Moldova for Travellers: Mărțișor, Wine Cellars, Old Orhei and the Gardens of Chișinău

Moldova is a small country right next to Ukraine, with hills covered in vineyards and a spring welcomed with red-and-white threads. People come for the wine, but there is plenty here for lovers of nature and tradition too.

Spring flowers delivered: tulips and flowers in a box.

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Mărțișor: spring on a thread

On 1 March in Moldova and Romania people give a mărțișor, a small token on a red-and-white string. It is worn on clothing throughout March and then hung on a blossoming tree. UNESCO lists the tradition as intangible cultural heritage. A mărțișor is often given with the first spring flowers, such as snowdrops or hyacinths.

• Mileștii Mici and Cricova. Underground galleries tens of kilometres long, storing millions of bottles of wine, toured by car.
• Old Orhei. A cave monastery in limestone cliffs above a loop of the Răut river, one of the country’s most picturesque spots.

• Soroca Fortress. A round 15th-century fortress on the Dniester.
• Chișinău. One of the greenest cities in the region, with Ștefan cel Mare Park, a botanical garden with a rose garden and avenues of chestnut trees in spring blossom.
• Codrii Reserve. Beech and oak forests in the centre of the country with nature trails.

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When to go

• March–April. Mărțișor and orchards in blossom.
• May–June. Green hills, roses in Chișinău and good walking weather.
• October. National Wine Day and the grape harvest.

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For spring traditions, see early spring flowers, and for nearby countries, green Montenegro and Hungary in bloom.

FAQ

What is a mărțișor?

A spring token on a red-and-white string given on 1 March in Moldova and Romania; UNESCO lists the tradition as intangible heritage.

What should I not miss in Moldova?

Old Orhei, the underground wine galleries of Mileștii Mici or Cricova, Soroca Fortress and the parks of Chișinău.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.