Visiting Old Orhei (Orheiul Vechi): Moldova’s Cave Monastery & Dramatic Landscapes

On Europe’s far eastern frontier, between Ukraine and Romania, lies Moldova, a country most tourists overlook, which is probably why it’s still so charming. Small, post-Soviet, and blissfully free of tacky souvenir stands, it’s rich in history and culture. Today we swapped Chișinău’s city streets for the countryside, where monasteries cling to cliffs, villages seem stuck in another century, and traces of past civilisations are scattered about as if someone misplaced them.

Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) is Moldova’s most famous heritage site – a dramatic complex of cliffs, caves, monasteries, and ancient ruins and just an hour from Chișinău. We’d booked what I thought was a straightforward tour… only to find ourselves with an adventurous guide who abandoned the brief, detoured off-road, and generally made the day twice as unpredictable and twice as fun too!

So, here’s how it went!

Trip Report

Vasili arrived bright and early for our hotel pickup. Our guide for the day, his task was to take us around Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) in the morning and then deliver us to Cricova in the afternoon for wine tasting. Then back to the hotel, late afternoon. We were the only participants for our group trip, so we ended up with a much more personal tour.

The journey to Orheiul Vechi would normally take a little over an hour, possibly a little longer in the morning traffic, but Vasili wasn’t hanging around and we arrived earlier than expected. He provided plenty of commentary about Chisinau, villages and landmarks along the way and personal anecdotes too.

As we approached the village of Trebujeni we caught our first view of St Mary’s perched on a limestone cliff above the Răut River, with the Codru Hills rising behind – not quite mountains, but dramatic enough to frame the valley like an amphitheatre.

Things to do in Old Orhei (Orheiul Vechi)

Defensive Wall & Medieval Archaeology Museum

Our first stop was at the newly reconstructed Medieval Archaeology Museum near the visitor entrance. it opened in March 2025 and there’s still not much online about it.

There’s a reconstructed medieval defensive wall, complete with a ditch, earthen rampart, wooden palisade and guard walkway. There’s even a slick brand new underground museum tucked inside with coins and artefacts from Stephen the Great’s time. The only snag? That ‘authentic’ wooden walkway has no railings and the logs which form the base can be difficult to stand on without wobbling, at least for me! I very nearly launched myself off the edge. Perhaps that’s why our guide adjusted our itinerary and took us cross-country in the car rather than hiking to some more of the more ‘difficult to reach’ spots on the reserve!

Visiting the Cave Monastery at Orheiul Vechi

After my ‘wobble’ on the wall, Vasili wasn’t taking any chances and asked at the visitor office if he could drive up to the entrance of the church, leading to the cave monastery, rather than let me hike up. I was embarrassed about making an idiot of myself and receiving ‘old lady privilege’ and to be honest, the hike wouldn’t have been very long or too strenuous (about 20 minutes). This trip is definitely doable, even if you’re not a mountain goat, just bring sensible shoes!

Whichever way you get to the top, here’s the view you will be rewarded with looking down on the Răut river and the valley below. It’s truly spectacular.

A short walk further along the ridge brings you to a modest bell tower. It’s the clifftop cave entrance to the Old Orhei cave monastery which is carved directly into the edge of the limestone cliff. You may need to find a monk to gain access.

Step inside and you’re in a warren of narrow passages, monk’s cells, and a small candlelit chapel smelling of beeswax and blackened by centuries of smoke. It’s possible the cave dates back as far back as the 13th century.

Here we can see the stairs leading down from the bell tower entrance into the cave monastery, Old Orhei. Plus the door opening out on to the cliff ledge, complete with resident monk, for a panoramic view of the river basin, with zero health and safety considerations.

Several monks are resident here making it a living site of worship rather than just a historical monument.  I felt I was intruding a little and also my privilege. If you go, be respectful and don’t outstay your welcome!

The inside of the monastery is elaborate and highly decorated. this is in stark contrast to the monk’s sleeping quarters. They sleep on the pure bedrock, in tiny stone nooks, each opening up into a central corridor,

This is the view you are greeted with when you go out of the back of the door monastery and straight onto a narrow ledge (no health and safety here!).

Standing on the ridge at Old Orhei, with the church perched atop and monastic cells carved into the cliffs, I was struck by other cliffside sanctuaries I’ve seen – the suspended monasteries of Meteora in Greece, the vast cave city of Vardzia in Georgia and also the ancient underground cities of Drinkuyu and Kaymakli in Cappadocia, Turkey. Old Orhei may be smaller in scale, but it shares that same improbable marriage of faith, human ingenuity and raw geology. It’s jaw dropping! This was one unforgettable moment and a highlight of my trip. Don’t miss this place off your itinerary to Moldova!

