CULTURE, WINE AND FOOD TOUR IN MOLDOVA (473 €)

4 days / 3 nights
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DISCOVERING GOOD FLAVOURS IN MOLDOVA!

Enjoy a cultural, wine and culinary experience in Moldova and let yourself discover the tasty traditional dishes from Moldovan cuisine, marvelous Moldovan wines at Cricova (one of the largest wine cellars in the world reaching 120 km), Asconi and Castel Mimi wineries. In Tiraspol you will be acquainted with the taste of 5-10 years old spirits at Kvint wine and brandy factory and taste one of the most expensive culinary delights – black caviar accompanied with a glass of brut sparkling wine or vodka at Aquatir Sturgeon Complex. While visiting Castel Mimi you will be amazed by the beauty of the castle, which is currently listed among the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in the world of wine. Book this tour now for 2021 and save 10% on your tour price. The indicated price is per person for a group of six people and it will change depending on the group size.


Highlights

Asconi winery

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Chisinau city

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Tighina Fortress

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Aquatir Sturgeon Complex

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Kvint wine and brandy...

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Central Market in...

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Cultural, Natural and...

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Cricova winery

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Castel Mimi winery

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

Day 1: Arrival, visit of Asconi winery and Chisinau city tour

Chisinau - Puhoi - Chisinau

On arrival at Chisinau International Airport, you will be transferred to Puhoi village where you will enjoy an excursion, wine tasting and dinner at Asconi winery. This is a family-owned winery, whose foundation is a long-standing tradition and experience in the production of Moldovan wine. The winery achieved a lot due to modern wine making technologies. Nowadays at Asconi estate European varieties are grown, but special attention is paid to indigenous varieties such as Rara Neagra, Feteasca, etc. One of the features of Asconi winery is that they pick up the grapes mechanically at night when the grapes are still cold.

After dinner, you will be transferred to Chisinau where you check in at the hotel.

Next, you will enjoy a walking 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: Asconi winery, Chisinau city

Day 2: Caviar and brandy tasting in Tiraspol

Chisinau – Tighina – Tiraspol – Chisinau

In the morning, you will discover Tighina Fortress located in Tighina town and built in the 15th century by the prince of Moldova, Stephen the Great. Originally built as a small wooden fort, it was later fortified in stone by the prince of Moldova, Petru Rares. Occupied by the Ottomans in 1538 (in a campaign lead by the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent), the fort was strengthened in 1541 and became the center of an Ottoman "raya" (in which were included the surrounding Moldavian villages). In the 18th century, the fort was strengthened by Moldovan craftsmen under the direct supervision of Dimitrie Cantemir. Tighina Fortress is an architectural ensemble of irregular quadrilateral plan, surrounded by wide walls, 2-3 meters thick, made of limestone and brick.

Next, you will be transferred to Tiraspol where you will visit Aquatir Sturgeon Complex, one of the largest hatcheries in Europe. The complex is equipped with the latest technologies and the fish can reach the size of a man. You will get the chance to taste one of the most expensive culinary delights – black caviar accompanied with a glass of brut sparkling wine or vodka.

In the afternoon, you will have lunch at a restaurant in Tiraspol.

After lunch, you will visit Kvint wine and brandy factory where harmony, refinement and tradition underlie the oldest and most genuine spirits. Here you will be acquainted with the taste of 5-10 years old spirits that will certainly impress you.



HIGHLIGHTS: Tighina Fortress, Aquatir Sturgeon Complex, Kvint wine and brandy factory

Day 3: Visit of Orheiul Vechi - a 40-thousand-year-old natural amphitheater and wine experience at Cricova winery

Chisinau – Orheiul Vechi – Butuceni – Cricova – Chisinau

The day will begin with the visit of Central Market in Chisinau, where you will have opportunity to taste and buy quality ecological products right from the local farmer and producer. Walnuts, almonds, honey, different kinds of greens, fruits and vegetables grown in the most ecological conditions.

Next, you will visit Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) - a natural amphitheater revealing a territory which was first inhabited 40 000 years ago. The Cultural, Natural and Landscape Reserve Orheiul Vechi includes a series of historical and cultural monuments as well as natural landscapes in the gorge of the Raut River. Ancient fortifications, cave monasteries, monks and hermits – here you can follow the history of this region. The remnants of the first human settlements were found in the stone caverns from here. On the rocky hill, you will find the ruins of a strong Geto-Dacian fortification, which acted as a sanctuary for celebrating religious holidays and rituals in this prehistoric community. The originality of Orheiul Vechi landscape is due to the gorge of the Raut River, dug under the form of a canyon in the limestone layers of the former Sarmatian Sea, about 14 million years ago.

In the afternoon, you will have lunch at a guesthouse in Butuceni village where you will taste dishes from the local cuisine.

The journey will continue at Cricova winery – the only wine enterprise that was awarded the highest state prize “The Order of the Republic” and has been declared by law a national cultural heritage. During the excursion at Cricova winery in the tourist train, at a depth of 80 m, you will discover the wonders of this place. Cricova underground galleries are formed by over seventy streets covering an area of nearly 120 km, each bearing Bacchic names: Sauvignon, Cabernet, Cahors, etc. The jewel of the underground treasure is the National Collection, including over 600 types of wine totalling about 1 million bottles. Here you will admire the oldest bottle of wine - "Jewish Easter Wine", dating from 1902. You will also visit the unique production of sparkling wine, where a professional guide will tell you about all the process of producing sparkling wines using the famous French-style Méthode Champenoise. In one of the tasting rooms, the sommelier will explain the rules of wine tasting and help you better reveal the taste and bouquet of each type of wine.


HIGHLIGHTS: Central Market in Chisinau , Cultural, Natural and Landscape Reserve Orheiul Vechi, Cricova winery

 

What's included

  • 3 nights accommodation in a double (DBL) or twin (TWN) room at a 3* hotel in Chisinau;
  • Breakfast at the hotel;
  • Lunch on day 2, 3 of the itinerary;
  • Dinner on day 1 of the itinerary;
  • Excursions on the entire itinerary;
  • Entrance fees according to the itinerary;
  • Tasting of 3 types of wine at Asconi winery, 4 types of wine at Cricova and 5 types of wine at Castel Mimi winery;
  • Tasting of 2 types of black caviar at Aquatir Sturgeon Complex;
  • Tasting of 5 types of brandy at Kvint wine and brandy factory;
  • Transportation during the entire itinerary;
  • English speaking guide.