It is in Palanca village in the Calarasi area near Chisinau. Your visit will start with an introduction to one of Moldova’s most beautiful women — your hostess, Tatiana Popa. She will welcome you to the home of her parents, whom the communists banished after seizing their possessions.

After years of effort, Tatiana was able to recover the home and turn it into a museum. To enhance the flavor of yesteryear that the structure invokes, she brought back handicraft traditions. Palanca’s mostly ethnic Ukrainians, known as Hutsuls, celebrate their rituals at this landmark, passing them on to their children. You will not only get a glimpse of traditional Ukrainian life in the community, but also taste the Hutsuls’ special dishes. They start with white cherry jam served on cherry leaves. Next are potato pancakes, a green-tomato jam, cherry pie, and a scrumptious cheese pudding. As for drinks, Tatiana is likely to serve you socata, a refreshing brew of elderflowers, sugar, lemon and water. Or a peppermint liqueur, brandy or tea made from plants in her garden.

Manuc Bey is a French-style castle with a winter garden, guard towers and a well-maintained park. Designed by Alexandru Bernardazzi, it was built during the second half of the Nineteenth Century. A recent renovation ensures that its dazzling architecture will captivate a new generation of visitors.

The village of Molovata, a little more than an hour from Chisinau, offers picturesque views of the Nistru River, a waterfall and a cave with an intriguing local legend. The Nistru is exceptionally wide at Molovata — more than a kilometer. Those who make their way to high ground are rewarded with a panoramic sweep of the river at Molovata, a community that dates to 1574. In addition to climbing rocks and absorbing stunning vistas, you can explore the Cave of Unfaithful Women at Molovata. Legend has it that a group of men spent four years in the cave extracting stone to build a church without going to the village to see their wives, fiancees and girlfriends. When the men finally returned, they discovered their partners had left them for others. So they concocted a curse: “Let unfaithful women who enter this cave be unable to find their way out.”

The Plaiul Fugal Nature Reserve is northwest of Chisinau, near the town of Ungheni. The serene area is rich in flora and fauna, hosting more than 900 types of plants, 40 animal species — including deer — and 140 kinds of birds. Plaiul Fagului is part of the Codru Forest.

In addition to nature and wildlife, you will find quaint villages in Plaiul Fagului, such as Bahmut and Cornesti. Besides camping, fishing, cycling and hiking the Codri Forest’s 1.5-kilometer and 3-kilometer trails, you can visit the Veverita, or Squirrel, Monastery. If you want to just chill out, you can stay in a comfortable hotel, such as the Bahmut Club.

If you like folk crafts — particularly hand-woven rugs — you will love the Rustic Art Crafts Complex in Clisova Noua village. Yes, Moldovans still weave authentic Bessarabian rugs on hand looms. You can see how they do it, and how they make traditional costumes, when you visit this area, which is on the Chisinau-Lvov road.