One day · Curchi · Old Orhei · Cricova
Curchi, Old Orhei, Cricova.
Curchi Monastery, Old Orhei, Cricova. Nine and a half hours, three landmarks, home by evening.
A classic first day in Moldova: a baroque monastery restored inside the Orhei forest, a cave church cut into the cliff above the Răut River, a village lunch at Butuceni, and the underground wine galleries of Cricova at the end of the afternoon. One car, a professional guide, just you and your party.
Price
One price per car with guide, not per person.
The day, hour by hour
Curchi, Old Orhei and Cricova in one day.
Curchi Monastery
One of the most important architectural and spiritual monuments of Bessarabia (Bessarabia: the historical name of the land between the Prut and the Dniester, today's Moldova), set in the Orhei forest ~14 km southwest of Orhei town. Guided visit.
Curchi to Old Orhei
Old Orhei (Orheiul Vechi)
Open-air natural and historical complex with the cave monastery at Butuceni village. Archaeological layers from Paleolithic to Iron Age. Ruins of a former Golden Horde medieval city. Guided visit.
Traditional lunch (optional)
Traditional dishes at local restaurants.
Paid on site, ~10-15 EUR per person
Old Orhei to Cricova
Cricova Winery
Moldova's most famous winery: 120+ km of underground galleries in former limestone mines. Winery tour with tasting of 3 wines and 1 sparkling. Bring a sweater or a light jacket, even in summer: the cellars are around +12 °C.
Paid on site: winery tour and tasting
Cricova to your hotel
No surprises
What's in the price, what you pay on site.
What's in the price
- Professional licensed guide, car and fuel for the whole day
- Tour in your language: English, German, Russian or Romanian
- Pick-up and drop-off anywhere in Chișinău
- Bottled water 0.5 L per person
Paid on site
- Entry tickets to monasteries, museums and wineries
- Wine tastings (paid on site, cash or card)
- Meals (lunch estimates given per tour, paid on site)
The winery tour and the tasting at Cricova are paid on site and are not part of the tour price.
Why this day
Why this day and not another.
Three landmarks, three different Moldovas: a baroque monastery restored over the last decade in a pine forest, a cave church dug into limestone above a bend of the Răut River, and 120+ km of wine galleries under the town of Cricova. Lunch in a village between them. No bus, no fixed schedule once we are rolling.
What guests say about this day
Travelers who took this exact tour.
"We could arrive to both monasteries and Cricova Wine Cellar with perfect timing. Corneliu explained a lot of the history and answered all our questions. The food was also really really good."
"Excellent and very professional guide. The tour was amazing and we enjoyed everything."
"On March 21, 2026, our one-day tour in Moldova was led by guide Corneliu. Huge thanks for his erudition, sense of humor, punctuality, and for the love of his homeland that he radiates."
"The tour was excellent, we could arrive to both monasteries and Cricova Wine Cellar with perfect timing. 100% recommended."
Practical bits
Questions guests usually ask.
Group size and price
Toyota Prius+ takes up to 4 guests, €260. Opel Vivaro up to 6 guests, €370. Mercedes Sprinter up to 20 guests, from €800, the exact price once I know your exact number. Every price is for the car and the guide for the whole tour, not per person. For a bigger group, write to me and I will quote it.
Languages
English, German, Russian, Romanian. Italian, Spanish, Turkish and Bulgarian with a guide from my team. Tell me which you prefer when you book.
Pick-up
Anywhere in Chișinău. Hotel, apartment, airport. Send me the address by WhatsApp.
Payment
Cash (EUR, MDL, USD) or bank transfer. Half on booking confirmation, half at the end of the tour. Entry tickets, tastings and lunch are paid on site.
Cancellation
Your date is secured once you pay the deposit: that way you know the tour is yours, and I know I'm expecting you that day. Until then, the request commits you to nothing, but the date isn't reserved either, and another guest may book it. Cancellation: a week before the tour or earlier, we refund everything you've paid. Less than a week before, we refund 50% of what you've paid. On the day of the tour, what you've paid is not refunded, except for documented emergencies.
Weather
We tour year-round. Winter has its own beauty, snow on the cave monastery is rare and unforgettable. In summer we adjust the schedule to avoid noon heat at Old Orhei.
Children
Welcome. Child seats available on request, 9 months and up.
Mobility
Cricova is wheelchair-accessible on the basic tour. Old Orhei involves a 15-minute uphill walk on uneven stone. Tell me in advance if this is a problem and we'll adjust the route.
Can we share the tour with other guests?
Yes, choose “Group tour” in the booking form. We can join you with other guests on the same route and day. If a group comes together, the price is lower: we count it individually and confirm it in advance. If not, you travel privately at the price shown on this page. The group closes 3 days before the tour.
What if no guide is available on my dates?
It happens in peak season. The fallback is a car with a professional driver, English-speaking on request, without the guided part. Write me on WhatsApp with your dates and I will tell you the same day what I can offer.
Book this day
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