A Survival Guide for Visitors to Chisinau

Сhisinau Survival Guide
A Survival Guide
for Visitors
to Chisinau
Compiled by Adam Goodberg
© 2006 KEDEM
Updated Dec.2010
Kishinev Jacobs Jewish Campus
Diordita Street #5
MD-2012 Chisinau
Republic Moldova
+373+(0)22 50 96 04
[email protected]
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This guide is intended to help the short-term visitor to Chisinau. No restaurants or
businesses had any influence in being selectively mentioned here.
Some useful web pages are:
http://www.turism.gov.md/index.php?l=en
http://www.worldofmoldova.com/en/tourism-legislation-in-moldova/getting-visa-to-moldova/
Moldova's generally-correct visa and travel information page
http://www.railway.md/schedule/index.htm
Moldova's train schedule (must be able to read Cyrillic a little)
http://www.citymap.md/map_en.php
The best map of the city available that is also available in stores
http://www.jewish.md
The Kishinev Jacobs Jewish Campus and Jewish Moldova
http://www.adresa.md
An apartment rental agency
http://www.marisha.net/index.htm
A good private travel page
Contents:
Departure Planning
Packing Your Bags
Culture and Lifestyle
Getting to Chisinau
Orientation
Arrival
Money
Chisinau Transportation
Traveling in Moldova
Food and Drink
Where to Stay
City Life
What to See
Keeping in Touch
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Departure Planning
Visas: Since 2006 travelers from the following countries do not need an entry
visa to Republic of Moldova for a period of stay until 90 days during the 6
months from the first entry:
Citizens of EU-countries:
-Austria
-Belgium
-Bulgaria
-Czech Republic
-Cyprus
-Denmark
-Estonia
-Latvia
-Lithuania
-Finland
-France
-Germany
-Greece
-Ireland
-Italy
-Luxembourg
-Malta
-Great Britain
-Netherlands
-Hungary
-Poland
-Portugal
-Romania
-Slovenia
-Slovakia
-Spain
-Sweden
Citizens of:
-USA
-Canada
-Switzerland
-Iceland
-Japan
-Principality of Andorra
-Principality of Monaco
-Principality of Liechtenstein
-Norway
-Israel
Citizens of CIS-countries:
-Azerbaijan
-Armenia
-Belorussia
-Georgia
-Kazakhstan
-Kyrgyzstan
-Russian Federation
-Tajikistan
-Ukraine
-Uzbekistan
Visa Note: the citizens of Australia must apply for a visa to enter the Republic of Moldova
The foreigners who were not mentioned above must enter the territory of Republic of Moldova
only with valid visa.
Note: It is recommended that you check the latest visa and passport requirements with your
embassy before planning a trip to Moldova. These rules are subject to changes very often.
US citizens that need to renew, add pages, change name, or just get a new US passport, can
Apply for a New US Passport here.
If you are flying from the States you will not be able to fly direct, so you might as well fly into
a European city with flights to Chisinau. This includes Vienna and Frankfurt, mainly, but also
Budapest and Istanbul. You can buy a visa when you land.
The official language is Moldovan (essentially Romanian) but in the big cities of Chisinau and
Balti, communication is generally done in Russian. Bringing a survival guide in either language
will make things easier. Believe it or not, Russian is the harder language of the two.
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Packing Your Bags
Pack your bags like you would for any other vacation or international trip.
Moldovans generally have dark coats, pants, and shoes, so plan for that if you
would liketo fit in. Almost everything is available in Moldova, although
Western items often cost more than in the West because they are imported to a
small market.
TO BRING:
Pack your things in Tupperware. It makes great gifts and may be useful for protecting
souvenirs and wine bottles (maximum of two) on the way home.
Gifts:
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High-quality towels
Kids Toys
Aluminum foil
Duct tape
Ziploc bags
Good coffee
Foreign coins and stamps
Stain-sticks for clothes
Creativity games (tessellations, Jenga)
Art supplies (charcoal, paints, pencils, good paper)
Whiskey (but not necessarily wine)
Goods special to your locality or country
Small kitchen toys like that new silicon cookware
Chocolates
Technology:
A few of us had our laptop chargers blow out. Laptops batteries are essentially ready for the
power here provided you are in a house, apartment, or hotel with a reasonable electrical system.
