Sauna in Chișinău: Finnish, Scandinavian or Russian bath — what to choose and what it costs

In short: in Chișinău the word “sauna” covers three different things — a dry Finnish cabin at a gym or hotel, a private sauna rented by the hour, and a bath complex on the edge of town with steaming, plunge tubs and a kitchen. In 2026 a visit costs from 600 MDL for ninety minutes to 10 000–24 000 MDL for a private complex for your whole party. Below we explain how the formats differ, what the price includes and how to choose.

Sauna or banya: what is the difference

The difference is temperature and humidity. A Finnish sauna heats you with dry air at 80–100 °C and 10–20 % humidity: you can pour water on the stones, but only a little. A Russian banya runs gentler, 60–80 °C, but at 40–70 % humidity, so the steam “wraps” you and the body warms deeper without a burning feeling. That humid steam room is where whisking with birch or oak branches makes sense — in a dry sauna the leaves simply dry out.

At Woloshin banya in Durlești you will find every “hot” option except a hammam and an infrared cabin: a wood-fired Russian steam room (Stejar), a Scandinavian sauna of Norwegian wood (Valhalla), the clay bath Cucuteni-Tripolie and the VIP steam room Forest with a granite stove. We wrote a separate article about hammams — it says honestly what we do not have and what replaces it.

What kinds of saunas exist in Chișinău

• Hotel or gym sauna. Usually a dry Finnish cabin for 4–6 people and a small pool. Pros: close to home and cheap (often part of the membership). Cons: no steam, no whisks, no master, no food; hours are tied to the club schedule.
• Private sauna by the hour. A cottage or studio with a sauna, jacuzzi and lounge. A good option for a group that wants the place to itself for an evening. Steam quality varies a lot; there is usually no service.
• Bath complex on the edge of town. Several steam rooms, a pond or plunge tubs, steam masters, massage, a kitchen. This is no longer “sitting in the heat” but a half-day ritual: warm-up, whisking, contrast, rest, tea, food. Woloshin banya is this format: five baths at the forest edge, 20–25 minutes from the centre.

What we have: five baths on one site

How much a sauna in Chișinău costs in 2026

The prices below are ours, valid in September 2026; the full table is on the Prices page. Every format already includes towels, sheets, slippers, a bath hat, a robe, tea and water. All you need is a swimsuit.

How to choose a sauna for your situation

• Alone, as a couple or with a colleague after work — the public Dragon: come as you would to a spa, without renting the whole complex. Weekday morning slots are the quietest.
• First time in a banya and not sure you will like it — Purple Dragon for 600 MDL: ninety minutes, two steam rooms and the pond, no compulsory treatments.
• A couple, a romantic evening — Love Story at Valhalla (4000 MDL for two, 4 hours with a steam master) or the intimate Forest for 2–4 people.
• A group of 6–12, a birthday — private Stejar with the Seven Wonders program: wood-fired steam room, pond, your own masters and dinner from the kitchen.
• A men’s night on Thursday — “Men’s Day” in Dragon, 18:00–23:00, 1700 MDL per person.
• With children — the private complexes: children under 12 are free with their parents. In the public Dragon we recommend ages 14+.

Where we are and when we work

The complex is in Durlești on the western edge of Chișinău: stradela 1 Codrilor 44, next to the Golden Park residential complex. By car from the centre it is 20–25 minutes via Buiucani, with free guarded parking at the entrance. We are open daily 10:00–23:00, Dragon on weekdays until 22:00; Thursday is the sanitary day. A detailed route with landmarks is on the Directions page; book online or by phone +373 76 00 57 77.

Our Google rating is 4.9 based on more than 880 reviews. If you would rather give a visit than choose for someone, there are gift vouchers for any amount, valid 3 months in any of the baths.