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Cricova Winery

Cricova is one of the world's largest underground wine cellars, stretching over 120 kilometers of limestone tunnels carved out from former mines. This legendary winery, founded in 1952, stores over 1.25 million bottles including rare collections from world leaders and celebrities - Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin famously have personal collections here. Visitors tour the underground city by car or on foot, passing through streets named after wine varieties. The cellars maintain a constant temperature of 12-14°C, perfect for wine aging.

Practical Information

Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Visit Duration

Minimum1.5 hours
Recommended2 hours
Maximum3 hours

Entrance Fee

Adult
400 MDL~400 $
Child
400 MDL~400 $

RESERVATION REQUIRED. Basic tour 400 MDL, with tasting from 650 MDL, VIP 3000 MDL. Tours in Romanian, Russian, English. Weekend extra 100 MDL

Best Time to Visit

Book at least 2-3 days in advance; morning tours less crowded; avoid visiting after heavy drinking the night before

Crowd Level

Moderate — comfortable
Official Website

How to Get There

15 km north of Chisinau. Best reached by taxi (150-200 MDL one way) or organized tour. Some tour packages include transport from Chisinau hotels.

What to Expect

An unforgettable journey through underground streets lined with wine barrels and bottles. Tours by car or on foot, visiting aging cellars, tasting rooms, and the famous collection vault. Wine tasting included (typically 4-6 wines). Souvenir shop with great prices on quality wines.

Connectivity

Wi-Fi
Not available

Facilities & Services

toilets
restaurant
gift shop
wine tasting

Working Hours

Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Note

By reservation only. Second largest wine cellar in world (120km tunnels). Underground city with streets and traffic lights. Bring jacket (10C underground). 20-30 min from Chisinau.

Accessibility

Wheelchair Access
Fully accessible

faq.title

faq.subtitle Cricova Winery

Book through their official website (cricova.md), by phone, or through a travel agency in Chisinau. Tours are available in Romanian, Russian, and English. Booking 2-3 days ahead is recommended, especially in peak season.

Both are famous underground wineries near Chisinau. Cricova is more developed for tourism with car tours. Milestii Mici holds the Guinness Record for largest wine collection (2 million bottles) and is even larger, but less tourist-oriented. Many visitors do both.

Travel Tips

Useful tips for visiting Cricova Winery

Book in advance online or by phone. Bring a jacket - it's cold underground (12-14°C) year-round. Don't drive if you plan to enjoy the tastings. Ask about the famous personal collections stored here. Buy wines at the shop - much cheaper than elsewhere.

15 km north of Chisinau. Best reached by taxi (150-200 MDL one way) or organized tour. Some tour packages include transport from Chisinau hotels.

An unforgettable journey through underground streets lined with wine barrels and bottles. Tours by car or on foot, visiting aging cellars, tasting rooms, and the famous collection vault. Wine tasting included (typically 4-6 wines). Souvenir shop with great prices on quality wines.

Reviews

Weather

Average temperature by month

Nowweather-6°
75%8 м/с
Todayweather-2°-7°
Tomorrowweather-1°-8°
Thuweather4°-3°
Friweather2°0°
Satweather1°-8°
Sunweather-8°-12°
Monweather-6°-13°
1°
-4°Jan
3°
-3°Feb
9°
1°Mar
16°
6°Apr
22°
12°May
26°
15°Jun
28°
17°Jul
28°
16°Aug
23°
12°Sep
16°
7°Oct
9°
2°Nov
3°
-2°Dec

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