Toyota Prius+
Up to 4 guests
€280per car with guide, whole tour
Full day · Soroca · Gypsy Hill · The Dniester
North to the fortress with five towers.
The old centre of Soroca, the river bank, and the hill above the town. One long day, all the way north.
North out of Chișinău, along the Dniester, and the country changes. On the way we stop in Clișova Nouă, at the Arta Rustica carpet museum, to break the long drive. Soroca keeps a 16th-century fortress with five towers standing right at the water, the bank of the river below it, a wooden church and the central park. After lunch in town, Gypsy Hill above it: 30 to 40 minutes on foot up to the Candle of Gratitude, the monument standing over the Dniester. On the way back there is an optional craft beer stop at RockScore Brewery.
This day includes a climb: 30 to 40 minutes on foot up to the Candle of Gratitude. The rest of the walking, in the old centre, is easy. Comfortable shoes are needed.
Price
One price per car with guide, not per person.
How many are you?
Bigger group? Message us on WhatsApp and I will quote it for you.
Opel Vivaro
Up to 6 guests
€400per car with guide, whole tour
Mercedes Sprinter
Up to 20 guests
from €850per car with guide, whole tour
The Sprinter price is a starting point. I confirm the exact price once I know exactly how many of you are travelling.
The price covers a professional licensed guide, the car and the fuel for the whole day. Entry tickets and lunch are paid on site, so you decide what you take.
Peak season and no guide free on your dates? There is a plan B: a car with a professional driver from my team, English-speaking on request, for less than a guided day. Message me on WhatsApp and I will check what is possible.
The day, hour by hour
The town in the morning, the hill after lunch.
Chișinău to Clișova Nouă
Arta Rustica carpet museum, Clișova Nouă
A carpet museum and weaving workshop in the village of Clișova Nouă, a stop that breaks the long drive north.
Clișova Nouă to Soroca
The historic centre of Soroca on foot
The 16th-century fortress with its five towers, the bank of the Dniester below it, the wooden church and the central park.
Lunch in town (optional)
A proper break in Soroca before the climb.
Paid on site
Gypsy Hill
The hill above the town and its famous houses.
The Candle of Gratitude
The climb on foot to the Candle of Gratitude (Lumânarea Recunoștinței) standing over the Dniester.
Entry tickets paid on site
To RockScore Brewery
Optional craft beer stop at RockScore Brewery
A glass on site or a few beers to take away, no food and no second lunch. Water for those who do not drink beer. If the group would rather skip it, we drive straight back to Chișinău.
Paid on site
Back to Chișinău
No surprises
What's in the price, what you pay on site.
What's in the price
- Professional licensed guide, car and fuel for the whole day
- Tour in your language: English, German, Russian or Romanian
- Pick-up and drop-off anywhere in Chișinău
- Bottled water 0.5 L per person
Paid on site
- Entry tickets to monasteries, museums and wineries
- Wine tastings (paid on site, cash or card)
- Meals (lunch estimates given per tour, paid on site)
On this day that means the entry tickets in Soroca and lunch in town, both paid on site.
Why this day
Why this day and not another.
Most visitors never leave the middle of the country. This one goes north, to the river town where a fortress still guards the Dniester and a monument on the hill above it looks back over everything you drove through to get here.
What guests say
Travelers who have spent a day on the road with me.
"By the end, it felt like we'd been traveling with old friends. Cornelio's deep knowledge of history turned each destination into a captivating adventure filled with hidden gems and delightful surprises."
"Corneliu is a committed guide who took us on tours over several days in Moldova and Transnistria. He went into our interests with many suggestions and ideas, showed us not only the usual sights but also unknown paths."
"I spent three days with Corneliu in Moldova and had a wonderful time. He was reliable, punctual, and dedicated. More importantly, his heart is in the right place and he's a wonderful person."
"Corneliu is more than a car rental, he is also an excellent guide. We got to know many corners of the country with him over a week that we would never have found alone."
Practical bits
Questions guests usually ask.
Group size and price
Toyota Prius+ takes up to 4 guests, €280. Opel Vivaro up to 6 guests, €400. Mercedes Sprinter up to 20 guests, from €850, the exact price once I know your exact number. Every price is for the car and the guide for the whole tour, not per person. For a bigger group, write to me and I will quote it.
How long is the day?
About 10 hours door to door. We leave Chișinău at 09:00 and we are back in the city around 19:00. It is the longest of my one-day routes inside Moldova, and the north is worth it.
How much walking is there?
The old centre of Soroca is walked at an easy pace. The one demanding part is the climb to the Candle of Gratitude, 30 to 40 minutes on foot uphill. Comfortable shoes are needed.
Languages
English, German, Russian, Romanian, Italian. Tell me which you prefer when you book.
Pick-up
Anywhere in Chișinău. Hotel, apartment, airport. Send me the address by WhatsApp.
Payment
Cash (EUR, MDL, USD) or bank transfer. Half on booking confirmation, half at the end of the tour. Entry tickets and lunch are paid on site.
Cancellation
Free cancellation a week before the tour or earlier. Less than a week before, 50%. On the day of the tour, no refund except documented emergencies.
Weather
We tour year-round. The climb to the Candle of Gratitude is on a natural path, so comfortable shoes matter in every season. Tell me your dates and we will plan the timing around the forecast.
Children
Welcome. Child seats available on request, 9 months and up.
Mobility
The town itself is flat and easy. The climb to the Candle of Gratitude is not. If it does not work for you, we stay in the centre and by the river, and you lose none of the history.
Can we share the tour with other guests?
Yes, choose “With fellow travellers” in the booking form. We can join you with other guests on the same route and day. If fellow travellers are found, the price is lower: we count it individually and confirm it in advance. If not, you travel privately at the price shown on this page. The group closes 3 days before the tour.
What if no guide is available on my dates?
It happens in peak season. The fallback is a car with a professional driver, English-speaking on request, without the guided part - and it costs less than a full guided day. Write me on WhatsApp with your dates and I will tell you the same day what I can offer.
Book this day
Ready to plan?
If you have more time
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The full journey
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