Why You Should Visit Moldova (Europe's Least Visited Country)

Before visiting Moldova, I’ll admit to hearing a fair amount of negativity surrounding the country. In fact, it seemed as if Moldova-bashing had almost become a trend. Whether it was a pessimistic travel vlog on YouTube, a richly shot Netflix episode exaggerating cultural stereotypes, or a lazy article focusing solely on corruption and systemic failures. ‘The poorest country in Europe’ and ‘one of the least visited countries in the world’ are just some of the well-overused titles Moldova has been constantly branded with.

Already in Ukraine, I had Moldova in my sights. I planned to cross the border by train from her larger eastern neighbour. Speaking with various locals at differing points on my trip across Ukraine, it seemed they too, didn’t hold Moldova in the highest regard. Many seemed genuinely surprised, even amused, that I was planning to go there on my own. But if i’d learned anything from travelling, it’s that the places brandished with a negative image that always have something more to offer - once you dig a little deeper. Departing from Odessa and passing through the unrecognised territory of Transnistria, eventually I arrived in the small capital city of Chisinau.

I was lucky that I caught Moldova at possibly the best time of year. It was the peak of July, and the sun was gloriously shining each day. The public parks were radiating a vibrant green and buzz, whist the days slowly ticked by. Probably the first thing to strike me about Chisinau was the relative quietness of the city. It has such a small town feel, that often you forget it’s actually a capital city. The majority of the time I walked along its calm streets, there seemed to be almost no one else around. Go in the heart of summer like I did, and you’ll discover exactly why Moldova was once a leading 20th century holiday destination for people living in the former USSR. Even today, the abundance of neoclassical parks still seem to ooze with former glory. They’re impressively dashed with gorgeous fountains elegantly spewing water in all directions, and the cheerful sounds of children playing in the background noise. There are colourful blooming flowers, big leafy trees beside wide pathways, and carefree smiling locals taking a stroll or sitting on park benches.

If you’re interested to see my words brought to life, you can check out the full vlog I filmed walking around Chisinau’s streets in the heart of summer here.

And that’s without mentioning the incredible wine and food. Much to my excitement, I found an exciting world of tradition in some beautifully atmospheric restaurants. In fact, one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had was in Moldova - in a restaurant called Sălcioara. The food is hearty, meaty and filling, whilst the wine is top notch as per local standards. Did you know that during the Soviet era, Moldova produced the vast majority of wine for the former USSR? Even today, wine exports are a hugely important industry for the small landlocked nation. For its quality, it’s absolutely worth its weight in gold. You’ll be astounded at how you can drink such great tasting plonk for little more than 5 Euros. Name me a country in the world that has a better price-to-quality ratio when it comes to locally produced wine. That said, for that value it’s very easy to get carried away with it all. So heed alcoholic warning - I’m speaking from experience.

What about the negativity Moldova gets? Well, to put it bluntly - yes, there’s no denying that Moldova has a few eyesores lying around. At times, I came across certain buildings and areas that could no doubt do with a little more upkeep. Or demolishing. It also seemed to me that probably until a few years ago, not a great deal has actually changed in Moldova since the days of the Soviets. Enormous abandoned hotels can still be found right in the centre of Chisinau, amongst other brutalist reminders of the past. As a tourist though (depending on what interests you), there’s an argument to be made over the fascination/historical wow factor in witnessing up close those clunky communist buildings that still stand. Perhaps akin to wandering around parts of East Berlin, where it’s almost become an integral part of the city’s identity. Perhaps that’s only selfish novelty for a visitor such as myself. There are people who live on the doorstep of such sobering reminders of a bygone era, and probably don’t appreciate walking past them on the way to drop the kids at school every day..

Given that my expectations were fairly low beforehand, I was honestly expecting a lot worse. In reality, what I saw wasn’t anything like as bad as I was made to believe. It didn’t seem any different to a lot of other countries in the region like Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Greece. Hell, the UK has its fair share of rough spots. Everywhere does.

So goes the story of the small Romanian speaking landlocked region, that was once a delightful warm getaway for those living in colder parts of the former USSR. Due to rife corruption following independence, an unwanted short war with unrecognised Transnistria, amongst a host of other reasons - during the nineties, noughties and teens, Moldova was neglected. It became an aged and sadly reputed part of Europe. But it’s still better than you think, and in many ways pleasantly surprising. You can still experience bits of charm and historical authenticity. An ever thriving wine industry and various neoclassical spots of beauty, certainly make for an interesting counter argument to the stuff you’ll get fed by the media further west.⁣⁣

Why else should you visit Moldova? Cliche as it sounds, the people. Admittedly, I found Moldovans to be very sincere, and friendlier than those in other Eastern European countries. Probably because of the fact they don’t get many visitors, by default they’re far more interested in you as a visitor. You’re willing to ignore the headlines and give their country a shot. By the same token, Moldova isn’t tailored to tourists in the same way that other European countries are. Because there’s a lack of any real mainstream tourism scene (aside from wine tours), it’s not hard to find interesting flashes of life and moments that just don’t appear as easily (or effortlessly) in more trodden parts of the continent. Moldovans are genuinely interested in you. Not charging you more for your cab ride. Secondly, (as I already touched upon with the wine) Moldova is extremely cheap. If you’re on a budget, it’s one of the best places you can visit in Europe. Local supermarkets, cheap dining out, luxury airbnbs, there’s a lot to get excited about. I shot a vlog all about the prices in Moldova as a tourist. You can check it out here.

I hope this blog drives more positivity towards Moldova’s name, along with my YouTube videos. To be clear - no, the tourism board of Moldova, or anyone in the country for that matter, did not encourage or pay me to write this. I’m speaking purely of my own accord. Travelling there really feels as if you’ve stumbled across a little known European secret. If you’re on a budget, dislike tourist crowds, and are driven by an interest to see less commercialised parts of the world - Moldova is a country that will reward you tenfold for making the effort. I’d take the beautiful parks, empty restaurants with deliciously affordable food and wine, hospitable people, and that blast from the past type of vibe that’s hard to find nowadays, over long queues and large crowds at an overpriced western European destination any day. Za vashe zdorovie!