Moldova: Discovering tunnels, wine, spas and castles

First steps

My journey begins in Moldova’s compact capital, Chisinau. Rocked by a powerful earthquake in 1940 and almost obliterated in the Second World War, it then endured the Soviet era, which saw its cathedral turned into a Museum of Lenin.

Battered but defiant, it’s an interesting city that wears its chequered past on its sleeve.

A walking tour with my guide Victoria ticks off highlights such as Cathedral Square and unravels the mismatched architecture, from Brutalist behemoths to the older, grander edifices flanking its tree-lined boulevards.

The Army Museum shines a fascinating light on the darker aspects of the Soviet period, with lighter, outdoor relief on hand in the form of Stephen the Great Central Park and the Botanical Garden.

Venturing out to the countryside I discover Moldova’s monastic cave complexes, which include Tipova, carved into the soft cliffsides.

Set amid timeless villages such as Trebujeni, the complex at Orheiul Vechi proves a particular highlight, and I explore its candlelit corners before gazing down over the river Raut carving its winding path below.

Eastern approaches

My ultimate highlight is the overnight in Transnistria, the Russian-aligned republic along the Dniester river, which split with Western Europe and declared independence from Moldova in 1990.

Legacies of the brief 1992 civil war between Moldova and Transnistria still loom large, from prominent war memorials in the capital, Tiraspol, to the continued presence of 1,500 Russian “peacekeepers”.

Officially, Transnistria doesn’t exist, being unrecognised by any official state.

Yet the people of Transnistria cling to their “independence”. Other quirks include its plastic coinage and love of Soviet-era symbolism, a hammer and sickle adorning its flag while statues of Lenin front prominent government buildings.

Then there are the showy, Soviet-style military parades that mark special occasions in Tiraspol.

They are what bring me here, my 9 May visit coinciding with one of the biggest: Victory Day.

It proves a fascinating, emotionally charged affair. Souvenir and refreshment stalls lend a carnival air to the swaggering martial marching choreographed to the stirring Russian anthem, before a procession of locals edge down the main street clutching flowers and photos of their fallen.

Victoria divulges further Transnistrian insights over walking tours of Tiraspol and the Ottoman-era Bendery fortress, pausing for a traditional village lunch at Casa Karaman, overseen by its indefatigable owner, Anjela.

It proves the calm before the brandy storm at Kvint distillery, where the sweet-smelling fumes of the barrel room soften me up for the lengthy guided tasting.

Before leaving Transnistria, Victoria has one surprise that’s not on the itinerary: a hearty dinner at Noul Neamt, a local Orthodox monastery.

The affable abbot’s wine toasts flow as rapidly as his anecdotes before a monk shepherds us to a tasting in the aged cellar.

“They make wine like in the old days, but theirs is special because it’s blessed,” confides Victoria, and I certainly feel affected by the Holy Spirit by the time I roll out of that cellar. It’s a fitting end to a grape escape.