Moldova
Republic of Moldova
Eastern Europe · MDA
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Moldova
Moldova is a low-key Eastern Europe trip where wine culture and rural heritage are the main draw rather than major city sightseeing. It works best as a Chisinau base with day trips to wineries and countryside sites.
Popular For
Things To See
- Chisinau
- Orheiul Vechi
- Cricova Winery
- Milestii Mici
- Tiraspol
- Soroca Fortress
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Most visits revolve around wine tastings, so book cellar tours ahead.
- Road transport dominates, so allow extra time for day trips.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Moldova.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Moldova Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Moldova.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Chișinău
- Population
- 2,749,076
- Area
- 33,847 km²
- Region
- Eastern Europe
Languages
- Romanian
Currency
Moldovan leu (L)
MDL
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
40.7
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 33.6
- Restaurants
- 32.5
- Rent
- 14.7
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Chișinău (47.01°N, 28.90°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
48/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 45/100
- Lived safety
- 54/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.785
High human development
- 5-year change
- +0.013
- 10-year change
- +0.027
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 1.029
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.146
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.738
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (1)
- 🏛️
Struve Geodetic Arc
Inscribed 2005
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 11.5%
- Forest cover
- 11.7%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 6
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 12
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
38/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Luxury Infrastructure
78/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise increased caution while traveling to Moldova. This is due to unresolved conflict between the breakaway region of Transnistria and the central government. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Country Summary: There have been reports of debris from airborne projectiles landing in Moldova, however there is no indication that Moldova is being targeted in Russia's war against Ukraine. The Chisinau airport is operating normally although there are no flights available to or from Belarus, Russia or Ukraine. Read the Moldova country information page for additional information on travel. If you decide to travel to Moldova: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and X/Twitter. Review the Country Security Report for Moldova. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist. Transnistria – Level 3: Reconsider Travel Transnistria. There is also military conflict in nearby Ukraine. Transnistria is a region that is not under the control of the Moldovan government. Visitors must show identification to cross into Transnistria. Those without a Moldovan government-issued identification document will have to show a passport. Visitors may also have to show ID such as a passport at checkpoints. This is at roads leading into and out of the region. Ukraine has closed its border crossing points into the Transnistrian region. Taking photographs of military facilities and security forces is not allowed and may result in trouble with authorities. The U.S. government’s ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens traveling in Transnistria maybe be limited or delayed since Transnistria’s de facto authorities control access to the region. Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data