With a population of well over 10,000, Congaz is often described as the largest village in Moldova and one of the largest in Europe. It stretches for kilometres along the Ialpug valley south of Comrat: street after street of single-storey houses, vegetable plots and vines, with a wide main road down the middle.
For travellers its draw is Gagauz Sofrası (“the Gagauz table”), an ethno-tourism complex built in traditional style. It combines a small museum of rural life, a restaurant serving Gagauz dishes, a wine cellar and guest rooms — making Congaz the easiest place in the region to eat traditional food and stay overnight in a village.
Top things to do: Congaz
Gagauz Sofrası ethno-complex
Wander through courtyards with carts, clay ovens and wells, look into rooms furnished as a Gagauz home of a century ago, and see how carpets, towels and costumes were made. Much of it is arranged to be touched and used rather than kept behind glass.
A Gagauz meal
The restaurant is the heart of the complex. Expect gözleme with sheep’s cheese, kaurma, bulgur, stuffed vegetables and vine leaves, home-baked bread and house wine. Groups should book ahead; some visits include a cooking demonstration.
Wine cellar tasting
A stone cellar lined with barrels and bottles is used for tastings of local wines, served with cheese and bread. Ask what is included when you reserve.
Stay the night
Guest rooms in the complex and homestays in the village let you see Congaz after the day-trippers leave: cows coming home, wood smoke, and a very dark, starry sky.
How to get to Congaz
- Congaz is roughly 25 km south of Comrat on the main road towards Vulcănești and Cahul. Marshrutkas running south from Comrat pass through the village, and some buses from Chișinău towards Cahul or Vulcănești also stop here — confirm with the driver.
- By car from Chișinău allow about two hours. The village is long, so use a map pin for Gagauz Sofrası rather than just “Congaz”.
Insider tips
- Reserve meals, tastings and rooms in advance — the complex caters largely to pre-booked groups.
- Combine Congaz with Beșalma, a few kilometres away, for an easy half-day loop from Comrat.
- Bring cash; do not count on card payment in the village.
Tours & day trips: Congaz
These bookable day trips are the easiest way to see Congaz and the area around it — check each itinerary for the exact stops:
Day trip from €299 All-Inclusive Gagauzia: Wine Tasting, Cooking & Lunch
A guided day from Chișinău built around the table: you visit the Manuc Bei Mansion and the main Gagauz towns, meet local people, join a cooking class and sit down to a traditional feast. The highest price on this list, but the most is included.
- Manuc Bei Mansion and the main Gagauz towns
- Cooking class with locals
- Traditional feast with wine tasting
Private day trip from €149 Adventure in Gagauzia – Private Cultural Day Trip
A private day trip that explores the autonomous region of Gagauzia — its heritage, its people and its traditions. It is a new listing with no reviews yet, so read the itinerary and the inclusions carefully before booking.
- Private trip through the autonomous region
- Heritage, traditions and welcoming locals
- A pace set by your own group
Day trip from €162 Discover the Land of Gagauzia with a Local Guide
A tour of Gagauzia led by a local guide, presented as an invitation from the hospitable Gagauz themselves. The listing is short on detail and has no reviews yet — check the current itinerary, duration and meeting point on GetYourGuide.
- Led by a local guide
- An introduction to Gagauz hospitality
- Filed under GetYourGuide’s own Gagauzia location
