The long-awaited vacation is very soon – this time we have a whole 9-day weekend ahead of us. This is enough to plan a short weekend getaway, a vacation in the mountains or a vacation by the sea. We offer 8 options for traveling around Russia during the January holidays.
Kabardino-Balkaria
The Elbrus region attracts tourists all year round, but in winter the region becomes an ideal place for active and ski holidays. The most popular ski areas are located in the Baksan Valley and Cheget. The nature of Kabardino-Balkaria will appeal to lovers of hiking: you can get to the frozen Chegem waterfalls (many say that in this form they are even more beautiful than in summer), to the blue lake Tserik-Kel, the Terskol gorge or the Maly Azau glacier. Horseback riding enthusiasts and climbers also come here for winter climbing of Elbrus. And after all kinds of activities, you can relax and unwind in the thermal springs in Aushiger.
And the region is also famous for its national cuisine. Be sure to try the fatty Khychin pancakes with cheese, Zhal-Baur (lamb liver shish kebab), meat with quince, lyagur (dried meat with potatoes), gedlibzhe (chicken in sour cream) and sausages.
Where to stay:
In the mini-hotel “Alpina” with a view of the mountains in Terskol (rating 9.1) – from 4,500 rubles per night*.
In a four-star hotel AZIMUT in Nalchik (score 10) – from 5,500 rubles per night*.
In the hostel “Elbrus High Loft Hostel” in the Elbrus region (rating 9.4) – from 6,300 rubles per day*.
Karelia
A trip to Karelia is the easiest way to get into a winter fairy tale. Here you can ride in a team of malamutes and huskies or race through the snow and frozen lakes on snowmobiles – such services are available, for example, in the Karjala Park tourist complex on the banks of the Shuya River or in the Kudama sports and tourist complex, where the largest center in Russia operates sled dogs. Children will have fun hand-feeding the deer at the Valley of Waterfalls Wildlife Park, located on the Ihalanjoki River. You can also visit the Karelian Santa Clauses: Pakkaine lives in the town of Olonets, and Talvi Ukko “registered” in Chalna. Also check out one of the bases of the Polar Circle tourist center: they always offer a variety of winter activities for young guests.
In general, Karelia is a great place to relax body and soul after everyday work and study. Just stay in a country hotel with a bathhouse, have picnics in the winter forest and, of course, try traditional Karelian cuisine: milk fish soup, wicket pies, fishmonger, Karelian stew, jelly, berry jelly and lingonberry tea.
Where to stay:
At the recreation center “Khutor Salokylya” near Lumivaara (rating 9.4) – from 4,100 rubles per day*.
In the house by the lake “Point on the Map” in Sortavala (rating 9.4) – from 8,100 rubles per night*.
In the country hotel Wilderness Hotel Kuusamo (rating 10) – from 9,358 rubles per night*.
Gelendzhik
The seaside town of the Krasnodar Territory may not be the most obvious destination for winter tourism, but believe me, it’s worth a visit at this time of year. Firstly, there is always a chance to catch sunny days and there will definitely not be severe frosts: this is a plus for those who do not tolerate the cold well. Secondly, by the New Year, the Gelendzhik embankment turns into a fairy tale: it is decorated with illuminations and even winter beaches are decorated, so that there is a place to sit under a blanket, drink mulled wine or hot chocolate and listen to the sound of the waves. And on the main square they hold concerts and master classes.
In addition, there are excellent leisure options for families with children. For example, Safari Park, which is also a rehabilitation center for wild animals. Here you will meet brown and polar bears, lions, tigers, leopards, pumas and monkeys. You can also climb the mountains on a cable car, go to a champagne wine tasting in Abrau-Durso, or swim in one of the city’s indoor pools, for example, in the sanatoriums “Krasnaya Talka”, “Sunny Beach” or “Blue Wave” (in the last two locations use sea water).
Where to stay:
In the three-star hotel “Favorit” (score 10) – from 1,800 rubles per day*.
In the four-star mini-hotel “Dynasty” (score 10) – from 7,500 rubles per night*.
In the luxurious Alean Family Biarritz hotel with its own spa center and sea views (rating 10) – from 12,500 rubles per night*.
Adygea
The region will appeal to those who want to teach children to ski or snowboard: the mountains here are not very steep, and experienced athletes may get bored, but the local slopes are ideal for beginners. Many tourists go to the Lago-Naki plateau: this place, covered in snow, resembles alpine landscapes. Be sure to visit the Azishskaya and Nezhnaya caves, equipped for a comfortable stay for tourists. Also on the territory of Lago-Naki there are slopes for cheesecake skiing, sledding and tubing. In winter, Mount Fisht is accessible for climbing: there are hiking trails along it that even a child can climb.
Other natural places include the Rufabgo waterfalls, the Khadzhokh Gorge, the Mishoko River valley, the Granite Canyon and the Kurdzhip tract. There is an extreme park of the same name on Michoko: try horseback riding, via ferrata, paragliding, ice climbing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. Children will certainly love the Tethys rope park, and after a day full of impressions, be sure to visit the thermal springs – Aquathermo, Water Riviera, White Nights or Kedrovy Bor.
