The Republic of Moldova gained its independence in 1991, following the collapse and break-up of the Soviet Union. Moldova is a small land-locked country, situated between Romania and the Ukraine. There is break-away republic in its Dniestra region along the Ukrainian border, where Russian troops and a Soviet-era arsenal remain. Turkish Christians lay claim to another section of land in Southern Moldova.
Moldova’s population of about 4.6 million people consists mostly of ethnic Moldovans (Romanians), with large minorities of Ukrainian and Russian. Romanian (Moldovan) is the national language, though Russian is widely spoken. In fact, most people are bilingual. Even a little bit of French is spoken, a result of a sister-city connection to France. During the Soviet era, Moldovans were forced to use the Cyrillic (Russian) alphabet for their language. Moldova has a complicated history of foreign domination and didn't exist in its current form until after the second world war. During the war, Moldova was allied with the Nazis and did not suffer as much destruction as the Soviet Union.
Travel to Moldova
If you decided to visit Moldova then you might find our list of simple and useful tips quite handy, especially if it's your first time.
If you happened to arrive by airplane – be careful choosing a taxi at the airport. Sometimes you will be approached by unofficial drivers, who will quote you an unreasonable price, so unless you are in a real hurry approach the official taxi office , which is right by the exit. The same goes for those who arrive by train – sometimes the most experienced travelers can get ripped off by taxi drivers. The best thing you can do is call a cab.
Do not go off exchanging all your foreign currency at the exchange parlors at the airport or at the train station, they will quote you the most unfavorable rates in town. If you happen to have a Visa card, then you don't need exchanges at all – you can easily withdraw any amount of cash from an ATM (within its applicable limits). The exchange rate quoted by ATMs corresponds to the rate of the bank that owns it. You will receive your money in Moldovan national currency and will have to pay a small commission. You can find out about the exact size of this commission from your bank.
If you are travelling across Moldova for the first time then you should consider getting yourself a guide who knows his way around. You can find a guide at any travel agency. And if you happen to travel across Moldova with our own car then you don't really need a guide – GPRS will do fine. And be careful on Moldovan roads, the drivers here are known to be quite aggressive, much like in Paris, or Rome.
Shopping in Moldova is something you will definitely enjoy if you go to the right places. Paying by credit or debit card will be acceptable if you go to a supermarket or some boutique. If, on the other hand you wish to buy a painting, or a hand-made souvenir at the Chisinau Arbat you will need to pay in cash. All produce markets work from 8:00AM till 10:00PM, all super markets and shopping centers work from 9:00AM till 10:00PM. A number of stores are open 24/7. If you happen to have an emergency situation you can call the emergency services – in case of a fire call 901, in case criminal activity call 902, and in case of a medical emergency call 903.
Excursions, entertainment, health centers are available through tourist agencies as well as in a private manner. If you arrived in Moldova, don't limit yourself to Chisinau – instead try to visit as much of the countries sites and attractions as possible in all the picturesque corners of the country. If you are travelling in a group then any tourist agency will be able to help you find a small bus to transport the group or even organize tours around the most interesting places. This way you can be sure you won't miss anything.
As far as food is concerned, we recommend to visit the restaurants that make national Moldovan cuisine. The restaurants of Chisinau offer excellent services, delicious meals, and affordable prices.
People in Moldova talk in Russian and Romanian, so if do not posses any skills in one of these languages getting a guide would be a good idea, or at least a pocket dictionary. The service personnel at hotels and restaurants oftentimes can speak English, German, or French.
