Soroca

A small town in northern Moldova on the Dniester River, known for its round Soroca Fortress, the Candle of Gratitude monument overlooking the valley, and the Gypsy Hill mansions.

Soroca is the capital of Soroca District in northern Moldova, with a population of about 20,000. It sits on the right bank of the Dniester River, across from Ukraine. Historically it was a key fortress guarding the eastern border of the Principality of Moldavia, and its name is often traced to an ancient ferry-crossing fortress called Alaşi. Today it is known for three things: the perfectly round stone fortress from the time of Stephen the Great; the Candle of Gratitude monument on the cliffs at the southern edge of town; and the mansions of the Romani community on the western slope of Gypsy Hill, which have earned the town the nickname 'Gypsy Capital'.

The best time to visit is May to October. Spring brings fresh greenery to the river valley, summer is warm, and autumn woods turn golden. Winters are cold, and the fortress opening hours are unreliable.

The core sights can be covered in a day. In the morning, visit the fortress and the History and Ethnography Museum, and take a walk along the riverside. After noon, go to Gypsy Hill to see the mansions. In the evening, climb to the Candle of Gratitude to watch the sunset over the valley. With an extra day, you can head north to Cosăuți Monastery and its landscape reserve, or drive about 40 kilometers to Rudi Monastery, the Rudi-Alionești Gorge and the Rudi point of the Struve Geodetic Arc, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Getting there: Take a bus from Chișinău's Central or North bus station; the journey takes about 3 hours. Within town, walking and taxis are enough. For sights outside town, hire a car with a driver or drive yourself. Note: the Gypsy Hill houses are private property, so do not enter without permission. This is a border area, so do not photograph border installations. Romanian and Russian are the main languages, and English is not widely spoken.

Top sights

• Soroca Fortress – A perfectly circular stone fortress on the Dniester, built under Stephen the Great, and Moldova's best-preserved medieval castle.
• Candle of Gratitude – A white, candle-shaped memorial about 30 m tall on a cliff south of town; climb to the top for views over the Dniester valley. It is Soroca…
• Gypsy Hill (Dealul Romilor) – A Roma community on a hillside west of town, where luxurious mansions copy buildings such as the Bolshoi Theatre and the US Capitol, earnin…
• Soroca History and Ethnography Museum – A local museum in a historic building, displaying prehistoric finds, fortress history and folk costumes from northern Bessarabia.
• Cosăuți Monastery – An Orthodox monastery about 10 km north of town on the Dniester, backed by limestone cliffs, with a peaceful setting.
• Cosăuți Landscape Reserve – A protected area of cliffs and forest on the right bank of the Dniester, where riverside trails pass limestone cliffs, springs and river be…
• Rudi Monastery – An 18th-century Holy Trinity monastery hidden in a canyon forest; its old stone church is an important architectural landmark in Moldova.
• Rudi-Arionești Landscape Reserve – A canyon and forest reserve on the Dniester with ancient rock-cut monastic remains, springs and river valley viewpoints.
• Struve Geodetic Arc – Rudi Point – The only Moldovan point of the UNESCO-listed Struve Geodetic Arc, marked by a white globe sculpture standing in the fields.
• Dniester Riverfront – The Dniester bank beside the fortress, good for strolling and watching fishermen, with views across the river to Ukrainian towns.

Where to eat

• Salat Restaurant – Soroca's most-reviewed restaurant, ranked first on several lists. The menu blends Moldovan home cooking with pizza and…
• Briz Restaurant – A long-established two-storey restaurant on Ștefan cel Mare Street, serving Moldovan home cooking, European dishes and…