Undiscovered Transnistria Budget Tour

Tuesday 6th October – Chisinau

• Arrive at your own leisure into Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. It is well connected with many European and Middle Eastern countries and the Caucasus. Self-transfer to our centrally located Soviet hotel. Pre-tour accommodation can be arranged for your convenience (for a fee).
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 6:30pm to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• We’ll then head out for dinner and, for those willing, to experience Chisinau’s nightlife.

Wednesday 7th October – Chisinau 

• After breakfast, our local guide will be ready and waiting for us at 9:00am with a brief introduction before we start to explore this beautiful, un-touristy and underrated European city.
• Your journey will feature historical events and vital figures in Moldavian History. We’ll enter a memorial complex dedicated to the brave soldiers who lost their lives during Great Patriotic War and the recent conflict with Transnistria – In true traditional Soviet style the memorial depicts scenes of battle to victory and a prosperous future under the red star of communism.
• The walking tour continues into the Military Museum where you’ll find scattered military hardware from various ages. This includes tanks, fighter jets from the Cold War and cannons used against the Ottomans.
• Along the way, we’ll meet Moldova’s national hero, Stephen the Great, who features on the local currency. The tour concludes outside the Presidential Palace, initially intended to be used for the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR.

Afternoon

• After learning much about the history of Moldova and the impact of socialism on the country, we’ll head to a restaurant which serves hearty Moldavian cuisine – we recommend trying Sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls) and Borscht (traditional soup) and maybe a swift glass of beer.
• We’ll continue to explore Chisinau’s Soviet history with your YPT guide, by the visiting the abandoned Chisinau Circus the Komsomol monument before heading back to the hotel to relax and freshen up. Along the way, we’ll head into the central market to see a beautiful mosaic and grab a beer with the friendly locals.
• Once everyone’s ready we’ll head up to the National Hotel, built during the peak of the Soviet era. The hotel was used by the KGB for espionage purposes to spy on guests but is now deserted and a shell of its former glory – it’s also a great spot to enjoy the views overlooking Chisinau and appreciate the brutalist architecture over the sunset.
• We’ll head out for dinner to the best steak house in the city, and for those inclined, a few refreshments at a speakeasy bar.
• Overnight stay in Chisinau.

Thursday 8th October – Chisinau – North Transnistria – Tiraspol 

Morning

• Breakfast at our hotel before our schedule ahead.
• Our morning begins at 8:30am where we’ll meet our Transnistria fixer for instructions and guidelines we must follow during our time in the breakaway republic of Transnistria.
• We’ll head off for a 2-hour road trip where we’ll stop at a gas station to pick up supplies – please note this will be last time you’ll be able to use your bank cards until we return.
• Once we reach the border, we’ll disembark our vehicle for passport control, before we head into Transnistria – please remember it’s prohibited to take photos during immigration control.
• The first city we’ll visit is Rîbnița, also known as Rybnitsa. The city is the centre of metallurgical industry of the region.
• We’ll need to exchange our money for the local currency at the bank. Your guide will be happy to explain the current exchange rate and estimate of what you should exchange – although prices have gone up in recent years it’s still a relatively cheap compared to Western cities.
• On arrival to Rîbnița, we’ll head straight to the impressive cathedral before we walk around the memorial park, dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. The scenery is impressive, with Soviet memorials alongside the cathedral and communist apartment blocks in the background.
• We’ll make our way into the heart of Rîbnița to see Lenin standing just outside the city hall, before visiting the largest Soviet mosaic in Transnistria. In the city, the mosaic subjects of socialist realism depict labour heroes, liberators, cosmonauts, sportsmen, pioneers and collective farmers.
• .We’ll have lunch at Cafe Panorama, which offers beautiful views of the city.