As in any region of the North Caucasus, in Adygea you definitely can’t do without tastings: try Adyghe cheese, hot appetizer jamuko, ashryk soup made from dried meat, guubat pies and shalyam donuts.
Where to stay:
In the guest house “Cosmos” in Apsheronsk (rating 9.4) – from 3,400 rubles per day*.
In the four-star Hatti Loft hotel in Maykop (rating 9.6) – from 5,200 rubles per night*.
In the design hotel “Red Bridge Resort” in the suburbs of Maykop (score 9.9) – from 28,000 rubles per night*.
Dagestan
In recent years, this region has been especially popular with tourists in the summer, but winter holidays here are no less interesting. We recommend starting your trip in Makhachkala – the capital of Dagestan is home to the most stylish hotels and restaurants with a national flavor. Afterwards, go to Derbent – like Brodsky, “to the sea in the off-season.” Or you can go to admire a real miracle of nature, the Sulak Canyon, which in winter looks completely different than in summer, but is also impressive. You may even be able to get to the ghost village of Gamsutl (sometimes when there is a lot of rainfall, the road there is closed). The region also has its own ski resorts: Chindirchero and Matlas.
What to try in Dagestan? Of course, miracle (filled flatbread), khinkal (not to be confused with khinkali!), shurpa, lagman, urbech and – option “18+” – local cognac. & nbsp;
Where to stay:
At the Emir Hotel in Derbent (rating 9.8) – from 3,500 rubles per night*.
In the apartments “Riviera Caspian” in Kaspiysk (rating 9.8) – from 5,200 rubles per night*.
In the four-star hotel “Monto” in Makhachkala (score 10) – from 5,900 rubles per night*.
Plyos
This tiny town in the Ivanovo region is a real time machine. The atmosphere of the past has been preserved here, and most of the accommodation options look like someone’s grandmother’s house. Walk between wooden houses with carved frames, look at paintings in the Levitan Museum, and admire the frozen Volga. But you shouldn’t forget about pure winter entertainment: near the city there is the Milovka resort, where you can ski, snowboard and sled.
To warm up, head to the interior restaurants “Sofia Petrovna Kuvshinnikova’s Coffee House” and “Grand Sova”, the menu of which consists of Volga cuisine dishes: smoked bream, fish soup, pike balls, baked sturgeon (but there are also extravagant items like potatoes with elk or quail stew). A simpler option is Russian fast food “Fish Corner” with pies and corner pies, as well as fish soup, cabbage soup and borscht in plastic take-away cups.
Where to stay:
In the guest house “Volga-Volga” (rating 9.4) – from 4 700 rubles per day*.
Vladimir region
Let travel to this region not be limited to Vladimir and Suzdal. Go to Gorokhovets – a city where they will tell you everything about merchant life in the houses of Shorin, Ershov and Shiryaev. Gorokhovets is famous for its numerous wooden houses with carved platbands: they were built in the 19th–20th centuries and are known for the fact that original Russian decorative elements (blind and sawn carvings, false roofs) are combined with European modernism, fashionable at that time. It also has its own ski slope “Puzhalova Gora”, which is suitable for those who are just beginning to comprehend the art of skiing.
The Vladimir region is also known for its centers of religious tourism. Murom, Kideksha, Bogolyubovo are cities with impressive churches and monasteries, but you can come here without spiritual quest: the beautiful ancient architecture is especially beautiful when there is snow on the streets.
Where to stay in the Vladimir region:
In the three-star hotel “Vladimir” in Vladimir (score 10) – from 3,800 rubles per night*.
In the four-star X-Room hotel in Murom (score 10) – from 3 900 rubles per night*.
In the houses of their wooden frame “Hot Keys” in Suzdal (rating 9.9) – from 8,500 rubles per day*.
Tarusa and Serpukhov
These two cities in the Kaluga region are an option for those who do not have enough time for a long trip (in principle, a day is enough to explore them, but it is best to budget for a weekend). Tarusa is a cultural center; here are the Tsvetaeva and Paustovsky museums, as well as the workshop of the avant-garde artist Eduard Steinberg. A wonderful place for walking is the high bank of the Oka River, from which you can enjoy views of the surrounding expanses. If you want to warm up, go to the “Second Wind” tea room, opened in an old wooden mansion: they serve Tsvetaevsky apple pie and herbal teas. For a complete relaxation, go to the WELNA Spa Resort, located in the middle of the forest 12 minutes from the city by taxi.
Serpukhov is a lovely city with many preserved churches and monasteries. Its true pearl is considered to be the historical and art museum: the unexpectedly rich collection for a provincial town, assembled by the manufacturer Anna Vasilyevna Maraeva, delights with works of the Dutch (including Rembrandt’s students), Venetians and famous Russian artists – Shishkin, Levitan, Aivazovsky, Vasnetsov.
Where to stay:
In the guest house “Usadba” in Tarusa (rating 9.4) – from 3,500 rubles per night*.
In the Beaver Cape country eco-park in the village of Ilyinskoye near Tarusa – from 5,800 rubles per night*.
In the park hotel “Vozdvizhenskoe” in Serpukhov (score 10) – from 7,000 rubles per night*.
*Prices are current at the time of publication.
