Best of Moldova: Cricova Winery & Old Orhei Tour including Curchi Monastery

Caves, monasteries, and Moldovan wine make a fine day. This eight-hour small-group tour from Chisinau links three of the country’s most rewarding sights without making you arrange rural transport yourself. You’ll see the grand Curchi Monastery, walk through the open-air Old Orhei complex, and finish in Cricova’s enormous underground wine city.

I especially like the mix of quiet countryside and strong cultural variety. The Cave Monastery and the remains of Shehr al-Djedid feel very different from Cricova’s organized cellar tour, yet they fit together well in one day. The main caution is value: at $160 per person, this is not a cheap outing, and the winery visit can feel long or crowded.

Guides make a real difference here. Slava, Nicolai, Valerii, Corneliu, Ecaterina, and Gabriel have all been praised for friendly, clear guiding, though the quality of commentary can vary. Confirm whether your Cricova visit will be in English, and ask how many people will join the winery portion before you set off.

Key things to know before booking

• Cricova sits 60 to 80 meters underground, with wine tunnels forming a remarkable subterranean city.
• Old Orhei combines nature, archaeology, and religion, including a cave monastery, ancient ruins, and the Butuceni Ethnographic Museum.
• Curchi Monastery offers a peaceful opening stop, with more than two centuries of religious and architectural importance.
• The tour accepts a maximum of 10 people, although the winery portion may include a much larger group.
• Wine tasting includes three wines, plus nuts, biscuits, and water, while lunch at Old Orhei costs extra.
• Hotel pickup and return are included within Chisinau, making this practical if you do not want to arrange taxis between scattered sights.

Why this makes a strong day trip from Chisinau

Moldova rewards getting outside its capital. Chisinau gives you museums, parks, and Soviet-era avenues, but the country’s religious traditions, village life, and wine culture become easier to understand beyond the city.

This excursion gives you a broad first look in one day. You move from a working monastery to an archaeological site, then into one of Moldova’s best-known wineries. I like that progression because each stop changes the mood rather than repeating the same type of attraction.

The tour begins at 9:00 a.m. with pickup from the Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel or another address in Chisinau. Private transportation, admission fees, a professional guide, and hotel return are included. Lunch and gratuities are not.

The vehicle matters. A small group of up to 10 is more pleasant than a large coach, but the actual transport may be a regular car or minibus depending on the group. One group of four found a regular car cramped for a full day. If comfort matters to you, ask in advance what vehicle is planned.

The roads outside the city can be rough, and the rear of a van may feel bumpy, especially if you suffer from motion sickness. Request a front or middle seat when you book. Pickup can also run late if several hotel stops are involved, so allow a little patience at the start.

Curchi Monastery: a quiet start among Moldovan churches

The first stop is Curchi Monastery, about 30 kilometers from Old Orhei. You have roughly 45 minutes here, with admission included.

That short visit works well as an introduction to Moldovan religious architecture. The complex has more than two centuries of cultural, religious, and historical importance, and the buildings have been maintained and refurbished. The setting also gives you a gentle start before the more active walking at Old Orhei.

Your guide may explain the monastery’s role in Moldovan religious life and point out architectural details that are easy to miss on a quick independent visit. Guides such as Slava and Nicolai have been praised for adding context instead of simply leading the group from one building to another.

Forty-five minutes is enough for a useful stop, but not a thorough study. If monasteries are your main interest, you may wish for more time here. For most people, the limited visit is a fair trade because the day still has two major stops ahead.

Dress and behave respectfully at religious sites. The supplied tour details do not specify a formal dress rule, but modest clothing is a sensible choice when visiting an active monastery.

Old Orhei: cave worship and vanished medieval cities

Old Orhei is the heart of the cultural part of the day. You spend about 90 minutes at the archaeological complex, with admission included.

This is not one single building. It is an open-air site where geology, religious history, archaeology, and village life meet. The main sights include the famous Cave Monastery, the Butuceni Ethnographic Museum from the early 20th century, and the remains of the Tatar city Shehr al-Djedid, dating from the 14th to 16th centuries.

