Vila Mândâc, the Oganovici family’s summer manor house, was built in 1896 on a 14-hectare estate with a garden. In Drochia District, discoveries range from architecture and crafts to protected natural monuments and regional festivals. These varied themes offer more than one way to explore the region’s history and landscape.
Manor Houses, Museums and Crafts
Vila cu Parc Mândâc in Drochia District is a branch of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History. A craft workshop has been established at Conacul „Russo“ in Cotova, along with a center for the development and promotion of rural tourism. The manor house was restored as part of Moldova’s „Satul European“ program. The description of the completed restoration dates from 2024.
Muzeul de Istorie și Etnografie Nicoreni dedicates two exhibition rooms to village life and local crafts. Its collection includes ethnographic textiles, embroidery, rugs, icons, old suitcases, sewing machines and wooden boxes. This mix of textile work, religious images and everyday objects offers different insights into local daily life and craft history. The composition of the collection may change.
The museum also hosts history lessons, cultural activities and discussion sessions, specifically for middle-school students. Muzeul Fermierului in Cotova has a different focus: the open-air museum displays old carts and tools that are up to 200 years old. Its collection comprises more than 2,000 agricultural and household objects. The exhibition and collection size may change.
Protected Natural Monuments
The natural monuments differ in both location and category. West of Chetrosu, along the Drochia–Soroca road, lies Aflorimentul Chetrosu, a state-protected geological and paleontological natural monument. Izvoarele din Cotova is a state-protected hydrological natural monument near Cotova, at the foot of the left slope of the Căinari River. Parcul Mândâc is a protected natural monument of landscape architecture between the villages of Mândâc and Iliciovca. Together, they range from geological and paleontological features to water and designed landscapes.
Religious Buildings and Regional Festivals
Catedrala „Adormirea Maicii Domnului“ in Drochia was built in the Neo-Church Slavonic style and has five towers. National Tourist Route No. 10 passes through Drochia and includes a visit to the cathedral. Check the latest route information when planning your trip. The monastery Mănăstirea Nicoreni, dedicated to the Holy Prophet Elijah, is also located in Nicoreni.
Festivals add their own distinctive touches: Festivalul Etniilor „Unitate prin diversitate“ held its fifth edition in Drochia in 2024. The program included workshops and exhibitions of ethnic foods and objects. On August 9, 2026, Mîndîc hosted the eighth edition of the „Ziua Portului Popular și al Pâinii“ festival.
In Țarigrad, the national cuisine festival „GurmanIA“ traditionally takes place on the last Sunday in July. At the 2024 festival, visitors could try Sarmale, Baba neagră, Plăcinte, Mămăligă, Friptură, fish soup, traditional pastries and boiled corn; the menu may vary. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, check the dates for the relevant year.
Discover more destinations: Drochia, Edineț District, Ialoveni District, Chisinau, Făleşti, Sîngerei District, Rezina, Soroca District.
For the main travel overview: Moldova.
