The Golden Ring of Russia is the best place for beginner autotourists. Such excursions are also suitable for those who have limited time on vacation. Despite the fact that the trip by car through the cities of the Golden Ring is short, the impressions will be unforgettable and versatile. Thanks to this pastime, you can see the beautiful, ancient cities of Russia, which have preserved the cultural monuments of Ancient Rus' to this day.
The Golden Ring is based on 8 cities. Among them are Vladimir, Suzdal, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Rostov Veliky, Sergiev Posad. It will take at least 2 weeks to see the beauty and grandeur of each of them. But if you don’t have time, then you can do it in a week, but of course you won’t be able to see every city in its entirety.
Route point: Sergiev Posad
The distance from Belokamennaya is 75 km, you will have to spend about an hour. Among the attractions, it is definitely worth noting the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, which is considered the largest monastery in the entire territory of Russia. In addition, the Chernigov Temple, under which there is a cave church, will also be interesting. Its construction was completed in 1851.
There are also many interesting places around Sergiev Posad. For example, the Abramtsevo estate, which is 15 km away from the city, is worth visiting the Gremyachiy waterfall, its height is more than 25 meters. This miracle of nature is located near the village of Vzglyadnevo. By the way, it is believed that the waters of the waterfall are healing. The water temperature remains the same at any time of the year. It is better to go here in dry weather.
Also, traveling by car along the Golden Ring means visiting the Desert of the Holy Spirit of the Paraclete, which is located 6 km from the monastery. In the Hermitage to this day there are monastic cells, a bell tower, and a stone temple. It is also worth visiting the village of Deulino, where in 1618 Poland and Russia made peace by signing a corresponding treaty.
Route point: Pereslavl-Zalessky
The distance from Sergiev Posad is 75 km. Of course, the road ahead will not be easy due to bad roads, but this path must be overcome to see the beauty of the place. Among the attractions it is worth highlighting cathedrals and monasteries, of which there are a lot here. 
These are the monasteries of Goritsky, Nikolo-Solbinsky, Nikitsky, Feodorovsky, Holy Trinity Danilov, Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral and others. Also in Pereslavl-Zalessky there are famous sources: St. Anthony and Theodosius of Kiev-Pechersk, Varvarin, Nikitsky.
In addition, tourists love to visit the museum-estate “Boat of Peter I”. And on the banks of Pleshcheev lies Blue stone, near which guests really like to take pictures. According to geologists, this stone was brought here by a glacier. In addition, the guides will be able to take you to the streets where famous films were filmed, for example, “The Thief”, “The Orphan of Kazan”, “Boomer”.
Route point: Rostov Veliky
Rostov-on-Don should not be confused with this place. The distance from the previous point is 66 km. Among the city’s attractions, I would like to highlight the Rostov Kremlin; it was here that the cult comedy “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession” was filmed. You should also definitely visit the Sarsky settlement, where there is a Life-Giving Cross, which simply works miracles. From the side of Lake Nero, from the side of an ancient Russian boat, you can look at the city. Also most beautiful places will open to guests from the platforms of the monastery towers.
Route point: Yaroslavl
The duration of the road from Rostov is 57 km. A trip along the Golden Ring will give you the opportunity to see the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, where the headquarters of Minin and Pozharsky were previously located. You should also definitely visit the Vasilyev Tower, which is the pride of Yaroslavl.
Its construction ended in the 17th century. In the Church of Elijah the Prophet, guests are invited to see frescoes, and a huge collection of bells will be presented to tourists in the “Music and Time” museum. If you are traveling with children, then it is worth visiting the Bear monument and the “My Favorite Bear” museum. This place contains toys from the most various materials: straw, wood, metal, plush, etc. You can ride the kids on the railway, the length of which is 3.5 km.
Route point: Kostroma
From Yaroslavl to Kostroma 86 km. Having overcome this distance, you find yourself in a cozy and quiet city. Here it is worth visiting the Ipatiev Monastery, which was founded back in 1330. Also interesting places will be the Snow Maiden's tower, the Dog monument, museums of flax and birch bark, and wooden architecture. By the way, according to the travelers themselves, after visiting the Dog monument, you should definitely touch its nose; it is believed that such a gesture can bring good luck.
Route point: Ivanovo
To get to the city of brides from Kostroma you need to drive 106 km. And now a small town opens up for tourists, where you can look at a unique house-ship, which was built in 1930. In fact, it looks a lot like a ship. In the center of Ivanovo you can see an architectural monument of the 20th century - the Vvedensky Women's Orthodox Monastery. You should also definitely visit the Ivanovo Calico Museum, which houses a collection of half a million textile-themed exhibits.
Route point: Suzdal
78 km from Ivanovo lies the city of Suzdal. This is the pearl of the Golden Ring. A stop in the city of Suzdal will give you the opportunity to see the Spaso-Evfimiev and Intercession monasteries, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin, the Suzdal Prison Museum, and the Golden Pantry. The journey can be continued in the museum of wooden architecture, where a church, a poor peasant’s house, a gentleman’s house, mills, a barn, a well and several rural houses are presented.
