Day trip to Republic of Moldova - visit Chisinau and Cricova Winery
Description
Cross the border to mysterious Moldova and its capital Chisinau on this full-day private tour from Iasi. With a guide at your side, explore Chisinau, seeing the Arc of Triumph, and visiting a winery in this up-and-coming wine region of a diminutive nation. Then cross back into Romania to conclude this full-day trip.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Capriana Monastery. For a long time, the monastery was the residence of the Metropolitan of Moldova and it was patronized by many Rulers of Moldova including Stefan the Great.
Chisinau was documented for the first time in 1420, but most of it was leveled in WWII and by a tragic earthquake that struck in 1940. They started rebuilding the city in 1950 in a Soviet-style, and both the center and the outskirts are dominated by utilitarian high-rise buildings. On our tour, we will discover Chisinau’s main attractions: their own Arc de Triomphe, the 1841 Holy Gates at the center of the city and we will stroll through one of the city’s parks and learn about Prince Stefan, the noble symbol of Moldova's medieval past.
Cricova Winery, situated at a depth of 50-80 meters, representing a real underground city. The Moldavian cellars where Vladimir Putin keeps his wine are so big you need to drive through them. You will also find Herman Goering's private collection, taken by the Red Army from Berlin in 1945. Considered to be the pearl of Moldovan winemaking, Cricova is the founder of production of high-quality elite wines. The influence of Ancient Greece and the Roman period is reflected in the reliefs you will discover inside the winery. In this unique place, you will have to opportunity to discover the steps to wine tasting and try a selection of the great range of wines. Optionally, you may choose to have an unforgettable lunch in this fantastic place.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick up from any hotel in Iasi
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide;
- A small amount of walking is involved;
- Children must be accompanied by an adult;
- Not wheelchair accessible;
- Minimum age is 12 years;
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults.
Reviews(34)
We had a wonderful experience on this tour. Everything was very well organized and ran smoothly from start to finish. The communication and support from Rolandia were excellent, and everything was clearly arranged which made the whole experience very easy and enjoyable. Our guide Leo was extremely friendly and professional. He shared a lot of interesting information with great passion about Romania, its history, and the region we visited. His enthusiasm really made the tour more engaging and memorable. The car was very comfortable, which made the journey even more pleasant. The wine cellars were truly impressive and definitely one of the highlights of the tour. The wine tasting was very well organized and we had the opportunity to taste several excellent wines in a beautiful setting. Overall, this was a perfectly organized tour with a fantastic guide. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn more about Romania and enjoy its amazing wine culture.
Thank you for your wonderful and detailed review! We’re truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the experience and that everything was well organized from start to finish. Leo will be delighted to hear your kind words. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we really appreciate your recommendation!
Had a wonderful experience visiting Moldova. Leo was my guide and he went out of the way in making the trip memorable. He shared a lot of local knowledge about the place, culture, people and history. It helped me get an immersive experience of the place. I strongly recommend Leo as a guide for your tour of Romania and Moldova
Thank you for your kind review! We’re really happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip to Moldova and had such a memorable experience. Leo will be very pleased to hear your kind words. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we truly appreciate your recommendation!
Great little day trip to Moldova with 3 of my friends. Picked up promptly in the morning and travelled in total comfort. Leo was a fantastic guide, sharing local knowledge along the journey. Had some lovely stop offs on the way, including historic monasteries and the Capital city - including some local food recommendations from Leo. The highlight of the trip was definitely the Cricova wine caves - an amazing place to visit (with very generous wine samples!!) Overall I would deffinately recommend this trip. Leo even sorted us some local dinner reservations in Iași on our return journey - which turned out to be the best meal of the holiday!! Tom, Nicky, Rhi & Emma
Thank you all so much for the lovely review — it sounds like a fantastic day out 😊 We’re really glad to hear the trip to Moldova hit all the right notes, from a smooth start and a comfortable ride to those scenic stop-offs along the way. Leo will be thrilled to know how much you appreciated his stories, local insights, and food tips — he has a real talent for turning a journey into an experience. The Cricova wine cellars are indeed something special, and we’re happy they lived up to the hype (especially the generous tastings!). And the fact that the dinner Leo arranged in Iași became the best meal of your holiday? That’s the cherry on top. Thank you again for the recommendation and for choosing to travel with us — we hope Romania (and Moldova!) will tempt you back for another adventure someday.
We spent a wonderful day with Leo. A knowledgeable and affable guide who catered the day around my son and I. Highly recommend
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re very happy to hear that you had a wonderful day with Leo. He’s an excellent guide, and we’re glad he was able to tailor the experience to you and your son. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Romania for more great moments!
Leonard was the best tour guide I have ever had, and I had a few. Very attentive and nice to all our needs. He made the trip memorable.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re delighted to hear that Leonard made a positive impression and contributed to a memorable experience. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to him. We appreciate your review and hope to welcome you again in Romania.
Leonardo was very knowledgeable and taught us a lot about history and culture. He made sure we were comfortable and was a great tour guide. It’s a long day but definitely worth it to see somewhere different.
What a lovely message — thank you! 🍇 We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the journey across the border to Chișinău and the sparkling magic of the Cricova wine cellars. Leonardo will be so happy to know his stories brought the region’s history and culture to life. It is a long day, but exploring Moldova’s capital and its underground city of wine always makes it worth it!
Leo was knowledgeable and engaging. He spoke in depth about the history of the region, as well as the architecture and paintings of the places we visited. He was also very mindful of the timing of my flight, thoughtfully preparing alternatives in case the border crossing took longer than expected. I had a truly wonderful day thanks to him and could not recommend him more highly.
Thank you sincerely for sharing your experience. We’re delighted to know that Leo’s knowledge and thoughtful approach helped make your day so special. His passion for Romania’s history and culture shines through in every tour, and we’re glad it added depth to your visit. We truly appreciate your kind words and recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again on another journey through Romania.
Our guide Leonard was super - knowledgeable, chatty, witty and attentive. Everything went as arranged - the car was modern and comfortable and Leonard navigated us with ease through the border crossing - highly recommend
Thank you so much for this lovely feedback! Leonard will be so happy to hear you enjoyed the day – he really does bring a special energy to every tour. We’re glad everything went smoothly and comfortably, and we truly appreciate the recommendation! Hope to see you again on another adventure!
We had a wonderful day on the Monasteries, Chicov winery and Chișenău tour. Leo picked us up promptly for our tour. We were delighted on the same day to have a car to ourselves. Leo was very informative regarding the difference between the Catholic and Orthodox monasteries, the art, customs and hard work of the monks. Then, we were escorted to Chișenău where we were brought to the highlights of the city and had a coffee with our guide. This is truly beautiful city! Subsequently, we were escorted to Chicova where we were informed of the winery history, wine production and sampled various types of wine. All in all, Leo was very friendly, professional and offered plenty of information. We would highly recommend this tour!
What a pleasure to read your review — sounds like Moldova left quite an impression! We're glad you had Leo all to yourselves; he's a true storyteller and always ready with fascinating insights (and coffee stops!). From sacred art to sparkling wine, you really got a taste of it all. Thanks for choosing us — and cheers to your next adventure!
We were collected promptly by Leo at our chosen collection point, checking we all had our passports for the boarder checks, Anazing knowledge and wonderfully friendly, His jokes were nearly as funny as mine, Luxury vehicle smooth drive and a great day out with friends, Not only would I recommend this trip but I intend to return and have more excursions with this company and Leo.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great day — and that Leo managed to keep up with your sense of humor! 😄 We’ll make sure he knows his jokes are now officially in competition. We're glad the trip was smooth, fun, and memorable, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for more adventures!
