In the summer people dream of the sea more than ever. There are many ways to get to the coast, but traveling by car is not only the most romantic, but also a very comfortable option. You can put everything you need in the trunk without fear of overweight, and on the way you can admire the changing landscape and landscape areas.
Don’t let the distance and time spent behind the wheel scare you. In the vicinity of the Don highway there are many interesting places to stop to not only relax along the way, but also turn the road itself into an exciting journey. We’ll tell you where to find these locations and what you can do there.
On the Kulikovo Field – remember the history of the great battle
Coordinates: 53.624218, 38.671418
The Kulikovo Field State Museum-Reserve is a complex of historical monuments dedicated to the legendary battle. Thanks to school history lessons, everyone remembers that the decisive battle of Russian troops with the Golden Horde took place here at the end of the 14th century, as a result of which the Tatar-Mongols were defeated and expelled from these lands. You can combine business with pleasure – take a break from the road and take a historical excursion – in the vicinity of the village of Monastyrshchino, Tula region, where the field is located. It’s easy to spend the whole day here, visiting the Museum of the Battle of Kulikovo and the exhibition “Don. “All history on the banks of one river” and the Museum of Merchant Life in Epifani.
It is best to purchase complex family tickets here (from 600 rubles per group). The reserve has a modern observation deck overlooking the battle site, and also displays more than 40,000 archaeological exhibits.
If you are traveling with children, pay attention to the quest museum “Alone in the Field is Not a Warrior.” This is a fun, interactive way to tell kids about important historical facts.
On Kudykina Mountain – listen to the menacing roar of the Serpent Gorynych
Coordinates: 52.367528, 38.760441
This amazing landscape project is positioned as a natural park of wonders. And there really are a lot of unusual things here: just look at the 15-meter-high Serpent Gorynych, which in the gathering twilight spews out real flames from its three mouths! To watch its fiery roar, you will have to stay until the evening: in the summer, the Serpent turns on on weekends at 20:00.
During the day, there is also something to entertain yourself in the park, especially if you are traveling with children: book a tour of the Russian fortress, which is an exact copy of the buildings of the 4th-5th centuries, go on a “trekking with llamas”, and look into the safari laboratory. If you don’t want to spend time actively, just relax on the equipped sandy beach on the banks of the Don. You can reserve one of the lounge cabanas or a sun lounger with an umbrella for some shade while the kids splash around in the enclosed shallow water.
You can spend the night in a paid campsite on the territory. There is all the necessary infrastructure to set up a tent and comfortably admire the starry sky before going to bed.
The park is open from 10:00 to 20:00 daily, except Mondays. Admission and parking are free.
In Zadonsk – visit the “Russian Jerusalem”
Coordinates: 52.392069, 38.918743
A trip to Kudykina Mountain can be combined with a visit to Zadonsk, a small town with many temples and monasteries. This is one of the Orthodox centers of our country, which has long been called by believers “Russian Jerusalem”. The magnificent Zadonsk Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery is a soulful place to take a leisurely stroll under the arches of the ancient temple and enjoy the silence. Take a walk along the streets in the city center – two-story houses made of timber and brick will allow you to feel the whole flavor of the county town.
Tired from the long promenade, stop for the night in the very heart of the city at the Zadonsk Hotel.
On the Vorgol Rocks – be surprised by the unexpected landscape
Coordinates: 52.574376, 38.352986
In the Galichya Mountain nature reserve on the banks of the Vorgol River in the Lipetsk region, you will be greeted by a landscape surprisingly similar to the Caucasus: stone cliffs reaching 20 meters rise above the valley. Here, at a minimum, it’s worth organizing an unusual photo shoot, and, at a maximum, going rock climbing if you have the proper experience and equipment. You can admire these cliffs in all their splendor by going down to the river. You can also have a picnic here with a beautiful view or take a walk along the shore to warm up after several hours in the car.
