According to programingplease, Moldova (Romanian/English: Moldova) is a country in Europe bordering Romania and Ukraine. Moldova has been independent from the former Soviet Union since 1991. The capital of Moldova is Chisinau. A number of major cities in Moldova are: Tiraspol, Bălţi, Tighina and Cahul. Moldova also contains the unrecognized mini-state of Transnistria.
Moldova is known as the poorest country in Europe. You will find many old traditional villages in Moldova. The landscape is mostly flat with many vineyards. In the village of Cricova in the north of Moldova you will find one of the largest caves in the world (approximately 100 km of tunnel systems). Animals you may encounter are wild boars, wolves, Siberian deer, weasels and badgers. You will also find many castles and churches throughout the country that are worth a visit. See justinshoes for travel destinations in Moldova.
Where is Moldova located?
Travel information of Moldova
Official name: Republic of Moldova
Continent: Europe
Area: 33,851 km²
Capital: Chisinau
Country code: MD, MDA
Population: 3,364,496 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 430 m (Dealul Bălăneşti)
Distance (Amsterdam – Chisinau): 1,817 km
Flight time: approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to certain areas in Moldova is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow and red.
Due to this status, a partially negative travel advice is in effect for Moldova.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Moldova that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Moldova, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Moldova. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Moldova?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Moldova at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Moldova has a temperate continental climate. In the summer months the temperatures are around 20 degrees and in the winter months around -5 degrees. In the east and south of the country it can freeze severely in the winter months.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Moldova can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Moldova can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June, July and August are the best months to travel to Moldova. In these months you have the best chance of pleasant temperatures.
Language
Moldovan and Romanian are both official languages in Moldova. In addition, a lot of Russian is spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Moldavian (Romanian) for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon departure from Moldova.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Moldova for less than 90 days.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Romania (also for Moldova):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Moldova: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy and Consulate of Moldova in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
It is advisable to get one or more vaccinations before visiting Moldova.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Moldova, payments are made with the Moldavian leu (MDL).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Moldova can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Moldova are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -59% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (75% cheaper), food (58% cheaper), imported beer in catering (61% cheaper), cigarettes (81% cheaper) and public transport (95% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tip
In Moldova it is customary to give a tip of approximately 5-10%.
Time difference
In Moldova it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Moldova is the same as in the Netherlands.
Find the local time, date and time zone for Moldova on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Moldova you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Moldova.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Moldova.
Electricity
In Moldova the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in Moldova can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 902
– Fire: 901
– Ambulance: 903
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap because of the chlorine content. This can cause stomach and intestinal complaints.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Moldova can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Moldova can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Moldova end in.md.
Official websites of Moldova: moldova.md and turism.gov.md.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Moldova is 00373 or +373.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Moldova? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Telephone numbers can be found in the Moldova Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Moldova.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Moldova.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Moldova.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Moldova can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Moldova, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Moldova?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Moldova. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Moldova can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Moldova can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Moldova? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or do business with Moldova, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Moldova, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Moldova.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.3.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Moldova is one of the oldest wine countries in the world?
…Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe?
…More than 75 percent of the population lives below the poverty line?
…The largest Jewish cemetery in the world can be found in Moldova?
…In Moldova Christmas is celebrated twice a year?