Republica Moldova · atlas and guide
The republic between the Prut and the Dniester
Cave monasteries above river valleys, wine cities beneath the hills and a capital of lime trees and Soviet boulevards. An independent atlas of Moldova, with a source for every fact.
Moldova lies wedged between Romania and Ukraine, between the Prut in the west and the Dniester in the east. It is a country of gentle hills, walnut trees and vineyards, of cave monasteries above river valleys and of a capital where Soviet architecture stands beside Orthodox domes. The republic has been independent since 1991. The official language is Romanian; in the street you will also hear Russian, Gagauz, Ukrainian and Bulgarian. This guide covers the cities and regions, the monasteries and fortresses, the food and the wine houses, and the people who shaped the country, with practical information for the journey.
Four plates, one country
Cities beneath the hills
Around Chișinău, limestone quarries were turned into wine cellars in the last century, with miles of underground streets. Choose a wine house.
Cricova
Underground wine city with more than 120 kilometres of tunnels, just north of Chișinău
Mileștii Mici
200 kilometres of cellars holding the world's largest wine collection, says Guinness
Château Purcari
Wine estate on the Dniester dating from 1827, home of the historic blend Negru de Purcari
Castel Mimi
Restored wine castle built by Constantin Mimi in the 1890s, now a wine resort
Château Vartely
Modern winery on a hill near Orhei, with villas, a restaurant and tasting rooms
Asconi
Family winery in Puhoi since 1994, with a restaurant, guest cottages and ice wine
Moldova in four numbers
30 cities and regions of Moldova
VideoChișinău
A capital of white limestone, wide avenues and parks, with the wine cellars round the corner
47.0245° N · 28.8323° E
VideoSoroca
A round fortress on the Dniester, a candle of stone and the houses of Roma Hill
48.1543° N · 28.2883° E
VideoGăgăuzia
Autonomous region of the Gagauz, Orthodox Christians with a Turkic language
46.3011° N · 28.6559° E50 sights in Moldova
VideoOrheiul Vechi
A limestone river loop with cave monasteries, Getic strongholds and a Golden Horde town
47.3056° N · 28.9750° E
VideoMănăstirea Saharna
A pilgrimage monastery in a wooded gorge above the Dniester, with a footprint in the rock
47.6949° N · 28.9651° E
VideoMănăstirea Căpriana
A princely monastery from 1429 in the Codri forests, with the oldest church in the country
47.1161° N · 28.5106° E30 dishes, products and wines
Famous Moldovans
VideoȘtefan cel Mare
Prince of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504 and the country's greatest historical symbol
VideoAlexander Pushkin
The Russian poet who spent three years of exile in Chișinău
VideoMaria Bieșu
Soprano from Volintiri, famed worldwide as Cio-Cio-San, who gave her name to the opera
Three-minute documentaries
Short films on Moldova's cities, monasteries, wine cellars, dishes and people, in five languages, with Dutch in a Flemish and a Netherlands version, and with subtitles.
3:10Chișinău
The white stone city on the Bîc
3:18Soroca
Guardian of the Dniester
3:33Gagauzia
The land of the Christian Turks in southern Moldova
3:13Orheiul Vechi
Two thousand years of history in a limestone gorge
3:16Mănăstirea Saharna
A monastery in a gorge near the Dniester
3:14Mănăstirea Căpriana
A princely monastery in the forests of the Codri
3:13Cricova
An underground wine city near Chișinău
3:22Mileștii Mici
The largest wine collection in the world
The country in a single line
The border largely follows two rivers: the Prut in the west and the Dniester in the east. Every dot is a city or a place from this guide.
- Cities and regions
- Sights
- Wine houses
Hover or tap a dot
Open the full mapRead, plan and stay
The history of Moldova, from Cucuteni to Brussels
Moldova is a country on a fault line: the land between the Prut and the Dniester belonged in turn to a medieval principality, the Russian Empire…
II CultureMoldovan culture, from lăutari to Mărțișor
At its core, Moldovan culture is Romanian-speaking and Orthodox, but it has been coloured by two centuries of Russian and Soviet influence and by…
III Food and wineFood and drink in Moldova: cuisine, wine and divin
Moldovan cooking is country food built on maize, sheep's cheese, vegetables from the kitchen garden and pork, shaped by centuries of Romanian…
IV Getting thereTravelling to Moldova from Belgium and neighbouring countries
Moldova is roughly 2,400 kilometres by road from Brussels, and the quickest way there is a flight from Charleroi to Chișinău, which Wizz Air…
V Practical infoPractical information for your trip around Moldova
For Belgian travellers Moldova is an easy destination: no visa, no particular health risks and, since 1 January 2026, roaming at domestic rates.…
VI Where to stayStaying in Moldova: where to sleep, planning and itineraries
Moldova is small enough to explore from a single base, but if you stay overnight in the countryside, you see the country at its best. The choice…
VII Living in MoldovaLiving in Moldova as a Belgian or EU citizen
If you are a Belgian or other EU citizen wanting to live in Moldova, a 2025 law puts you under a separate, more flexible residence regime…
47.0° N · 28.6° E MapMap of Moldova
All cities, sights and wine houses on one map. Toggle categories and click a dot.