40 minutes from Chișinău and you're in another world. A 13th-century cave monastery, wineries, the Codru forests and a night in a real castle. We put together a two-day itinerary you won't forget.
Day one — from the city to the castle
From Old Orhei to the castle it's a 10-minute drive. The road winds through hills, and at some point you see it — a real stone castle with towers and a red roof, standing on a hilltop surrounded by greenery.
Castel Unghern is not a chain hotel or a country guesthouse. It's a castle built stone by stone, with seven rooms, each bearing its own name and character. Grape, Stefan cel Mare, Sparrow, Rose, Wolf, Esenin, Napoleon — you're not just booking a room, you're choosing an atmosphere for the evening.
The castle is fully self-sufficient — its own solar station and artesian well. It depends on the city for nothing. You feel it: different air, different pace, a different sense of the evening.
Dinner is served in the restaurant on the ground floor. The chef combines European gastronomy with Moldovan recipes — a menu worth making the trip for even without staying the night. After dinner — a walk around the grounds, the terrace, the forest that begins just beyond the gate, and an evening no one hurries.
A night in the castle is not about a luxury room with a view. It's about the feeling that the world beyond the walls has stopped, and you finally have nowhere to be.
Day two — morning at the castle and the road back
Morning — breakfast at the castle
Breakfast is served in the ground-floor hall. No need to rush — you're in a castle, time doesn't press here. Coffee, fresh bread, whatever the chef has prepared. A morning worth remembering.
Walk — the Codru forests
Castel Unghern stands on the edge of one of Moldova's oldest forests. Stepping through the gate and heading down the trail takes exactly zero effort. The Codru is not a park or a town square. It's a real forest with ancient trees, trails and a silence that begins ten steps from the castle.
On the way back — Château Vartely
A modern winery in the Orhei district. Tastings, a tour of the production facility, a restaurant overlooking the vineyards. The perfect stop on the way back to Chișinău. A visit takes 1–2 hours.
For those in no hurry — Tipova Monastery
One of Moldova's oldest cave monasteries, carved into the cliff above the Dniester. The road is a bit longer, but if time allows — this is one of the most breathtaking places in the whole country.
A countryside escape — what to know before you go
Distances from Castel Unghern: · Chișinău — 40 km (40 minutes) · Old Orhei — 10 minutes · Curchi Monastery — 20 minutes · Château Vartely — 15 minutes · Chișinău Airport — 51 km · Tipova Monastery — 45 minutes
Accommodation: Castel Unghern — a castle-hotel with 7 rooms, restaurant, free parking. 2,100 MDL per night, breakfast included.
The best weekends don't start with a plan — they start with a place you want to be. Castel Unghern is on the way to everything worth seeing in this region. Book a night at the castle and build your itinerary around it.