Nuvo Restaurant and Club
We arrived early on a grey morning in Tiraspol after a short ride from Chișinău. It was the first week of March and quite chilly. We were lucky to have found a parking spot in front of Catherine’s Park, an easy walk to the Memorial to Glory where quite a few people were gathered in celebration. We excitedly walked over to observe the festivities and stood on the sidewalk where other people were standing as well. Just then we were approached by uniformed men who asked us to move. We walked towards Catherine's Park where we continued to watch the celebration. Again, we were asked to move away. I felt they didn't want us there at all so I decided to leave and go to the Nuvo at the park to warm up with a cup of tea. We could still watch the festivities from the comfort of the café without stressing out about being asked to go away.
Nuvo Restaurant and Club
The Nuvo is a beautiful restaurant and that early in the morning, it was nearly empty. We sat and enjoyed our drinks peacefully after the stressful treatment we received earlier. Not long after getting our drinks, a young woman entered the restaurant and sat right next to our table. With all the empty tables around us, she chose to park herself next to us. My guide and I were surprised that she decided to sit so close to us. I guess we looked too foreign, especially myself. We were novelty in this part of Moldova that is essentially a Russian territory.
Tiraspol Bridge and Dniester River
After the cozy ambiance of Nuvo, we walked around the park. The bleak weather didn’t let up until much later in the morning. I’m sure this view would be much more attractive in the spring.
Catherine the Great at Catherine’s Park
Transnistria is a breakaway state in Moldova near the Ukrainian border. It declared its independence from Moldova in 1990 and called itself Pridnestrovian Moldovian Republic (PMR). Transnistria means “beyond the Dniester” river while Pridnestrovie translates as “by the Dniester”. Tiraspol is the capital city. The population consists of three main ethnic groups: Moldovan (Romanian), Ukrainian and Russian. No other country recognizes Transnistria as an independent state though it has its own government, parliament, constitution, flag, military, currency, among other things. Transnistria was defined as a territory under Russian occupation as recently as 2022 by the Council of Europe. There are at least 1500 Russian soldiers stationed in Transnistria today and a grand arsenal of Russian weaponry and ammunition that have yet to be disposed.
Suvorov Monument and the Green Market in the background
My biggest regret with my visit to Transnistria was not having been able to see the Green market. I came on a Monday and it was closed. I felt this market would have provided the best travel experience and interaction with the locals.
Alexander Suvorov (1729-1800) was a Russian general who founded the city of Tiraspol in 1792. The number 233 in front of the statue marks the 233rd anniversary of the city which was celebrated in 2025.
Bus stop
Coffee dispenser
Statue of Vladimir Lenin in front of the Parliament Building
Nativity of Christ Cathedral
A large majority of the people in Transnistria are Eastern Orthodox Christians. They attend the Moldovan Orthodox Church which is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Cathedral is the mother church and episcopal see of the Tiraspol and Dubossari dioceses. It is in the city center of Tiraspol on Karl Marx Street.
Interior of Nativity of Christ
The interior design is Byzantine inspired and the chandelier is a statement piece.
Iconostasis of Nativity of Christ
Bender Fortress (Tighina Fortress)
Tighina fortress was a wooden fortification built during the reign of Prince Stephen the Great in the 15th century. The Ottoman Empire conquered it in 1538 under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and renamed it Bender. He rebuilt the fortress in stone and enlarged it.
Inside the fortress
Museum of the Fortress
Alexander Nevsky Church in Bender
While I felt apprehensive about crossing the border into Transnistria and experiencing uniformed men asking us to stay away from the public festivities at the Memorial to Glory monument, I’m glad that I went and explored this part of Moldova that is so different from any place I’ve visited. Tiraspol was eerily quiet. The people didn’t seem friendly. The weather didn’t help at all. And I was wary of the incident at the restaurant as well. But I would still like to go back and go to the Green market and discover the rest of Transnistria.
How to get there:
There is no international airport in Transnistria. You’ll have to fly to Chișinău in Moldova. From there, take a minibus (marshrutka) from the central bus station which is near the central market. There’s a Border Control in Transnistria where you’ll need to present your passport. They will give you a receipt or immigration slip which you must keep and surrender when you leave Transnistria. For more options, check here: https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Chi%C8%99in%C4%83u/Transnistria?accom_comparison=true
I traveled to Transnistria from Bucharest with Nicolas Experience Tours. It was a long seven-hour road trip from Bucharest to Chișinău where we stayed overnight. Tiraspol is only 45 minutes from Chișinău and we left early in the morning to avoid a long delay at the Transnistrian border. Luckily, there were hardly any cars at the border so we didn’t have to wait at all. My review of Nicolas Experience Tours is here: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/p/travel-tips.html
Where to eat near Bender Fortress:
Restaurant Cetatea Veche is in the Fortress complex but not inside the fortress.
Below are some items from the menu at the restaurant:
Where to stay in Chișinău:
Mercure Chișinău Center Jazz Hotel
Strada Vlaicu Parcalab
all.accor.com
This hotel is conveniently located in the center of the city and within walking distance to landmarks like Christ’s Nativity Orthodox Cathedral and the Triumphal Arch. Lots of eating establishments nearby. We walked from here to the Pushkin Museum.
Currency:
Transnistrian ruble. No credit cards are accepted. Bring euros, USD or Moldovan leu (MDL) to pay for purchases and meals.
Stay connected
*****
Images by TravelswithCharie