Unfortunately, there is no way to know in advance without a tester.
Calls and text messages on cell phones are free for the receiver. Most people here rely on text
messaging because it is so much cheaper, and most people buy impulse cards rather than have
monthly plans. If you send a text to 400 and begin the message with an email address it will
email the text. Also there are free websites through either of the cell phone companies to send
free text messages:
Orange (069) = https://www.orangetext.md/
Moldcell (079) = http://www.moldcell.md/rus/sendsms/
CD or MP3 player
Mini- DVD player and DVDs
Digital camera
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Extra laptop battery (try ebay)
Recha rgeable AA batteries and charger
USB Flash Disk for a computer (with music and pictures from home)
A cell phone that will accommodate a Moldovan SIM card
Black and White film to develop at home (they don't develop it here)
Personal:
Tampons
Musical instruments
Photographs
Candles
Small flashlight (maglites recommended)
Your frequent flier numbers
Near-mint condition $20 or $50 bills
US stamps to send letters home with friends
Food:
Tahini
Instant Thai food
BBQ Sauce
Spices
Root Beer
Peanut Butter
Granola and Energy bars
Brown Sugar
Jelly Beans
Licorice
Clothes:
Dry cleaning (“himchistka”) is available in Chisinau next to ULIM college near the post office
for Western prices but it may be easier to travel with more flexible clothing.
Shine able shoes (without laces best) Slippers (or buy them here, but it is a custom)
Travel wear (North Face, REI, Smart-wool, Under Armour)
NOT BRING::
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Electric adapters are cheap here, like a dollar. No need to buy a $20 set.
Winter jacket: buy one here and fit in! [smart advice]
Dress shoes: buy them here and fit in! [optional advice]
Red or otherwise obnoxiously colored ski jacket.
Butterfly knives. You can buy them here!
Lots of white clothing, it gets too dirty with all of the dust in the air
Culture and Lifestyle
Moldova is a mix of Russian, Romanian, and even Turkish cultures and the
society reflects this. If you go as a guest to someone's house, expect to take
your shoes off at the entrance. Bring a gift (cake, chocolates, cognac) as you
will be offered food, tea, and likely even house wine—wine they made
themselves. In the villages most families make hundreds of liters of this.
Someone will propose a toast, and after you clink glasses expect the talking to continue. We've
found it's good to wait to drink until other people decide the toast has gone on long enough and
drink themselves.
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Expect heavy food without much for spices except for dill. Tea is a big tradition, too. The
climate in Moldova is similar to that of Wisconsin or New York. There are four seasons with
many allergens in the springtime. Make sure you have tissues on you. It is also not a bad idea
to carry toilet paper on your person. Use restrooms at restaurants when you are there, since the 1
lei pay toilets you may find occasionally do not inspire.
Language is a big issue in Moldova, in the 90s talks of making Russian the official
language generated massive protests in the capital. Romanian is the closest language to Latin so
for more guests it will be easier to learn a few phrases in this language. But do expect much of
the signage in Chisinau and other major cities to be in Russian. Many in the young generation
speak intermediate English, but they generally have little practice. There is no resentment of
speaking English here. If anything, many Moldovans look up to America and Western Europe.
Also, many of the younger generation are working abroad. Unofficial statistics put the
rate at up to 25 percent of Moldova's population. Many work in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Israel,
and Russia especially. In the villages you will find rows of unfinished houses, and those that
are finished were probably paid for from working abroad. As with many former Soviet
countries don't be surprised by the glut of stray dogs. Most are quiet and meek but the little
yappers you just want to kill. Try and hold back.
Dress here is more formal than America's jeans and sweatshirt policy. Can you believe it?
People value quantity over quality and it is not uncommon to wear the same outfit for a few
days. Don't plan on wearing shorts in the street, it's pants pants pants. Women and men alike
will be amazed by the high heels here.
