Post Extension to Romania Tour

Day 1: Bucharest-Chisinau
Transfer to airport for flight to Chisinau.  The city is beautifully surrounded by seven hills seated in the Bac river valley. Afternoon, an orientation walking tour of "the city made of white stone." Well-known architects and poets such as Bernardazzi, Sciusev and Pushkin gave Chisinau a unique character.

Day 2: Chisinau
Guided tour will reveal both the historic and modern faces of Chisinau. On Stephen the Great Boulevard are many administrative buildings and cultural centers such as the National Theatre M. Eminescu, the Organ Hall, Theatre of Opera and Ballet. In the historical zone there are more than 700 houses from the 19th century arranged in Estates. There are more than eighteen old churches and the main Cathedral. Visit The National Museum of History and Ethnography of Moldova.

Day 3: Excursion: Besalma
The Gazauzian community is a unique Orthodox community of Turkish Gagauzian origin. Local museum guides relate the history of this small nation in the south of Moldova. Moldova is world renown for its fine wine production and no visit would be complete without a visit to a Moldovan wine cellar. Milestii Mici is one of Moldova's most famous natural wine cellars and one of the largest wine deposits in the world. The wines stored at Milestii Mici are made of various years crops from 1968 to 1991. Wine tasting and dinner at Milestii Mici.

Day 4: Excursion: Tiraspol, Transnistria
Full day trip to Tiraspol, Transnistria, at the present moment the administrative center of the self proclaimed Transnistria (Moldova). Feel the atmosphere of this disputed territory which always has been a battlefield between the major powers of the region. The buildings of the Soviets, the monument of Suvorov, Central Plaza.

Day 5: Excursion: Soroca & Old Orhei (Orchey)
An excursion to the ancient city of Soroca and the Soroca Fortress where the ruler of Moldova Stefan the Great built the wooden "pearl fortress" on the bank of the Dniester River to defend the country from the attacks of tartars in 1499. From 1543 to 1546 the fortress was rebuilt in stone and today stands as the only Moldovan medieval monument entirely preserved. It is unique in Eastern Europe.

Continue sightseeing to Old Orhei (Orchey), situated in a picturesque setting. You will have the opportunity to visit the most interesting archaeological sites housing the ruins of two cities (14th -16th century). Tartars settled here on their expansion to Western Europe. Continue with a visit to the well-maintained Orthodox cave monastery, St. Maria Dormata which was expanded and modified inside the cliffs by monks over the centuries. Christian churches provide magnificent scenery through the windows of the monastery which still functions today. Enjoy a folklore show and dinner in Trebujeni and sample Moldavian dishes and wine.

Day 6: Depart
Transfer to airport for return to Bucharest or onward.