Guidebook for Chișinău
Food Scene
They have good (cheap - 1,5-2Euros) breakfast with all you can drink American style coffee with it. Also can stop for lunch for one of their daily business lunches.
PizzaMania
136 Strada PușkinThey have good (cheap - 1,5-2Euros) breakfast with all you can drink American style coffee with it. Also can stop for lunch for one of their daily business lunches.
This is our favorite Pizza place! The tastier, thinnest and made in a wood fired oven. You pay when you order and they bring it to you where you choose to have a seat, or you can take it to go. Price >= 2,5Euros/pizza
Corso pizza
17 Strada Mihai EminescuThis is our favorite Pizza place! The tastier, thinnest and made in a wood fired oven. You pay when you order and they bring it to you where you choose to have a seat, or you can take it to go. Price >= 2,5Euros/pizza
One of the most loved restaurants for visitors. Good food, good ambiance ;)
31 abantu bendawo batusa
Pegas Terrace & Restaurant
20/1 Strada AlbişoaraOne of the most loved restaurants for visitors. Good food, good ambiance ;)
Grill House
24 Strada ArmeneascăThe best steaks and good service! (Medium price 10E and UP!)
Buffalo Steak House
20 Strada Vasile AlecsandriGood steaks! Prices 15E and UP!
Tucano Coffee Brazil
91/a Strada Alexandru cel BunMoldova's Starbucks
Tucano Coffee Costa Rica
15 Strada PușkinMoldova's Starbucks
Good traditional foods for a decent price :) try Placinte cu brinza :)
76 abantu bendawo batusa
La Placinte
33 Strada PușkinGood traditional foods for a decent price :) try Placinte cu brinza :)
Andy's Pizza
32 Strada PușkinGood for breakfast, but you may like and other stuff there.
Parks & Nature
Hey! It's just outside your window! Take a walk, visit the Cathedral, see the biggest flower market on the parallel street called "M. Bodoni", feed the birds and have an ice cream on a bench ;) You can also play chess with locals, on a huge chess table in front of the Cathedral/behind the Arc. Cross the main street from Bodoni and visit Stefan cel Mare's monument and the other park :)
16 abantu bendawo batusa
Iphakathi kwaseNkundleni
Piața Marii Adunări NaționaleHey! It's just outside your window! Take a walk, visit the Cathedral, see the biggest flower market on the parallel street called "M. Bodoni", feed the birds and have an ice cream on a bench ;) You can also play chess with locals, on a huge chess table in front of the Cathedral/behind the Arc. Cross the main street from Bodoni and visit Stefan cel Mare's monument and the other park :)
This is more of a botanical garden. It is a private park, very beautiful and well taken care of (entrance fee 0.1 Euros :), or maybe a little more :D ). Worth a visit during all seasons, but especially spring and summer... and autumn... and winter (on a nice day) :)
43 abantu bendawo batusa
IPHAKETHI LENDRARIUM
20/1 Strada Ion CreangăThis is more of a botanical garden. It is a private park, very beautiful and well taken care of (entrance fee 0.1 Euros :), or maybe a little more :D ). Worth a visit during all seasons, but especially spring and summer... and autumn... and winter (on a nice day) :)
If you like running and exercising, this park is for you. You can get to the park even by starting your run from the house: 7 blocks uphill and then a few hundred stairs down to/in the park :) Good for cross running around the lake. There is also a badminton court where locals gather after work, a volleyball playground, a "beach" where you can sunbath (ppl swim in the lake, but we don't recommend swimming anywhere in the city).
41 abantu bendawo batusa
Lacul „Valea Morilor”
If you like running and exercising, this park is for you. You can get to the park even by starting your run from the house: 7 blocks uphill and then a few hundred stairs down to/in the park :) Good for cross running around the lake. There is also a badminton court where locals gather after work, a volleyball playground, a "beach" where you can sunbath (ppl swim in the lake, but we don't recommend swimming anywhere in the city).
