Whether you are travelling in Moldova for a holiday or business, we have a set of some fascinating sites near your locations which can be added to your original travel plan. These lesser-known gems offer genuine experiences, warm hospitality, and the feeling of discovering something truly special before the rest of the world does.
Less-visited, authentic, and hidden gems in Moldova:
Naslavcea village
Location: Naslavcea vilage, Ocnița district
Naslavcea is a picturesque village known for its exceptional natural landscapes, often considered the most beautiful area along the Dniester River. Reaching its most famous viewpoint requires a scenic hike, rewarding visitors with a spectacular view of a heart-shaped island known as the “Heart of Moldova.”
The island is uninhabited, has no official name, and remains almost untouched by human activity, being completely covered with trees. Of the 42 islands on the Dniester River, 26 belong to the Republic of Moldova, and the one near Naslavcea is widely regarded as the most beautiful.
La Castel Reservation
Location: Gordinești village, Edineț District
La Castel Gorge, located above the Racovăț River valley near the village of Gordinești, is a unique natural wonder shaped over millions of years. This impressive landscape features limestone reef formations, rocky cliffs, caves, and karst relief created by erosion and natural weathering processes.
The area is rich in flora and fauna, with crystal-clear springs emerging directly from the rocks. The gorge is also surrounded by oak trees, wild cherry, pear, hawthorn, and other native species. Local legends shared by villagers add a mysterious charm to this remarkable natural site.
Țaul Park
Location: Țaul village, Dondușeni district.
Țaul Park, is one of the largest landscaped parks in the Republic of Moldova, covering an area of 46.2 hectares. Situated just a few kilometers from Dondușeni town and about 200 km from Chișinău, the park is a protected monument of landscape architecture.
Renowned for its outstanding design, the park impresses visitors with its harmonious plant groupings and the masterful use of natural relief, offering a peaceful and elegant atmosphere.
The mansion Zamfir Arbore-Ralli
Location: Dolna village, Strășeni district.
Dolna, a village like many other picturesque villages in Moldova, has a good reason to be visited by guests - a former early 19th-century noble residence built by the wealthy Greek-born nobleman Zamfirache Ralli. Ralli-Arbore was a noble family that settled in the Basarabian area during the 18th century. The building still preserves the interior and the atmosphere of the time, which during the USSR was used as a library, a music school and a village museum. Nowadays, the mansion is a branch of the "A. S. Pushkin" museum in Chisinau.
Aquatir sturgeon complex
Location: Tiraspol city, Transnistria
Opened in 2006, the Aquatir sturgeon complex is a unique enterprise for the production of natural black caviar of sterlet, bester, Russian sturgeon and beluga. The enterprise includes fish breeding facilities for general purposes, a fish processing workshop and a modern laboratory. Design capacity is 50-80 tons of salable fish and 5 tons of caviar per year. The company conducts tours with and without tasting.
Brănești Winery
Location: Brănești village, Orhei district.
Brănești Winery is located inside a former limestone mine, with underground galleries stretching over 75 km and covering an area of 75 hectares.
The “Stone Age” tourist complex welcomes visitors to explore the underground galleries, enjoy wine tastings in specially designed halls, rent private wine storage niches, attend cultural events, and experience a unique atmosphere inspired by life in the Stone Age.
Beleu Lake
Location: Slobozia Mare village, Cahul District
The "Lower Prut" nature reserve was created on the basis of Lake Beleu, which is a paradise for waterfowl, fish, animals and plants, many of which are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova. Lake Beleu is actually a miniature Danube Delta, with plenty of water and vegetation, having the status of a reservation of international importance. A truly special phenomenon is when several thousand pelicans come for about 2-3 weeks. Flocks of common pelicans appear annually on Beleu, which consume significant quantities of fish from the lake. After stopping here for a while, the pelicans continue their journey to the Danube Delta.
The Soviet Bunker of Olișcani
Location: Olișcani village, Șoldănești District.
Hidden in the forest near the village of Olișcani, this unfinished Soviet bunker is a fascinating relic of the Cold War era. Construction began during the Soviet period as a top-secret project, with an estimated investment of around 32 million Soviet rubles.
Today, only the concrete skeletons of two administrative buildings and one residential block remain, standing as silent witnesses to an abandoned military ambition.
