Cricova Winery & Bender Fortress: 2 Excursions in One Day

Underground wine streets, a breakaway capital, and a fortress: all in one day

A full-day tour from Chisinau combines two separate excursions: Cricova winery's 120 km of subterranean cellars and wine streets, followed by a crossing into Transnistria to visit Tiraspol city and Bender Fortress. The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a business lunch, wine tasting, and an English-speaking guide. You'll need your passport to cross the border.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Cricova, Tiraspol, and Bender Fortress

• Depart to Cricova cellars
• Explore Cricova underground city
• Travel to Tiraspol city
• Visit Tiraspol city sights
• Visit Bender Fortress

The experience

The day starts at Cricova, a limestone mine transformed into an underground city of wine storage. Founded in 1952, the cellars sprawl beneath the small town of Cricova in avenues and streets carved from the mines, lined with niches holding Cabernet, Aligote, Sauvignon and other varieties. The scale is the draw here, 120 km of passages in total, and you walk through them with your guide, tasting wines as you go.

After Cricova, the tour crosses into Transnistria, the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic, to reach Tiraspol city. Founded after the Peace Treaty of Jassy concluded the Russian-Turkish War in 1791, Tiraspol is the capital of this breakaway region, and the visit gives you a look at a place most travelers never reach. From there you'll visit Bender Fortress, the third stop of the day. A business lunch is included partway through, and your driver and guide handle the logistics of the border crossing. You just need to bring your passport.

The full itinerary runs eight hours from hotel pickup to drop-off. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, as is the professional English-speaking guide and driver.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• professional English-speaking guide and driver.
• wine tasting at Cricova.
• business lunch.
• access to the 120 km of underground cellars and wine streets.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday and SundayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Infant (under 2)

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 33 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by BESTMoldova.md

Is this one for you?This tour works best for travelers with a full day free in Chisinau who want to see two distinct regions in one outing. The fixed itinerary and included transport mean you don't arrange the border crossing or logistics yourself. Your guide handles it all, and you just bring your passport.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 2).

What exactly is inside the Cricova cellars?

Cricova is an underground city of wine storage built from an old limestone mine. The cellars contain wine stored in niches along 120 km of avenues and streets, with varieties like Cabernet, Aligote and Sauvignon. You walk through these passages with your guide and taste wines during the visit.

Do I need a passport to visit Tiraspol and Bender Fortress?

Yes, you must have your passport with you to cross the Transnistria border. The guide and driver handle the border crossing process, but your passport is required.

What's included in the business lunch?

A business lunch is provided during the tour. Wine tasting is also included as part of the Cricova visit.

How long is the full tour?

The tour runs eight hours total from hotel pickup to drop-off, covering both the Cricova winery and the Transnistria excursion to Tiraspol and Bender Fortress.

Will I have time to explore Tiraspol and Bender Fortress, or is it just a quick visit?

The tour includes visits to both Tiraspol city and Bender Fortress as part of the second excursion. Your guide will lead you through both stops within the eight-hour timeframe.