The Cave Monastery is the emotional high point for many people. The sight of a monk dedicating his life to a cave gives the place a strong human quality, not just an archaeological one. Your guide can help explain how the religious site fits into the surrounding rock and countryside.

The ruins of Shehr al-Djedid add a wider historical frame. Instead of seeing Moldova only as a modern wine country, you get a glimpse of the settlements and powers that shaped the region centuries ago. This is exactly where a good guide earns the fee. Nicolai has been praised for explaining Moldova’s past and present, including political context, while Slava has been singled out for patient and engaging explanations.

You also visit Butuceni’s ethnographic museum. The collection offers a look at older village life, which helps connect the ancient ruins with Moldova’s more recent rural traditions.

Wear shoes suitable for uneven ground. The supplied details do not promise a strenuous walk, but Old Orhei is an outdoor archaeological complex, not a polished indoor museum. Weather also matters, and the operator may offer another date or a full refund if poor weather cancels the tour.

Lunch in Butuceni: the extra that can make the day

Lunch is not included in the $160 price, but it is an important part of the Old Orhei visit. The plan calls for a local old-fashioned restaurant serving traditional Moldovan food in an ethnic village setting.

Several descriptions point to meals at places such as Eco Resort Butuceni or Epoca De Piatra, including a restaurant inside a cave system or country house. The exact restaurant may depend on the day’s arrangements, so treat these as possible venues rather than a fixed promise.

The food is described as authentic, home-cooked, and ecological, with homemade preserves and wine sometimes part of the meal experience. One account specifically noted that vegetarian food was available at the cave restaurant, but you should still tell the operator about dietary needs when booking.

The timing in the supplied schedule is oddly listed as one minute, which clearly does not reflect a real lunch stop. Plan for the meal to take part of your day, and ask your guide about the expected duration and price. Since lunch is extra, carry some Moldovan lei or confirm which payment methods the restaurant accepts.

This is one area where the tour can feel more personal than a standard sightseeing circuit. A meal in a village setting gives you a better sense of daily Moldova than another quick monument stop. It also adds to the total cost, so include lunch when comparing this package with a self-arranged taxi day.

Cricova Winery: a 60-meter descent into wine country

Cricova is the final major stop and the most unusual one. The winery lies 60 to 80 meters underground, where a network of tunnels forms what is often described as an underground city.

The official winery visit lasts about two and a half hours and includes the cellar sections and wine tasting. The listed tasting includes three types of wine, nuts, biscuits, and water. Some accounts describe two sparkling wines, one white, and one red, but the exact selection can vary.

The scale is the attraction. You are not simply stepping into a small tasting room. You travel through huge labyrinths cut into the underground limestone, with wine production and storage spread across an extensive subterranean network. The cool, enclosed setting also makes this a useful break from outdoor sightseeing.

The wine itself receives strong praise, especially considering Moldova’s low prices. Cricova is a memorable introduction to the country’s wine tradition, and the tasting gives you a chance to compare styles rather than receiving only a single sample.

Still, you should set realistic expectations. Cricova is a major attraction, and its tour can feel organized for large numbers. One group found itself waiting with around 60 other people, then struggled to hear the winery guide in narrow tunnels. Another visitor felt the tasting moved too quickly and did not allow enough time to finish the glass.

The small group applies to the Moldova Tours vehicle, not necessarily to Cricova’s own cellar tour. That distinction is important. Ask the operator whether your winery visit will be combined with a larger group and whether the tour will be conducted in English.

An English tour is offered as part of the experience, but availability can change. One group received the winery tour in Russian, with basic English translation from its guide. If detailed winemaking information matters to you, confirm the language before departure.

The winery takes up a large part of the day. That suits you if underground cellars and wine are the main attraction. If you would rather spend more time outdoors at Old Orhei or Curchi, two and a half hours may feel excessive.