Afternoon

• We’ll continue our visit of North Transnistria in Dubossary, the third largest city in Transnistria. During the Soviet times, in the summer period, the population here increased several times due to tourism.
• Our walking tour will include various key sites, including a peaceful memorial located in the park, a functioning stadium built during Soviet times and of course, an impressive Soviet mosaic!
• We’ll take you to a very isolated Soviet music college that is still actively used. It has a large and beautiful Lenin outside and a perfectly intact giant Soviet emblem. We’ll also see the hydroelectric dam controlled by the Russian Army. The area is of strategic importance, hence why there is a heavy military and hardware presence.
• The best way to meet locals in this rural isolated town is at the local bar – we’ll be stepping back in time while we’re having a few refreshing drinks in this beautifully preserved Soviet-era establishment.
• Outside the city, we’ll stop off at a tank memorial – The Barrow of Glory. The memorial commemorates the four soldiers who lost their lives within the tank while liberating Dubăsari from the German-Romanian invaders. Ultimately the crew lost their lives within the tank, which fell into the Dniester River from a bridge during a fierce battle.
• Continuing towards Tiraspol, we’ll make a brief stop in Grigoriopol, Here, you can find a Lenin statue and various war memorials – however for those who are keen, your guide will show you an impressive mosaic, tucked away behind the markets.
• Our last roadside stop will be in Toshlick to see the impressive Soviet memorial dedicated to various branches of the military in the Great Patriotic War. Locals here still maintain the memorial – something that is lost in other former Soviet Republics.
• On arrival to Tiraspol, we’ll check into our hotel to quickly freshen up before heading to dinner.
• Overnight in Tiraspol

Friday 9th October – Bendery – Tiraspol

Morning

• After our incredibly-packed road trip the day before, we’ll have a leisurely 10:30am departure to Bendery, the second largest city in Transnistria and the only one located west of the Dniester River. In Soviet times Bendery was USSR-famous for its high-quality shoemaking, sewing and food-processing industries, electric cables and silk production. Many of those companies function today.
• On our arrival, we’ll explore the city walking to the renovated and well-maintained train station. You’ll notice that there’s are no trains – it’s an empty ghost station. There are Soviet monuments and an old Soviet train from WWII, with the hammer and sickle on the front, very few locals come here which makes it great for a photo opportunity.
• We’ll continue down the street until we come across Lenin standing opposite the local cinema. It’s a great place to grab a coffee and enjoy the Soviet interior adorned with modern movies posters. Along the tour, you’ll see the government buildings still bearing the bullet holes left from the Civil war – a reminder for those who are quick to forget.
• We’ll continue on our walking tour to the House of Culture, a stunning building of great historical significance to the local community. Although it’s not permitted to enter, we’ll try our luck and hopefully check out the impressive interior of the building.
• We’ll have lunch at the “Back to the USSR” canteen, a recent project by a local restaurateur. Passionate about good food and Soviet relics, he made this
  trendy canteen a real museum full of objects getting you back in time.

Afternoon

• After wrapping-up our Bendery tour, we’ll head back to Tiraspol.
• There, we’ll enjoy an excursion and tasting experience at the KVINT Distillery. This Wine & brandy distillery was established back in 1897. It was one of the most famous “cognac” brands in the former USSR. During the visit, you’ll learn about the process of local cognacs (aka “divins”) making, see the distillery’s infrastructure, and enjoy an afterwards tasting of five different brandies aged from 8 to 15 years (extra cost: 25€).
• Those not willing to take part in the KVINT Distillery tour will enjoy two hours of free time in Tiraspol.
• In the late afternoon, we’ll enjoy a river boat trip – a great way to give a new perspective of the city and share a few drinks with the local youth.
• For dinner, we’ll head to the restaurant CRAFT – which happens to have live music tonight. Another great way to mingle with the locals!
• Overnight in Tiraspol.

