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THE ESCAPE THE ORDINARY PUBLICATION Football “NATIONAL Guide to the 2018 TOURIST FIFA World Cup ROUTES OF hotoWligdhoaeoyrne? RUSSIA” MOSCOW REGION MOSCOW LAKE BAIKAL PRIMORYE The cosmopolitan capital KHABAROVSK welcomes millions annually YAKUTIA KAMCHATKA ST. PETERSBURG The Venice of the North SAMARA The ancient city on the Volga river KALININGRAD The world amber capital SOCHI A major Black Sea resort and former host of the Winter Olympic Games 26 UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES are located in Russia

РЕКЛАМА



General Director ANTON SEMENOV Advertising Director NELLY KLYAGINA Editor-in-Chief ALEXANDER KRESTNIKOV Advertising Manager SERGEY GRIGORYEV Editor, English Edition KATHLEEN ZABELINA Director for Distribution SERGEI SOLOVYOV Proofreader GALINA KRIKUNOVA Managing Editor DMITRY FILIPCHENKO Assistant DENIS KUZNETSOV Deputy Chief Editor OLEG ZLOBIN Translation APRIORI LTD. Art Director ARNOLD PEPLOV Prepress NADEZHDA ROMASHKINA THE ON THE COVER PUBLICATION The face of this first issue of “NATIONAL “Tourism & Leisure in Russia” is TOURIST Alexandra Lapteva: although she is only 12, Alexandra is a passionate ROUTES OF football fan. She is very excited RUSSIA” about the FIFA World Cup matches that will be held at Russia’s main PARTNERS AND DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS “Luzhniki” stadium in Moscow, which will host the opening match, Austria Deshmukh Marg, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC 20008, one semi-final and the final. Russisches Kultur Institutin Mumbai – 400 026. Malaysia USA Alexandra is fluent in English and Wien Maharashtra Mexico Turkey French, and hopes that she will be Brahmsplatz 8, 1040 Wien Indonesia Embajada de la Federacion Rossotrudnıçestvo’nun able to volunteer for the World Österreich Russian Center for Science de Rusia Türkye Cumhuryeti Cup. She has an amazing voice, Argentina and Culture Av.José Vasconcelos 204, Temsilciliği and plans to devote a song to the Casa de Rusia Jl. Diponegoro, Menteng, Col.Hipodromo Condesa, Yıldızevler mahallezi, Çankaya forthcoming competition. Av. Rivadavia 4266 Buenos Jakarta Pusat 10310 Del. Cauhtémoc, C.P. konakları, Blok F, 17/17 Photo by Alyona Kunda Aires, CF, Argentina Jordan 06140, Mexico D.F. 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DIRECT SPEECH Anton Semenov, Nikolai General Director Drozdov, Otdyh Media TV presenter, Welcome to a new magazine that researcher, presents Russia and its tourism traveller potential to a foreign audience I remember my journey on the icebreaker “Yamal” along the in attractive full-colour format. Northern Sea Route. We went onshore at the New Sib- It includes information on erian Islands, Wrangel Island, and passed through the Bering tourist routes covering the entire Strait… I have been at the North Pole three times. The closer territory of Russia – including the icebreaker comes to the pole, the thicker the ice. The ship many that are new and, unlike crushes it with its prow, pushing away three-meter ice blocks, the classic Golden Ring, not yet which turn over with an incredible roar. The icebreaker pushes widely known abroad. I hope forward day and night, and you can always hear the noise, even that the magazine’s informative in your cabin. You can’t help thinking, “How can the bulk- stories and outstanding heads stand it?” illustrations will both excite and absorb readers. Kathleen Zabelina, Leonid Marmer, PHOTO FROM PERSONAL ARCHIVES Editor, English Edition General Director Intourist As a foreigner who has considered Russia her full- Thomas Cook time home for the past eight years, it is easy to Russia boasts some of the most dazzling cultural and natural understand the growing interest in the country as an international tourist destination. Guests will sights in the world. In this be suprised by the country’s cosmopolitan cities, issue, readers can discover some of Russia’s most popular wealth of cultural landmarks, and plethora of natural tourist routes and destinations. wonders. Whether you are planning to visit Russia for Many are already famous – business or leisure, I am sure that you will be inspired like the wonderful “Golden by the dynamism of Russian society and the creativity Ring” route, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017. and hospitality of its people. One of the first Intourist pack- ages, it is one of the most beau- Mikhail Kozhukhov, tiful in the country. “Golden Journalist, traveller Ring” takes visitors to some For a long time, I thought that the most beautiful place on of Russia’s most stunning Earth was the Polar Urals, with their unique mountains of and historically important amazing forms, and pure and severe beauty. Because it is diffi- towns and cities, which reveal cult to get to, few people travel there. You have to go on foot so much about the country’s for more than 100 kilometers, or fly by helicopter. But then I culture and traditions. Come saw the Sikhote-Alin mountain range in autumn, and I fell in and see it all for yourself! love with it. It is something incredible! Another amazing place is the Putorana Plateau. You can get there only by helicopter. Every way you look, you can always see three waterfalls. 4 TOURISM & LEISURE IN RUSSIA NATIONAL TOURIST ROUTES