Route point: Vladimir
This is the last point of the journey. Here it is worth seeing the Golden Gate, installed at the entrance to the city, going to the Trade Rows, visiting Cathedral Square, Kozlovy Val, the Nativity Monastery and the water tower. In addition, tourists like to take photos near the monument to Vladimir, where the pyramids with 3 heroes rise. And in the central cathedral of Vladimir you can see icons painted by Andrei Rublev.
Having taken a break from the beauties of civilized Europe, the portal website went to the ancient cities of Russia. On the way along the Golden Ring, our correspondent paid tribute to the homeland of the first workers' Soviets and the monument to ancient Russian writing, saw the walls of the Vladimir Central, and did not forget to taste the Suzdal Mead.
While it's warm outside, it's time to fill the tank full, check the levels of all technical fluids and tire pressure. And - go on a week-long (and if you're lucky, even two-week) tour of the cities of the Golden Ring. Ahead are about 800 kilometers of asphalt, forests, fields, lakes, rivers, old settlements and ancient temples. Moreover, at present, a considerable part of the road - if you don’t count the first part of the Yaroslavl highway, where four bridges were undergoing major repairs before the end of the summer - is of very high quality. This is what the author of these lines tested for himself.
Point one: to the Golden Gate!
We recommend starting from Moscow, and as early as possible! If you wish, you can drive the entire ring in one day, but in this case you won’t see anything except a gray strip of asphalt. And so, if you take your time, then the first point of your stop - ancient Vladimir - from the Moscow Ring Road will be 181 kilometers. Of which the most difficult are the first 15, passing through Balashikha. This satellite suburb of Moscow is replete with traffic lights and left turns, and therefore it is better to drive through it before seven in the morning. If you didn’t have time to have breakfast, an American-Canadian catering point is at your service. right side from you in the same Balashikha.
After Noginsk, the Gorkovskoe Highway - into which the Moscow Enthusiasts Highway passes (named in honor of the convicts who went to Siberia - part of the road is still called "Beijing") - becomes a very comfortable four-lane (in both directions) highway with a demarcation barrier - before there were quite a few head-on collisions here; they, however, still happen where there is no barrier. This is exactly how actor Alexander Dedyushko died near the village of Omutishchi... So be on the lookout.
In general, it would be nice to adhere to the speed limit for several other reasons. First, there are a lot of photo radars installed along the route. Secondly, in populated areas, drivers are tracked from afar by traffic police officers, sometimes in pairs - one crew in the village, the second - at the exit from it.
But even if you don’t drive, the journey to the outskirts of Vladimir will take you a maximum of two hours. Along the highway there are many gas stations with fuel of acceptable quality and several cafes where you can refuel. Before reaching Vladimir - however, left hand– there will be a “disruption” where they sell “pneumatics” and tourist and hunting accessories.
The most famous monument of Vladimir is the Golden Gate. You can get to them if you drive straight at the entrance to the city (the bypass road to Nizhny goes to the left). The exact address - if you have a navigator - is the intersection of Bolshaya Moskovskaya and Dvoryanskaya streets. Next to the Golden Gate are the remains of the original earthen rampart that surrounded the city (the wooden palisade on top of the rampart, of course, has not survived). You can walk along the rampart, enter the gate (there is a museum there), and explore the churches and monasteries, of which there are countless in Vladimir.
You can have lunch at any of the cafes and restaurants on Bolshaya Moskovskaya - the prices, I’m sure, will please residents of capital cities.
There is one more place in this city... “Vladimir Central, North Wind...” - remember? So, here he is. IN different years Lydia Ruslanova, Vasily Stalin, Vladimir Bukovsky, Francis Powers, Friedrich Paulus and many others sat here. Drive through the city along Bolshaya Moskovskaya... Shortly after the station building (on the right) along left side from you you will see two ancient (1825) buildings, pink and blue. If the pink house is a court, go around to the left, then behind it you will see the famous six-meter prison walls...
Point two: to the Nerl
“On the Nerl” means to Suzdal. Officially, it has existed since 1024, but it was most likely founded much earlier.
After driving another kilometer from Central, turn left at the traffic light - this is the A113 highway, leading straight to Suzdal. The city is only 36 kilometers away, but the road is not easy: a winding two-lane road running through the hills. Overtaking is difficult and extremely dangerous here, and in areas where the sign “Overtaking is prohibited!” there are a lot of traffic police posts. So don’t rush... It’s better to stop at any of the “spots” with a roadside diner - kebabs, fried potatoes, kvass...
