Grota Duruitoarea Veche
Palaeolithic cave in the Ciuhur cliffs, no panels and no arranged access, with a view to the Prut
The three-chamber cave in the cliff and the view down to the Prut from the top, praised in reviews; one calls it a “superb sunset spot”.
Worth it if you come expecting raw terrain, not a museum. A 3-star review puts it plainly: no information, no organised access, only a Soviet sign saying the place is state protected, and it would be far more interesting with a guide or at least some reading beforehand. The same review says the views are great but nothing more. A 4-star review adds that there is no arranged access area, but that getting there is easy. Google lists no opening hours and marks the place as having no wheelchair-accessible entrance and no accessible parking. It sits 154 km in a straight line from central Chisinau, so plan a full day. The same 3-star review says that downhill in the village you can camp with a tent or rent a room in an old traditional-style house.
A cave in the cliffs on the left bank of the Ciuhur, a tributary of the Prut, in the village of Duruitoarea, Rîșcani district. Per Wikipedia the cave has three chambers over 49 metres, and the Palaeolithic site inside it was discovered in 1958 by archaeologist Nicolae Chetraru. Its Lower Palaeolithic layers IV and III are dated to 160,000-100,000 years. Also per Wikipedia, a later, Upper Palaeolithic layer (about 20,000-18,000 BC) yielded flint, antler and bone tools and the lower jaw of a Palaeolithic human. Nothing is arranged on site: one 3-star review says there is no information and no organised access, only a Soviet-period sign stating the place is state protected, and that the visit would be more interesting with a guide. Reviews praise the view down to the Prut and the sunset, and one says they saw a group of climbers inside the cave. 154 km in a straight line from central Chisinau.
- View down to the Prut, per a review
- Sunset spot, per a 5-star review
- Good weekend hike, per a review
- Easy to reach, per a 4-star review
- Three chambers, 49 m long, per Wikipedia
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“A place to visit to see where did the prehistoric people live. Views are great but no more than that. No info, no organized access, just a sign from Soviet period that says that this place is protected by state. I think that it could be more interesting if you come here with a guide or at least with some info about this place. When I was here there was a group of climbers insid…”
“Superb sunset spot”
“Nice and beautiful place for a weekend hike”
- No panels and no organised access, only a Soviet-period sign, per a 3-star review
- Great views but nothing more, per a 3-star review
- No arranged access area, per a 4-star review
- No wheelchair-accessible entrance or parking, per Google
- 154 km in a straight line from central Chisinau, no opening hours on Google