Most people will carry their things around in plastic bags or pungas. Pungas are plaidcolored thick plastic and rectangular bags. If you want to really fit in, buy a punga for a dollar
or two and carry it with a friend, each of you with one handle side by side.
Tipping is a gray area. In village cafes and lower-quality places it will not be expected.
Consider just rounding up. At higher class places 10 percent is a good bet.
Most locals will not consider tipping a priority but for Westerners the sums amount to a
few dollars so it pays to help the waiter out. As for bargaining, it is a good idea only for taxis if
you approach one. In the market it is not very necessary and won't get you far.
Getting to Chisinau
From Odessa the bus leaves every half hour from Gara North until 5:30PM
and costs about $5. It is a six hour journey coming through Transdniestria.
Moldova does not recognize this region, which has its own currency, so
getting through for foreigners, even if they speak Russian, can be a challenge.
If they try to get a small bribe it is probably best to play along. We recommend taking the oncea-day bus that passes below Transdniestria: from Gara Nord the noon bus and from Odessa the
10AM.
The bus to and from Kiev costs about $10 and leaves five times each day from Gara
Central in Chisinau. Each direction sends out one morning bus and the others in the evening. It
will take about 11 hours and is much faster than the train, because it cuts through
Transdniestria. The rain is only slightly more expensive than the bus, about $20, so we
recommend this option. However, now that it has been routed around Transdniestria it will take
about 17 hours.
If you fly into Bucharest you can buy a ticket for the 783 bus that will take you either
from departures or arrivals downtown. A two-use ticket for the 783 is about two dollars.
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Otherwise, feel free to take a taxi if you understand the value of the Romanian lei. The
price will be about $6-10 to go wherever you want downtown, but many of the taxi drivers are
sharks and will try to trick you. The price should be .8-1.5 lei per KM.
Trains from Bucharest are $30 for a spot in a four-person cabin and $50 for a spot in a
two-person cabin from Gara de Nord. It is an overnight train leaving at 7PM Bucharest or 5PM
Chisinau. Included is two hours at Ungheni on the border where they will change the wheels.
Make sure you use the restrooms before this, or hopefully you will have a bottle handy. The bus
from Bucharest is cheaper and takes less time but is not as comfortable. Tickets are about $15
and a good bet would be the 5PM bus leaving from the airport. The 7PM leaves from the train
station Gara de Nord so if you have the money you might as well take the train. The 8PM and
9PM buses leaves from Gara
Filaret. Depending on the bus you will either come through Leuseni or Cahul where you
will be able to get a visa if the office is still open.
Buses are also easy from Brasov ($10 leaving at noon or 7PM each way) and take about
nine or ten hours including customs. In Chisinau they work from the Gara de Sud.
Flights from Budapest or Prague will run about $300-400 dollars. Coming from Budapest
your best bet is to take the overnight train to Brasov for about $100 round trip and then the bus
from there. Otherwise you can connect through Bucharest or Iasi after the train. At any rate, the
train reservation systems in Bucharest and Chisinau are on different systems and you will have
to buy your tickets locally: they will not connect you.
Registering at your place of stay used to be an issue, but this dinosaur Soviet-era policy is
done and all will be taken care of at your point of entrance. The exception is that if you come
through the Transdniestrian border you will have to register in person in Chisinau at the
Ministry of Information Development. Everyone should keep in mind that since this is a new
policy and bureaucracies are slow to change that not everyone may be aware of this. Stay
patient and keep your passport on you and you'll be fine.
Orientation
Welcome to Chisinau! For city orientation, the main thing to know is Stephan
Cel Mare Boulevard. Coming from the airport (to the bottom right of the
map), you are coming “down” the street to the Stephan Cel Mare Monument.
The McDonald's side is also going “down.” To get to the University (#23), for
example, you go past the Stephan Cel Mare monument up Banulescu street.
Two main one-way roads bisect Stephan Cel Mare downtown at the
McDonalds and main park, where the main Stephan Cel Mare Monument is
located. Pushkin Street runs down towards the Riscani Region.
Banulescu, formerly known as Gogol, runs uphill past the monument towards the American
Embassy (the large building on the shore of the lake in this picture).
