✈️ TLV to Chisinau (RMO)
Moldova
Chisinau
CityRMO
IATA1732.7 km
Distance2h 40m
Flight TimeCoordinates: 46.9277, 28.931
Airlines:
About Chisinau
Weather in Chisinau
Understand
Chișinău ( Russian : Кишинёв (Kishinyov), Ukrainian : Кишинів (Kyshyniv)) is very wealthy compared to the rest of the country, as Moldova is not a very rich country, and the countryside is especially poor. As is common in developing countries, you are likely to see great disparities in wealth. It's also very much a post-Soviet city, with both the good and bad qualities associated with that. You'll see many modern and great buildings of steel, concrete and glass. The majority of the middle- and working-class population lives in blocks of flats. These look standard, maybe not too nice but are not as dangerous as similar areas may be considered to be in Western Europe. Do not expect Western standards everywhere, but the situation is improving every year. There are 4- and 5-star hotels, good restaurants and cafes, coffee houses and bars. The city's territory with the nearest suburbs covers the area of 635 km 2 (245 sq mi). Visit Chișinău tourism information.
See
47.02591 28.8343 1 Cathedral Park ( Parcul Catedralei ) ( in the very centre ). The centre is adorned with the Nativity Cathedral , the main church for the city. To the southwest is the Triumphal Arch constructed in 1841, which is the centerpiece of the Great National Assembly Square. Across Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard is the Government House. The city's biggest flower market is on the north side of the park along Bănulescu Bodoni Street. At the intersection of Ștefan cel Mare and Bănulescu Bodoni, there is a statue of Ștefan cel Mare. ( updated Sep 2023 ) 47.0255 28.8303 2 Ștefan cel Mare Monument ( Monumentul lui Ștefan cel Mare ). The monument to Stephen III of Moldavia who, in the 15th century, achieved European fame by resisting the Turkish attacks. The monument is the gateway to the beautiful park of the same name. ( updated Sep 2023 ) 47.004167 28.852222 3 Rose Valley . A 9-hectare park featuring three major lakes with pedal boats and several restaurants. It is possible to walk there to the center, and thus allows you to visit the Cathedral Theodor Tiron on the way. Otherwise, from the city center, reach the more popular southern entrances by trolleybuses 1, 4, or 8, and the less popular Northern side by bus 46. ( updated Sep 2023 ) 47.05033 28.877236 4 Râşcani Park ( from city center: bus 5; trolleybuses 12, 24 ), ☏ +373 222 01 707 . A 32-hectare wooded park offering pleasant, almost secluded walks. ( updated Dec 2020 ) 46.975833 28.883333 5 Chișinău Botanical Garden ( Grădina Botanică din Chișinău ) ( near the city gates; from the city center, take trolleybus 22 (very frequent), 30, or 4 (the latter does a substantial detour) ). The largest park in Chișinău. 10 lei (including students), 5 lei for children and retired people . ( updated Jul 2018 ) 46.972879 28.874299 6 Village Museum ( Muzeul Satului ). Next to Botanica, if you head west after you exit the gates, you can find a path which will take you towards a couple of wooden churches built in Northern Moldova and re-assembled in Chișinău. There is a new wooden gate with traditional carvings leading up to the churches. ( updated Dec 2020 ) 47.021324 28.815175 7 Valea Morilor Park ( Parcul Valea Morilor ). Very large park with a lake which offers acres of largely untouched landscape scenery in the heart of the city. There is a popular 2.5-km running and cycling marked circuit of the lake. ( updated Sep 2019 ) 47.032849 28.810009 8 Parcul Dendrariu , Strada Ion Creangă 1 , ☏ +373 22719029 . A large park in Buiucani. Costs about 10 lei to enter. Nice gardens, lake, forests and sports field. ( updated Dec 2020 ) 47.036968 28.804069 9 Alunelul Park ( Parcul Alunelul ), ☏ +373 605 66 145 . It has a water fountain and a memorial to the pogroms in Chișinău in the first part of the 20th century. ( updated Dec 2020 ) 47.035278 28.797222 10 Jewish Cemetery ( in Buiucani ). The Jewish Cemetery is still in use. It contains new and very old graves. It used to be one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe. At one point, between 40% and 60% of Chișinău's population was Jewish. The Jewish Cemetery also contains an old destroyed synagogue and a monument for the Torah scrolls. The street leading to the cemetery (Milano Street) is one of the last remaining stone-paved streets in the city. ( updated Sep 2023 ) 47.050036 28.864046 11 Memorial Park . A little way out of the center is a memorial commemorating the victory of the Soviet army in World War II . There is also an eternal flame in memory of Chișinău's unknown soldiers who died in World War II. It is behind the military and civilian cemeteries. Reach by taking trolleybus 9 or 13 from Ismail Street. ( updated Dec 2020 )
Do
47.027649 28.829981 1 Opera and Ballet Theatre ( Teatrul de operă și balet ). Catch a show of one of the top ballet companies in Eastern Europe. The company has toured all over the world, from Tokyo to Johannesburg. Show times and information can be found on the website. 47.021729 28.836193 2 Mihai Eminescu Theatre , Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Blvd 79 . This beautiful old theatre has floor seating and two balconies. They have multiple productions running at the same time, so if you are staying for a week, you may have four different plays to choose from, and films in the 'studio'. Comedies tend to communicate better if you don't know the language. 47.023075 28.838464 3 The National Philharmonic , Str. Mihai Eminescu ( just north of Stefan cel Mare si Sfant ). Temporarily closed because of a fire . ( updated Sep 2023 ) 47.026921 28.828305 4 Cineplex . Check for 'In Original English Language'. Most movies are either dubbed in Russian or original with Romanian subtitles. There is normally no Romanian dubbing, just subtitles. ( updated Sep 2023 )
