Best of Moldova: Cricova Winery & Old Orhei Tour including Curchi Monastery

Cricova’s wine cellars are the star here: an underground city of tunnels 60 to 80 meters below ground, followed by Moldova’s most striking open-air historical site at Old Orhei. I like the way this tour joins wine, monasteries, and countryside in one full day, and I like that transport, entrance fees, and a guide are bundled into the $160 price.

The catch is that small-group does not always mean private. Groups can reach 10 people, and the Cricova visit itself may join a much larger winery group. The day also spends about two and a half hours underground, so you should book this for a broad taste of Moldova, not for a quick winery stop.

Key points at a glance

• Cricova’s underground wine city: Explore cellars set 60 to 80 meters below ground, with three wines, nuts, biscuits, and water included in the tasting.
• Old Orhei’s cave monastery: See a rare religious site cut into the rock, plus archaeological remains and an early twentieth-century ethnographic museum.
• Curchi Monastery first: Spend 45 minutes at one of Moldova’s most important religious and architectural complexes.
• A full day from Chisinau: The tour begins at 9 a.m., lasts about eight hours, and returns to the starting point.
• Guides shape the experience: Slava, Nicolai, Valerii, Ecaterina, Corneliu, and Gabriel have all led especially well-regarded outings, though guide quality can vary.
• Lunch costs extra: The meal at Old Orhei is not included, but local restaurants in Butuceni can provide a memorable Moldovan meal.

Why this makes a strong first day outside Chisinau

Moldova can feel hard to arrange independently, especially if you want to combine a monastery, an archaeological site, and a winery in one day. This tour removes much of that puzzle. You are picked up at your hotel, apartment, hostel, or another address in Chisinau, then driven through the countryside with a guide handling the timing.

I like the mix. Curchi gives you religious architecture and a quiet start. Old Orhei brings rock, caves, village life, and medieval ruins. Cricova finishes the day with a polished, highly organized wine experience. You get three very different views of Moldova without having to arrange separate taxis or entrance tickets.

The schedule is full but sensible on paper. Curchi takes about 45 minutes, Old Orhei about an hour and a half, and Cricova about two and a half hours. The day can stretch to nine hours, depending on driving and stops, so leave room in your evening.

The tour is offered in English, Italian, and Russian. Your main guide may speak English well, but the Cricova cellar tour can have its own guide and may sometimes be conducted in Russian. Translation is available from the main guide, but the detail may be limited. If wine production is your main interest, ask about the language of the winery tour before booking.

Curchi Monastery: a quiet start among Moldova’s churches

Curchi Monastery sits about 30 kilometers from Old Orhei and provides the day’s first serious dose of Moldovan religious culture. The complex has more than two centuries of cultural, religious, and historical importance, and it is considered one of the country’s significant examples of religious architecture.

The visit lasts about 45 minutes, long enough to see the principal parts of the complex without making the morning drag. I would use this time to look closely at the church buildings, grounds, and setting rather than rushing from one photo point to the next.

This stop matters because it gives context to the rest of the day. Old Orhei’s cave monastery feels raw and unusual, while Curchi presents a more formal monastic complex. Together, they show two very different expressions of Moldovan religious life.

Your guide can add much more than a quick visit alone. Guides such as Slava and Nicolai have been especially good at explaining Moldova’s past and present, while Valerii has been praised for giving a clear overview of the country and its connection with Romania. The quality of that explanation matters here because the buildings are easier to appreciate when you understand their place in Moldovan culture.

Old Orhei: caves, ruins, and the Butuceni village

Old Orhei is the most varied stop of the day. This open-air archaeological and natural complex includes the famous Cave Monastery, the Butuceni Ethnographic Museum, and remains of the Tatar city of Shehr al-Djedid, which dates from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries.

The Cave Monastery is the emotional high point for many people. It is a religious site cut into the rock, and its setting gives the visit a sense of age and solitude that a conventional church cannot match. You should be prepared for uneven ground and a visit that is more about place and atmosphere than polished museum displays.