Kitty-corner to where Stephan Cel Mare stands in Writers' Park and between Pushkin and
Banulescu is Victory Park with arches and a cathedral in the middle. The Train Station is on the
bottom right.
Chisinau is divided into five regions. Central is pictured here, but there is also Botanica
(Southeast), Buicani (Southwest), Risconi (North), and Ciocani (Northeast).
These areas and well connected although Ciocani and Botanica are a bit further. Forests divide
the sections and it takes about 40 minutes to walk from one to its neighbor.
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Many roads get badly potholed, and the scarcity of government revenue leads to slow
repairs. Travel surfaces on roads and sidewalks are often uneven and must be negotiated with
care. Street lighting is usually dim, so travel at night can be dangerous.
Arrival
Taxis from the airport should cost about $5-7, or about 60 lei. If you don't
have much baggage you can experiment with your first marshrutka, or
routiera. This mini-bus (#174) will be explained later under “Transportation”
and costs 3 lei.
The train station, one of the nicest buildings in the city, is already mostly downtown. Take a
taxi for 20-30 lei to anywhere in the center. Remember this place, as it is the only one from
where you can send international packages!
There are three bus stations in the city. From Odessa you will arrive at North, which is
inconvenient traffic-wise so best is to take a taxi. You know what, you've done a lot of traveling
to get this far so take a taxi no matter how you got here. From Bucharest or Brasov you will
arrive at South, and from Kiev at the Central Station.
Money
The American Dollar will buy you about 12 Moldovan Lei, this has been
steady for about three years. Local goods such as bread and beer are cheap for
Westerners.
Bank machines generally work well here and charge a 3% fee for withdrawing money from a
foreign account. If you feel comfortable traveling with cash then you will do well, since there
are well marked money changers every half block. Be sure to choose one that does not charge
commission.
Travelers checks can be cashed at Victoria Bank, which has five locations in Chisinau
(www.victoriabank.md). They will cash these checks into dollars with a 1.5
percent fee (a minimum of three dollars). This is perhaps your best bet for bringing
dollars into Moldova. You can then change dollars into lei at a currency exchanger with
a good rate.
Chisinau Transportation
The best place to start off with a map is a bookstore. You will find them
scattered along Stephan Cel Mare Boulevard, the spine of the city. Bookstores
are generally the only place to buy postcards, as well.
The mini-bus (Marshrutka in Russian or Routiera in Romanian) costs 3 lei (25 cents) and will
get you anywhere around the city. These are mini-vans that run regular routes around the city or
the country.
Don't expect the drivers to open the windows, even in the summer, as even top Moldovan
doctors attest to problems of the air “current” when driving. Maps have occasionally existed
with routes but as federal guidelines change so do their routes, so you will have to rely on local
wisdom, your intuition, or your fate. All mini-buses are well marked and have a small placard
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listing the main stops. Have your 3 lei ready before you get on and hand it to the driver or pass
it up after you are on. Be ready to crunch for space! Don’t worry about not knowing where to
stand or how to let people get by the aisle, Moldovans don’t know either, and it’s actually a
healthy little amount of anarchy.
Taxis do not have meters and you should make the price before you get in. You will get
the best price if you call one of the taxi companies and tell them to pick you up.
Often they will need a cell phone contact to call you back. Some numbers for taxis include
1405, 1406, 1407, and 1408. Rumor has it that 1400 even speaks English.
Trolleybuses run on electric wires and cost 2 Leus (16 cents). Buses run quicker along
similar routes and cost more (3 Leus). No tickets are needed in advance, someone will come
around and collect your money. As always with public transportation, it is best to have small
bills separate and ready so you do not pull out your wallet.
Traveling in Moldova
Buses reach the most places, but there is also a intra-country rail network that
also works from Chisinau's main train station, 83 27 34. The rail also works
between regional centers and if you get it right can be practically free. One
volunteer rode from regional center Floresti to the “Northern Capital” of Belti
in the same time as a bus on a comfortable and scenic train for the cost of 3
lei, or 25 cents.
