Travel to Moldova – Episode 686

Hear about travel to Moldova as the Amateur Traveler talks to Cristina Lutcan from findingelevation.com about her country of origin.

Moldova is a small country in eastern Europe tucked between Romania and Ukraine. Cristina grew up in Moldova before emigrating to Canada when she was 19. 

Cristina says, “Nobody really goes there. If you are looking for a country that isn’t tainted by tourism… in Moldova, people see how it is without having too many tourists. You would not have to deal with very high prices. Generally, you will discover a culture you have not experienced before.”

The capital city where you would likely fly in is Chișinău. Cristina recommends a visit to the Stephen the Great Monument. Stephen the Great kept the area independent from the Ottomans in the late 1400s. She also recommends a visit to the Eternity Memorial Complex where the end of World War II was celebrated.

Moldova was part of Romania but was split off and became part of the USSR after the war until 1991. Romanian and Russian are the two languages that are spoken in the country. 

Try the traditional cuisine including mămăligă which is a cornmeal mush eaten with your hands. It is often served with cottage cheese. Also, try the Plăcintă which is a traditional pastry.

Cristina recommends a trip to Old Orhei which includes a small church on a cliff and older chapels in caves below. It is now a monastery but was a Geto-Dacian fortress from the 6th century B.C. and a Golden Horde fort in the 14th century.

On the border with Ukraine is the picturesque Soroca Fort (pictured above) built-in 1499 by Stephen the Great.

She recommends a visit during the summertime for the best weather or during the Easter holidays for some great local traditions. 

Cristina also recommends a visit to a winery. Moldova has an ancient wine tradition and the two largest wine caves in the world. 

Listen to this episode and see if you are not drawn to this tiny corner of Europe.

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Show Notes

Finding Elevation
Moldova
Chișinău
Stephen the Great Monument
Moldovan Cuisine
Plăcintă
La Placinte
Old Orhei
Soroca Fort
Bălți
Cricova
Mileștii Mici (winery)

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