The final point of the route is the estate of the merchant Taldykin with the old hydromill (coordinates: 52.572653, 38.361530). Entrance to the territory is paid and is via a suspension bridge. A local landmark – a dilapidated red brick building – is an excellent place for filming a colorful video and reflecting on the past greatness of the Russian merchants.
If you are tired from an active walk along the rocks, stop to rest at the Hotel Grand Yelets in Yelets.
Ramon – see how a real princess lived
Coordinates: 51.908098, 39.340491
The castle of Princess Oldenburg in the village of Ramon is a large red brick house, made in the neo-Gothic style. Just imagine: a turret with a spire and a clock, a laconic landscape design of the backyard garden and a looped driveway to the main entrance. This picture gives the impression that you are in England of the 19th century, and not at all in the Voronezh region. The museum building is currently under reconstruction. Only the ground floor is open to guests, but no one will stop you from walking around the estate and exploring the palace from the outside (entrance ticket is only 50 rubles).
Visiting is possible from Wednesday to Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are days off.
One of the closest hotels to Ramoni is the Amaks Park Hotel.
Divnogorye – see white limestone nodules and a rock monastery
Coordinates: 50.963659, 39.294938
It is advisable to go to this place with a fabulous name after a stop in Voronezh. If you decide to spend the night in the city, we recommend paying attention to the Voronezh Boutique Hotel or Geek Hostel & Hotel. Leave there early in the morning and spend a few hours in the “wonderful mountains”: on the territory of the museum-reserve you will thoroughly enjoy the amazing landscapes of rocks and hills made of white limestone, learn the historical significance of these places and visit a real rock monastery on a guided tour. And here, bright emerald lizards and vipers are hiding in the grass – watch your step carefully and don’t leave the paths!
The reserve is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except Monday and Tuesday.
In Logá Park – see monkeys, llamas and raccoons for free
Coordinates: 48.35178194°, 40.29545889°
Construction of the park in the town of Loga began ten years ago on the initiative of local resident Sergei Kushnarenko. The founder wanted to give his compatriots an affordable place to relax, so entry to the park was and remains free. Here, guests are greeted by amazingly realistic sculptures, the stone towers of the fortress create a special atmosphere, and at night, hundreds of lights are lit in the park, turning it into a real fairy tale. In addition, visitors will find a menagerie in spacious enclosures: monkeys, llamas, raccoons, deer, meerkats. All of them will certainly delight both adults and children. Now “Loga” continues to grow and is replenished with new inhabitants: at the beginning of this year, an exotarium with tropical animals – snakes, lizards, birds – was opened here. Entrance costs 300 rubles.
The park is open to guests daily from 8:00 to midnight. You can relax after a walk at the Petrovsky Hotel in the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky.
At the Paramonov warehouses – to be sad about the lost architecture
Coordinates: 47.218198° 39.72685°
In Rostov-on-Don, a key city on the Don highway, you will find a lot of attractions to suit every taste. Separately, it is worth noting a not entirely tourist site – the former Paramonov warehouses, a complex of thoroughly destroyed buildings of the 19th century. It would seem like an ordinary “abandoned place,” but there is one amazing feature that turned these brick ruins into an unspoken curiosity of the city. The fact is that now these warehouses are partially flooded with the waters of the Don River, so inside you can see colorful turquoise lakes and waterfalls. The spectacle is truly mesmerizing and unlike anything else! We recommend that you be careful and not swim in these waters, but simply admire the views from the side.
You can stay near the warehouses in the Aquamarine apartment with a cozy balcony or in the Boutique-Hostel Be Happy hostel.
In Krasnodar Park – admire the new level of landscape design
Coordinates: 45.041186, 39.032093
The townspeople secretly call this place Galitsky Park. Indeed, this is a gift to the hometown of businessman-philanthropist Sergei Galitsky. A new landmark of the capital of Kuban was opened in 2017, and since then the unusual landscape has more than once become the subject of filming, including fashion advertising. The park is especially beautiful at night, when the lights turn on.
Overnight accommodation options a stone’s throw from the location: a cozy Apartments on Zhloby Street or the Iceberg Hotel.