The tourist center of Suzdal is the Kremlin, which has many museums (including a torture chamber). The Suzdal Kremlin has nothing in common with the Moscow one: here, too, some of the fortifications were earthen, the rampart has been preserved. But many monuments of wooden architecture were brought here from the surrounding villages. It’s better to go here on foot - you’ll see more, and there’s nowhere to park your car near the Kremlin. So it’s better to park your car at the hotel or at the tourist center. By the way... When this material was being prepared, sad news came from Suzdal: during a thunderstorm, the wooden Church of the Transfiguration of the 17th century caught fire and was partially destroyed by fire.
What to see: St. Efimovsky Monastery, and in it - the Transfiguration Cathedral, the Assumption Church, the belfry; Posad House; Pokrovsky Monastery. It is very pleasant to walk around Suzdal, visiting churches so ancient that their floors are half a meter or meter below ground level. Here you can buy locally produced mead, including non-alcoholic one.
Where to sleep: There are not too many hotels in Suzdal, but private motels fill this gap. The cost of an overnight stay is from 800 to 2200-2500 rubles. Without breakfast.
Small hook
If you have time, I would recommend doing it. Just 65 kilometers along the road, running among fields, where there is never any traffic or any problems. In general, we are going to Yuryev-Polsky. At the exit from Suzdal there is a complex junction in the shape of the letter Ш. The extreme right “sleeve” is to Ivanovo (we will use it later), the middle one is to Gavrilov Yam, and the left one is to Yuryev-Polsky. This city is the same age as Moscow and was founded by the same Yuri Dolgoruky. It has nothing in common with Poland: the Poles did not reach here in the 17th century. And the name originally sounded like “Polish” - i.e. located among fields. A very, very nice town with an ancient, low, white-stone and truly Russian Kremlin, sunk into the ground, which is very pleasant to walk around.
To continue moving along the Ring, you will need to get to Ivanovo - as you know, the birthplace of the first workers' Soviets. You can return from Yuryev-Polsky to Suzdal and, taking the far right “sleeve”, go onto the highway along which, after covering 70 kilometers, you will find yourself in Ivanovo (there are few gas stations on the highway, so if you see it, don’t pass by!) , buying blueberries, blueberries or chanterelles along the way at a roadside impromptu market.
But for adventure seekers on their own, I will advise another, detour route. Through Gavrilov Posad - an amazing dead-end city, into which - if you only count good roads— you can only get there from Ivanovo. Locals call it “Gavposad”, and taxis don’t go there. But you can get there, even without all-wheel drive. To do this, you need to leave the city in the direction of Sima, and after 15 kilometers, on a hillock, turn right onto a dirt road, which then smoothly turns into a road made of concrete slabs. You can drive along it for about two kilometers without any problems... And then you get the impression that either tanks passed through here, or - fighting with the use of artillery. The road is completely broken - you have to turn the steering wheel like crazy. If there was a thunderstorm and there were puddles on the road, don’t be lazy to measure the depth. Usually it is no more than 15-20 cm, but before my eyes an overly self-confident Moscow driver in a Subaru Forester plopped down right up to the windows.
This disgrace will not last long, soon asphalt will appear and you will enter Gavposad. And from there - along a good highway - through Teykovo you will get to Ivanovo, already on the exit from the city and not far from the Canadian diner (if it’s time for lunch).
Ivanovo has stood on the Uvod River since 1328, but there is not much to see here - it is one of the textile capitals of Russia. I can only recommend visiting one of the wholesale and retail textile centers - cheap bed linen, just linen, etc.
When leaving the city, pay attention to the military airfield of the Ivanovo paratroopers.
Point four - to the homeland of the Romanovs
The next city on our way is Kostroma. It is about a hundred kilometers away, most of which passes through large and small villages. The road was recently updated, the speed limit increased, which led to the quite logical appearance of traffic police officers with radars in the local Palestines. But there are enough gas stations, and the lack of cafes - there are only about a dozen of them - will be compensated by shops in populated areas.
As you pass Privolzhsk (this is half the way to Kostroma), think: shouldn’t you go straight (to Kostroma - to the left, along the main road)? Straight ahead - Ples... Until it is “closed” (here, they say, the president’s residence will be), take this opportunity and look at the Volga expanses described by Levitan. Moreover, it is not far.
This part of the Golden Ring began to be put in order several years ago: the road was leveled, the asphalt was changed almost to the very entrance to Kostroma. But in the city itself they haven’t managed to change it yet - be careful. In addition, the city has a lot of unafraid pedestrians and unclear traffic lights.
Kostroma, according to some sources, dates back to 1152. Founded it - right! - Yury Dolgoruky. And, although the city developed rapidly, it gained fame only in 1613, when the boyar embassy arrived in Kostroma to ask for the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. The Ipatiev Monastery, in which this action took place, is the most significant monument of the city. The monastery is beautiful in itself: it can be seen from the highway bridge across the Volga. It also houses the “Tale of Bygone Years” - an ancient Russian monument of writing.
It’s nice to walk around Kostroma itself - especially its coastal areas - to see the shopping arcades - red and small, old merchant houses.