Exploring Old Orhei’s St Mary’s Church

St. Mary’s church (sometimes called St Catherine’s) is the landmark most people notice first at Old Orhei – a bright white Orthodox church perched dramatically on the ridge above Butuceni village. It’s generally open during the day, though like many rural Moldovan churches it may not keep rigid hours. If the door is shut you may need to find someone with a key, to let you in.

Built in the early 20th century (1904, on the site of an older wooden chapel), it was closed during Soviet times and even used as a museum storehouse. It’s striking inside and brightly painted with colourful icons, in traditional orthodox style. It was restored after Moldovan independence from Russia and is active again with regular services.

As with all churches in Moldova, modest dress is expected: men should remove hats, women may be asked to cover shoulders and ideally their heads. Scarves were available to borrow. Even if you don’t step inside, the setting itself makes the church worth the climb, standing out like a beacon above the valley villages and the meandering Răut river.

Visiting the Ethnographic Museum at Butaceni

The reserve isn’t just ruins and a church! The living villages of Butuceni & Trebujeni are part of the experience, with rustic guesthouses, traditional food, and village life carrying on much as before.

As we walked back through Butaceni, towards our lunch stop, we stopped off at the Ethnographic museum. A restored 19th-century peasant house filled with traditional textiles, dowry chests, ovens, and local crafts. It offered a glimpse of rural Moldovan life and the welcome we received was delightful.

Lunch at Butuceni Eco Resort

The Butuceni Eco Resort is a popular place for visitors and locals to eat. It was quiet when we visited, but, apparently, it gets very busy at the weekends.

Traditional Moldovian fare is served from locally sourced produce, with much bottled and preserved on site. It’s very traditional and homely both inside and out. Lunch in Butuceni felt like being welcomed into someone’s home kitchen.

We took advice and a steaming bowl of zeamă appeared for me. This is Moldova’s beloved chicken noodle soup, rich and tangy with plenty of herbs and vegetables. Martin chose mămăligă cu brânză, smântână și tocană de porc. That’s soft, golden polenta served with tangy white cheese, sour cream, and slow-cooked pork. Hearty food that went down well with glasses of chilled compot, This drink, popular in Moldova, is a simple homemade fruit drink, sweetened by whatever fruit is in season (in our case berries). Rustic, fresh, unpretentious and delicious.

Other things to do in Old Orhei

The limestone cliffs hide numerous smaller cave dwellings and hermitages, some dating back as early as the 10th–12th centuries. These scattered cliffside openings mark where monks once lived in isolation.

You can hike up the cliff side to reach them and go inside. Some are collapsed, but they give a powerful sense of the scale of spiritual life in this valley.

After I nearly toppled off the ramparts earlier, Vasili didn’t offer us this opportunity! He took us for an ride off-road instead. The jury’s out as to which involved more peril, which you will see if you read on!

Enjoying the River Basin Off-Road

Here you can see where our off-road adventure took us! We drove around the river basin. It was genuinely stunning, but not recommended for driving!

We gave both these bridges a pass! Martin here marking the end of the road!

Vasili told us he came here with his friends to fish, relax and picnic. There’s an annual music event, DescOperă Festival, held here too. The natural river basin makes a natural amphitheatre and a spectacular backdrop for the event.

Tartar Baths and Other Archaeological Sites

There are remains of a fortress, churches and further evidence of medieval Moldavian settlements, spread across the reserve.

Here’s a picture of a 14th-century stone bathhouse built during the Golden Horde time (Shehr al-Jedid). Way ahead of their time, you can see evidence of advanced heating systems and get a glimpse of daily life in the medieval settlement.

Map of Old Orhei Cultural-Natural Reserve

Here are some of the main points of interest in the Old Orhei Cultural-Natural Reserve, including the places I’ve covered here.

This completed our visited to Old Orhei, but the day was not over! Our guide took us to Cricova, for a crazy train tour around the miles of underground wine cellars and wine tasting at the winery.

Old Orhei is more than just a historic site, from ancient cave cells to lively village kitchens. – it’s where Moldova’s past and present meet, Whether you hike it solo or go with a guide, it’s an unforgettable highlight of Moldova. For us, our tour, was one of our most memorable travel experiences.

Have you been to Moldova? Or do you plan to visit? What’s your trip highlight? Let me know in the comments.

More Reading on Moldova

Here are some tours, popular from Chișinău:

Here’s some more tips and information based on my trip to Moldova:

• Things to Do in Chişinău: Walks and Surprises in Moldova’s Capital
• Visiting Old Orhei (Orheiul Vechi): Moldova’s Cave Monastery & Dramatic Landscapes
• Plan Your Moldova Wine Tour: Wineries Plus Tastings in Chișinău
• Transnistria Day Trip from Chișinău – Worth It?
• Chisinau to Bucharest Sleeper Train: Europe’s most Unusual Rail Journey

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