Visit Chateau Purcari Winery and Marta & Maria Monastery

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Depart : Chisinau

Transportation from Chisinau to “Marta and Maria” Monastery will take about 90 minutes.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Hagimus, Moldova

A Sacred Journey to Marta & Maria Monastery, Hagimus

Your day begins effortlessly. Our dedicated guide will greet you directly at your hotel or apartment in Chișinău, setting a tone of personalized care from the very first moment. With a warm smile and a deep knowledge of Moldova’s spiritual landscape, your guide will accompany you on a scenic drive southeast—approximately 75 kilometers—into the quiet, rolling countryside of the Căușeni district. Your destination: the serene and relatively young Marta & Maria Monastery, nestled in the small locality of Hagimus.

As you leave the capital’s gentle bustle behind, the road unfurls through sun-drenched fields of sunflowers and wheat, past villages where horse-drawn carts still outnumber cars. The journey itself becomes a gentle unwinding, a slow passage into a more contemplative world. And then, almost like a secret revealed, the monastery appears—modest, peaceful, and inviting.

Though Moldova is home to ancient monastic sites dating back centuries, the Marta & Maria Monastery carries a different kind of beauty: a modern, living faith, still being woven into the present. Its history is relatively new but no less moving. The holy place was founded on May 26, 1997—a date etched into the memory of the local faithful. The founder was the late Bishop of Edineț and Briceni, Dorimedont (1961–2006), a beloved spiritual father whose vision gave life to this sacred refuge. At the time of its founding, Dorimedont served as the abbot of the renowned Noul-Neamț monastery in Chițcani, a historic stronghold of Orthodox monasticism in the region.

The idea for the monastery came to him at the proposal of the archpriest and STC inspector Andrei—now known as Archimandrite Andrei (Cotruța), who currently serves as the devoted priest of the Marta & Maria Monastery. What began as a seed of inspiration has since blossomed into a thriving spiritual community.

Today, Marta & Maria is a nunnery, and its heartbeat is the quiet, dedicated life of approximately 70 nuns who live and pray within its grounds. These women—dressed in traditional black habits—tend to the gardens, maintain the church, chant in soulful harmony during services, and welcome pilgrims with humble grace. Their presence fills the monastery with a palpable sense of devotion, humility, and quiet joy.

As you walk the peaceful pathways, you will hear the soft rustle of their robes, perhaps catch a fragment of a prayer whispered on the wind, and witness a way of life that has remained unchanged for generations—even if the buildings themselves are relatively new. The monastery church, with its modest domes and icon-covered walls, invites you to light a candle, offer a silent wish, or simply sit in the stillness.

Your guide will remain with you throughout, offering context, translating conversations with the nuns if desired, and ensuring you feel welcomed not as a tourist, but as a guest. Before departing, you may have the chance to purchase small handmade goods or blessed items from the monastery shop—a meaningful keepsake from a place where faith is not just practiced, but lived, day after day, by nearly seventy dedicated souls.

This is not merely a stop on an itinerary. It is a quiet pilgrimage into the heart of Moldova’s living Orthodox tradition—gentle, sincere, and unforgettable.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Purcari, Purcari, Stefan Voda District

Chateau Purcari: A Taste of Royal History

Nestled in the sun-drenched hills of southeastern Moldova, near the gentle shores of the Dniester River, lies Chateau Purcari—a name that echoes far beyond the country’s modest borders. Here, within centuries-old stone walls and modern, gleaming cellars, wines under the celebrated Purcari brand are produced. These are not merely local favorites. They are wines that have conquered the palates of Central and Eastern Europe, gracing the tables of connoisseurs from Warsaw to Prague, from Bucharest to Moscow.

What makes Purcari so exceptional? It begins with the land. The winery manages approximately 320 hectares of carefully tended vineyards, spread across rolling hills that bask in more than 2,200 hours of sunshine each year. This prized terroir lies within the region of “Ștefan Vodă,” a territory that holds the prestigious status of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This official recognition is not easily won—it is a testament to the unique microclimate, the limestone-rich black soil, and generations of winemaking wisdom passed down like a family heirloom.

But Purcari is not just a winery. It is a living monument. Established in 1827, it holds the proud title of the oldest winery in the Republic of Moldova. To walk its cellars is to walk through nearly two centuries of oenological history. And among Moldovan wineries, it is also the most famous—a reputation earned drop by drop, vintage by vintage.

One of the most delightful secrets of Purcari is its geographical serendipity. The Purcari vineyards are located at exactly the same latitude as France’s most revered wine region: Bordeaux. That imaginary line that circles the globe connects these two seemingly distant worlds—one in southwestern France, the other in eastern Europe. This shared latitude blesses Purcari with a similar climate of warm summers, mild autumns, and just enough rainfall to coax the grapes into perfect, balanced ripeness. In a sense, Moldova’s low-key countryside shares a secret kinship with the glamorous châteaux of Médoc and Saint-Émilion.

Yet, unlike Bordeaux’s global superstardom, Purcari earned its fame through quiet excellence—and through royal approval. The wines of Purcari became so sought‑after that they found their way to the most exclusive tables in Europe. They were popular at royal courts across the continent, requested not by common merchants but by emperors, kings, and queens.

Among the luminaries who developed a taste for Purcari was Russian Emperor Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, whose court demanded only the finest. Across the English Channel, the formidable Queen Victoria herself was known to appreciate Purcari’s offerings. And her grandson, King George V—the monarch who steered Britain through the Great War—also counted Purcari among his favored wines.

Imagine that: a wine born from humble Moldovan soil, poured from crystal decanters in Buckingham Palace, the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, and Windsor Castle. Today, when you lift a glass of Purcari’s iconic Negru de Purcari or its elegant Rosu de Purcari, you are not just tasting a wine. You are tasting history. You are sharing a moment with tsars and sovereigns, with Victorian royals and Eastern European aristocracy.

A visit to Chateau Purcari is more than a tasting tour. It is a journey through time, a stroll through sunlit vineyards that share the same stars as Bordeaux, and a toast to two centuries of excellence. Whether you are a seasoned oenophile or a curious traveler, Purcari promises not just a sip, but a story.

 

Travellers do a tour of the “Purcari” Winery that takes a duration of about 45 minutes. Visit of the industrial and historical part of the factory. Booking our experience you’ll have also a wine tasting program with a duration of 40 minutes, that consists of 4 wines, 1 sparkling wine, nuts, breadsticks and still water.

Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes

Stop At: Carahasani, Moldova

In Carahasani you will enjoy a traditional lunch in a local guesthouse, in country life style. The Guesthouse business is run by an Italian and his Moldovan wife from Carahasani.

Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes

Departure to Chisinau. The drive will take approximately 2 hours 15 minutes back to your hotel.