Monks, carpets and rural heaven!!!

About Tour

1 st Day

Between monks and carpets

Included highlights:

Start the day with a visit to Curchi Monastery, a real pearl of our religious life. Here you’ll see several churches, and among them - the “Virgin’s Assumption” Cathedral, built by the drawings of genius architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. 

Next stop to the Museum of Handicrafts and National Carpets, which by the way is protected by UNESCO. In the museum we will see the process of carpet weaving using the old traditional ways. Further drive to the Old Orhei reserve, the most picturesque and amazing site of Moldova. Here you will have the possibility to experience the real village life of Moldova and also photo shooting of local people/life.

Lunch with a local family in Trebujeni village. 

Afternoon we will visit the Open-Air Museum Complex, which is “arguably Moldova’s most fantastic sight”. Here you’ll see an Orthodox cave monastery called “St. Maria Dormata” expanded and modified inside the cliffs by the monks over the centuries ago and preserved in a functional state. 

You’ll have excursion about this fascinating complex and then transfer back to Chisinau.

 

Included meals:
  • Lunch 

What People Say

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Hello Victoria! You are a great guide and the Republic of Moldova is a great country. 

Your knowledge, enthusiasm and thoroughness were very impressive; for anyone planning a holiday to Moldova, or neighbouring Romania & Ukraine (all very interesting countries) this is the tour guide to go with.

What a wonderful holiday. Everything was well organised and went well.

The guide, Cristina, was excellent, good English and very knowledgeable and keen that we should see every cultural and characteristic aspect of Moldova.

The visit to the Roma "family" was fascinating-not a "family" visit but a meeting with the Roma head of family in his huge house ornate and wealthy and we had a delicious home make cherry juice and had a question and answer session with him. He,Robert, is a relative of the Roma king; This was very informative as I am very interested in everyone and everything but tourists need to be interested in the Roma people and way of life otherwise input wouldn't be so fascinating!!

The visit to the "old believers" village was just great-tea from a samovar and cakes and a very pleasant woman the librarian and museum custodian.

In Gaugazia we met the Museum curator and again a fascinating insight into Gaugazian history.

Much of our enjoyment and insights was enhances by Cristina who translated everything so well.

The visits to the wineries were an eye opener and the wine tasting too. I recommend tourists who go to the Cricova winery to to wear warm clothes and a scarf as we go deep down into the underground "city" to see the stored wine.

We loved the food (and all the wine).

Dear Victoria,

Please accept the endosed as a token of my thanks and appreciation. I have been lucky enough, over the years, to have traveled to many destinations, and to have experienced every sort of guide. In my opinion you are right at the top, one of the select very few who manage to “get it just right”.

Like any skilled job, guiding is something that, when done well, it looks easy! You and I know that is not the case; it’s a tough, demanding profession that few individuals do adequately, and even fewer, well. Hardly any do such a great job that their clients feel cared for, safe, valued and special. You, in my view, are one of those rare tour leaders.

Please, accept my small token of gratitude. You have been kind, lightful, knowlageble (extremly), considerate, tolerant, efficient, reliable… I could go on, but to spare your blushes I will end by saying I cannot find a single criticism (this is a rare thing for me – I have very high standards!).

Your company depends for its success on your delivering what they promised. You have done professionaly this with a smile, a sense of humor, and grate dignity.

I wish you all the luck in the world for the future & thank you for leaving me with not only happy memories but with a positive impression of Moldova.

With very best wishes, Veronica.