Old Orhei
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
153 reviews
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Crazy_Jim_83
London, UK1,583 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
On a good warm day this is a lovely, fairly short walk up to the monastery and back again. You get stunning views and an old church, plus caves and a museum. Worth it for the views alone.
Written 15 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
onepoet
Columbia, MO565 contributions
Jun 2016 • Solo
This is an amazing hilltop site with overlapping ancient civilizations present. The most visible is a network of about 70 caves where the ascetic monks have resided since the 14th centrist. There is a cave shrine with the last old monk in residence keeping watch. Look behind him, there is a door to a preserved cave where monks used to sleep in carved out stalls. Amazing. The views are awesome. Well worth the visit.
Written 1 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SpenserDC
Laramie, WY25 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
Old Orhei is a delightful little village and archeological complex. We did not visit the museum, but the village, complete with he cave monastery and cozy restauraunt make for an unforgettable experience.
When you’re in the village it feels as though you’ve been transported to a different time. We visited in the winter when there was snow on the ground and the kids were enjoying the weather sledding down hills and even tying multiple sleds together and then being pulled along by a horse.
Speaking of sledding, it wasn’t just for the kids. While we were having lunch in the local restaurant, we were approached by a couple who asked if we wanted to try it. I assumed it was an offer to sell us some sort of tour excursion, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was just an offer to have some fun at no extra charge. It was one of many examples of what makes for place so quaint and worth a visit.
While you’re there, make sure to eat at the restaurant. Even as a vegan, the food was so tasty! It was the best meal we had in all of Moldova.
When you’re in the village it feels as though you’ve been transported to a different time. We visited in the winter when there was snow on the ground and the kids were enjoying the weather sledding down hills and even tying multiple sleds together and then being pulled along by a horse.
Speaking of sledding, it wasn’t just for the kids. While we were having lunch in the local restaurant, we were approached by a couple who asked if we wanted to try it. I assumed it was an offer to sell us some sort of tour excursion, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was just an offer to have some fun at no extra charge. It was one of many examples of what makes for place so quaint and worth a visit.
While you’re there, make sure to eat at the restaurant. Even as a vegan, the food was so tasty! It was the best meal we had in all of Moldova.
Written 21 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicole B
Porto Alegre, RS977 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
A little out of the way, but the dramatic scenery from this little cave monastery is very beautiful. You have to park at the bottom of the hill and walk to the top to enter the rebuilt cave monastery through the entrance under a bell tower. Inside is small and sparse, but now a protected site. A few hundred meters up the hill is an active local church in what looks like an old Spanish mission. Interesting, but not sure it's worth doing all on it's own; maybe stop at one of the local wineries on the way.
Written 24 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ECM64
Monterrey, Mexico51 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
This place has history, you can sense it, a cultural moment that make you think about lots of things in life that you cannot imagine, because our actual time would not understand it. Take a moment and think if you could have done same things back in that time? Could you do it w/o current technology? Also very important, local families offer local/home made food for tourists. You can taste mom cooking and home made red wine. I was lucky enough to live this experience. I think many cultures/countries/families offer this experience. Each one to their own way of life. Do not expect restaurant or fast food similarities. Just do not be picky, and adapt, eat, and tell your children to stay away from modernity lucrative services who would never offer you the warmth and sincerity of locals. Once in a life time experience before this country turns into capitalism. By the way, you can see the whole valley from top of the mountain or outside the monastery, but it is a cliff with not fence as protection. Watch for children, any age.
Written 22 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alp Korhan
Nicosia, Cyprus395 contributions
Mar 2020
Very nice place to visit, especially when the weather is nice. It will be good to have a walk, visit the churches and local restaurants close by.
Written 5 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MatkamiesJ
Tampere, Finland206 contributions
Feb 2020
Scenery is beautiful even in February. Monastery, specially caves, is unique. The village gives great possibilities for a proper and tasty lunch.
Recommend!
Recommend!
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dgjohansson
Ronneby, Sweden1,621 contributions
Jun 2019 • Business
The area is quite interesting and if you set aside a whole day, you'll probably be able to see what you need to see to make this a worthwhile trip. This place is on the tentative list of becoming a world heritage and the surroundings are there, but not the setting just yet. Most people seem to be guided towards the cave monastery, the (new) monastery on the hill and the authentic old farm. The scenery is good, the cave is a bit interesting but there is very little told about the history around the Golden Hoard. The small museum in town shows about 10 showcases of old stuff they've found with the best pieces shipped off to Chisinau's museums. So, for potential as a world heritage, it's a bit disappointing but for just plain scenery, it is a nice place to visit.
Written 23 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aanjaa M
8 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Very good place with interesting story and nice view. Specially if you are Christian, you would appreciate the history. Visit the Moldavian restaurant there. That is a must to have full cultural experience.
Written 24 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emanuel I
Bucharest, Romania98 contributions
Sept 2018
A nice place, some history, some legends, above all a relaxing and interesting place to visit. Really interesting to visit the old ashlar cells.
Written 28 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Есть ли там возможность взять гида на месте?
Written 5 March 2020
Is it open everyday? Or is it closed some days of the week, if so what days?
Written 2 September 2018
Old Orhei is really several things - The cave chapel is, I'd think, as the monk lives there, the monastery I didn't visit, don't know, and the typical village I think is open every day too.
Written 3 September 2018
Is it open everyday? Or is it closed some days of the week, if so what days?
Written 2 September 2018
Not 100% sure if the cave monastery is open every day, but when i went in June the church was closed. But still it’s worth visiting for the view. Then if you go down to the village, try some homemade wine. It was the best I had in Moldova.
You need to rent a car or someone with a car who knows the place well.
Good luck!
Written 3 September 2018
Is it an easy walk around? I’m a bit rubbish with heights and edges, is it manageable?
Written 19 June 2018
Agreed - baths can be seen from the road and the monastery is fine, which require walking but is easy access. If my mum had been there for the other areas (she's afraid of heights), she would not have managed, despite being physically fit. Getting to the caves requires walking a lot of mountain paths with no safety rails or steps. For anyone less fit or without good balance, it can be a bit dangerous. That danger would not translate well for someone with a fear of heights, as there is a distance to the ground for some of those areas. Would still be worth doing the tour and just letting the tour guide know I'd say. Old Orhei was my favourite part of Moldova.
Written 20 June 2018
Wie viel kostet ein Taxi von Chisinau nach Orhei?
Written 3 June 2015
Hi Dorii,
I paid 150 USD (kind of expensive) for three people to get to this Monastery and to visit Casa Verde to eat home made real Moldavian food and red wine. The whole trip took about 4 hours to complete. The monastery is about 50 kilometers from Chisinau center city.
Written 22 June 2016
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