Popasul Dacilor

Top choice in Chişinău


Chişinău's most eccentric eatery is a bit like a Game of Thrones set, awash in furs, totem poles and gnarled wood. Out back open-air dining options take all shapes and sizes, and a two-tonne door leads to a secret stash of rare Moldovan wines. The traditional Bessarabian fare and service are superb. It's out towards the airport.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Chişinău attractions

1. Repression Memorial

2.67 MILES

Near the train station is this unique monument to the victims of mass deportation under Stalin.

2. Army Museum

3.02 MILES

Occupying one end of the Centre of Culture and Military History, this once-musty museum now hosts a moving exhibit on Soviet-era repression. Stories of…

3. National Art Museum

3.59 MILES

A massive facelift was half-finished at the end of 2018, with the gorgeously restored main wing open to visitors. The focus is on contemporary Moldovan…

4. National Library

3.65 MILES

A landmark, the neoclassical National Library is worth popping into both to check out the beautiful interior with its spiral staircases, and for the free…

5. National Archaeology & History Museum

3.68 MILES

This impressive museum contains artefacts from the region of Orheiul Vechi, including Golden Horde coins and 14th-century ceramics; a rare, 2000-year-old…

6. Government House

3.7 MILES

Government House, where cabinet meets, is the gargantuan building opposite the Arc de Triomphe. It's notable mainly for its heft and Soviet-style…

7. Arc de Triomphe

3.74 MILES

Chişinău's own Arc de Triomphe dates from 1841 and marks the centre of the city. It was built to commemorate the victory of the Russian army over the…

8. Parcul Catedralei

3.77 MILES

Dab in the middle of Chişinău, this park is popular with families and canoodling teenagers on benches, and makes for great strolling. The highlight is the…