Moldova 🇲🇩 ‖ A lesser-known Eastern European country

#falladventures

📍 🇲🇩: Moldova

"Europe's secret garden"—after seeing so much of Western Europe's prosperity, I'm actually more interested in the Eastern European world.

🌟 Must-see: Cricova Winery

✅ Underground Wine City Maze

- The world's second largest wine cellar, extending 80 meters underground with a 120-kilometer-long tunnel! Riding a miniature vehicle through this "wine kingdom" is just like stepping into the dungeons of *Game of Thrones*!

Wine Tasting Experience: Enjoy top-quality ice wine for just €5, paired with a traditional Eastern European cheese platter—perfect for a pleasantly tipsy atmosphere!

✅ Soviet Retro-Style Wine Cellar

- Home to the private wine collections of various political figures (Poudin even has his own wine cabinet!), and a "Wine Museum" showcasing century-old oak barrels—perfect for taking stunning retro photos!

📸 Other Hidden Activities

🍇 Milestii Mici Winery

- Guinness World Record holder for "World's Largest Wine Cellar," housing 2 million bottles! Horseback riding tour of the vineyards, experience being a winery owner for a day!

🏰 Orheiul Vechi Monastery

- Cliffside cave monastery + ancient Tatar ruins, hiking over the valley, a mystery comparable to Cappadocia, Turkey!

💡 Quick Tips

🚗 Transportation: Taxis are super cheap in Chisinau, the capital; a private car to the winery costs less than €10 per person.

[Upon exiting the Moldova train station, you'll see many secondhand stalls selling used clothes, appliances, and other items. Honestly, it's quite surprising compared to Central and Western Europe. However, this isn't the case everywhere; there are also many large shopping malls in the city center, and the usual amenities are available.] [Normally, there's a bus station near the train station, but here it's different. The bus station is further away, near the central market, which is quite a walk. Taking the bus is recommended.

~However, buses don't accept cards, only cash, so remember to bring some cash 💰💰💰💰.]

📅 Best time to visit: September-October, grape harvest season, and the carnival is super lively!

⚠️ Note: Rural roads are in poor condition; it's recommended to join a local tour.

🎏🎏 You can sense that Moldova's economy isn't too good, but it's not terrible either. Locals live quite comfortably, and the food selection is abundant, even more so than in Central and Western Europe.

🇲🇩🇲🇩 Enjoy the romance of Europe amidst the clanging of old Soviet-style trams.