Chișinău Municipality · Moldova
Where to stay in Chișinău
Chișinău is a city in Chișinău Municipality, Moldova, home to about 567,000 people.
- Best months
- May to September
- Nearest airport
- RMO13 km · Chişinău International Airport
- Currency
- MDLMoldovan leu
- Time zone
- Europe/Chisinau
- Language
- Romanian
About
About Chișinău
Chișinău is the capital and largest city of Moldova by area and population. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre.
Chișinău (Russian: Кишинёв (Kishinyov), Ukrainian: Кишинів (Kyshyniv)) is very wealthy compared to the rest of the country, as Moldova is not a very rich country, and the countryside is especially poor. As is common in developing countries, you are likely to see great disparities in wealth. It's also very much a post-Soviet city, with both the good and bad qualities associated with that. You'll see many modern and great buildings of steel, concrete and glass. The majority of the middle- and working-class population lives in blocks of flats.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Chișinău
See
- Cathedral Park
- Ștefan cel Mare Monument
- Rose Valley
- Râşcani Park
- Chișinău Botanical Garden
- Village Museum
- Valea Morilor Park
- Parcul Dendrariu
- Alunelul Park
- Jewish Cemetery
- Memorial Park
- Pushkin Museum
Do
- Opera and Ballet Theatre
- Mihai Eminescu Theatre
- The National Philharmonic
- Cineplex
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Chișinău
5 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| National Hotel (Chișinău) | 1.4 km | |
| Chișinău Hotel | 1.5 km | |
| Hotelul Cosmos | 1.7 km | |
| Bernardazzi Grand Hotel & SPA | 1.0 km | |
| London Boutique Hotel | 1.1 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Chișinău
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Chișinău are May to September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; June is the wettest, with about 71 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Chișinău: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Chişinău International Airport (RMO), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Iaşi International Airport (IAS, 94 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
See Calea Ferata Moldova (CFM) (Moldovan Railways). There is only one train station in Chișinău: the Central Railway Station. Internationally, the trains depart to Europe through Romania, as well as to Ukraine. Within Moldova trains run westwards to Strășeni, Călărași, and Ungheni, and eastwards to Anenii Noi and Bendery. From Western Europe, the train is much cheaper than a flight. The downside is that they are slow, particularly when crossing the borders into the former Soviet Union, where they need to stop to have their wheels changed due to different rail gauges.
Getting around
For those on a budget, just do as the locals do: use a trolley-bus (about 30 lines through the city), bus or maxi-taxis. A ride costs 6 lei regardless of the mode of transportation. In trolleybuses and buses, the fare is collected by a conductor who walks through the bus back and forth. Maxi-taxis are increasingly rare and unreliable. When entering one, pay the driver right away. There are few set stops for maxi-taxis.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
RMO · Chişinău International Airport
IAS · Iaşi International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Chișinău
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. For a quick lunch, try fast food stores and pizzerias, which can be found on nearly every corner. Beef is often listed under the veal part of the menu. For groceries, there are small shops all over.
Drink
Drinks such as vodka are served on their own. So don't be surprised if your Vodka Sprite is served as two separate drinks. Also, club soda seems difficult to procure, at least in English.
Stay safe
Pedestrians should pay attention to the vehicles on the roads, because driving skills tend to be rather poor and no one really follows normal traffic laws. Accidents often occur, and pedestrians should be very careful while crossing streets. Crime is relatively low although usual precautions apply. When entering some buildings at night, you will have to walk through unlit alleyways. So when traveling through Chișinău, always carry a small torch. The street lights are quite sparsely positioned and it is a good idea to plan your arrival for day-light hours.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Chișinău: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Chișinău?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Chișinău are May to September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; June is the wettest, with about 71 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Chișinău?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Chişinău International Airport (RMO), about 13 km from the city centre in a straight line; Iaşi International Airport (IAS, 94 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Chișinău?
Moldovan leu (MDL).
Nearby
Destinations near Chișinău
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.