Lupine Travel

Come with Lupine Travel to experience an unexplored corner of Europe. Moldova; Europe’s least visited country and Transnistria; a country that ‘doesn’t exist’ and a Soviet relic which still uses the hammer and sickle on its flag.

Itinerary

Day One
Bucharest, Romania

• Meet at Bucharest train station, ready for departure, at 19:15. Our group will separate into four berth cabins.

• Relax for the evening with a few beers from the drinks carriage.

• Our passports will be checked at the border as we exit the EU, and the train will also stop for a few hours while the wheels are changed—railway tracks in former Soviet states are a different size.
Day Two
Orhei Vechi

• Arrive in Moldova’s capital, Chisinau, at 08:55.

• We’ll have breakfast before heading to Orhei Vechi, Moldova’s most important historical site. We will see picturesque villages, archaeological sites, hills, and valleys along the way. Orhei Vechi is a monastery carved into the cliff by Orthodox monks in the 18th Century; even today, a sole monk inhabits it.

• Return to Chisinau in the late afternoon, and take the evening at leisure—an excellent chance to check out the city’s restaurants and bars.
Day Three
Cricova winery

• In the morning we will take a walking tour of the capital.

• Tour the Cricova underground wine city in the afternoon. Cricova is the second-largest wine cellar in the world. The tunnels were dug into limestone back in the 15th Century. It was converted into vast wine cellars in the 1950s, stretching out over a massive 120 kilometres.

• Have a traditional Moldovan meal in Cricova, followed by a wine tasting.

• Return to the hotel and spend the rest of the evening relaxing.
Day Four
Tiraspol, Transnistria

• Depart in the morning for the self-declared Republic of Transnistria.

• Pass through border control and collect our visa papers before touring the Soviet architecture in Bendery.

• Enjoy a Soviet-style lunch with your comrades before heading onto the Transnistrian capital, Tiraspol.

• Walk around the Dniestr river, and take a tour of the city’s Soviet monuments.
Day Five
Independence Day Celebrations

• Head out in the morning to watch the Independence Day parade before taking another tour of Tiraspol in the afternoon.

• Prepare to soak in the festive atmosphere of Independence Day, one of Transnistria’s most important national holidays.
Day Six
Chisinau, Moldova

• After breakfast, return to Bendery to explore the Bender Fortress

• Cross back to Moldova and head to Chisinau before our 16:35 train departure to Romania.
Day Seven
Bucharest, Romania

• Arrive in Bucharest at 06:15, where the tour will end.