The archaeological remains add another layer. You are not simply visiting a monastery, but an area shaped by several periods of settlement and power. A good guide can connect the ruins, cave religious life, and modern Moldovan identity in a way that makes the site easier to understand.

The Butuceni Ethnographic Museum covers village life at the beginning of the twentieth century. It is a useful counterpoint to the older ruins because it shows how people lived in more recent times. The tour does not leave you to figure out the site entirely on your own. Guides usually walk with the group and explain the main points, although the amount of detail depends on the guide and how well everyone can hear.

Allow yourself time to look around rather than treating Old Orhei as a quick photo stop. The scheduled hour and a half is enough for an introduction, but you may wish for more time if you enjoy archaeology, rural architecture, or photography.

Lunch in Butuceni: the meal you pay for separately

Lunch is not included in the $160 tour price, so bring extra money for the meal. The plan is to eat at a local, old-fashioned restaurant in or near the Butuceni area, where the food is described as authentic Moldavian cooking.

This can be one of the day’s most personal moments. Several guides have taken groups to family-run or country-house restaurants, including places serving home-cooked food, preserves, local wine, and barbecue dishes. One particularly memorable option has been a restaurant inside a cave system, where vegetarian diners could also find suitable food.

The exact restaurant may vary, so do not treat a specific venue as guaranteed. Ask your guide about the day’s lunch stop and tell them about dietary needs early. Since lunch is outside the listed inclusions, check the menu and prices before ordering if you are watching your budget.

I would not skip lunch to save time. The food provides a needed pause between the walking at Old Orhei and the long indoor visit at Cricova. It also gives you a better chance to try Moldovan cooking than a hurried meal back in Chisinau.

Cricova: two and a half hours below the ground

Cricova is the tour’s headline attraction, and it earns that billing. The winery sits 60 to 80 meters underground and is described as a real underground city, with huge labyrinths used for wine production and storage.

The visit lasts about two and a half hours. That includes an organized tour through the winery’s wine sections and a tasting of three wines with nuts, biscuits, and water. Some outings have included two sparkling wines, a white wine, and a red wine, but the exact selection can vary.

The scale is the point. You are not stepping into a small village cellar for a ten-minute sip. Cricova is a large, established attraction with its own guides, tunnels, and formal tasting rooms. The underground setting is unusual even if you are not passionate about wine.

You should also know what can make Cricova less enjoyable. The winery portion may involve a much larger group than your Chisinau tour. One group of about 60 people was reported, with waiting before the visit and difficulty hearing the winery guide in narrow tunnels. The tasting can also feel hurried when the schedule is tight.

That does not make Cricova a poor stop. It simply means you should set your expectations correctly. This is a major visitor attraction, not a private tasting with a winemaker. If you prefer long conversations about grapes and production methods, the format may feel basic. If you want to see a vast underground cellar that would be difficult to arrange alone, it is a worthwhile use of the afternoon.

A few people have also found two and a half hours too long and would have preferred more time in the countryside. I can understand that. The underground cellars are fascinating at first, but the experience becomes less varied as the visit continues. The tour works best for people who consider the winery a main reason to visit Moldova.

The listed tour price includes wine tasting, entrance fees, transport, and the professional guide. Because one account described confusion about whether a more generous tasting package involved an extra charge, confirm the exact tasting arrangement when you book. The supplied tour details say tasting is included, so you should not assume an unexpected premium without checking.

Guides can make or break the day

The strongest part of this experience is often the main guide rather than the vehicle or the winery. Slava has been singled out for being friendly, patient, informative, and good at walking through each site rather than dropping people at the gate. Nicolai has been praised for adjusting explanations to personal interests, including Moldova’s past, present politics, and regional issues.

