A beautiful itinerary through the northern Moldova. Nature, art and... more!

Many for the first time think they make a trip to the Republic of Moldova wonder about what really is worth the pain go beyond Chisinau and wonderful galleries of the underground city of Cricova ...
Indeed attractions are not as numerous as in neighboring Romania and beautiful but with a little spirit of adventure and a good map too small Besarabia can offer the visitor especially delightful corner from spring until early autumn.
In this virtual tour I want to propose a route that I drive in the spring of 2004 and that only hours after the story put together all the material of that journey that after my last move is not found anymore.
Begin? Away, we start!
I left the capital on the road that leads to Orhei (then north) and past the roundabout path of Cricova I still thirty miles to the Ivancea where to turn following the signs for the Tourist "Complexul Muzeal Orheiul Vechi" which is located between the towns of Trebujena and Butuceni.
This is perhaps the vast and interesting museum complex in the open air throughout Moldova and consists of archaeological monuments, forts and ethnographic goals of various periods dating back to the Paleolithic.
From the highest promontory included in these small valleys, stands the bell tower (clopotnita) of the monastery of Pestera rock that dates back to XV-XVI century (a short distance is also a massive stone cross dating to the sec. XXVIII), it is completely dug into the bowels of the rock and the note is visible only from the belfry.
At about one kilometer from Pestera Monastery rises another rock to Bosie completely excavated in the rocks, and especially relevant to the records votive engraved on the walls in old Slavonic language dating back to XV-XVI century.
In the central area of this monument lies the true citadel of Old Orhei where in the fourteenth century settled nomadic tribes from Mongolia that transformed the pre-existing native settlement in a real settlement of eastern type dubbed "Sehr-al-Jedid "which meant" new city ". All this now remain only the ancient fortifications and part of a mausoleum and a mosque and the necropolis. Since 1368 after a terrible flood caused by overflowing of the rivers Prut and Nistru the Mongols abandoned the flight returned to be occupied by peoples who did return the appearance of the Old Orhei again stampo Moldovan.
To see this huge museum complex is recommended that you contact one of the tracks that he finds' entrance of the parking lot near the car. I still remember a gracious lady of middle-and with a modest sum made me do all around the complex for several hours by providing all kinds of information ...
Orhei Vechi left after ancuni km you reach the town of Orhei, there is absolutely nothing to mention in this regard but still a must especially if you are hungry and want racifollarfi again before the journey even further north ...
Leaving Orhei state take the R20 towards Rezin and arrived at the village of Cogilniceni turn right following the signs for tipov (... if you see!), Better if you ask from time to time to the farmers found that working in the fields! This road to a dirt tipov is quite good when it is dry, but definitely not recommended when it rains unless you have an off-road fun ... then you will do as the Camel Trophy !!!... I still remember the crush by my poor Punto
When you arrive in the village of tipov seems to have been transported with the time machine in a medieval, a bit like happened to Benigni and Troisi in that film they did together ...
Here lies the monastery Adormirea Maico Domnului "consists of two sections, the new one that is not of particular interest and the old one which is a true wonder! It is a completely dug into the rock as the monastery of Bosie with the difference that this is not carved from top to bottom on the rock but it is all hollow 'interior of a vertical rock wall that overlooks the river Nistru. To be able to get off right there to follow a path with very pronounced slope and then get support from the monks who live in the new part of the monastery. They are extremely friendly and very obliging with foreign guests! Certainly invite you to taste their wine production as has happened to me! Excellent wine.
One of the legends that circulate bound to the monastery of tipov is that in this post has ended his life the mythological poet Orpheus considered the father of poetry. His tomb is located a short distance from the monastery rock.
But the legend is more important than the one linked to the Great and Holy Mr Stefan cel Mare convolò here that a marriage with one of his wives, Mary Voica in mid-fifteenth century.
Coming down the rock wall that leads to the monastery you can admire the beautiful landscape from which there opens the river Nistru and the Transnistrian region that is immediately in front. I noticed that at this point, people across the Nistru safely aboard small boats ... maybe to make some contrabando ...
After I started to tipov the most beautiful monastery throughout Moldova, Saharna ... to think that I followed the "tips" of a pope to tipov (a monaco) arrived and we are following a trail that skirts in Nistru and It is NOT marked on any map! I am not telling you what were those 15 kilometers because it has incredible ... However after 2 hours and a half of operations in the mud I came to Saharna! To me that monaco thought I had a ZIL 130 Red Army and not one point in 1200 eight valves
However when the game gets tough the tough start to play!
Saharna is not only a complex of monasteries, but a real nature reserve that includes the namesake river along its winding course makes a total of 22 waterfalls of rare beauty! The largest of them is called "Groapa Tiganului" translated Fossa gypsies ... 4 meters in height, width 6 of a vortex of water 10 meters deep!
In the area of monastic Saharna are the monasteries of Sfintul Treime "and rock" Bunavestirea "nonchè un'acropoli gheto built at the Dacia-VI-III centuries BC, in order to achieve it followed the path along the river over some waterfalls and find after a good half hour walk ... if c'andate summer get a bath under the falls, they told me that is a pleasure;) (perhaps to avoid swimming in the pit of gypsies not to bad meetings ...).
From the nearby Saharna Rezin the journey is short.
This city that overlooks the river Nistru is connected by bridge to the city of Transnistrian Ribnitsa that it can be easily admired from the edge of the river itself, but if you decide to go beyond the bridge, remember that you are subject to controls by the Transnistrian militia that avoided to stay beyond the 24 hours to avoid having to register even at the office of OVIR Ribnitsa ...
Returning to the Rezin