The guides can make or break the experience

The best accounts of this tour focus on the guides. Slava is praised for being friendly, informative, and patient, with enough time for the group to explore. Nicolai is noted for tailoring explanations to individual interests, including Moldova’s political past and present. Valerii is praised for offering a strong overview of Moldova and Romania, while Corneliu has been remembered for taking the group to an excellent local restaurant.

Ecaterina has also received praise for careful explanations and a warm manner. Yet one poor experience described commentary that was too quiet for people seated at the back and too limited during the drive. That tells you something useful: do not assume every departure will have the same guiding style.

If you cannot hear, say so early and clearly. On a small-group tour, the guide can usually adjust position or volume. If you are especially interested in history, religion, politics, or wine production, tell the guide at the start so the day can better match your interests.

The operator has also handled changes quickly through WhatsApp, according to one account. That can be useful if pickup details or winery arrangements need clarification.

Is $160 good value for Moldova?

At $160 per person, this tour costs more than a simple taxi-and-admission day. The price includes transport, hotel pickup and return, entrance fees, a guide, and wine tasting, so you are paying for convenience as well as access.

For a solo visitor or couple, that convenience can make sense. The three sights are spread outside Chisinau, and arranging separate taxis, admission tickets, and timing would take work. You also avoid guessing how long to stay at each place.

For a group of friends, the value is less clear. One person calculated that hiring a taxi might be cheaper, especially if the group is large enough to share transport. You would lose the guide’s historical context, however, and you would need to organize the winery visit and lunch yourself.

The strongest value comes when you care about interpretation. Guides such as Slava and Nicolai can turn a series of sites into a story about Moldova’s religion, villages, archaeology, wine, and modern identity. If you mainly want transport and photographs, the price may feel high.

Group discounts are available, but the exact saving is not stated. Ask for the current rate before booking. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes made within 24 hours are not accepted, and poor weather may lead to a new date or full refund.

Who should book this day trip?

I would recommend it to a first-time visitor staying in Chisinau who wants a broad introduction to Moldova without renting a car. It is also a good fit if you enjoy combining churches, archaeology, village food, and wine in one full day.

Solo visitors can benefit from the included transport and small vehicle. The tour has also been described as comfortable and safe for a solo woman, though seating and group size still deserve confirmation.

Wine enthusiasts should book only after checking the language and expected group size at Cricova. The cellars are the day’s signature sight, but the experience is not an intimate private tasting.

You may prefer another plan if you dislike long vehicle rides, crowded attractions, enclosed spaces, or tightly scheduled days. You should also compare the cost with a private taxi if you are traveling with several people.

Final verdict: a memorable overview with two important cautions

This is one of the more efficient ways to see Moldova beyond Chisinau. Curchi gives you religious architecture, Old Orhei supplies the archaeological and rural setting, and Cricova delivers the big visual finish underground.

I like the range, the included admissions, and the chance to eat traditional food in the Butuceni area. The main drawbacks are the high price, the extra lunch cost, possible vehicle discomfort, and the fact that Cricova may involve a large group despite the small tour vehicle.

Book it if you want a guided introduction and value having transport handled. Before paying, confirm the vehicle, winery language, tasting details, and whether the Cricova portion joins a larger group. Those four questions will tell you if this is a good fit or if a private alternative will serve you better.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The listed meeting point is the Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel in Chisinau, at Strada Mitropolit Varlaam 77. Pickup is also available from your hotel, motel, hostel, or apartment in Chisinau if you provide the exact address.

What time does the tour begin?

The scheduled start time is 9:00 a.m.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours, although one full-day account lasted nine hours.

Does the tour return to Chisinau?

Yes. The activity ends back at the meeting point, and hotel drop-off in Chisinau is included.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch at Old Orhei is not included in the tour price and must be paid for separately.

What does the wine tasting include?

The listed tasting includes three types of wine, along with nuts, biscuits, and water. The exact wines may vary.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. English is offered, along with Italian and Russian. The Cricova portion may have different language availability, so confirm this before departure.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum of 10 travelers. The winery’s own tour may be larger than the Moldova Tours vehicle group.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Private transportation, hotel pickup, and hotel drop-off are included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.