A cave monastery above a looping river
Orheiul Vechi is a dramatic landscape where the Răut river loops through a limestone gorge. On the cliffs sits a cave monastery carved into the rock by Orthodox monks, still used today, alongside the remains of Getic, Golden Horde and Moldavian settlements. Walk up to the bell tower and church on the ridge for views over the valley, and visit the nearby village of Butuceni, where guesthouses serve traditional Moldovan food.