Cahul

Cahul is the main town of southern Moldova, close to the Prut and not far from the point where the country reaches the Danube, and it is known within Moldova for its thermal water: a hot mineral spring was struck in the 1960s and a sanatorium built around it, which still operates. The town has a nineteenth-century centre, a covered market and vineyards in the country around it.

History

The town has had several names: Scheia, Old Romanian for "Bulgarian", recorded in 1502, and Frumoasa, "beautiful", recorded in 1716; the present name comes from the Battle of Kagul, fought nearby, and the town is known for its thermal spas and its folk music (Wikipedia, Cahul).

What's there

• The thermal spa - the sanatorium built around the mineral spring struck in the 1960s.
• The town centre - the nineteenth-century streets and buildings.
• The market - the covered trading hall at the centre.
• The southern position - the town close to the Prut and the Danube.

When to go

April to October is the pleasant season. The spa operates year round. Summer on the southern steppe is very hot.

Practical notes

The spa is a Soviet-era sanatorium and the facilities are dated. Therapeutic claims made for the water are not medical advice. The town has limited options for visitors.

Nearby

Lake Beleu is south, and Comrat is east.

Key facts