Transnistria Travel Blog
Travel guides, itineraries, abandoned places, street art and off-the-beaten-path places in TransnistriaHello and welcome to our Transnistria travel blog. You will find all our Transnistria blog posts in this section of our website.
Maybe you found our Transnistria travel blog because you are considering a visit to the former Soviet Union, or perhaps you are partway through planning a trip to the Balkans. Whatever the reason, we hope we can provide some useful resources and travel tips for Transnistria.
Its full name is the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, but more commonly known as Transnistria, or Transdniestria, is a breakaway self-declared republic. Unrecognised by the UN (officially, it is part of Moldova) and everyone else apart from three other former-Soviet Union non-recognised states: Abkhazia, Artsakh, and South Ossetia, Transnistria is often referred to as the country that doesn’t exist.
We have been to Transnistria twice, first in 2016 and more recently in July 2019. If we are honest, the first time we went to Transnistria, we spent the night in Tiraspol, the capital, and left wondering what the fuss was all about. But in the time between our visits, our interests shifted, and, when we returned, we spent rushed around manically between Tiraspol, Bender and a couple of other places completely exhausting ourselves and our 10-hour visa! You guessed it; we still have reasons to return to Transnistria…
Our Transnistria blog posts are generally aimed at independent travellers and backpackers like us and have a strong focus on travelling around using public transport, staying in budget accommodation and exploring off-the-beaten-path and lesser-visited places.
Browse all of our Transnistria blog posts
In photos: Lenin statues in the former Soviet Union
Photographs of Lenin statues in the former Soviet Union. These fifteen monuments to Lenin are still standing in the former USSR.
In Photos: Magnificent Brutalist and Modernist Bus Stations
Photos featuring ten of coolest brutalist and modernist bus stations we’ve spotted on our travels, highlighting some magnificent architecture.
A Short History of the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991
A short history of the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. A guide for those travellers to the former USSR who want to learn about the history of the region.
In photos: Twenty-five examples of Soviet mosaics in the former USSR
Photographs of some of our favourite examples of Soviet mosaics in the former USSR. These mosaics are perfect examples of art in post-Soviet states.
In photos: Soviet Mosaics at the Youth Sports School in Sucleia, Transnistria
During our visit to Transnistria, we stumbled across these Soviet mosaics at the Youth Sports School in Sucleia, a small town 7kms southeast of Tiraspol.
Things to do in Transnistria on a 10-hour visa (including a map of locations)
Visiting Transnistria: The best way to spend a 10-hour visa in Transnistria with a map of locations and tips on what to see in Tiraspol and Bendery.
Suggested Itinerary to Ukraine, Moldova & Transnistria: From Uzhhorod to Kyiv
Suggested itinerary to Ukraine, Moldova & Transnistria in Eastern Europe. This overland route starts in Uzhhorod and ends in Kyiv.