Contents ESCAPE THE ORDINARY 17 Solovki 12 A Treasure Map important in the life of the PHOTO: ISTOCK / PYOTR NIKITIN / TASS PHOTO AGENCY / VISUALRIAN “leader of the world prole- A tourist route is not just tariat”, Vladimir Lenin: a line connecting several Moscow, St. Petersburg, points on the map: cities Ulyanovsk and Kazan. and sights are united by a shared idea and concept. 36 Learn more about Russia’s Five Jewels Close 26Ural famous “Golden Ring” to Moscow and other national tourist More than 6,000 cultural heritage sites are concen- routes. trated in the cities and 34 The Red Route towns around the Russian 50 The Bright Colours capital. The most popular of Primorye This is a cultural and tourist destinations are educational tour, which Sergiyev Posad, Kolomna, The warm sea, high includes a visit to four cities mountains, unique sites Istra, Klin and Dmitrov. Sakhalin 40 A Gateway to of nature, modern health Russia’s resorts, nature reserves Illustrious Рast and national parks all 52 Situated in the centre come together in the Far of St. Petersburg, the East region. 62iconic Belmond Grand Hotel Europe is a short walk from the city’s most famous sights. 42 The Bay of Red Pebbles Vladivostok landscape photographer Vitaly 54 On the Banks of Kamchatka the Amur River Khabarovsk Territory is one of the most inter- esting, beautiful and mysterious regions of Russia’s Far East. 58 Marvels of Berkov climbs the highest Yakutia peaks in Primorye, crosses Immerse yourself in the bright and mountain ranges, and goes unusual world of one on extreme expeditions – sometimes all for the sake of the most mysterious regions of Russia – the of a single, unique photo- Republic of Sakha. graph.

76 000Kazan Taking part Finlytihneg”“EkaitsКeyазань “ffndceeaKomeusmnaartbitrziinaelvatygnsanhtklct”e,h.meoвфвлУзФnenмореeчееtезгеntасrскдhмеeтtсто,вуeтияи”ншв“всиавЛаонлцлреКыяаьтеахаввзт-оаьни нований на набережной у центра семьи “Казан”.

58 Yakutia The Summer fes tival “Yhyakh”, with the tradi- tional Algys rite of blessing – feeding the fire. Kumys (fermented mare’s milk) and Siberian pancakes are given to the spirits of the upper world.

Contents ESCAPE THE ORDINARY 62 The Land of Bears clists who got stuck in the 88 Caucasus mountains this Pyotr Nikitin recently went summer. Samara to the Kronotsky Reserve as a volunteer and is now taking 120 Handmade 102Moscow photographs of the volcanoes Masterpieces of Kamchatka, the Kurile Lake, geysers and brown bears. Here is our “Top 10” list of most popular handicraft 68 Football for items, some of which have Everyone! traditions that date back centuries. In the summer of 2018 the FIFA World Cup will take place 124 Let’s Go to Russia! in Russia. “TLR” has prepared a guide to the 11 cities that How to apply for a Russian will be hosting World Cham- visa? What is the differ- pionship matches. ence between a tourist visa and a private visa? What 98 Ulyanovsk – kind of visa do children Centre of need? What are the rules Hospitality for bringing in medicines and currency, and exporting The city of Ulyanovsk will be valuables? a connecting link between the host cities of the World 126 Calendar of Events Cup. In the city and its surrounding areas, there are Around the regions: some approximately 100 hotels of the holidays and festivals and tourist bases. that tourists can enjoy in 2018. 100 The Moscow Region Awaits 126 Fans Yaroslavl Guests coming to Russia to Shrovetide attend World Cup matches week. The can experience different ancient facets of Russian culture. Slavic holiday 102 F“GolokldSehnowRing” people still love to The Russian folk show celebrate. “Golden Ring” allows viewers to see the diversity of Russian 96Sochi PHOTO: ARTHUR DEMCHENKO / ISTOCK / TASS PHOTO AGENCY traditions and cultures, without leaving Moscow. 104 The Sanduny “Palace of Bathing” Public Russian baths are an amazing, deeply national and cultural phenomenon. They are a trademark of Russia along with samovar, balalaika, vodka and caviar. 106 Lake Baikal Who doesn’t dream of visiting the deepest lake on the planet, Lake Baikal, at least once in their life? Photographer and traveller Anton Agarkov shared his impressions with us. 114 An Unconquered Mountain Pass How two Russians rescued three foreign motorcy-

