Moldova
Chișinău in December
🧥 WinterCold and mostly dry.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat
Why December scores 7.4What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.3
- !Cold (3°C highs / -2°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -1.4°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~41 mm rain)
- Air quality7.6
- ✓Moderate (PM2.5 ~20 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.0
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Jun | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.4 Good | 9.5 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 3° / -2° | 26° / 16° |
| Rain | 41 mm | 65 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -1° | dew pt 13° |
| PM2.5 | 20 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Chișinău weather-station normals. Rainfall: Chișinău weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day (by new style) 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore ChișinăuEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyMoldova's green capital has wide boulevards, parks and Soviet-era architecture. Most visitors come for its relaxed pace and access to some of the world's largest wine cellars nearby.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
MărțișorEvery year1 March every year
Spring tradition of giving red and white tokens.
Why go: Stalls fill the streets with handmade tokens, a nice small souvenir.
Where: Across the city
Independence DayEvery year27 August every year
Marks Moldova's 1991 declaration of independence.
Why go: Concerts and celebrations in the centre; public holiday.
Where: Great National Assembly Square
National Wine DayDate variesDates vary; usually the first weekend of October
Big outdoor festival where wineries offer tastings.
Why go: The best single chance to taste wines from many producers.
Where: Central Chișinău
Stephen the Great Central Park
The city's oldest park, with a statue of Moldova's medieval hero at its entrance.
Cathedral of Christ's Nativity
The main Orthodox cathedral, set in Cathedral Park opposite the Triumphal Arch.
💡 Women may wish to cover their heads inside.
National Museum of History of Moldova
Museum covering Moldovan history from antiquity to modern times.
Cricova winery
Huge underground wine city just outside Chișinău, with tunnels stretching for many kilometres.
💡 Visits are by guided tour only; book in advance.
Mileștii Mici
Winery famous for an enormous underground wine collection.
💡 Book tours ahead; bring a warm layer as cellars are cool.
Plăcinte
Thin pastries filled with cheese, potato, cabbage or fruit.
💡 Cafes and traditional restaurants
Mămăligă
Polenta served with sour cream, cheese and often meat.
💡 Traditional Moldovan restaurants
Sarmale
Cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat.
💡 Traditional restaurants
Zeamă
Sour chicken soup with homemade noodles.
💡 Traditional restaurants
Moldovan wine
Wines from the country's well-known vineyards and cellars.
💡 Winery shops and wine stores
Divin
Moldovan aged grape brandy.
💡 Wine shops and supermarkets
Mărțișor
Red and white string tokens given to mark the start of spring.
💡 Street stalls in late February and early March