Fancy visiting somewhere new that’s bursting with history and magnificent vineyards, yet also escaping the crowds? Well, luckily Manchester Airport is launching its first direct flights to one of the least visited countries in Europe, Moldova, allowing Mancs to discover one of the continent’s hidden gems and avoid rubbing shoulders with fellow tourists. Plus, flights from Manchester to the capital of Moldova start from just £19 one way.
Airline FLYONE will begin operating twice-weekly flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays to the Moldovan capital of Chișinău from Tuesday 17 December, a brand-new destination joining more than 200 others on the hub’s extensive route network. The North is home to a growing Moldovan community and the Moldovan ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Ruslan Bolbocean, has welcomed the new connection, saying it will help connect people with their friends and family.
Moldova is also one of Europe’s least visited countries – but is home to a thriving and award-winning wine scene, spectacular scenery, including Old Orhei and the surrounding National Park, and a range of cultural attractions. In the capital, you’ll find a mix of Parisian-esque and Brutalist buildings influenced by the city’s past.
Stephen Turner, Chief Commercial Officer at Manchester Airport, said: “We are proud to connect the North to the world through our route network of more than 200 destinations, more than any UK airport outside London. A key part of that is connecting people to friends and family in other countries.
“The North is home to lots of people from Moldova and we’re really pleased to be able to help them visit their homeland from an airport right on their doorstep. This new route also gives people from the North the opportunity to take the road less travelled and visit one of Europe’s last real hidden gems, with fantastic wine and beautiful scenery.”
Facts about Moldova
Sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine in eastern Europe, Moldova became an independent republic following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Moldova spans 33,851 sq km in size and has a population of 2.6 million (which is less than the population of Greater Manchester). The capital of Moldova is Chișinău and a number of languages are spoken in the country including Romanian, Bulgarian, Gagauz, Russian and Ukrainian.
What is Moldova best known for?
Wine
One great thing in particular about Moldova is that it is known for its wine, with a history of wine-growing that dates back thousands of years. Moldova has over 120 wineries, and the Codru region (south-west of Chișinău) is home to some of the oldest wineries. Cricova is the country’s largest wine cellar, and was the first to produce traditional method sparkling wines in the 1950s.
Monasteries
In Moldova monastic life thrives meaning church frescoes, tulip gardens and domes are maintained to the highest standard, however, you don’t have to be especially religious-minded to appreciate their beauty and history. Căpriana Monastery is one of the oldest monastic settlements in Moldova, and is recognised for its unique architecture, cuisine, and landscape.
Another Moldovan monastic marvel is Saharna Monastery, which is encircled by rocky hills and thick forests in a corner of north-eastern Moldova. The landscape is absolutely stunning and with waterfalls flowing nearby and the remains of an Iron Age fortress nearby, it’s definitely worth a visit.
The country offers beautiful scenery, including Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) situated in a UNESCO World Heritage site, which a monastery with golden domes and white bell-towers set upon ashen cliffs. Situated 50km north of Chişinău, Orheiul Vechi is most known for its Cave Monastery – a complex of rooms and tunnels cut into a rocky ridge above the Răut River. But there’s more to this site than the monastery alone as it is an archaeological site with traces of human life dating back to Paleolithic times having been unearthed here, and it’s been inhabited by hermit monks seeking solitude in its caves since the fourteenth-century.
History and culture
Moldova is brimming with history and boasts a range of museums to visit including Alexander Pushkin Museum, Military Museum and also the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History. One area of Moldova also worth visiting is Tiraspol, the capital of the unrecognized republic of Transdniestr, and is known for its wide main boulevard and military monuments.
Nature
Other noteworthy sites to visit include Moldova’s second longest cave system (known as the Cave of Surprises). Here you can explore the natural limestone halls and chambers, the largest of which is ten metres high.
Plus the Padurea Domneasca (Royal Forest) Nature Reserve, which is the largest of its kind in Moldova and borders Romania. You’ll find willow, oak, poplar and beech trees, a huge population of herons around the lake in addition to red deer and bison.
Booking flights from Manchester to Moldova
Looking to book your next trip? Moldovan airline FLYONE will operate services to Chisinau twice per week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, from December 17 with prices from £19 per person one-way. Book flights here.