NEWS Regions Elbrus A RECORD ASCENT Zinovy Slavinsky from Nizhny Novgorod has climbed Mount Elbrus at the age of 87, breaking the world record for that ascent. The previous record had belonged to the Ukrainian alpinist, Vladimir Monogarov, who in 2006 conquered Elbrus at the age of 80. For Slavinsky, climbing Elbrus is not his first such climbing record – in 2016, he climbed to the top of Mount Kazbek. During daily training he climbed the Volga slope, with a height about 40 meters, 25 times. In addition, over the past 50 years Slavinsky has never used lifts, and eats just once a day. St. Petersburg ST. PETERSBURG LEADS AGAIN The award ceremony of the most prestigious international tourism competition, the World Travel Awards, took place at the Ethnographic Museum in St. Petersburg. The city received the right to host the ceremony due to the fact that it had already won prizes in the competition twice before. This year Russia’s Northern Capital was the victor in the “Best European City Direction 2017” nomination. “Tourism is an excellent means of communication between countries and peoples, it makes our world brighter and kinder,” said Georgy Poltavchenko, Governor of St. Petersburg. The 190th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian writer Count Leo Tolstoy will be marked on 9 September 2018. THE FLOATINGArkhangelsk Moscow DELICACIES FOR BRIDGE PHOTO: ISTOCK / LADY.MAIL.RU / ROMAN ASKAROV / RUSSIAN MOUNTANEERING FEDERATION DARRA CELEBRATIONS OF THE 870TH Darra Goldstein, the American ANNIVERSARY OF MOSCOW professor of Russian who is an author INCLUDED THE OPENING OF THE NEW ZARYADYE PARK IN of popular cookbooks, came to the THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL. Arkhangelsk Region to study Pomor T he first major park created cuisine, the cooking of Northern in the city for 50 years, its Russian. The first stop on her trip construction cost the city around the Russian North were the some $250 million. On the ter- Solovetsky Islands, where she was ritory of the park, there are four treated to herring, salted herring, landscape zones that are typical halibut, cod, salad from kelp with of Russia – forest, tundra, steppe carrots and marmalade on agar-agar, and flood meadows. The park also and wicker nuts with blueberries and houses a concert hall, a scientific cottage cheese cakes. Darra herself and education centre, an “Ice admits that she adores cloudber- Cave”, an exhibition and cultural ries, and her favourite dish is salmon complex, and a media centre. Its pie. Her impressions and materials most impressive construction is the collected from the trip will form the “floating bridge” observation plat- form which offers majestic views basis of her new book. of Moscow, stretching 70 meters in length without supporting structures. 10 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S



GUIDES National Tourist Routes Marble canyon in the “Ruskeala” mountain park in the Sortavala district of Karelia. 12 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

MapA TREASURE PHOTO: VISUALRIAN A TOURIST “ROUTE” IS NOT SIMPLY A LINE CONNECTING DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON THE MAP. CITIES AND SIGHTS ARE UNITED BY A SHARED IDEA OR CONCEPT THAT SETS THE MOOD FOR ANY TRIP. EVEN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES, WHEN CONNECTED ON A WELL THOUGHT-OUT ROUTE, WILL SPARKLE IN NEW COLOURS – LIKE PRECIOUS STONES THAT SHINE MORE BRIGHTLY WHEN LINKED IN SOME ORNAMENT. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE BEST KNOWN RUSSIAN TOURIST ROUTES ARE NAMED AFTER JEWELLERY. Text: ANNA MAKAROVA N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 13

