Moldova, the European country that almost no one looks at and where you can still eat for 5 euros
Discover Moldova, the least visited European country where food costs 5 euros and wine less than 1. Want to know how to get there and what to do?
The calm of a country that almost no one visits makes Moldova get overlooked on many travel lists. And indeed, with ultra-cheap flights and food prices that seem like a joke, this small European country feels like a well-kept secret.
Moldova lives between its complex history and an economic reality that is not reflected in any usual travel guide. With less than 150,000 annual visitors according to official data, it is an almost unknown destination for tourists here.
Moldova, a European country with much to discover
💶 Currency: Moldovan leu, daily budget of 20-30 euros
✈️ How to get there: Chisinau airport, direct flights from Spain starting at 18 euros
📅 Best time to visit: May to June or September to avoid tourists and enjoy the weather
A surprising capital: Chisinau
Chisinau is the gateway to Moldova and one of Eastern Europe's best kept secrets. The city combines a Soviet vibe with modern cafés where you can have an iced coffee for less than 1 euro. Hotels do not exceed 30 euros per night, and renting an apartment can cost only 80 euros a month. Of course, don’t expect luxury but authenticity.
How to get there from Tarragona
Direct flights to Chisinau? The good news is that there are flights from Barcelona and Madrid starting at 18 euros, with low-cost airlines. From Tarragona, you have to combine with train or bus to Barcelona. Chisinau airport is only 13 km from the city center, and a taxi costs less than 5 euros.
Gastronomy and wines: dishes for less than 5 euros
Eating in Moldova, a bargain for the palate
If you believed that eating well and cheaply was a myth, Moldova will make you change your mind. Local restaurants offer complete menus for a few euros. 5 euros or less. The cuisine is a mix of Romanian, Russian, and Ukrainian traditions with hearty dishes and intense flavors. Want a soft drink? 1 euro, no more.
The underground wines: a unique experience
Moldova is not only cheap, but also boasts the largest wine bottle collection in the world, with 1.5 million units. Most of the wines are stored in underground galleries dating back to the Soviet era, and a local glass costs less than one euro, a luxury hard to find in Europe.
Jon, on his YouTube channel, shows us a country quite unknown here, but with many interesting things to visit. A city and a country with many contrasts: the nostalgia for the Soviet Union among the older generations with the eagerness for openness to Europe and globalization among the younger ones.
What else to see in Moldova and surroundings
Excursions and culture
Although it has no sea, Moldova is only 40 km from the Black Sea and offers villages with typical architecture and monasteries that compete with the best known in Europe. The Transnistria region, despite being a political hot spot, surprises for its contrasts and Soviet relics.
Travel facilities and documentation
Practical information: EU citizens can enter Moldova with just their ID card, and Moldovans travel through the Schengen area without a visa for 90 days. This makes Moldova, although not part of the EU, an accessible point for travelers looking for something different. There are direct flights from El Prat airport, with companies like Austrian, Swiss, or Eurowings.
The reality is that Moldova is the only European country where you can eat a full menu for 5 euros and taste a wine for less than 1, while enjoying a culture with its own identity and prices that make any travel guide laugh. If you are looking for mass tourism, don’t go. But if you want to be among the few to brag about having been there before it becomes too trendy, now you know where to go.