Saturday 10th October – Tiraspol – Kitskany

Morning

• After breakfast, we’ll start our walking tour of Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria. One thing you’ll notice is how clean, friendly and structured society it is.
• We’ll start off by heading to the flea market, where you can find Soviet items, such as medals, currency, hats, and much more!
• There, our historical walking tour will start at the epic statue of the Russian General Alexander Suvorov – who founded the capital in 1792. He is featured on much of the currency and is considered a national hero.
• We’ll find the numerous flags on flying – the Russian Federation and Transnistrian flags alongside the flags of each district of Transnistria. Opposite are the flags of Transnistria and the breakaway brotherhood states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. What’s most interesting is the large national emblem – your guides will explain the meaning behind it.
• Like in every town and city here, we’ll see a Lenin standing outside the government building: this statue is currently the tallest outside Russia. We’ll continue down October Street, visiting the Eternal Flame Memorial complex dedicated to the Soviet-Afghan war, WW2, Transnistrian Civil War and Chernobyl nuclear accident. Opposite the Flame is the battle-damaged T-34 monument from WWII. You’re permitted to climb on it and get an awesome photo.
• On our walk along October Street, we’ll pass the Abkhazia and South Ossetia embassy. We’ll also pass by some beautiful Soviet era architecture and the impressive House of Culture, with a bust of Lenin waiting outside – we’ll take a customary group photo here.
• We’ll visit the University and see the memorial dedicated to the students and teachers who fell during the Great Patriotic War. Something that’s not so Soviet is the statue of Harry Potter and Hedwig, located opposite.
• Our walk will end up at Gagarin Boulevard. Here we’ll see a bust and a massive mural of Yuri Gagarin – pilot, cosmonaut and the first man in space.
• YPT will also take you to our favourite bookshop, to pick up some Soviet and Transnistrian nationalist paraphernalia – perfect place to acquire your Transnistrian flag and fridge magnet!
• For lunch, we’ll transfer to Casa Karaman, a traditional village where local enthusiasts opened in 2017 a rural house-museum that gives an insight into the rural living of the 20th century. The visit is proceeded with a typical local meal (outdoor or indoor) accompanied with a homemade wine in a friendly family (extra cost, 20€).

Afternoon

• We’ll then switch it up and board an old Soviet ferry without an engine and cross the Dniester River to see how the villagers live, across from Tiraspol – this is an area truly lost in the USSR!
• We’ll visit a still-functioning palace of culture, in Kitskany, with an enormous head of Lenin outside, pockmarked with Kalashnikov bullet holes after Moldovan troops symbolically executed him during the Civil War.
• Next, we’ll then visit the stunning and completely self-sufficient New Neamts Monastery complex that must be seen to be believed. We know many of the priests there and they will allow us to sample their incredible homemade wine. The Friary has the tallest Bell-Tower (70 metres) in Moldova and Transnistria, from where the most courageous can enjoy the first-class view overlooking over miles and miles around.
• We’ll head back to Tiraspol for dinner at a local restaurant.
• Overnight stay in Tiraspol.

Sunday 11th October – South Transnistria

Morning

• Today will be dedicated to the Southern region of Transnistria, particularly the cities of Chiobruchi and Dnestrovsk.
• On the way, we’ll stop at a funny Lenin monument in the Sukleya village – you’ll understand when you see it!
• We’ll arrive at Dnestrovsk, the youngest town of Transnistria, known as a city of power engineers. It relates directly to the construction of the Moldovan Hydropower Plant that was to provide electricity to the Moldovan SSR and southern regions of the Ukrainian SSR, Romania and Bulgaria.
• After visiting Dnestrovsk, we’ll continue to Chobruchi. There, we’ll visit the landscape park named after Dmitrii Rodin. The 4-hectare park was laid in 1958 and constantly transformed since, with waterfalls, fountains and artificial reservoirs added to it.
• We’ll also see the Opera House. Like many officials buildings, you’ll find a Lenin standing outside. Although it’s not permitted to enter, we’ll try our luck to enter.

Afternoon

• We’ll continue and explore an old Soviet Beach Resort and Fishing Village, with hundreds of old Soviet Dachas on stilts in the water. Little has changed since 1950 and it’s always great interacting with the locals here, as they’re not use to tourists.
• This is the perfect spot for a picnic on the bank of the Turunchuk River, a tributary of the Dniester River. It is a beautiful nature reserve, much loved by the locals for recreation and fishing.
• Once we’re ready, we’ll start making our way back to Tiraspol
• After a busy day we’ll head out for dinner at a local restaurant.
• Overnight stay in Tiraspol.

Monday 12th October – Tiraspol – Chisinau

• We’ll have a relaxing morning breakfast before we depart our hotel.
• As it’s our final moments in Transnistria, you can head to The Nativity Church, the largest church in Tiraspol, visiting the open air market, or enjoy a cup of coffee.
• We’ll head to a Sheriff store one final time, to pick up snacks for our journey back to Chisinau and to exchange our Transnistrian Rubles back to Euros/USD.
• Once we arrive to Chisinau at 12:00pm, the tour concludes – YPT can arrange additional nights in Chisinau and are more than happy to provide advice for ongoing flights or trains.