But you can arrive in Kostroma in another way - using a ferry crossing. To do this, let's go back a little, to Privolzhsk. Turning towards Kostroma, after five kilometers you will see a sign on the right - “Red on the Volga”. Turning around, after 8 kilometers you will come to a picturesque ferry crossing. The ferry runs every 45 minutes and accommodates about 10-12 cars. The cost of the crossing is within 200 rubles, including passengers. But on the other hand, you get stunning views of the Volga, and in addition, you find yourself in the jewelry capital of Russia, you can walk around its shops for several hours... They are all located on the same street, along which, having left the village, after 30 kilometers you will enter Kostroma from the east .
Where to eat: There are small cafes and restaurants in the city, but there are not many of them, since there are still few tourists, and the locals have budget problems. This is why the Canadian diner on the ground floor of the Kostroma department store, located directly opposite the highway bridge across the Volga, is especially popular.
Where to sleep: There are problems with hotels in the city... The central one is currently under renovation, and in the rest they can ask for an overnight stay like in the Hilton - up to 5,000 rubles.
Point five - Yaroslavl
Having left the city - for this you will have to go back across the bridge to the other side of the Volga, you will go out onto the Kostroma highway, which is 80 kilometers away from the turn to Yaroslavl. The last time the road was repaired here was about 10 years ago, so now it’s so-so, don’t drive it! And we advise you to refuel at the exit from Kostroma - the gas stations along the highway, to be honest, do not inspire confidence. There are a lot of ambushes on the road, so watch for speed limit and overtaking signs.
The highway will end at a T-junction where you will turn right. And soon you will enter the city, which celebrated its 1000th anniversary last year. Here we recommend visiting the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery (Cathedral of the Transfiguration, Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers, belfry), one of the oldest churches in the city - the Church of the Archangel Michael (Pervomaiskaya Street). There are a lot of memorable places and ancient buildings on the city embankments.
By the way. Once upon a time, motor ships and Meteors sailed from Yaroslavl to Kostroma. Therefore, it was possible, after getting out of the car, to make a journey by water lasting several hours. And now - alas...
Where to eat: There are enough cafes in the city, so you definitely won’t go hungry. Or you can look for a more impressive place on the way to the next point on the Ring - Rostov.
Where to sleep: again there is a problem with hotel places, although in last years private hotels appeared. The cost of a room per night is from 1800 rubles.
Point six - the most ancient
The city of Rostov, which is located just 57 kilometers from Yaroslavl, is one of the most ancient cities in Russia: the official date of its foundation is considered to be 862! Moreover, getting to it is quite easy. Leaving Yaroslavl and leaving behind the local oil refinery famous for its explosions and fires on the right, you will drive 40 kilometers along a luxurious four-lane highway. It’s generally a sin to drive along it at a speed below 140 km/h, but the permitted speed, alas, is 50 km/h lower - don’t get carried away! There are a lot of overpasses on the highway, behind which guys with radars like to hide. And keep in mind - all gas stations, cafes and motels are along the side of the oncoming highway, so look for places to turn around.
But all good things come to an end someday. The highway will also end near the village of Shalaevo, turning into a tense two-lane M8 with a large number of trucks and rare overtaking zones. The route goes through villages where drunk people often get run over - keep your speed no higher than 70! But all this will be rewarded by entering Rostov, which welcomes guests with a stele with the numbers “862”.
All the main attractions of this city are located to the left of the highway. Behind the wooden and partly stone houses and storage sheds along the road are hidden the ancient Kremlin and a huge lake with the beautiful and otherworldly name Nero.
What to see: The Kremlin comes first: the local Assumption Cathedral was founded in the 900s, at the turn of the millennium, so to speak. Very interesting is the Church of Gregory the Theologian and the two-tier belfry, the lower tier of which is occupied by the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. True, local excursions are paid, but with all tickets you can keep it under 1000 rubles.
The second most important “point” is the Spaso-Yakovlensky Dmitriev Monastery (Engels Street) on the very shore of the lake in the southern part of the city. And on the northern outskirts and also on the shore stands the Epiphany Abraham Monastery.
We highly recommend taking a ride around the lake, especially if you don’t want to go around each of the ancient monuments - from the water they are all at a glance. There is municipal boat rental, but you can also negotiate with private carriers. Prices, let’s say, “vary”: it all depends on the boatman’s appetite.
Where to eat: the city is not yet accustomed to the influx of tourists, but there are cafes. The prices are quite low, but you shouldn’t count on any special gourmet cuisine.
Where to sleep: There are hotels in Rostov. Not of the European level, of course, but quite comfortable. Prices for accommodation - from 800 to 2000 rubles per room per day.
N.B. If you have half a day of free time and you decide to spend the night in Rostov, then why not go to Uglich at the same time? It is a little younger than Rostov (937), but has a glorious history. It is also famous for the fact that Tsarevich Dimitri, the son of Ivan the Terrible, was killed here in 1591, after which the Rurik dynasty was ended and the Time of Troubles began. Turn to Uglich - at the exit from Rostov, turn left. It is only 95 versts to the ancient city on the banks of the Volga, through the very beautiful village of Borisoglebskoye. Moreover, in August there is a traditional “Harvest Fair”: honey, apples, preserves, etc.
