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Chișinău
Capital and largest city of Moldova

Chișinău

Chișinău is the capital and largest city of Moldova by area and population.

Plan a trip to Chișinău→From Iaşi

The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre. It is situated in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc, a tributary of the Dniester. According to the results of the 2024 Moldovan census, the population of the city proper stood at over 567,000 inhabitants, while the population of the Municipality of Chișinău numbered over 720,000 people. Chișinău is the most economically prosperous locality in Moldova and the country's largest transport hub. Nearly a third of Moldova's population resides in the metropolitan area.

Get in

Getting to Chișinău

  1. 01
    Chișinău International Airport
  2. 02
    Gara Centrală
  3. 03
    Gara de Nord
  4. 04
    Gara de Sud

    For in-country destinations in the southern part of the country like Comrat, Cahul and for journeys to Romania.

See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    Cathedral Park
  2. 02
    Ștefan cel Mare Monument
  3. 03
    Rose Valley

    A 9-hectare park featuring three major lakes with pedal boats and several restaurants.

  4. 04
    Râşcani Park
  5. 05
    Chișinău Botanical Garden
  6. 06
    Village Museum

    Next to Botanica, if you head west after you exit the gates, you can find a path which will take you towards a couple of wooden churches built in Northern Moldova and re-assembled in Chișinău.

Do

Things to do

  1. 01
    Opera and Ballet Theatre
  2. 02
    Mihai Eminescu Theatre

    This beautiful old theatre has floor seating and two balconies.

  3. 03
    The National Philharmonic

    Mihai Eminescu (just north of Stefan cel Mare si Sfant).

  4. 04
    Cineplex

    Check for 'In Original English Language'.

Eat

Where to eat

Chișinău is a good place for food lovers. There are plenty of good places to eat all over the city. The cheap, tasty food that is very popular with the locals is served in most places. For better service and a more diverse food selection, there are a lot of small restaurants and cafes. Some restaurants have prices comparable to Western Europe, although if you eat only in those you may find yourself being ripped off.

  1. 01
    Gălbenuș

    Offers a selection of dishes paid per weight.

  2. 02
    Cantină

    The simple food is a good value (25 lei for soup, main dish, and chefir; 40 lei maximum for a meal; 2 lei for tea as of 2010).

  3. 03
    Star Kebab

    Chain of fast food restaurants in the style of McDonald's, serving kebab & falafel.

  4. 04
    Nr1 Supermarket

    Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Boulevard 132,.

How locals move

Getting around Chișinău the local way

  • Get inFrom specific destinations: Transnistria – From Tiraspol (leaving from the train/bus station: gara) and Bendery there are semi-hourly marshrutkas taking 90 min and 40 rubles.

From Wikivoyage: Chișinău, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.