THE GOLDEN RING OF RUSSIA PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS AND POPULAR ROUTE FOR FOR- EIGN TOURISTS IS THE “GOLDEN RING”, WHICH FIRST APPEARED SOME 50 YEARS AGO. THIS CLASSIC ROUTE INCLUDES THE ANCIENT CITIES TO THE NORTH-EAST OF MOSCOW, WHICH ICAN INDEED BE COMBINED INTO A KIND OF RING. nitially, this circle Tutaev, Kalyazin, Myshkin, included Vladimir, Rybinsk, Murom, Gus- Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Pere- Khrustalny, Palekh, Shuya, slavl-Zalessky, Rostov Gorokhovets, Bogolyubovo, the Great (Rostov Veliky), Kideksha and Dmitrov were Kostroma, Ivanovo and soon added, known now Sergiyev Posad. But Uglich, as “the towns of the Great Plyos, Yuryev-Polsky, Golden Ring”. Recently Antipyevskaya Сhurch (1745) and Lazarevskaya Сhurch (1667) in Suzdal. In the city of Myshkin, Yaroslavl Region, the “mouse” brand is widespread. In the One of res taurant the best “Ryapushka” souvenirs in Pereslavl- is the work Zalessky. of Palekh masters.

GUIDES National Tourist Routes Suzdal Museum of Wooden GETTING THERE Architecture. How to get there Sergiyev Posad, Pereslavl- It is most convenient to start Zalessky, Rostov the Great any trip around the Golden Ring from and Yaroslavl are also on one Moscow. From there you drive along route. Ivanovo is tradition- the Vladimir highway (now the M-7) to ally combined with nearby reach Vladimir, or along the M-8 in the Shuya and Palekh to visit direction of Yaroslavl. You can drive the Ivanovo Chintz Museum through Pereslavl-Zalessky and Rostov and examine the lacquer the Great, or the Sergiyev Posad miniatures in the Museum area, then turn towards Kalyazin, and of Palekh Art. There is continue on to Uglich and Rybinsk. a series of programmes Most of the major settlements of the dedicated to the cities on Golden Ring can also be reached by the Volga, which offer enter- electric train or regular buses. tainment for all ages and Where to stay tastes, such as a tour along It is impossible to list all the the Volga to the flooded accommodation options in these Kalyazinsky belltower, a visit “golden cities” – the ring is also very to the Ipatievsky Monas- popular with Russian tourists – but tery of Kostroma, children’s there is a wide range of hotels of differ- interactive programmes in ent levels. In Vladimir, you can stay in the “Myshkin Chambers”, the park hotel “Voznesenskaya Sloboda” and the house-museum of on a high hill with a beautiful view of the artist Isaak Levitan in the surrounding area, choose the more Plyos. In other words, the modest “Vladimir Yard” or “Mono- essence of Russian culture makh”, or one of many hostels like “Air” can be found in the central or “Shankara”. Yaroslavl has the colour- region of Russia. TLR ful “Alyosha Popovich Dvor” and “The Volga Pearl”, Kostroma the four-star This programme allows you to visit the famous Church of the Interces- “Golden Ring” and the “Snow Maiden” sion on the Nerl and admire the frescoes of Andrei Rublev fairytale complex. “The Cat’s House” is in the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir. a good choice for those travelling with children to Myshkin, and Levitan’s land- Kaluga and Kasimov also At the scapes await guests at the reasonably joined the list of “ring cities”, monument priced “Private Visit” in Plyos. meaning that the map today to Peter and Where to eat is decorated with a whole Fevronia of You explore the Golden Ring to “jewellery set” of such discover Russian culture, so the food en destinations. Murom. route should also be Russian. In Suzdal, the food and interiors of the “Gostiny PHOTO: DMITRY OGURTSOV / ALEXANDER FAUSTOVICH / TASS PHOTO AGENCY Of course, all the cities of Dvor” are famous, Yaroslavl has the the Golden Ring cannot be exquisite “Penates” in an old wooden included in one programme mansion, and in Pereslavl-Zalessky – that would involve a tour don’t miss the “Montpensier” coffee of eight regions. More often house in the central square (especially travellers choose one or two the tea from the samovar and the larger towns and supplement spiced lamb). In Kostroma the “Old them with small settlements Marina” floating restaurant has interi- in the vicinity. The classic ors from the classic Soviet film “Cruel weekend trip is Vladimir, Romance”. For lovers of Caucasian Bogolyubovo and Suzdal, food, the famous “White Sun” restau- although from Vladimir you rant is located right on the bank of the can also go to Murom or Volga. In the Volga region it is worth Gus-Khrustalny. This pro- trying smoked fish, and in Suzdal it is gramme allows you to visit difficult to avoid the local mead. the famous Church of the What to buy Intercession on the Nerl – a The Golden Ring offers a wide UNESCO monument – and choice of souvenirs. More expensive admire the frescoes of Andrei options include folk crafts, from enamel Rublev in the Assump- from Rostov the Great to Palekh boxes; tion Cathedral of Vladimir, cheaper options are ceramics and prod- as well as exploring the ucts made of flax. From Myshkin you can bring home all kinds of souvenir mice, the production and sale of which, it seems, engages about half the local population. (Myshka is the Russian word for mouse.)

TNOHEFECRKUSLISLASVCIEAER THIS JEWEL IS THE NORTHERN VERSION OF THE GOLDEN RING, LINKING THE ANCIENT CITIES AND SIGHTS OF THE TNORTH-WEST OF RUSSIA. he idea of the route appeared only in 2012, but the cities themselves, united in a necklace, have long been popular with tourists.The route originally included Pskov, Izborsk, Pechory, Vyborg, Priozersk, Staraya Ladoga, Novgorod the Great (Veliky Novgorod), Staraya Russa, Velikiye Luki, as well as Ivangorod, Kingisepp and PHOTO: ISTOCK / VALERY LVOV / ALEXANDER MELETSKY / EVGENY NIKIFOROV Porkhov. Later, large cities The Holy Dormi- joined the route: St. Peters- tion Pskovo- burg, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Pechersky Petrozavodsk, Arkhangelsk, Monastery Tikhvin, Vologda and even is one of the quite exotic places like Nar- largest and yan-Mar and Vorkuta. These most famous cities formed a second, much monasteries in Russia, with a centuries-old history. more extensive circle, stretch- In the Republic ing the necklace through of Komi, the 11 regions. This route has ethnographic something of a military char- local charm acter: the necklace includes and nature rich the medieval fortifications in mushrooms on the western borders of and berries are popular with tourists. The Kivach the country, of which Pskov waterfall on Krom and Izborsk fortress the River Suna are especially famous. in Karelia. Traditional Another major part of the Karelian route includes the attractions shangi pies of nature, which are especially with potatoes numerous in the Republic of and unleav- Karelia and the Arkhangelsk ened dough Region, while the Solovetsky are cooked in a archipelago on the White Russian oven. Sea stands alone. For an eth- The Solovetsky nographic flavour alongside monastery Karelia, the Republic of Komi breathes and the Nenets Autono- silence and mous Region have sacred tranquillity. camps of reindeer-herders 16 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

GUIDES National Tourist Routes and other northern wonders. «Leonid MARMER, Most tourists are attracted CEO of Intourist Thomas Cook: to the traditional sights: the Unlike its “older brother” the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery Golden Ring, the Silver Necklace and a complex of literary and is geographically much wider memorial museums in the and covers a fairly large area. It Pushkin Mountains; the ancient is impossible to visit all the sites churches of Novgorod with and regions included in this route. the frescoes of Theophanes Therefore, we recommend plan- the Greek; the monuments ning your itinerary, based on transport accessibility from major cities – Moscow or St. Petersburg. The Northern Capital is located in the centre of the Silver Necklace. You can get from St. Petersburg to the nearest cities, such as Pskov, Novgorod the Great or Petroza- vodsk, in a few hours by car or by rail. For long distances, for exam- ple, to Murmansk, Arkhangelsk or Kaliningrad, it is easier to fly. On one trip it is best not to visit more than two or three regions included in the route, otherwise impressions will be overwhelm- ing and memories blurred. The nature, the folk way of life, the monuments of architecture, and the historical sites all create a unique picture of the north-west- ern region of Russia. There are so many interesting places which, without proper planning and prior booking of accommodation and services, will be very difficult to enjoy to the full extent. My personal recommendation – start with Karelia. There are lakes, rivers, forests and just a fantas- tic feeling of mystery. Fresh air, landscape views, and interesting impressions are guaranteed.