Point seven - to the boot
Don’t be confused – not a “boutique”, but a boat! We are talking about Pereslavl-Zalessky, an ancient (1152, Yuri Dolgoruky) city on the shores of Lake Pleshcheevo. The road here is quite tedious, because for the most part it is two-lane, and overtaking is prohibited almost everywhere: the M8 highway winds through steep hills, reminiscent of a roller coaster.
Actually, this city was already in our review, and therefore here is a brief summary. Here in 1220 Prince Alexander, later nicknamed Nevsky, was born. And 720 years later, Sergei Eisenstein immediately shot the film “Alexander Nevsky”. Tsar Peter learned to sail on a boat here (see the Peter's Boat museum in the village of Veskovo). Today in the city - in addition to the ancient monastery on the shore - there is a Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum, an Iron Museum and a Teapot House. And you can swim in Lake Pleshcheyevo - the beach is located at the end of Kuznetsova Street, almost in the very center of the city.
Where to eat: The city is full of places where you can eat, since numerous intercity buses and minibuses stop here.
Where to sleep: in fact, there are only 130 km left to Moscow, but... if it’s late at night, it’s better to stay. In hotels - although there are not many of them - you can rent a room from 1,200 to 3,000 rubles per night.
Point eight – Lavra. Or…
...Zagorsk, also known as Sergiev Posad, is located so close to Moscow (56 kilometers) that it is of almost no interest to residents of the capital. In addition, we once talked about it in sufficient detail - both about the monasteries and about the famous wells. But if you drive towards S. Posad, then in the village of Dvoriki there will be a left turn - towards Alexandrov. The city is about 30 kilometers away.
This city - under the name of the village of Velikaya Sloboda - has been mentioned since the 14th century; here was the residence of the son of Ivan III, Prince Vasily III. But, of course, the most famous inhabitant of Alexandrov was Ivan IV the Terrible... The Tsar moved here in 1564, when, having gone on a pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, he decided not to return to Moscow. Here he convened the oprichnina, here all the threads of government of the kingdom were concentrated, here the first Russian book, the Psalter, was printed. Here “the stinking boyar son Lupatov’s slave” jumped from the bell tower on homemade wings.
Tsarevich Ivan was also killed here (1581), becoming a victim of his father’s wrath. After this, Grozny left the settlement forever. Since then, it has been believed that the king’s famous library is hidden somewhere here.
Here, in the first half of the 18th century, Princess Elizaveta Petrovna, exiled here by Empress Anna Ioannovna, was kept in the monastery.
Well, from the latest events - here, in 1970, the film “Ruslan and Lyudmila” was filmed.
Among the historical places worth seeing are the Trinity (formerly Intercession) Cathedral, the Intercession (formerly Trinity) Church, the Church of Metropolitan Alexei (inside the existing Crucifixion Bell Tower) and the Assumption Church.
... If you have enough strength, then after Aleksandrovsky you can look into Sergiev Posad.
But we don’t recommend getting to Moscow along the Yaroslavskoye Highway: as mentioned above, repairs, traffic jams... It’s better to go back a little and take the A108 (Bolshoye concrete ring), follow it to Alenino (turn to Chernogolovka and exit to Moscow via Shchelkovskoe highway) or return to Gorkovskoe highway in the Ozherelok area.
Then the “Golden Ring” will truly come full circle.
The concept of the “Golden Ring” appeared in the distant 70s of the last century, when mass trade union tourism began to develop in the USSR. Then a roundabout was developed bus route, starting and ending in Moscow, about 800 km long. The classic “Golden Ring” includes Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl, Plyos, and Vladimir. Later, Uglich, Myshkin, Tutaev, and Gus-Khrustalny were added to them.
Gold ring. Route
At the end of May, a customer approached me who wanted to travel along the Golden Ring and hire me as a guide. He wanted to do it in 4 days. After consultations, the travel route took the following form:
Day 1: Moscow – Sergiev Posad – Pereslavl-Zalessky – Rostov the Great (overnight at the Pleshanov Estate hotel)
Day 2: Rostov Veliky – Uglich – Myshkin – Yaroslavl (overnight at the hotel “St. George”)
Day 3: Yaroslavl – Kostroma – Plyos – Ivanovo (overnight at the Shaddock Hotel)
Day 4: Ivanovo – Kideksha – Vladimir – Bogolyubovo – Moscow. Looking ahead, I will say that Bogolyubovo had to be excluded due to bad weather and the 2014 World Cup football match - the customer turned out to be a passionate football fan.
I had nothing to do with drawing up the route and choosing hotels - the clients turned out to be experienced travelers who had visited 46 countries and applied their considerable experience to this short trip.