Arts & Culture
If you would like to know more about Moldova's history and culture, pay a visit to this small but cozy museum ;)
56 abantu bendawo batusa
Iziko leNkumbulo yaseNtshonalanga ye-Ethnography kunye neNatural History
82 Strada Mihail KogălniceanuIf you would like to know more about Moldova's history and culture, pay a visit to this small but cozy museum ;)
Our favorite theater. I've seen only good plays there. If you are not sure whether to go or not, just write to us and ask, maybe we've seen the play and may advise you on whether to go or not :) You may also visit their webpage just to see what they have there: http://tei.md/category/piese. They play n Romanian, but usually have screens with subtitles in Russian and English, I guess you will have to double check first ;)
9 abantu bendawo batusa
Eugene Ionesco Theatre
11 Bulevardul Grigore VieruOur favorite theater. I've seen only good plays there. If you are not sure whether to go or not, just write to us and ask, maybe we've seen the play and may advise you on whether to go or not :) You may also visit their webpage just to see what they have there: http://tei.md/category/piese. They play n Romanian, but usually have screens with subtitles in Russian and English, I guess you will have to double check first ;)
Shopping
If there is anything, literally ANYTHING that you may need (in this life) just go to Piata Centrala (central market)! It is also some kind of touristic Must Do in order to see how usual people of Moldova deal with day by day life, where they make their provisions, or simply see for yourself the "other side". We strongly recommend buying fruits and vegetables from the old "babushkas" (they are usually selling what they grow themselves in their gardens, or what they collect themselves from the fields and forests (mushrooms, wild berries, herbs etc). The old ladies will not lie to you, they are just trying to Survive by offering you a bio product for a good price!!! Piata Centrala starts at Armeneasca Street, which is only three blocks away from the house, so we recommend taking a walk! And don't forget, if you are visiting in the season, Moldova is famous for its fresh (bio) Fruits and Vegetables, I would prefer (in this case) Piata Centrala over the Supermarkets! And for the heads up, google translate some Romanian, just to ask: How much is this = Cat Costa? and some numbers, just so you don't get cheated because you are a foreigner ;)
P.S. It is a bit crazy there, don't get scared, but just in case keep your belongings safe ;)
19 abantu bendawo batusa
Isakhiwo Esihlalweni
63 Strada Mitropolit VarlaamIf there is anything, literally ANYTHING that you may need (in this life) just go to Piata Centrala (central market)! It is also some kind of touristic Must Do in order to see how usual people of Moldova deal with day by day life, where they make their provisions, or simply see for yourself the "other side". We strongly recommend buying fruits and vegetables from the old "babushkas" (they are usually selling what they grow themselves in their gardens, or what they collect themselves from the fields and forests (mushrooms, wild berries, herbs etc). The old ladies will not lie to you, they are just trying to Survive by offering you a bio product for a good price!!! Piata Centrala starts at Armeneasca Street, which is only three blocks away from the house, so we recommend taking a walk! And don't forget, if you are visiting in the season, Moldova is famous for its fresh (bio) Fruits and Vegetables, I would prefer (in this case) Piata Centrala over the Supermarkets! And for the heads up, google translate some Romanian, just to ask: How much is this = Cat Costa? and some numbers, just so you don't get cheated because you are a foreigner ;)
P.S. It is a bit crazy there, don't get scared, but just in case keep your belongings safe ;)
The opposite of Piata Centrala for clothing mainly. You can take a tour, just for comparison, but also have a coffee or a bite in one of the restaurants at the forth floor before going to Patria (movie theater) where you can find movies in English as well ;)
96 abantu bendawo batusa
Malldova
21 Strada ArborilorThe opposite of Piata Centrala for clothing mainly. You can take a tour, just for comparison, but also have a coffee or a bite in one of the restaurants at the forth floor before going to Patria (movie theater) where you can find movies in English as well ;)
Can have a look at what they have, but mainly I would go to the market downstairs to shop for bred, milk, etc, as it is the closest and they have a big variety ;)
22 abantu bendawo batusa
Sun City
32 Strada PușkinCan have a look at what they have, but mainly I would go to the market downstairs to shop for bred, milk, etc, as it is the closest and they have a big variety ;)
Drinks & Nightlife
Mojito Terasa
152 Stefan Cel MareKozlovna Ceska Pivni Restaurace
24 Strada PușkinBeer! Yey!
One of those fancy places you hear about (in Moldova). Be attentive how you dress up, they have high dress code demands. If you don't get in don't be upset, anyways all they really want is for you to spend as much money as possible in there ;)
36 abantu bendawo batusa
Cocos Privé
34 Strada TricoloruluiOne of those fancy places you hear about (in Moldova). Be attentive how you dress up, they have high dress code demands. If you don't get in don't be upset, anyways all they really want is for you to spend as much money as possible in there ;)
Entertainment & Activities
Patria (Multiplex)
Probably the only place where you can watch movies in English.
Movies shown mainly in Russian, double check with the casier.
11 abantu bendawo batusa
Patria Emil Loteanu
103 Bulevardul Ștefan cel Mare și SfîntMovies shown mainly in Russian, double check with the casier.
Vânzare de picturi și suvenire
Bulevardul Ștefan cel Mare și SfîntOutdoor market. Best place to shop for souvenirs or paintings.
Sightseeing
Must see!!! And very close to the city ;)
http://cricova.md/en/
Don't forget to take a tasting tour (available in few languages) and dress up warm, as the temperature underground is 15 degrees and humidity is high ;)
28 abantu bendawo batusa
Beciurile Cricova
124 Strada ChișinăuluiMust see!!! And very close to the city ;)
http://cricova.md/en/
Don't forget to take a tasting tour (available in few languages) and dress up warm, as the temperature underground is 15 degrees and humidity is high ;)
Biggest wine cellar in the WORLD! (200km underground, (though not all are used), over 1,5 Million wine bottles collection!)
http://www.milestii-mici.md/en
14 abantu bendawo batusa
Milestii Mici
Biggest wine cellar in the WORLD! (200km underground, (though not all are used), over 1,5 Million wine bottles collection!)
http://www.milestii-mici.md/en
Castel Mimi
1 Bulevardul Dacia http://wineofmoldova.com/en/