The most dramatic view at Orheiul Vechi is from the limestone promontory above the cave monastery, where the Raut River makes a near-complete loop around the headland, leaving only a narrow neck of land connecting the peninsula to the surrounding plateau. The river has carved the limestone over millennia into a canyon that drops sharply from the clifftop.
From the viewpoint, you can see the village of Trebujeni on the opposite bank and the patchwork of vineyard and pasture on the peninsula below. The approach road from Orhei offers a distant preview of this loop before you descend to the site — worth a brief stop to appreciate the geography before walking up to the monastery. In autumn, the river reflects the golden colours of the riverbank willows and poplar trees.