Valerii has been especially effective for visitors who want a broad understanding of Moldova and Romania. Corneliu has been associated with a memorable local restaurant stop, while Gabriel has been praised for combining history with the scenery along the route. Ecaterina has also received strong praise for careful explanations and a warm manner.

That said, guide quality is not perfectly consistent. One outing had a guide who spoke too quietly for people seated at the back and provided too little explanation during the drives. Another had a rushed Cricova tasting, with guests feeling pushed along before finishing their wine.

Your seating can affect the experience. If you are prone to motion sickness, request a seat near the front of the vehicle. Rural roads may be bumpy, and the back of a van can be uncomfortable on a long day.

The tour is capped at 10 people, but the word small-group should not be confused with private. The transport is described as private transportation for the tour, yet the experience may combine different bookings into one group. If having the vehicle and itinerary entirely to yourself matters, ask directly before paying.

Price, group size, and what you receive

At $160 per person, this is not Moldova’s cheapest day out. The value comes from convenience and coverage. You receive hotel pickup and drop-off in Chisinau, transportation, entrance fees, a professional guide, and wine tasting. You also visit three major sights without having to negotiate separate drivers or tickets.

For a solo visitor or a couple, that package can make sense. The route is complicated enough that arranging Curchi, Old Orhei, and Cricova independently may involve several transfers and a lot of waiting. A strong guide adds real value by explaining the sites and keeping the day moving.

For a larger group, compare the total cost with hiring a private car and driver. One assessment found that a group taxi could cost less once divided among several people. The tradeoff is that a taxi will not automatically provide historical explanations or manage every entrance.

The biggest value question is how much you want from Cricova. If the winery is your main goal, two and a half hours underground may feel justified. If your priority is countryside, monasteries, and village life, a shorter winery visit or a custom private day might suit you better.

Practical details before you book

The standard start is 9 a.m. at the Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel in central Chisinau, but pickup is available from a hotel, motel, hostel, apartment, or another stated address in the city. The tour ends back at the starting point.

Confirmation is provided at booking, and the experience is available in English, Italian, and Russian. Most people can participate, and the tour is near public transportation, though the main convenience is direct pickup.

Wear shoes suitable for walking around Old Orhei. The tour includes outdoor archaeological areas and a cave monastery, so comfort matters more than dressing up. Bring a light layer for Cricova’s underground sections, where the temperature may feel different from outside.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 9 a.m. start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The activity requires good weather, and poor conditions may lead to a new date or a full refund.

Is this Moldova day trip right for you?

Book it if you want one organized day that covers Moldova’s main cultural contrasts: a grand monastery, a rock-cut religious site, medieval ruins, a village meal, and a famous wine cellar. It is particularly useful for a first visit to Chisinau, solo visitors, couples, and anyone who prefers a guide to driving unfamiliar rural roads.

Think twice if you dislike group travel, long winery visits, or fixed schedules. You may also prefer a private arrangement if you need a quieter vehicle, detailed wine instruction, or more time at Old Orhei.

For the best chance of a strong outing, request a front seat, ask whether your Cricova tour will be in English, and confirm that the wine tasting is included as advertised. If you get a guide such as Slava, Nicolai, Valerii, Corneliu, Gabriel, or Ecaterina, you are likely to gain much more from the day than the entrance tickets alone provide.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours, though some outings have taken about nine hours depending on timing and stops.

What time does the tour begin?

The standard start time is 9 a.m.

Where does the tour start and finish?

It starts at the Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel in Chisinau and ends back at the meeting point. Pickup is also available from your accommodation in Chisinau if you provide the exact address.

Is wine tasting included?

Yes. The tour includes a tasting of three wines, along with nuts, biscuits, and water.

Which languages are offered?

The tour is offered in English, Italian, and Russian. The Cricova portion may sometimes be conducted in Russian, with translation from the main guide.

Is lunch included in the price?

No. Lunch at Old Orhei is not included, so you should budget separately for the meal.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum of 10 travelers, although the Cricova winery portion may include a much larger group organized by the winery.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded.