Memorial Easter in Moldova + Transnistria
April 17-25, 2026
From $4 490.00
In stock
Travel description
Discount of CHF 500 (or equivalent in EUR and USD).
Offer valid until November 30, 2025.
Don’t want to limit yourself to just a quick stop in Transnistria but also wish to explore the rest of Moldova? This travel workshop with Didier Ruef will let you discover the Easter of the Dead, one of the most deeply rooted traditions in northern Moldova, take you to the autonomous region of Gagauzia in the south of the country, and of course also to Transnistria, going beyond Bender and Tiraspol.
This trip is limited to a maximum of 5 participants, allowing for better interaction and making the most of the presence of photographer Didier Ruef.
The workshop with Didier Ruef is open to all levels of photographic experience, and it will give you the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the local culture, meet local people, and share your passion for photography with other participants.
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Day 1 – Arrival in Moldova
Flight to Moldova. Meeting with the local guide, transfer to the hotel. First exploration of the capital.
Overnight in Chișinău.
Day 2 – The Easter of the Dead
Transfer to northern Moldova, arrival in the city of Soroca. Visit of the cemetery during the Easter of the Dead (Paștele Blajinilor), one of the country’s most heartfelt holidays, during which families gather in cemeteries to eat together. Visit to the Gypsy Hill, the capital of the Roma community in Moldova, and the Soroca Fortress, built by Prince Stephen the Great.
Overnight in Soroca.
Day 3 – The Pearl of the North
Departure for the Orheiul Vechi area with visits to the highlights of the villages of Branesti and Butuceni. Transfer to the village of Trebujeni, with visits to the ruins of the ancient Ottoman thermal bath and caravanserai, climb to the tufa caves with a panoramic view over the Orheiul Vechi valley and the Răut River, with caves, hills, sites, necropolises, and ancient hermitages. Visit to the open-air museum complex of Orheiul Vechi, where the first inhabitants settled about 40,000 years ago.
Return and overnight in Chișinău.
Day 4 – Bender
Departure from the hotel towards Transnistria. During the day, visit of Bender, the border city with the Tighina Fortress (conquered – according to the tale – by Baron Munchausen while riding a cannonball) and the Noul Neamt Monastery in Chițcani. Lunch in a typical Soviet canteen and dinner in a Georgian restaurant.
Overnight in Tiraspol.
Day 5 – Tiraspol
In-depth visit of the entire city of Tiraspol, starting from an abandoned school (rivalling those of Chernobyl) and continuing through the many Soviet monuments and... a statue of Harry Potter. Lunch in an ethnic venue and dinner in a Soviet-style restaurant.
Overnight in Tiraspol.
Day 6 – Northern Transnistria
Departure from Tiraspol to visit the whole northern Transnistria: Dubăsari, Rîbnița, and Rașcov. Return to Chișinău in the late evening.
Overnight in Chișinău.
Day 7 – Autonomous Region of Gagauzia
Transfer to Comrat, the capital of Gagauzia, with a stop at the “imaginary border.” Visit of the city: the Basilica of St. John, the local Parliament (People’s Assembly of Gagauzia), and the statue of Lenin. Continuation to the nearby village of Congaz, with lunch in a beautiful traditional restaurant.
In the afternoon, continuation to the village of Gaidar with its old windmill, then reaching the town of Ceadîr-Lunga, famous for its major horse breeding farm and for the golden statue of Lenin.
Return towards the Moldovan capital with a stop in the village of Tvardița, one of the Moldovan localities inhabited by the Bulgarians of Bessarabia.
Overnight in Chișinău.
Day 8 – Chișinău
Guided visit of the Moldovan capital and final evening of the travel workshop.
Overnight in Chișinău.
Day 9 – Return Home
Free time to visit the capital. Transfer to the airport.
- Workshop with the photographer Didier Ruef (speaking English and Italian)
- Local guide speaking English and Italian
- Accommodation in a twin or double room
- Daily breakfast (8)
- Private minibus with driver
- Flight ticket
- VISA
- Transfers to and from the airport
- Insurance (mandatory)
- All meals not mentioned
- All alcoholic and soft drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Single room supplement
- Anything not expressly indicated
Bernard S. –
A journey to the border of the Soviet empire that our guide helped us discover. Above all, the human reality that has changed very little in the spirit of the people since the Soviet era. What’s more, fabulous places such as Ruscov, where three communities lived—Moldovan, Ukrainian, and Jewish—and left fundamental traces of their culture.