EXPLORING THE SOUTH OF MOLDOVA

5 days / 4 nights
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EXPERIENCE A FASCINATING JOURNEY IN THE SOUTH OF MOLDOVA!

Collect important memories while exploring the South of Moldova. Visit 3 wineries, museums and guesthouses located in the southern region of Moldova and discover Prutul de Jos Nature Reserve and Beleu Lake – a relict of the Danube of around five to six thousand years old and a monument of immense scientific, cultural and aesthetic value.


Highlights

Chisinau city

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Comrat city

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Vinuri de Comrat winery

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National Gagauz Museum of...

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Gagauz Sofrasi guesthouse

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Carpet Museum in Gaidar

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Karagani winery

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Vinaria din Vale winery

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Folk program in Valeni

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Prutul de Jos (Lower...

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La Gura Cuptorului...

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Museum of History and...

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Milestii Mici winery

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Itinerary A day-by-day plan to guide your journey. Download PDF

Day 1: Arrival day

On arrival at Chisinau International Airport, you will be transferred to your accommodation in Chisinau. After settling in, you will enjoy the city tour of Chisinau which is the main administrative, scientific and cultural centre of Moldova. During the tour, you will discover pieces of history and culture of the city such as the Nativity of Christ Cathedral, the Bell Tower, the Arch of Triumph, the Monument of Stephen the Great, etc.


HIGHLIGHTS: Chisinau city

Day 2: Discovery of Gagauzia

You will start the day by travelling to Comrat where you will enjoy a city tour. Comrat is the capital of the autonomous region of Gagauzia, located in southwest Moldova. This is a very interesting territory since the majority of its habitants are Gagauzians. These are the only representatives of Turkic origin that affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox Church. Gagauzians migrated from Bulgaria together with ethnic Bulgarians and settled in Moldova in 19th century. You will see such attractions as the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Museum of Gagauz Culture, Gagauz Art Gallery, Gagauz National University and Alley of Gagauz Glory.

You will continue your trip to Vinuri de Comrat winery, which is the oldest winery of southern Moldova. Here you will discover the tastes of Vinuri de Comrat wines and the specificity of Gagauz cuisine, while tasting Gagauz dishes. For over 100 years the winemakers of Comrat are preserving and transmitting from generation to generation the classical traditions of making fresh and naturally elegant wines based on the unique winemaking technology characteristic for the south of Moldova. Vinuri de Comrat is a modern complex processing 4 thousands tones of wine and spirits using closed-loop cycle, including production and processing of grape, production and bottling of dry, semi-sweet, desert, selected and vintage wine, production of wine spirit. Its portfolio lists more than 50 collections of wine, however, it is very famous for the Cahors wine.

Next, you will visit the National Gagauz Museum of History and Ethnography “D. Cara-Ciobanu” in Besalma village. The museum presents the history, culture and everyday life of the Gagauz people from ancient times until nowadays. One of the personalities of this small nation was the writer D. Cara-Ciobanu, who spent his life promoting this culture. He founded this museum, which features more than 6,000 exhibits, including works by famous writers, poets and famous artists in Gagauzia. One of the most valuable item in the museum is the collection of original films produced during the Gagauz colonization of the steppe of Bugeac.

Later this day you will check in at a local guesthouse in Congaz village where you will enjoy an excursion, culinary masterclass and dinner. The pension is located in the largest and densely populated village of Europe and is a typically Gagauz house of the 19th century.


HIGHLIGHTS: Comrat city , Vinuri de Comrat winery, National Gagauz Museum of History and Ethnography “D. Cara-Ciobanu”, Gagauz Sofrasi guesthouse

Day 3: Wine Experience at Vinaria din Vale winery and folk program in Valeni village

In the morning, you will travel to Gaidar village where you will visit the Carpet Museum within the House of Culture of the village. Besides finding out interesting things about the history of this craft, you can learn how to manually spin the wool and convert it into threads just as it was made 150 years ago.

You will continue your trip to Karagani family winery located in Vulcanesti, in the southern part of Moldova. This small family enterprise is engaged in grape cultivation and wine production. Karagani wines are produced by original technology from selected grapes of European and national varieties, grown on its own vineyards. On this land, you will discover the tastes of Karagani wines and the specificity of Gagauz cuisine, while tasting Gagauz dishes such as shorpa (a highly seasoned mutton soup), gözleme (flat breads) and bulgur.

Next, you will visit Vinaria din Vale - a 20 years old family winery located in Slobozia Mare village in a very picturesque region of the country. Here you will enjoy an excursion and wine tasting and will have the possibility to admire the beautiful landscape surrounding the winery. The winery produces several international and local varieties such as White Feteasca and Black Feteasca.

Finally, you will enjoy the day in Valeni village, where you will check in at a local guesthouse and have dinner in a wonderful traditional atmosphere created by the live music show of the local folk ensemble.





HIGHLIGHTS: Carpet Museum in Gaidar, Karagani winery, Vinaria din Vale winery , Folk program in Valeni

 

What's included

  • 2 nights accommodation in a double (DBL) or twin (TWN) room at the hotel of your choice in Chisinau;
  • 1 night accommodation at the guesthouse in Congaz village;
  • 1 night accommodation at the guesthouse in Valeni village;
  • Breakfast at the hotel/guesthouse;
  • Lunch on day 2, 3, 4 of the itinerary;
  • Dinner on day 2, 3, 4 of the itinerary;
  • Excursions on the entire itinerary;
  • Entrance fees according to the itinerary;
  • Tasting of 5 types of wine at Vinuri de Comrat winery, 5 types of wine at Karagani winery and 3 types of wine at Vinaria din Vale winery;
  • Culinary masterclass;
  • Folk program in Valeni village;
  • Transportation during the entire itinerary;
  • English speaking guide.