Moldova is One European Country You Have to Get to ASAP

Chișinău, Moldova. Photo by Vitalie Sitnic on Unsplash

Moldova is a very interesting country situated between Romania and Ukraine. As a former Soviet country, there is still a lot of influence from that ruling in everything from architecture to its economy, but even still, Moldova is truly one of the loveliest countries you could see in Europe. It’s completely affordable, there is so much to do and see, and there are some definite surprises you wouldn’t expect from such a small country.

What to Do

The capital of Moldova is Chișinău, and there is absolutely plenty to do there. If you want to find out more about the history of the city and the country as a whole, you have to go to the National Museum of History.

This museum has over 200,000 exhibits, so you can be sure to find something for everyone. Also, the building itself is a great representation of how breathtaking Soviet architecture can be.

If you are a history buff with an artistic side, your next stop should be the Alexander Pushkin Museum. This Russian artist was exiled from Russia and lived in what is now Moldova for 3 years, and it’s very interesting to see the house and museum.

Another hugely important site in Moldovan history is the Triumphal Arch. This was erected in the early 19th century to commemorate the Soviet triumph over the Ottoman Empire, hence the name. Even though the country is not Soviet-controlled anymore, the arch still stands.

There’s nothing better than escaping the hecticness of the city in a spiritual place. To do this, look no further than the Nativity Cathedral in the center of Chișinău. It was built in the early 19th century and it’s so beautifully ornate on the inside, you can’t help but appreciate it no matter what religion you are.

Wining and Dining

What a lot of people don’t know is that Moldova is a huge wine-producing country. There are so many different wineries to check out, but one of the most well known is Purcari in the south of the country. It’s just about an hour south of the capital, it is one of the oldest wineries in the country. While Purcari has a lot of wines that are familiar to many, they also make wine from a native Moldovan grape called Rara Neagra, which is a red grape and it’s completely delicious.

Most people would agree that the national dish of Moldova is mămăligă, which is also a popular dish in Romania, which makes sense since they are neighbors. This dish is very close to polenta and is served with all sorts of dishes from stews to vegetables to simple toppings of sour cream or pork rinds. You can find this at most Moldovan restaurants, and you definitely need to try it!

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Azi vă propun un MENIU COMPLET PENTRU MASA IN FAMILIE 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Păstrav prăjit, tocăniță de ciuperci, mămăligă! ____🥘____ Rețetele în varianta VIDEO le găsiți în LINK-UL DIN BIO ⬆️⬆️⬆️ ____🥘____ Nu este un meniu inchipuit de mine, nici invatat dintr-o carte de bucate, ci un meniu real, gatit si mancat in familia mea…inca de cand eram copii! ____🥘____ Tatal meu era din Somesul Rece, de la munte si, de fiecare data cand mergeam la bunici acolo, aduceam pastravi. Si cel mai mult ii placeau pastravii in malai sau pesmet, nu intr-o crusta foarte groasa, ca snitelul, ci intr-o crusta subtire si foarte foarte crocanta.  ____🥘____ Si pastravul NU e pastrav daca nu are alaturi si mujdei de usturoi, de stie! Cum pregatim noi mujdeiul? Frecam bine usturoiul cu putina sare in mojar, apoi punem putina apa sa il subtiem si punem si o lingura generoasa de smantana. ____🥘____ Tocanita de ciuperci, simpla si fara prea multe pretentii, este tot unul dintre preparatele preferate ale tatalui meu. Fie tocanita de ciuperci ca si cea pe care vi-o arat azi, cu sos de rosii, fie tocanita de galbiori, cu sos alb sau “papricas de ciuperci” cum ii zicem noi in Ardeal. ____🥘____ La capitolul “MAMALIGA” exista in casa noastra mai multe tipuri de mamaliga, in functie de preferintele fiecaruia: bunicul meu prefera mamaliga tare, vartoasa, pe care o taia cu ata in felii. Mamaliga calda se manca musai cu branza si smantana, mamaliga rece unsa cu un strat generos de magiun sau inmuiata in lapte. Asta pentru ca bunicul meu – Bubu Doru – era din Poarta, Mures si asa se facea mamaliga acolo. ____🥘____ Buni Sia insa, a adus de la Aschileu o mamaliga moale, foarte cremoasa, pe care o pregatea in straturi, cu branza si smantana si NEAPARAT cu slaninunta prajita intre fiecare strat. Mama prefera mamaliga foarte cremoasa, fiarta in jumatate apa si jumatate lapte.  ____🥘____ Multumesc @paste.baneasa pentru ingredientele minunate si atat de usor de folosit! 💕 . . . . #teoskitchen #gospodiva #pastebaneasa #mamaliga #food #foodie #onmyplate #foodgasm #foodporn #cooking #recipes #trout #polenta #crispy #f52grams #delicious #family #recipe #foodblogger #homemade #sundaylunch #familydinner #foodpic

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Another dish you need to try is called murături, which are essentially Moldovan pickled vegetables. They bring a great flavor and acidity to meals, so definitely try them out! Though they will usually be vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, or green tomato, you can also sometimes find melon which is really delicious.