Buy
There are many shops, malls and markets in Chișinău. The majority of restaurants and almost all the hotels in the city accept credit cards. There are hundreds of ATMs throughout the city. If you do not have an account with the bank or its parent company (e.g. Santander), expect a fee of approximately 2%. If you are just visiting Chișinău, consider buying a special brandy selection of about 30 small bottles, with different sorts of brandy. It can make a nice gift. Moldovan wines are deservedly famous across the former Soviet Union, yet are little known in Europe. Take the opportunity to sample them. Cigarettes are also much cheaper in Moldova than in the EU, so you might do well to stock up before leaving the country, although the number of cigarettes you can bring across an EU border is restricted. There are special rules for the land borders to Romania. The maximum number is lower. Chișinău Souvenir Bazaar ( in the Nativity Cathedral Park, behind the cathedral, along Columna Street ). – The city's main artisan market. One can find handmade crafts, paintings and relics from the Soviet days. English is limited, but many products have a marked price. Negotiating prices is acceptable. ( updated Sep 2023 ) 47.016656 28.845992 1 UNIC ( Magazinul Universal Central ), Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Boulevard 8 ( on the corner of Ștefan cel Mare and Ismail ), ☏ +373 222 73 036 . An all-purpose shopping center built by Soviet standards, but renovated. (more recent malls are MallDova or Sun City). The selection of souvenirs is smaller and many will not be handmade. ( updated Dec 2020 ) Ștefan cel Mare boulevard . – This is Chișinău's main street. Not only is it great for sightseeing, it is also lined with numerous shops and restaurants. ( updated Sep 2023 ) 47.020781 28.840858 2 Central Market ( Piața Centrală ), Mitropolit Varlaam St 63 , ☏ +373 222 77 848 . Outdoor market. Alight at Armenească Street while on the main boulevard, and walk in the direction where everybody goes. ( updated Dec 2020 ) MallDova . – The largest western-style mall in Chișinău. Most stores and products are generic and can be found at many malls in other countries. ( updated Sep 2023 )
Eat
Chișinău is a good place for food lovers. There are plenty of good places to eat all over the city. The cheap, tasty food that is very popular with the locals is served in most places. For better service and a more diverse food selection, there are a lot of small restaurants and cafes. Some restaurants have prices comparable to Western Europe, although if you eat only in those you may find yourself being ripped off. For a quick lunch, try fast food stores and pizzerias, which can be found on nearly every corner. Beef is often listed under the veal part of the menu. For groceries, there are small shops all over. Some are in front of the apartment blocks just a few steps away from their entrances. For harder-to-find items, go to a supermarket. You will frequently also see markets or even one or two people selling fruit and vegetables, and sometimes other products such as honey or "brînza" (type of cheese). The majority of these are fresh and perfectly safe to eat and frequently better than what is found in a supermarket. For fresh fruits and vegetables, open-air markets are the best option. 'Piața Centrală' (Central Market) is in the city centre and runs more than two city blocks. Other districts, such as Ciocana, also have large markets. Most of the items for sale are locally produced, but there are a lot of sellers who sell imports; mostly oranges, bananas and other tropical fruits and vegetables. It is best to buy fungible products (meat, dairy, etc.) from supermarkets or shops because they are much safer for nearly the same price. The vendors at the open market will let you taste the cheese prior to your purchase so you can decide if it is something that you want to eat. When you first walk into the 'cheese halls', it may look like all of the vendors standing next to each other are selling the same product. For hard cheese which tends to be re-sold from larger distributors, it may be the same. However, for locally-made cheese, there are variations that arise from even slight differences in technique, variations in the level of salt for curing, and differences in feed. 'Oaie' means sheep, so this will have a slightly different flavour than cow 'vaca' or goat 'capra' cheeses. 'Caș' is a softer cheese, that is not aged like some of the other 'brînza' which tends to be harder and saltier and is recommended for Mamaliga (corn polenta). If you are uncertain about how to communicate the quantity you want, you can start by giving the vendor 20 lei or 40 lei depending on if you want a smaller or larger piece. Or, when they suggest a certain piece that might look too large, you can say 'jumatate' which means 'half', and then they will weigh it and tell you the price. You can ask them to write it down by showing a pen and paper. A classic 'fast-food' is the 'langos' which are fried dough with either 'cartofi' (potatoes), 'brînza' (cheese), 'varza' (cabbage) or 'ficat' (liver). These are all made in the bakery in the second storey of one of the buildings near the market and are sold by different vendors in identical glass wheel carts in different parts of 'Piata Centrala'. A quick meal can also be put together with the marinated or pickled dishes that are sold at 'Piața Centrală'. Depending on the vendors, you might find marinated eggplant/aubergine with onions, marinated shredded carrot, squash or mushrooms. There are also re-hydrated sea grasses in white or green curly varieties in bunches, or smoother grasses that are more shredded.