It should be taken into account that in some cities and museums of the Golden Ring, excursions are conducted only by local accredited guides. Therefore, I ordered excursion services to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Rostov Kremlin, Myshkin and the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve. This cost my clients 9,850 rubles.
Gold ring. Sergiev Posad
The classic “Golden Ring” begins with the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Excursions to the monastery are conducted by the pilgrimage center, which attracts, in addition to regular employees, students of the Theological Seminary and Academy. A young monk, a student at the Academy, worked with my customers. The cost of a tour of the monastery with visits to temples was 1200 rubles.
The monastery is actively preparing for the 700th anniversary of the Nativity of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Most of the temples have already been restored and repainted.
View of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra from Krasnogorskaya Square. On the left is the Assumption Cathedral (XVI century), on the right is the Lavra Bell Tower 88 m high (XVIII century). In the center is a monument to Sergius of Radonezh (late 20th century).
I am glad that during the restoration they paid attention not only to churches, but also to civil buildings. For example, they restored the appearance of the Red Rows of the early twentieth century. An Orthodox grocery store was opened there and a pilgrimage center was moved there.
Gold ring. Pereslavl-Zalessky
From Sergiev Posad we went to Pereslavl-Zalessky, where we visited the museum-estate “Boat of Peter I”. Then we had lunch at the country tavern “Popov Meadow”, located on the farm. The tavern is built of wood, stylized as a “Russian hut”. The food is tasty and not very expensive. The bill for 3 turned out to be within 3 thousand rubles.
Next to the tavern, sheep graze in the meadow, and there is also a “Labaz”, selling fresh meat, milk, cottage cheese and other products. The customer's wife lamented that they did not take the refrigerator with them.
Tavern “Popov Meadow”. On the right is the wing of the restaurant, in the center are summer gazebos, on the left in the back is a “storage store” selling natural products.After lunch we visited three active monasteries of Pereslavl-Zalessky: Trinity-Danilov, Nikolsky and Nikitsky. We had to go to the Nikitsky Monastery along a bypass road. .
Gold ring. Rostov Veliky
In the evening we arrived in Rostov Veliky. We saw the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery, the Church of Isidore the Blessed and Cathedral Square with a unique.
A visit to the Rostov Kremlin and the Museum of Church Antiquities was planned for the next morning. We spent the night at the Pleshanova Estate hotel. My clients liked the hotel, but I didn’t really like it.
“Pleshanova Estate” is considered a 3*** hotel, but the shower doors in my room were broken and it was not possible to close them. When I was taking a shower, the hot water suddenly turned off and I had to frantically douse myself with cold water. And the room itself is too small.
Although all this applies to room 16 in the second building of the hotel. There were no problems noted in the main building. The price includes parking and breakfast. Breakfast seemed rather meager to me: only one type of cheese and one type of boiled smoked sausage, sausages, scrambled eggs, porridge. I'm not a fan of muesli, but there was none, just as there was no yoghurt. However, the prices at the Pleshanov Estate are quite reasonable. My double room costs 2,000 rubles at a discount, and the suite, which my clients preferred, costs 3,050 rubles.
We devoted the morning of the second day to getting to know the Rostov Kremlin. An individual tour there is expensive. The price for a group of 10 people is 4,000 rubles, with a smaller number of people you have to pay the same amount. However, my customers were very pleased with the inspection of the passages, the churches of the Resurrection of the Lord, St. John the Evangelist and the Savior in the Entrance and the so-called White Chamber.
Rostov Kremlin. Church of the Resurrection of the Lord (right), Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (left).Gold ring. Uglich
From Rostov we went to Uglich through the village of Borisoglebsky. The condition of the road is quite decent - a solid “4” on a five-point scale. In Uglich we visited the Transfiguration Cathedral and the Church of Tsarevich Dimitri “on the Blood,” located in the Kremlin. The Church of the Transfiguration formerly belonged to a museum, now it is a city Cathedral. However, unique paintings and a six-tiered iconostasis are available for inspection. It is not forbidden to even tell stories inside the temple. The Church of Tsarevich Dimitri is still used as a museum object.
We had lunch at the “Old Town” restaurant. At the Usadba restaurant they turned us down, citing the service of reserved groups. In the “Old Town” everything turned out to be great, but the bill exceeded 3,500 rubles.
In addition to the Kremlin, there are three monastic ensembles in Uglich: Epiphany, Alekseevsky and Resurrection monasteries.
Resurrection Monastery, consisting of the Resurrection Cathedral, belfry and refectory with the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God.The Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist is very good, reminiscent of the temple of Tsarevich Demetrius, “on the blood.” The church was built by merchant Nikifor Chepolosov in memory of his murdered son Ivan. He was kidnapped and killed out of envy by Chepolosov's clerk, nicknamed Rudak. Uglich was generally “lucky” with innocently killed youths.
Gold ring. Myshkin
From Uglich we moved along the hydroelectric dam to the Volga region and went to Myshkin. Myshkin is a wonderful town on the banks of the Volga. There are no famous architectural ensembles, ancient temples and monasteries.
