Day Trips from Chișinău: Monasteries, Wine

October 31, 2026

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.

Which Trip to Pick

Every trip below stays west of the Dniester. Orheiul Vechi is the classic choice and pairs well with Curchi. Wine cellars suit a half day. Soroca is a long day or an overnight.

Orheiul Vechi

The reserve is 55 km from the city, about an hour by road. Cave rooms cut into a cliff above the Răut river hold an old monastery, and Butuceni village below has guesthouses. Moldova has put the site on its UNESCO Tentative List, submitted in 2017, but it is not yet inscribed.

Bus: from the Central Bus Station to Butuceni-Trebujeni at 8:35, 10:20, 13:45, 17:15 and 18:15, for 55 MDL. Returns from Butuceni leave at 6:00, 8:00, 10:00, 15:00 and 16:30, so the last return is early. Confirm times on orheiulvechi.com .
Entry: 20 MDL, or 10 MDL for concessions. Parking is 30 MDL for cars, 50 for vans and 80 for buses. Bikes are free.
Hours: the reserve suggests visiting between 8:00 and 18:00.
On foot: stay on the marked trails, as the US advisory flags unexploded ordnance in fields, forests and along the Dniester.

Pack long trousers and a headscarf for the cave church, as visitors are widely advised to cover up there.

Curchi Monastery

Curchi is about 14 km southwest of Orhei town and can be added to the same day. Its Baroque cathedral, with a 57 m dome, dates from 1872. The complex has five churches, and entry is free. The site served as a psychiatric hospital from 1959 to 1999 and reopened as a monastery in 2005.

Căpriana Monastery

Căpriana is about 40 km north-west of Chișinău. It was first mentioned in documents in 1429 and rebuilt between 1542 and 1545. Its Dormition church is described as the oldest surviving church in Moldova.

Cellar Half Days

Cricova is about 15 km north and Mileștii Mici about 20 km south. Choose one cellar and add a different stop in the same half day. Cricova tours start at 400 MDL and Mileștii Mici tours at 350 MDL. Castel Mimi, about 35 km east, is open daily and pairs a tour with lunch at its restaurant.

Soroca Fortress

Soroca sits about 160 km away, roughly 2.5 hours by road. The round fortress, built in the 15th and 16th centuries, overlooks the Dniester. Entry costs about 30 MDL, and it is usually open Wednesday to Sunday, so check the day before you set out. Allow the full day, or stay overnight.

Practical Notes

A car or a tour is easier than the bus for combining stops.
Anyone driving to a winery should treat the drink-driving limit as zero.
Travel into Ukraine is not a day trip, as border crossings can close at short notice.

Compare organised excursions on GetYourGuide .