (Academia de Studii Economice din Moldova) on the left.
Chain of fast food restaurants in the style of McDonald's, serving kebab & falafel.
In Dacia with Bucaresti has a 30% discount on prepared food between 21:00 and 23:00 (as of Dec 2020)
A fast food restaurant which is found all over the city. The quality of the food is very good, however it might depend on the dish or the outlet.
Serves a variety of dishes including pizza, pasta and local dishes. They have a lunch special for about 50 lei. Prices for a full meal range 40-100 lei.
Another restaurant owned by the same people, serving traditional Moldovan cuisine. This chain restaurant has locations all over the city. The quality of the food is far more reliable and good, at decent affordable prices below that found in Western Europe. Bright, colourfully decorated place.
Georgian restaurant in the center. The portions are generous and the food is good. Opt for Moldovan wines.
Traditional, family-run Moldovan restaurant in a cellar serving Moldovan specialities. English-language menu. It caters to tour groups and parties, so calling ahead to reserve is a good idea. Excellent list of Moldovan wines, many by the glass.
Moldavan wines, cognac, liquor and juice are all on par with the best of Eastern Europe. For one thing, manufacturers tend to use only organic products. Secondly, these products are made in the traditional way. Restaurants tend to sell only local wines, but only those of the highest standards. One of the very best wines of Moldova is from the wine plantation of Purcari.
Moldovan beer is one of the best in Europe. A very famous is named "Bere Chișinău". It was awarded with the Nr.1 Gold Medal at the Nuremberg beer competition in 2007, beating German, Czech and others. It can be found in all the bars on every street in Chișinău, so finding a place for a drink is not a problem. However, good bars and restaurants with a pleasant atmosphere can be difficult to find. So watch where you stop.
Bar and restaurant on bd C. Negruzzi, has a wide range of beers (some brewed on the premises) and a good menu. Prices for a full meal with drinks range from 150-500 lei.
An Austrian-Moldovan brewing company's restaurant with its craft beer and snacks.
Hotel Chișinău claims to be the oldest central hotel in the city. An "aging beauty" with friendly staff and clean rooms.
€12/night for dorm bed. Silent and central location with very friendly and helpful staff. Laundry service. Wi-Fi and lockers are available. The hostel is in a large flat in a lovely communist-style apartment block. Interior is a lot nicer than the exterior. Some of its interior such as wall posters dates back to Soviet times. The entrance is in the backyard and not towards the street. A small sign is sprayed on the concrete at the entrance and that is the only hint you get that there is a hostel inside apartment 24 of that gate.
Friendly and helpful English-speaking hostel, with Wi-Fi, fans, lockers, kitchen and washing machine as well as the usual facilities.
It's a new hotel with comfortable rooms and nice staff in the centre of the Chișinău. The prices are low, beginning from €50 for a room, including breakfast, Wi-Fi, and TV.
Clean rooms and friendly staff, some of whom speak English. Now the hotel Cosmos has a slightly derelict appearance, and receives relatively few guests. However, the rooms are clean and the staff are friendly and helpful. Around the immediate area are some nice shops and restaurants. Rates from €29/night.
A rather new hotel with comfortable rooms and a swimming pool. Rates start at €60/night.
A nice hotel with comfortable rooms and good services.
A tiny hotel that costs €50/night and offers small and rather spartan rooms (some are windowless). Service is poor and visitors are not allowed to enter the hotel.
A small nice hotel with comfortable rooms and accessible prices. Costs around €50/night. The price includes breakfast, internet Wi-Fi, parking, and laundry.
A cosy hospitable hotel offering excellent services. Breakfast, internet, TV, parking, and laundry included. The hotel provides 11 rooms, each with a telephone and a minibar. A shower, cable/satellite channels and a hair dryer are also provided. On-site dining options include a restaurant. Chisinau International Airport is less than a 25-minute drive from Villa Muntenia Hotel.
A very posh but small (18 rooms) hotel close to the airport. Excellent service and good food, with extremely large rooms and comfortable beds.
A very cozy 4-star boutique hotel about a 15-minute walk to the city center. It has a good restaurant with mid-range prices. A full meal with drinks will cost about 300 lei.
A very nice hotel in front of Chișinău's central park on a street with no traffic. Superbly quiet. Rooms are at the minimum of 4-star standards. This hotel also has a gym which is only accessible to guests.
formerly Dedeman Grand Hotel
A smaller 4-star boutique hotel in the centre. A few quirks but a good hotel. Opened early in 2010.
Newest 5-star hotel in Moldova.
Modern, located in the centre.
The city's main artisan market. One can find handmade crafts, paintings and relics from the Soviet days. English is limited, but many products have a marked price. Negotiating prices is acceptable.
Magazinul Universal Central
An all-purpose shopping center built by Soviet standards, but renovated. (more recent malls are MallDova or Sun City). The selection of souvenirs is smaller and many will not be handmade.
This is Chișinău's main street. Not only is it great for sightseeing, it is also lined with numerous shops and restaurants.
Piața Centrală
Outdoor market. Alight at Armenească Street while on the main boulevard, and walk in the direction where everybody goes.
The largest western-style mall in Chișinău. Most stores and products are generic and can be found at many malls in other countries.
By train
See Calea Ferata Moldova (CFM) (Moldovan Railways).
By car
Roads in Moldova are moderate. The road leading from Chișinău to Leușeni is OK.
By bus
You can check bus timetables (for in-country, and international destinations) at this website.
By taxi
There are several big taxi services operating throughout the city and its suburbs, most notably Letz and Yandex Go. Call 14222 or 14444 to get a taxi.
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Chişinău · International · RMO
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