 

Returning to Rezin what struck me most was the order that I noticed in the city and very well-kept flower beds full of flowers as well as the extreme kindness of its citizens!
It was evening and I had yet to reach Balti, my goal today where I stayed for one night at 'Hotel Besarabia in the center city.
The 100-km away from Rezin Balti is run in about 90 minutes through the town and Soldanesti Floresti. (State R13)
Balti in Soviet times was a city with a thriving industrial development especially in the textile industry, today unfortunately everything is completely disappeared under the harsh law of the market that has shut its doors to almost all industries towns.
Very nice to see the city center with its "promenade" walking very long when considering the extension of the city ... Balti is mentioned as the first capital of the Principality of Moldova and for this exhibition is a site where a recent statue of Stefan cel Mare directly opposite the "primary" (municipality) in the city. The Besarabia hotel in the heart of the city, is an old hotel of the Soviet legacy with many renovated rooms acceptable standard. (Price 35-40 euro double with breakfast included). The evening is pleasant to visit the complex of entertainment "homeland" formed by a multiplex cinema, several bars and restaurants, internet room and a disco with good music where you have come to pass under a metal-detector at the airport as
A Balti, incredible but true, few speak Romanian ... is a city in the Russian majority and to be honest I'm not being very nice people living in Balti ... although I know many people who live in Balti and Chisinau delicious!
Let's leave these debates out of place and we continue ...
The next day crossing from Balti Drochia Soroca I arrived at the extreme north of Moldova, a city that lies along the Nistru is situated on Ukraine.
Here are the main attractions: the "Cetatea", a medieval fortified castle along the Nistru ..., a "promenade" that all along the river surrounded by well-kept park full of flowers e. .. hear, hear ... the hill of Gypsies native of Moldova! Soroca is the capital of Moldava Gypsies, most of them live here or have roots in this city in their district ... you can admire luxurious villas worthy of the best neighborhoods of our city the kind Olgiata in Rome but decidedly out of place there !
Speaking with the local policeman came to me the question: but what they do to turn these in Mercedes and BMW and have such beautiful homes? Answer: They are drug trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan and former Soviet republics centrasiatiche and Western Europe but all are abroad so we do not ... I can speak to me: ... CREDOOOOO THERE!
After I visited Soroca Otac, city border with Ukraine and Edinet, another predominantly Russian-town ... both without merit special mention.
Interestingly, instead crossing the border to Costesti to Romania
After passport control leaving you cross a road built in the mid 70 'on a dam connected to a hydroelectric power that crosses the Prut river ... one of the few joint ventures of Soviet-ceauseschiste!
I hope you enjoyed my story, if you decide to trace you and you have doubts or domende I will be happy to respond.
See you soon
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