Drink
Drinks such as vodka are served on their own. So don't be surprised if your Vodka Sprite is served as two separate drinks. Also, club soda seems difficult to procure, at least in English. Wines . Moldavan wines, cognac, liquor and juice are all on par with the best of Eastern Europe. For one thing, manufacturers tend to use only organic products. Secondly, these products are made in the traditional way. Restaurants tend to sell only local wines, but only those of the highest standards. One of the very best wines of Moldova is from the wine plantation of Purcari. Beer . Moldovan beer is one of the best in Europe. A very famous is named "Bere Chișinău". It was awarded with the Nr.1 Gold Medal at the Nuremberg beer competition in 2007, beating German, Czech and others. It can be found in all the bars on every street in Chișinău, so finding a place for a drink is not a problem. However, good bars and restaurants with a pleasant atmosphere can be difficult to find. So watch where you stop. ( updated Jan 2024 ) Beer House . Bar and restaurant on bd C. Negruzzi, has a wide range of beers (some brewed on the premises) and a good menu. Prices for a full meal with drinks range from 150-500 lei. 47.0181 28.8417 1 Keller Holz Gastropub , Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Boulevard 71 , ☏ +373 689 99 910 . An Austrian-Moldovan brewing company's restaurant with its craft beer and snacks. ( updated Sep 2021 )
Stay safe
Pedestrians should pay attention to the vehicles on the roads, because driving skills tend to be rather poor and no one really follows normal traffic laws. Accidents often occur, and pedestrians should be very careful while crossing streets. Crime is relatively low although usual precautions apply. When entering some buildings at night , you will have to walk through unlit alleyways. So when traveling through Chișinău, always carry a small torch. The street lights are quite sparsely positioned and it is a good idea to plan your arrival for day-light hours. Watch out about nightlife: the U.S. State Department warns about Russian dating schemes being also common in Moldova and another kind of financial scams. However, the average backpacker has very little to worry about unless looking for a Russian bride. There is occasional police corruption aimed at foreigners. This will usually involve getting arrested for something ridiculously minor, with extra fictional offenses added on for dramatic effect, in an attempt to scare you into paying a "high" bribe (maybe a few euros). Most police will not speak any English, and you can expect a lengthy lecture in Romanian/Russian. Always carry at least a good quality photocopy of your passports. However, this corruption is rare and usually only happens after being caught doing something illegal. Stray dogs are increasingly problematic in the city, with control of the population getting out of hand in the late 2010s. Take caution while walking in the city to avoid this hazard. If you are bitten, there is an anti-rabies clinic at the "Centru" Centrul Consulativ Diagnostic (public health clinic), at Strada 31 August 1989 #63 (i.e. building #63 on 31st August 1989 Street). The anti-rabies clinic is in Office ("Cabinetul") #101; go in the main front doors and turn left down a short hallway to find it. The staff generally only speak Romanian/Moldovan and Russian, but at least one physician in the anti-rabies clinic has a working knowledge of English.
Cope
English is spoken in some restaurants and markets, and some taxi drivers speak a little English. Young people are much more likely to speak English than the older generation. In Moldova, most people know Russian and Romanian. In Gagauzia, a Turkic language (Gagauz) is spoken, but the main communication language is Russian. Only 30% of the people in Moldova speak some English and the country is far behind with schools that teach the English language. There is only a single national broadcast television station. For the most part, TV channels are piped in from Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Georgia. Euronews, Eurosport, CNN, Discovery Channel, etc. are on cable. Not every home in the city has continual hot water so ask if staying in a private home.