Vladimir is an amazing ancient city, part of the Golden Ring of Russia. Despite its fame, many tourists do not even suspect what riches are hidden in the Vladimir region. We’ll tell you what’s definitely worth seeing here.
Vladimir
Photo: Frog Dares/Shutterstock.com
It is not for nothing that this city is considered one of the largest tourist centers in Russia. In Vladimir, you can see architectural monuments of pre-Mongol architecture, of which only a few have survived in the country: this is the Assumption Cathedral of the 12th century with frescoes by Andrei Rublev, Demetrius Cathedral, built by order of Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest, as well as the Golden Gate of the city. Other attractions include the Trinity Old Believer Church, the 18th-century shopping arcades and the Water Tower, inside of which today there is the Old Vladimir Museum, which tells about the life of the city at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
At the end of June, Vladimir hosts the festival of Russian gaming culture “Slavic Games”, which introduces visitors to the traditional amusements of Rus’: round dances, tug-of-war, strongman competitions and lapta.
How to get there:
The fastest option is the train from the Kursk station (including the Lastochka high-speed electric train), You can also get there by bus from the Central (Shchelkovsky) bus station.
Suzdal and Kideksha
The beautiful white-stone city-reserve seems to transport guests back to the times of princely Rus’. Suzdal has preserved a beautiful historical center and an impressive Kremlin, several impressive monasteries (Pokrovsky, Spaso-Efimiev, Aleksandrovsky, Rizopolozhensky and Vasilyevsky), as well as many churches and architectural ensembles: Posad, Zarechnaya Side, Torgovaya Square, Skuchilikha settlement.
Just four kilometers from Suzdal is the village of Kideksha, once the country residence of Yuri Dolgoruky. The pre-Mongol Boris and Gleb Church still stands there today.
Tourists come to Suzdal for the real “Russian spirit”: folk festivals in national costumes and holidays are often held here. First of all, this is, of course, Cucumber Day on the territory of the Museum of Wooden Architecture (every year on the second Saturday of July), as well as the annual Russian bath festival (at the end of September), Open Russian Animated Film Festival (in March) and City Day (second Saturday of August).
Suzdal can also be called the gastronomic capital of the Vladimir region. When you come here, be sure to try lightly salted cucumbers and cucumber jam, the best mead in the country, kvass, and other dishes of Russian cuisine – buckwheat porridge with giblets, fish soup, crucian carp in sour cream, dumplings with wild boar meat, and also horseradish.
How to get there:
Direct railway service The city does not have access to Moscow: you can get there with a transfer in Vladimir – from there buses run regularly from the bus station to Suzdal.
Murom
This is a pilgrimage center for the region, because here, in the Trinity Monastery, the relics of Peter and Fevronia of Murom are kept. It is believed that these saints should be asked for good luck and happiness in love and family life. If you also want to touch the sarcophagus, you should come here in advance, otherwise you risk losing half a day in line. Other city shrines are also within walking distance: the Annunciation Monastery, the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the Church of Guria, Samon and Aviva, the Church of Cosmas and Damian, and the Nikolo-Embankment Church. All of these are beautiful buildings with a rich history, so they are worth visiting, even if you are far from religion.
The Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, celebrated on June 25, is also associated with the name of Peter and Fevronia. In Murom it is celebrated on a special scale.
How to get there:
By train from Kazansky station: the journey takes on average 4.5 hours.
Gorokhovets
This small town captivates at first sight. It is best to visit Gorokhovets in winter, on snowy and clear days. Firstly, against such a background its numerous houses with carved platbands look especially colorful. Secondly, in winter you can go skiing or snowboarding here – practically in the very center of the city there is the Puzhalova Gora ski resort.
Among the cultural attractions: Ershov’s house (there is a museum dedicated to merchant life inside), the house of the Shiryaev merchants, Shorin’s mansion in the European Art Nouveau style, the Nikolsky Monastery, standing on the top of Puzhalovaya Mountain, from where a panorama of the city and the Klyazma River opens up.
The most interesting folk celebrations of the Vladimir region take place in Gorokhovets. At the Samovar Festival in mid-summer, it is customary to drink tea and sbiten in the courtyard of an ancient estate; as part of the July festival of historical reconstruction “Berezhets”, the Russian Middle Ages are recreated with real battles, and at Merchant’s Day in September you can buy farm products from local farms and works of urban artisans.
How to get there:
You can get to Gorokhovets by the high-speed train “Lastochka”, which follows the route “Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod” and departs from Kursky Station. True, the railway station is located 10 kilometers from the city itself, in the village of Velikovo (you will have to take a taxi). Some buses leaving from the Shchelkovsky bus station also pass Gorokhovets.
Goose-Crystal
Photo: Elena Koromyslova/Shutterstock.com
Gus-Khrustalny is included in the list of cities of the Small Golden Ring. It is primarily known for its glass production (hence the name): you should definitely bring local crystal from the town. Here you can see the St. George Cathedral of the early 20th century with preserved paintings by Vasnetsov and the picturesque lake-reservoir – favorite vacation spot for townspeople.
How to get there:
Direct flight from Shchelkovsky bus station (the journey takes about 4.5 hours).
Alexandrov
Alexandrov is a city where history comes to life. Once upon a time, it was here that the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda was located, in which Ivan the Terrible lived (by the way, his viewing of brides, at which Marfa Vasilievna was chosen as the new wife of the sovereign, took place here, and not in the Moscow Kremlin, as shown in the film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes profession”). Today, on the territory of the settlement there is a palace and temple architectural reserve.
The old town with two-story merchant houses and estates has been preserved in Alexandrov. In one such house the Literary and Art Museum of Marina and Anastasia Tsvetaev was opened.
How to get there:
There are direct trains and express trains from Yaroslavsky station to Alexandrov.
Bogolyubovo and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl
Surely the description of the snow-white temple on the river bank is familiar to everyone from school expositions. You will truly be greeted by an idyllic landscape here, and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl will amaze you with its simplicity and nobility of details. It was here that the residence of Andrei Bogolyubsky was once located. The prince’s chambers today are the main attraction of the village.
How to get there:
Buses go to Bogolyubovo from the Vladimir bus station. The church is located 1.5 kilometers from the village, you can walk to it or take a taxi.
It’s convenient to book a hotel on OneTwoTrip.
Text author: Margarita Paimakova
