Gastronomic tours are in trend today – due to food sanctions, Russians do not miss the opportunity to eat European “forbidden” foods. Great news for those who, due to lack of time or money (or for any other reasons), are not planning trips to Europe in the near future – it turns out that this type of vacation also exists in Russia. Russian farmers have already slowly begun to develop such an industry as agrotourism – a country holiday in an ecologically clean area with elements of gastrotours – tastings, master classes and excursions to the farm. So you have a great opportunity to combine business with pleasure – take a break from the frantic rhythm of the metropolis in the fresh air, restore strength, try natural farm products and at the same time support domestic producers of tasty and environmentally friendly products.
Farm “Bogdarnya”
The Bogdarnya farm in the Vladimir region is a whole complex of a hotel, restaurants, a store, a stable and the farm itself. Here, in accordance with European standards, yoghurt is produced, several types of cheeses are made, including Ricotta, Gouda and Philadelphia, using Dutch technology, and bulls are raised. Meat at Bogdarna is produced in an unconventional way for Russia, alternating grass-fed and grain-fed, using humane slaughter methods, cutting the carcass according to the European cutting scheme and, most importantly, keeping it in a special chamber at zero temperature to reveal the taste of the veal. The farm offers several types of agritours, including day trips and weekend tours with a rich program of master classes and tastings.
“Mark and Leo”
The Tula region is one of the best regions of Russia when it comes to rural recreation and organic products. It has everything you need for a good holiday with the whole family: country hotels, village restaurants, farms, workshops and ancient estates.
“Mark and Lev”, located in the picturesque Zaoksky district of the Tula region, is considered the first (and perhaps the only) locavore restaurant in Russia. The strange word locavore comes from the English term locavore, which means eating only foods grown nearby. Surprisingly, Mark and Lev really adheres to these principles and feeds guests only seasonal products produced on their own or neighboring farms within a radius of 150 kilometers from the restaurant. A visit to the establishment can be combined with excursions to the estate-museums of Polenov and Bolotov, bread baking master classes, craft beer tastings, horseback riding and fishing.
Lukino Compound
Another interesting agritourism site in the Tula region is the private farm “Lukino”. Here they produce meat and poultry, grow vegetables, make dairy products and even prepare their own canned food. The owners will be happy to give you a tour of the farm and tell you about the conditions in which the animals are kept and the intricacies of preparing home-cooked dishes from farm products. The farm has a quiet mini-hotel and a home restaurant. An ideal place to relax and unwind from the bustle of the city.
Pietro Mazzi Cheese Factory
The Pietro Mazzi cheese factory is a small piece of Italy in the Tver region. On the Mazzi family farm, they make cheese according to ancient recipes, prepare other Italian delicacies themselves – bresaola, pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, raise sheep and conduct excursions with tastings. The farm has a shop and a small inn where you can stay overnight.
Valley of Lefkadia
One of the areas where Russian agrotourism is actively developing is the Krasnodar Territory. Which is not at all surprising, because thanks to the mild climate and long-standing farming traditions, there are more than enough options for organizing rural holidays here. A distinctive feature of the area is wine tourism. For example, in the “Valley of Lefkadia”, as part of a wine tour, you can explore the vineyards and wine museum, learn more about the world traditions of winemaking and, of course, taste the products. By the way, in addition to wine, they also produce cheeses of European varieties, which you can try in a local restaurant or buy in a store near the vineyard. In the near future, the owners of the “Valley of Lefkadia” also plan to open a balneological resort nearby.
The most convenient way to get to any of these places is by train or car.
Material prepared in collaboration with the Local Food project
You can find a suitable hotel on the website or in the OneTwoTrip application.