National buses leave from three stations. Bus Station (Gara) North is 41-13-38, Gara Central is
54-21-85, and Gara de Sud is 72-39-83.
Do not expect them to speak English! Your best bet is to find your bus in the lot (often
accompanied by a driver trying to convince people to take a trip to his destination) and ask the
driver if you should buy a ticket. Sometimes they have bought the stock from the ticket broker,
and sometimes they will have you pay them directly. Mini-buses run the same routes and are
often faster and less crowded. All will have signs.
Renting a car may be the best bet. Drivers in the city are aggressive and lanes are vague.
The roads are not as fast as in the West but if you will be traveling around the country this may
save you time. Expect prices that would seem fair and reasonable in the West.
Food and Drink
The price of a bottle of Chisinau beer is still under 50 cents, and Russia’s
Baltica brand is still under a dollar from vendors. Expect prices to double in
restaurants.
Whatever you may see locals doing, it is inadvisable to consume alcohol in public places.
Wine is the pride of Moldova. If you journey outside of the capital you may have the good
fortunate to be offered some home brew.
Most households in the countryside ferment their own wine. Wine for sale is cheap and
generally of high quality and in restaurants a bottle will range from two to six dollars. Cagor is
a sweet wine and they say that 20 grams a day will keep you from getting sick. It's worth a shot!
I would not be here if Chisinau did not have Chinese food. Both places are easy to get to.
One is at the “Lukoil” building in the Riscani Region and offers Chinese, Italian, or Mexican
food at three dollars a plate. To get here take the 110,112, or 119 mini-bus from Pushkin Street
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to the end of the line. In the building is also a bowling alley in the basement and a Russianlanguage movie theatre. The other Chinese restaurant is about twice as expensive and offers
more authentically “fake-American” Chinese food. Peking has an extensive menu. Nori is the
country's only Sushi restaurant. As such, entrees run about 30 euros, so only go if you mean it.
We have found terrific Middle-Eastern Food here just North of (below) Stephan Cel Mare
Blvd. One is called Allepo and the other is Klass. A full meal at either can run ten dollars but it
will be very good. Allepo, near the central market, has the best tea in town and if you go for
hummus and falafel you can get a tasty snack for cheap. Both offer Hukas (Kalian, in Russian)
for smoking for 3 dollars. In a nearby area on Eminescu Street is Caravan, a new Uzbek
restaurant, and Jasmine across the street.
The best local restaurant is probably La Taifas, located on Pushkin Street. This is a welldecorated place in a basement that offers actual Western service standards and will offer you
their own wine upon entrance and exit. Just 20 m up from it on Pushkin street another local
food restaurant “Vatra Neamului” is situated and is more expensive and prestigious. Across the
street from the Turist Hotel on Renasterii Boulevard (below Victory Park) is another classy
regional restaurant called Sanatate (“Health”).
Kebabs are tasty and quick meals found throughout the city. They cost 15-25 lei and come
neatly wrapped in a pita. Your stomach may not always appreciate the meal, but your mouth
will! Police have recommended against eating at these stands because they do not hold the
proper permits, and if I were to recommend against them (though I am often found there) it
would be for sanitary reasons.
El Paso is the premier Mexican restarant in town. It is located on Armeanscaia near the
American Embassy. It can be expensive but they actually bring you chips and salsa! The same
American journalist who recommended this place also is a fan of The Grill House nearby and
he says it's the closest you'll get to a Western steak. One other American VIP recommended the
Symposium Restaurant Across from the French Cafe for its “excellent food and service for
pretty reasonable prices.”
This French Cafe, located between Pushkin and Bonelescu, is about a block above the
Stephan Cel Mare Monument behind the federal government building.
Signage is not great so you will have to locate it based on its cliched appearance and big
windows. They have a nice selections of cakes and cookies, and upstairs is a big plaster tree and
place for children to play. There is also a crepe place on a pedestrian overpass on Pushkin Street
next to central park. Upstairs is Aerocafe, the only transparant, over-street, cafe-tube in the
country: you can't miss it!
