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 take 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.
• Check into our hotel later and spend the evening at leisure.
Day Five
Victory Day celebrations
• Head out in the morning to watch the Victory Day parade before taking another tour of Tiraspol in the afternoon. Prepare to soak in the festive atmosphere of Victory 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.