New direct flights from London Gatwick to Chișinău, Moldova, launching in October from £37 one-way, make Europe's least-visited country more accessible than ever. Moldova, a tiny nation between Romania and Ukraine, offers Soviet relics, an underground wine city, and the autonomous region of Gagauzia.
Chișinău: A Capital Where People Live
The Moldovan capital, Chișinău, is a city of wide boulevards, leafy parks, and local bars and restaurants. With traffic congestion from over 500,000 vehicles, walking is recommended. A taxi driver, Teodor, was incredulous at a £1.50 tip, highlighting the country's status as Europe's poorest, with the lowest GDP per capita and a quarter of the working-age population abroad.
Local journalist Anastasia Bravia describes Moldova as 'where everything is just beginning.' Valeria Bragarenco, head of country brand promotion at Invest Moldova, adds: 'I think of Moldova as a little child. We are just starting out, figuring out where we fit in the world.'
Soviet Relics and Modern Contrasts
In Chișinău, the abandoned State Circus and the decaying Romanita tower, once a futuristic housing project, stand as Soviet relics. On Arborilor Street, a Marriott hotel with a New York restaurant sign sits next to Shopping Mall-dova, featuring brands like Calvin Klein and Mango, while a billboard of Chiara Ferragni beams overhead.
Moldova had around 525,100 tourists in 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Mtvarisa Luchian, Head of Marketing at Moldova's National Tourism Office, says: 'In five years, we hope Moldova will be recognised as one of Europe's most authentic and surprising travel destinations.' She emphasises sustainable tourism: 'Success for us is not mass tourism, it is sustainable tourism that benefits both visitors and locals.'
Food and Wine in the Capital
At La Placinte, a popular restaurant, traditional placinta pastries are served. The menu in Moldovan only includes fillings like potatoes, cow cheese, and green. An Asian restaurant, Lazy Crazy, offers excellent ramen and sushi. The National History Museum (50 leu entry) features exhibits from ancient Greek funeral necklaces to Roman cooking pots, and a photo exhibition by Anna Bedyńska on Moldovan funeral traditions and albinism.
An elderly American couple on a cycling holiday noted: 'The countryside here is like where we live now, but a hundred years ago. It's like Italy, but more authentic.'
Underground Wine City at Cricova
Cricova winery, 11km from Chișinău, features a former limestone mine 100m underground where one million litres of wine mature. The cellar includes a collection once owned by Nazi Hermann Goering, confiscated by the Red Army in 1945, with individual bottles potentially worth £15,000. The standout wine is the sparkling Cuvée Prestige Brut, made using the French traditional method.
Other notable wineries include Purcari, the oldest and 'most awarded winery in Europe'; Castel Mimi; Milestii Mici; and Chateau Vartely.
Gagauzia: An Autonomous Region
South of Chișinău lies the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, an integrated autonomous region with three towns and a population of 160,000 at the last census. Unlike Transnistria, Gagauzia uses Moldovan currency and laws but maintains a strong Gagauz identity. The regional capital, Comrat, is described as tiny and fascinating.
Old Orhei: A Monastery Carved in Mountainside
Old Orhei (Orheiul Vechi) is a historic site with a 15th-century cave monastery carved into a mountainside over the Răut River. Accessible by marshrutka from Chișinău for £1.50, the site includes ruins from Dacian tribes, Mongol invasions, and a 1905 Orthodox church closed by Soviets in 1944. After hiking, the author found a taxi back via a local app, with the driver asking to stop at his mother's house to drop off groceries.
Getting to Moldova
Wizz Air already flies direct from London Luton to Chișinău from £36.99 one-way. New direct flights from London Gatwick launch in October. Accommodation at Mimi Hotel Jolly Alon in Chișinău starts from £137 per night in June.
