Strășeni

Why go

Strășeni is the first district town on the road from Chișinău to Ungheni, and this is where the Codru really begins. About 40% of the municipality's territory is forest, exceptionally high for Moldova. The town itself is a quiet provincial place; the surrounding area is ideal for a day trip with monasteries, forest and wine.

History and character

Strășeni first appears in a charter of 20 March 1554, in which Prince Alexandru Lăpușneanu confirms to Probota Monastery half of the village of "Strășani", a gift from a noble widow. For centuries it remained a farming village in the Bîc valley. In the twentieth century it grew into a district town, and today Strășeni has municipiu status. At the 2024 census the town had 13,915 inhabitants. The town's feast day falls on 27 October.

What to see and do

The town itself has few monuments; the interesting sights lie within a 20 km radius. Căpriana Monastery, one of the oldest in Moldova, lies in a wooded valley north of the town. Near Lozova begins the Codrii nature reserve, set up as a scientific reserve in 1971, with a nature museum and walking trails in the accessible part. In Dolna stands the manor house of the Ralli family, where Alexander Pushkin was a guest during his exile in Bessarabia.

Roe deer, red deer, wild boar and badgers live in the forests. In spring snowdrops, wood violets and wild garlic (leurdă) flower here; the garlic is also eaten locally. Vineyards and fruit orchards cover the slopes around the town.

Eating, drinking and sleeping

In Strășeni you will find simple restaurants and cafés. Along the roads to Căpriana and Lozova there are pensiuni and restaurants with terraces among the trees, popular with people from Chișinău at weekends. You can stay overnight in the town, but most visitors drive back to the capital in the evening.

Practical information and tips

Strășeni lies 23 km from Chișinău, about half an hour's drive. Minibuses run very frequently, and the town is on the railway to Ungheni. For Căpriana, Lozova and Dolna a car or a taxi is the most practical option. Come on a weekday if you can: at weekends the monasteries and the forest restaurants are busy.