Drive the whole route — 6 stops between Iași and Iași, exportable straight to your phone.
📍 Open Route in Google MapsAn overview
Moldova's plateau west of Iași produces some of Europe's most distinctive sweet whites — Grasă, Tămâioasă, Frâncușă. This trail traces the old post road between cellars, monasteries, and the Hârlău country, finishing back in Iași for dinner.
Drives are short and rural; book cellar visits at least a week ahead, especially during harvest. The autumn run (mid-September to late October) is the most rewarding.
Duration
Three days, two nights
Distance
≈ 180 km loop from Iași
Difficulty
Long weekend
Start
Iași
End
Iași
Plate I · The region
Where the trail runs.
A simple map for orientation only. The detailed itinerary, with every stop and driving time, is laid out below.
Plate II · The itinerary
Stop by stop, in order.
01
Stay · 1 h from Iași
Conacul Polizu
Hârlău
A restored 19th-c boyar house. Six rooms, walled garden, the base of the trail.
02
Winery · 20 min
Casa de Vinuri Cotnari
Cotnari
The historic estate — vast cellars, vertical tastings, museum bottlings.
03
Table · 40 min
Hanul Ancuței
Tupilați
Historic Moldovan inn — roast lamb, plăcinte, plum brandy.
04
Winery · 30 min
Crama Hermeziu
Hermeziu
Small family producer, organic-leaning, beautiful dry Frâncușă.
05
Detour · 15 min
Hârlău monastery
Hârlău
Sunday morning. A walled garden and a fifteenth-century cellar.
06
Table · 1 h
Cuib Bistro, Iași
Iași
Sunday-night return: modern Moldovan cooking, deep regional wine list.
Plate III · Along the way
Stays, tables & cellars.
Stay suggestions
Conacul Polizu
Hârlău
Dining suggestions
Hanul Ancuței
Tupilați
Cuib Bistro, Iași
Iași
Nearby wineries
Casa de Vinuri Cotnari
Cotnari
Crama Hermeziu
Hermeziu
Plate III · Highlights
What you'll remember.
- 01.Vertical of Grasă in the historic Cotnari cellars
- 02.Roast lamb on the post road at Hanul Ancuței
- 03.Frâncușă with the family at Crama Hermeziu
- 04.Saint-Andrew cellar evenings in late November