But they live in Myshkin amazing people, which turned a godforsaken place into a unique tourist center. In the first years of Soviet power, the commissars ruined the city and demoted it to a collective farm, closing enterprises, abolishing the theater and gymnasium, and flooding a third of the city with the waters of the Rybinsk Reservoir. IN Soviet time the letter “o” was added to the name, relegating Myshkin to the village level. Its residents fought for a long time to restore the historical name, and during perestroika, the status of the city.
Finally, in the 90s of the last century, justice triumphed. In modern Myshkin there are many museums and interactive exhibitions. We didn't see everything. Our program included the Opochinsky Library,
Valenok Museum, Miller's House, House of Crafts and a war memorial. In addition to them, in the city there is a Mouse Museum (the only one in the world! 🙂), a collection of vintage cars and motorcycles, a museum of vodka maker Pyotr Smirnov, Mouse Chambers with theatrical interactive programs - you can’t count them all.
Life in the town revolves around mice...
and... cats. Well, what about cats without mice and vice versa?
One of the city restaurants is called “Mousetrap”. It promises free cheese. The restaurant is located right behind the Assumption Cathedral.
Gold ring. Ferry Myshkin – Yaroslavl
The clouds moving around Myshkin eventually fell on the city with torrential rain. Below it we waited for about half an hour for the ferry carrying cars and people across the Volga. The ferry shortens the journey to Yaroslavl by a good hundred km. Through the crossing it is 91 km to the regional center, and through the dam of the Uglich hydroelectric station and Rostov - more than 200.
We are second in line for the ferry in Myshkin.The ferry crosses the Volga every hour. More often than not it doesn’t work out – loading and unloading takes quite a lot of time. The ferry is free for pedestrians, but you have to pay for a car. The price depends on the weight of the car. For the Audi Q7 they charged us 260 rubles.
A fully loaded ferry goes to Myshkin. In 10 minutes he will land on our side. Don't blame me for the photo - it was taken with a point-and-shoot camera in the rain at maximum zoom.Gold ring. Yaroslavl. Hotel “St. George”
In Yaroslavl we stayed at the hotel “St. George” 4****.
The hotel is located almost in the center. Almost, because the center is located on the other bank of the Kotorosl River. It takes at least 15 minutes to walk to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. From the window of my room I had a view of the Kotorosl floodplain and numerous Yaroslavl churches.
St. George is a modern, fashionable hotel with fairly reasonable prices. Double business class costs 3,800 rubles, and standard single occupancy costs 2,500 rubles with a discount. On the ground floor of the hotel there is a spacious atrium with a restaurant and a lobby bar. The doors of the rooms open onto the internal galleries. But for some reason the elevators only reach the 4th floor. To the last 5th floor you need to climb the stairs.
Breakfast (for a fee of 350 rubles) is served as a buffet in the restaurant area. The assortment is very good: scrambled eggs, sausages, porridge, casserole, omelet, hot vegetables, cold cuts, pastries, fruits. There was only orange juice– I had to settle for apple. I liked the number too. A large room furnished with wooden furniture, a refrigerator in the table cabinet, central air conditioning, a spacious (and serviceable 🙂) shower. Only there was no hairdryer.
Gold ring. Yaroslavl
The third day included getting to know Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Plyos. In Yaroslavl we saw all the main churches of the “golden 17th century”, including John the Baptist in Tolchkovo, St. Nicholas the Mokroy, Epiphany, St. Nicholas Nadein, Elijah the Prophet (with an inspection of the interiors), walked along the arrow to the new Assumption Cathedral and visited the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery.
The excursion around Yaroslavl was entirely on my conscience, so I took almost no photographs.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. On the right is the oldest temple in Yaroslavl - the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior from the early 16th century. On the left is the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers of the first half of the 19th century.Gold ring. Kostroma
From Yaroslavl we went to Kostroma, having lunch at Azimut at the entrance to the city. The bill was for the already familiar 3 thousand rubles. We watched according to the usual program: the Ipatiev Monastery, the Epiphany-Anastassin Monastery with the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, the administrative and shopping ensembles of the city center. My clients refused to view the Lenin monument.
Gold ring. Ivanovo. Hotel Shaddock
In the evening we stopped briefly at Plyos, which didn’t seem to impress them very much. The last hotel booked was in . It turned out to be “Shaddock” - a strange name for a Russian textile center. And its architecture is unusual.
“Shaddock” turned out to be the most expensive of the three hotels booked on the Golden Ring. The cost of a standard double room for single occupancy is 3,400 rubles, and a double “Comfort” room is 6,200. The building is located on the outskirts of the city, practically at the entrance from Kostroma.
In the evening, the hotel restaurant was not open, breakfast was served from 8 am, and the customers wanted to check out at 7:30 am. So I can't say anything about the quality of the breakfast. The room turned out to be quite comfortable, but somehow soulless.