Coffee Houses in town are not hard to find. Keep an eye out for Coffee Beans, Coffee
Jeans, and Coffee House, too. Worth a stop on Tighina Street is Karlos, a spiritual/Eastern
teahouse where you can sit on the floor and imagine yourself in Japan. It is hidden in the Army
House a few blocks above Stephan Cel Mare.
The Dubliners is an Irish Pub located above Stephan Cel Mare that makes their own onion
rings for about a dollar. The Robin Pub is a stone's throw from the Jewish center and is a newlyrenovated English pub. Beer House is near the Hotel National and brews its own beer. You can
get anything from .3 liter (a bottle) to something like two-liters of beer, or you can take it home
with you in jugs. They also offer unfiltered beer.
A net of rather cheap and tasty Andy’s Pizza and La Placinta cafes has its houses in every
district of the city. There are also some other pizzerias like Pizza Celentano or Pizza House.
For groceries, Number 1, Green Hills, and Fidesco each have at least three downtown
locations and serve high quality food. Prices are good, too, and as selection is better you can
also find more expensive and ready-to-go dishes.
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Where to Stay
The Hotel Dedeman Grand Chisinau tops the list at about $200 a night. Other
Western hotels include the Codru, Dacia, and the Jolly Alon, all three near
Writers' Park. Rooms here are on Western prices also, somewhere in the range
of $80 or more.
Cheaper level lodging is available at the Hotel Turist, the Chisinau, National, and the
Zarea for about $10-20 a night per person. Hot water depends on the time (starting 7:30AM or a
half hour wait at the Turist) and the hotel and is most reliable at the National and Chisinau,
located across the street from one another one stop from the train station.
Also consider the apartment agency websites listed on the first page, prices in euros. For
20 to 100 dollars a night you can get your own apartment from an agency.
Search the internet, call in advance, go to their office, pay, and pick up the key.
City Life
Shopping is done either in the central market, smaller markets spread around
town, or in enclosed malls filled with different booths. Bomba is located near
the Hotel National, Sun City on Pushkin by Victory Park, and Gemeni is at
Pushkin and Stephan Cel Mare right in the middle of town.
The biggest “malls” in town are Jumbo, located in Botanica, and Shopping MallDova on the
bridge connecting the central and Botanica districts.
If anything goes wrong with anything you own, including shoes, clothes, electronics,
jewelry or cell phones, the place to go is Dom Byta across from the Central Market on
Armeneanscaia Street. The brown entrance is the one and here you can get anything fixed for
very cheap. While you wait, stop by the central market to get a good feel for Moldova,
especially if you have had a pretty insular and Western experience so far in Chisinau.
The Oxford English Bookstore is located across the street from the Satiricus Theatre.
Penguin Classics have been on long-term sale for 35 lei (under $3) for quite some time, and
standard editions sell for about $10. Selection is good.
There are two impressive art galleries, one is Galeria L on Pushkin next to La Taifas and
the other on Banelescu across from the flower stands in the central park. There is also an Art
Market in town located a block up Stephan Cel Mare from McDonalds away from the
monument. Here you can find local paintings for good prices and other things worth bringing
home. Just as importantly, all of the theatres put up their playbills here so you can plan your
cultural time. The Art Market is bookended by the Organ Hall and the Eminescu Theatre. The
Russian Theatre is the Chekhov, located near Victory Park just past Sun City. Saturdays the
theater hosts the largest book sale in town... which is good if you read in Russian.
For Children, Chisinau has some terrific parks and forests. At the end of the 127 mini-bus
from the Stephan Cel Mare monument is a small amusement park Aventura and the exposition
center, which occasionally has interesting exhibitors. This is located on the city's central lake
“Valea Morilor” (formerly “Komsomolskiy”) below the American embassy. The other is the
Soviet-era amusement park located at the gigantic park Dolina Ros (Roses valley) in Botanica.
The rides are old but safe and the prices are cheap. Among the attractions are a ferris wheel with
a great view for 50 cents. If you get to the bumper cars, be advised that you are not to bump
other cars! It is a practice of civility there.
