Chișinău Activities: Cellars and Culture
Travel advisory, as of October 2026: The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Transnistria and has no warning for the rest of Moldova (GOV.UK ). The US State Department lists Moldova at Level 2 and Transnistria at Level 3 (travel.state.gov ). Russian drones have crossed Moldovan airspace during the war in Ukraine, and Chișinău airport has had brief closures. Check flight status and both governments’ advice before you book.
Plan Around the Wine
The capital is compact, and the best activities sit just outside it. Moldova is a wine country, and three big estates take visitors on guided tours: Cricova to the north, Mileștii Mici to the south and Castel Mimi to the east. Pick one or two, not all three in a day.
Cricova
Cricova is about 15 km north of the city. Visitors tour the underground galleries with a guide, passing the sparkling-wine production section and the national wine collection. There are six official tours, priced per person:
| Tour | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Underground City | 1 h 10 | 400 MDL |
| Business | 1 h 30 | 700 MDL |
| Expert | 2 h | 950 MDL |
| Național | 3 h | 1,300 MDL |
| Premium | 3 h 20 | 2,000 MDL |
| V.I.P. | 4 h | 3,100 MDL |
Souvenir bottles cost an extra 250 MDL. Weekend prices can run higher on partner booking pages, so check the date you want. Book ahead through cricova.md , by phone on +373 79 202 999 or by email to office@cricova.md .
Mileștii Mici
Mileștii Mici lies about 20 km south, in Ialoveni district. Guinness World Records lists it as the largest wine cellar by number of bottles, with over 1.5 million bottles in 55 km of galleries. The 2026 tours on milestii-mici.md are:
- Winery Tour, 50 minutes, 350 MDL, with a gift bottle of sparkling wine.
- “Hai, Noroc!”, 1 h 30, 800 MDL, with three wines.
- “Univers”, 2 h, 1,200 MDL, with five wines.
Add 100 MDL per paying visitor for a 17:00 start, weekends and holidays. Hours are 10:00 to 18:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:00 to 19:00 Friday to Sunday. The galleries stay at +12 to +14 C, so bring a layer. Ask when you book how visitors get around inside, and whether transport from town is included, because the listed prices cover the tour only.
Castel Mimi
Castel Mimi is at Strada Dacia 1, Bulboaca, about 35 km east of Chișinău, and it is open every day. Tours run from the 1 h 10 Family tour at about 400 MDL up to the 2 h 30 Fusion tour at 1,350 MDL on weekdays. The Iconic tour, with five wines in 1 h 30, costs 850 MDL on weekdays and 950 on weekends. Children aged 0 to 12 pay 180 MDL. Details are at castelmimi.md .
Orheiul Vechi Add-Ons
The Orheiul Vechi reserve, 55 km from the city, sells activities beyond the cave monastery. Kayaking on the Răut river with a local operator costs about 750 to 850 MDL per person for a standard route of 16.5 km that takes 5 to 6 hours. A paragliding flight of 15 to 20 minutes costs about 400 MDL. Carriage rides and guesthouse cooking classes are also on offer. See orheiulvechi.com .
In the City
The National Museum of History, the Ethnography and Natural History Museum and the National Museum of Art each charge 50 MDL for adults. Carpe Diem Wine Shop and Bar on Columna street serves flights of Moldovan wine, daily from about 11:00.
Tips
- Winery days need a driver who does not drink, or a tour or taxi. Moldova has strict drink-driving rules, so treat the limit as zero.
- Public transport costs 7 MDL a ride since May 2026. There is no metro. Carry small lei notes.
- Pickpockets work crowded places, so keep valuables zipped.
Find guided cellar trips on GetYourGuide .
Read more: day trips from Chișinău and attraction tours .