I liked the spacious custom shower. There was a hairdryer this time, but it wasn’t useful :)
Gold ring. Suzdal and Vladimir
The last day of our trip included getting to know Vladimir in the pouring rain. We visited the Museum of Wooden Architecture, the Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery and the Nativity of the Mother of God Cathedral in the Kremlin. In Vladimir we had to limit ourselves to the Assumption and Demetrius Cathedrals of the 12th century. The customers decided to refuse the trip to Bogolyubovo.
Gold ring. Vladimir - Moscow. Detour
The last day of the trip fell on Sunday with an inevitable traffic jam at the Kolokshansky Bridge. It was decided to go around it through Sobinka. The detour route looks like this: from the center of Vladimir we leave along Erofeevsky Descent Street to the bridge over the Klyazma.
After the bridge, after about 2 kilometers, you need to turn right at the first intersection from the bridge, following the sign “Konyaevo”. Then, without turning anywhere, we drive to Konyaevo, drive through it and move towards the village of Raduzhny. There is a checkpoint at the entrance to Raduzhny. In front of it, turn right following the sign “Sobinka”.
Then the road winds for about 20 km and eventually comes out to Sobinka. At the entrance to Sobinka “the asphalt ends” :) Another very bad section of the road will be further down the street. Lenin. In Sobinka on the square you need to turn right (there are no signs, but it’s difficult to make a mistake there). After this, the road leaves the city, crosses Klyazma over a bridge, then railway tracks and comes to a T-shaped intersection with a traffic light.
This is already M-7. At the intersection there are signs: “Moscow” to the left, “Vladimir” or “Nizhny Novgorod” - to the right. We turn left and find ourselves in Lakinsk. The detour is almost twice as long as the direct road from Vladimir to Lakinsk - 60 km versus 35. Another thing is that this distance is quite surmountable in 40-50 minutes, while you can stand in a traffic jam for 2 hours.
Scheme for avoiding traffic jams near the Kolokshansky Bridge:
A. Vladimir
B. Konyaevo
C. Sobinka
D. Lakinsk.
The detour scheme is no longer relevant. The repair of the bridge over Koloksha is almost complete.
To summarize, I will say that the clients were satisfied with both the trip and my work. Perhaps someone will find our experience of a study tour around the Golden Ring useful.
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By train - from Yaroslavsky station to the station. Sergiev Posad.
Pereslavl-Zalessky
140 km.
By car along the Yaroslavl highway.
Buses depart from the square of three stations or the station. m. "Shchelkovskaya".
There are six monasteries here, four of which are active, but all are accessible to visitors. The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, in which they were baptized, is the only one of the five first white-stone churches of Rus' that has reached us completely intact.
Yaroslavl
270 km.
By car along the Yaroslavl highway. Passenger trains and planes also operate.
This place is the conditional capital of the Golden Ring. The oldest city on the Volga was founded in 1010. The oldest building in Yaroslavl is the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Spassky Monastery. Also the 15-domed church The architecture of the Church of Elijah the Prophet is incomparable with anything.
Rostov
202 km.
By car - along the Yaroslavl highway.
From Yaroslavsky station by passenger train or electric train with a transfer in Aleksandrov.
The Rostov Kremlin with its unique 13 bells, whose ringings can be heard far beyond the borders of Russia, as well as the Abrahamic Monastery of the 11th century. An amazing atmosphere of the past on the streets with stone and wooden buildings preserved in their original form.
Kostroma
340 km.
By car along the Yaroslavskoe highway to Yaroslavl, before entering the city at the traffic police post there is a sign to Kostroma. You can take a bus from the Shchelkovsky bus station, as well as a train from the Yaroslavl station.
The Ipatiev Monastery was founded in 1330. The layout of the streets and some buildings have been preserved since the time of Empress Catherine.
Ivanovo
300 km.
By car there are three roads: through Balakhna - Zavolzhye, through Kovrov or through Vladimir. Long-distance planes and trains operate from Moscow.
The most interesting buildings date back to the era of constructivism (30s of the XX century): the ship house, the horseshoe house. A lot of monuments are associated with the revolution of 1917 and the era of industrialization. Several factory premises have been preserved in their original form.
Vladimir
185 km.
By car along Gorkovskoye or Shchelkovskoye highway. Trains and buses run from Kursky Station. You can ride on the high-speed Sapsan, which runs on the route Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod.
He preserved incredible frescoes carved from stone on his walls. In the white stone triumphal arch - the Golden Gate - there is a diorama dedicated to the battle with the Tatar-Mongol army. And in the Assumption Cathedral frescoes of Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny have been preserved.
Suzdal
120 km.
By car to Vladimir and before entering the city under the sign for Suzdal. Buses leave from the Shchelkovsky bus station.
The Suzdal Kremlin, built on the site of the first settlements and preserving the earthen ramparts and ditches of the ancient fortress, the Bishop's Courtyard with the ancient Nativity Cathedral, as well as the snow-white Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin.