Moldova

Moldova is a small country that's sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. The capital, Chisinau, is in the centre of the country and is also the location of Moldova's only international airport, Chisinau Airport. Direct flights are available to a number of major European cities, including to London's Stansted Airport. Chisinau is home to around 800,000 people - about one-fifth of Moldova's population of 4.3 million people.

The main language in Moldova is Moldovan - which is very similar to Romanian. Russian and Ukraine are the other two main languages, but languages such as Bulgarian and Turkish are also found in certain areas. Despite being independent from Russia since 1991, Moldova has remained one of the poorest countries in Europe and has failed to develop as fast as some other former Soviet-bloc countries. It does, however, have a democratically-elected parliament and a strong agricultural base, including an indigenous wine industry.

Visitors to Moldova will immediately be struck by the wide streets and elegant squares and parks of the capital, Chisinau (pronounced Kee-shee-now). Some of the most famous of these are the City Park (once known as the Pushkin Park) and the majestic Cathedral Square. These are a legacy of its grander past and were designed by the well-known 19th century architect Alexander Bernardazzi, who studied in St Petersburg, Russia, before spending time developing plans for the Moldovan capital. The city suffered, heavily, however, during the Second World War - ironically not as a result of battles within the city but due to aerial bombardments and a major earthquake in 1940. It has since been substantially rebuilt.

Outside Chisinau, Moldova has much to offer the interested visitor. Historic towns such as Comrat, rolling countryside and many wineries all make for a fascinating trip.