Lipetsk is not on the list of must-visit tourist cities – sometimes tourists drop by here while exploring the outskirts of Voronezh, but in general it is believed that there is nothing to see here. However, you can spend the whole day here, seeing the sights of the reign of Peter I and walking along the beautiful central streets.
How to get there
From Moscow to Lipetsk there are almost 380 km, and they can be covered by plane, train or bus. The fastest way, of course, is to fly – the journey is only an hour, departure from Domodedovo Airport, flights operated by S7. However, while southern airports are temporarily closed, alternative options will have to be chosen.
For example, the journey by train from Moscow will take from 6 hours, one-way tickets cost from 1,100 rubles in a seated carriage to 7,100 in the North. A train trip from St. Petersburg will take about 20 hours, and tickets can be purchased for 3,000 rubles.
The intercity bus travels to Lipetsk from the capital for about 7 hours, the cost of a one-way ticket starts from 1,700 rubles.
In addition, if you plan to start from Moscow, you can rent a car and take a short road trip: rental cost per day starts from 2,000 rubles. The journey will take only 6 hours.
Where to stay
There are several dozen hotels in the city to suit every taste and budget. We have chosen interesting options with good ratings and reviews:
- Loft Apart – from 2,700 rubles per night
- Hotel “Plaza” – from 4,000 rubles per night
- Hotel “Lipovskaya” – from 4,400 rubles per night
What to see
A couple of days will be enough for a leisurely sightseeing of Lipetsk – during this time you will get acquainted with the historical and cultural parts of the city.
The Traveling Palace of Peter I and the exhibition “Museum of Water”
Lipetsk owes its foundation largely to Peter I: a deposit of brown iron ore was discovered here, and in 1703, near the confluence of the Lipovka River with the Voronezh River, the Tsar founded the Lipetsk Metallurgical Plants. Then it was just a settlement near factories, and the status of a district town and the name “Lipetsk” was given to it by Catherine II.
The Travel Palace was built for Peter I, when he began to come to this area to supervise the construction of blast furnaces. In general, it’s a stretch to call this building a palace: it’s more like a wooden house with several bedrooms. The original building did not survive due to a fire in the 19th century, but in 2017 the palace was restored: it was built according to the original drawings in just a month. Inside you can see a model of the 58-gun battleship Goto Predestination, as well as wooden furniture, household items and historical documents.
The palace is interesting for its “Museum of Water” exhibition, the authors of which try to tell as fully as possible about this liquid in a historical, environmental and popular scientific context. For example, here you can examine a drop of water under a microscope and conduct a quality analysis.
Lower Park
The Traveling Palace is located in the Lower Park – an urban oasis in which cultural life is in full swing. Various fairs and festivals are often held here, but it’s nice to just stroll along the shady alleys.
They say that the park was created when Peter I discovered a spring here, which turned out to be a source of mineral water. Now the park has a pump room, built in 2020: inside there are four drinking fountains and a sculpture of Peter. The design of the pump room replicates the historical drinking pavilion that was here until the 19th century.
In addition to visiting the pump room in the Lower Park, you can ride a Ferris wheel, which offers a beautiful view of the city. Another attraction is the zoo, where you can admire not only wild animals (tigers, leopards and bears live here), but also local pride – cranes of several species, including rare ones.
Cascade of fountains on Petrovsky Spusk and Cathedral Square
Local residents call this place Lipetsk Peterhof. It is very beautiful here: a cascade of fountains is located on both sides of the stairs that lead to Cathedral Square. Comfortable benches are installed on the staircase landings. In summer it’s nice to sit here listening to the sound of water, and in winter the fountains are covered with light installations.
The cascade ends at the square on Sobornaya Hill, where the beautiful Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ stands. In Soviet times there was a museum here, but today the cathedral has been restored. Inside you can admire the altar and the icon of the Mother of God “Lipetsk Passionate”. In addition to the cathedral, the House of Soviets and the Central Hotel are located on the square.
House-Museum of G. V. Plekhanov
At the end of the 19th century, the Plekhanov family lived in this nice wooden house, including the famous political and public figure Georgy Valentinovich Plekhanov. Today the house is located on the street named after him.
The five rooms of the building today house a museum. Each room is dedicated to a certain stage of Plekhanov’s life, starting from childhood. Here you can trace the stages of growing up and developing the personality of this outstanding person and even get to know the city better – one exhibition is dedicated to photographs of Lipetsk in the 19th century.
It is best to take a tour with a guide – he will tell you about everyday objects and share interesting facts from Plekhanov’s life.
Lipetsk Regional Museum of Local Lore
Anyone interested in the history of the city should take a look at this museum. It has 18 halls with a permanent exhibition – you can, for example, look at the reconstructed forge from the time of Peter I and even the handprint of the emperor. There are also less “serious” historical rooms – for example, in the exhibition “We all come from childhood” you can look at old toys.
Thematic exhibitions are also held here, for example, in the summer of 2022 – “Russian traditions in folk art.” You can look at dishes with traditional painting, embroidery and lace.
“Kudykina Mountain”
In the Lipetsk region there is a real natural park of wonders, which was recreated by the organizers according to ancient drawings: a fortress with galleries and towers and an exciting fairy-tale program for children. Whoever dares to go beyond the wooden walls will find animated sculptures of fairy-tale and mythical characters, interactive installations, a petting zoo, a camel breeder, equipped beaches and walking trails along the Don River. The main feature of the project is the giant sculpture of the Serpent Gorynych, which roars and spews flames on weekends and holidays. Show start times vary depending on the season, check the website so you don’t miss out. Read about other theme parks in our article.