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Afterwards go to the Cetatea Veche castle-restaurant, especially if it is winter where you will
have your own private hut with fireplace. Or take a stroll around the three lakes.
Cinema Club is an English-language movie house above The Chateau Bar (you can bring
beer up for the show). Movies are a little over a dollar depending on the time of the show.
Chairs are leather and comfortable and the quality is excellent.
http://www.ournet.md/catalog/receration_sports/cinema/en.html
For culture, the Philharmonic performs regularly every Friday at 6PM. You can show up soon
before and buy tickets for 15 or 20 lei, depending on your seats. The hall is located near Class
and the Satiricus Theatre.
Popular night clubs include Military Pub and Star Trak which is upstairs, located near the
McDonalds in the Riscani region. Also there is City Club located near the French Cafe and
People near the Hotel National. Clubs get busy around 11:00PM and stay open until 4 or 6 in
the morning.
What to See
1. The Stephan Cel Mare Monument
Stephan the Great united the Moldovan region and drove back the Turks in
the 15th Century. This is the main landmark of the city and is downtown.
During Soviet times there was a Lenin statue here and the street was known
as Lenin.
2. The Central Market
It's old and crowded and lots of fun! Try to hold back buying any food,
even though it is warm and cheap. As with anywhere, watch your wallet,
but there are not horror stories about theft here.
3. The Zoo and Botanical Gardens near the airport
From here you can also see a pair of ascending apartment rises known as
the Gates of Chisinau. Entry into the gardens is 5 lei. To get here, get on
the 104 mini-bus from the French Cafe and take it to the end of the line.
4. The Kishinev Jacobs Jewish Campus
A new idea in the Former Soviet Union, this center has it all and is located
downtown near the Robin Pub just below Victory Park. There is a new
Western style basketball court and workout room and a theatre for 250.
You will recognize that the 150 year-old facade still looks over Diordita
Street.
5. The Cricova or Milesti-Mici Wineries
Each located about a half an hour from the city, these are real treasures.
You will have to pay a good amount of money and arrange a tour in
advance, but it is worth it to see these underground cities with up to 200km
of roads!
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Kishinev Jacobs Jewish Campus
Сhisinau Survival Guide
Keeping in Touch
Don’t expect to get any letters in flat envelopes while you are here!
They disappear over the Pacific somewhere. However, the system for
packages is better documented and they have a survival rate of about 90%.
Don’t bother with standard shipping, it can take 4-6 months. Airmail will arrive in about 4
weeks. Effective for letters are bubble-envelopes or having them included with packages.
Including dollars in your packages is against the law and not a good idea.
For sending letters back home, the main post office is across from the Mayor's Office and
next to the central McDonalds. Letters to America cost about 6.5 lei, or 50 cents. They include
an envelope. Postcard postage is under 5 lei. Mailing your letters from the central office instead
of from a box will save several days and letters usually to the States from there in 10-14 days.
Packages can only be sent home from the office just outside the train station. They will check
all of your things so do not seal your box.
Yellow DialOK calling cards work out to about 20 cents a minute to America.
They can be bought at intersection kiosks spread around the city. This only works out well if
you are calling from a land line in Chisinau, otherwise your phone will be charged for a egional
call by the phone company in addition to the price of your card. Callers from America should
dial +011+373 and then the number in order to reach you, sometimes omitting the first “0” of
your local number. To call the Kishinev Jacobs Jewish Campus, for example, dial: +011+373
22 509 602, where 22 is the code for Chisinau.
Cell phones are everywhere in Chisinau, and it is possible your SIM card will work here.
It is also possible that you will be able to buy a $30 SIM card to place in your existing phone,
but check on this beforehand. Cell phones here generally run on an “impulse” system rather
than monthly plans. You can buy refill cards anywhere.
Internet cafes are abundant and cost between fifty cents and a dollar an hour.
Dial-up access is now readily available. Wireless is available only at the Hotel Dedeman, where
they will let you order a beer or cappuccino and relax with your computer.
Have a great trip! If you have noticed anything that we could add
to this guide, please let us know. Be a safe traveler and have some
great adventures.
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Kishinev Jacobs Jewish Campus