GUIDES National Tourist Routes Most of all, tourists go to Solovki to see the unique 15th century monastery. Staraya Russa in Novgorod Region is a resort where you can enjoy health treatments with local mineral waters, as well as visit the Dostoevsky House Museum. of wooden architecture in the If you prefer a more adven- depart from Priozersk, and The town of Kizhi Reserve on Lake Onega, turous trip in Karelia there pilgrims visit the Assump- Tikhvin in and the Solovki Monastery; is river rafting as well as lake tion Monastery in Tikhvin, Leningrad Vyborg Castle and Monre- trips. Staraya Russa is a resort where the icon of the Tikh- Region is pos Park, and the Museum of where you can enjoy health vin Mother of God was another pearl Vologda Lace. treatments with local min- revealed. Arkhangelsk also in the Silver eral waters, as well as visit the has an interesting museum Necklace. Here And, of course, St. Petersburg Dostoevsky House Museum. of wooden architecture, you can often with its magnificent palaces, Excursions to Valaam Island “Small Korely”. TLR see perfor- museums and embankments. mances of folk groups. GETTING THERE How to get there night in one of the best city hotels – the In Kaliningrad, look out for the German Those travelling by car from Moscow Old Estate – costs $90, and the more restaurant “Tetka Fisher” and order tradi- can drive north to Pskov or Novgorod the modest “Rizhskaya” is $50. In Novgorod, tional Königsberg meatballs. You will find Great (if a trip to the fortresses of the you can choose between, for example, a range of fish dishes at most points of North-West and St. Petersburg planned). the “Park Inn Radisson” (from $75 per the route. In the direction of Karelia or Arkhangelsk, night) or the three-star “Sadko” (from you pass through Vologda. If travelling $50). What to buy without a car, the most convenient point The westernmost “link” of the Silver to start the route is St. Petersburg, from Where to eat Necklace – Kaliningrad – is mostly asso- where it is easy to go for a day to Vyborg When travelling to the regions of ciated with Baltic amber jewellery. In or take a train to Pskov. the North, you definitely need to dis- Karelia there are souvenirs from Karelian Where to stay cover the local cuisine. In Pskov and birch and a variety of berry tinctures In St. Petersburg, the range of prices Novgorod travellers expect Russian and liqueurs (the most interesting taste for accommodation is considerable: in cuisine (for example, in the picturesque is cloudberry). And from Novgorod the the historical Grand Hotel Europe a night Novgorod restaurant “Berg House”), Great – all kinds of crafts from birch bark, costs from $315, while in the elegant while in the capital of Karelia, it is worth which are especially numerous in the three-star mini-hotel Herzen House finding the “Karelian Room” to try real bazaar near the Vitoslavlitsa museum of nightly rates start from $65. In Pskov, a tartlets with berries, sulchini – pancakes wooden architecture. with porridge – or fish soup with cream. 18 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

GUIDES National TourisAtccRoorduintgetso legend, the Church of the Transfiguration on Kizhi Island was built by Nestor the carpenter with an axe and no nails. N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 19

RUSSIAN The decoration ESTATES of this fireplace in Polenovo was DEVELOPED IN 2015, THIS created by the ROUTE HAS NOT ACQUIRED artist himself ANY SPECIAL NAME DERIVED and his younger FROM JEWELLERY, AND IT sister. HARDLY NEEDS ANY SUCH LAVISH DESCRIPTIONS. IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF: IT IS DEVOTED TO A SPECIAL PHENOMENON OF THE RUSSIAN WAY OF LIFE AND HISTORICAL CULTURE, THE IESTATES OF THE NOBILITY. ts theme is lyrical: coun- try manor or estate life, richly reflected in literature and paint- ing, brings a whole range of associations. The core of This palace in “Vanichkin’s Bunin’s estate at Efremov and Bogoroditsk was Charades. the Bobriki estate, which once built for the ille- 1895”. belonged to the illegitimate gitimate son of Notebooks and son of Catherine II, Count Catherine II and other exhibits Bobrinsky. In total, the route Grigory Orlov. from Yasnaya comprises different estates the route is the Tula Region, Polyana. in 12 regions, including the which has the famous estate of well-known Arkhangelsk the great Russian writer Leo near Moscow, Vyazma and Tolstoy, “Yasnaya Polyana”, Spasskoye-Lutovinovo, the which was where Tolstoy was home of another great writer, born and spent much of his Ivan Turgenev. These attrac- life. However, the idea of this tions are divided by topics and thematic itinerary is so good areas: one such tour, for exam- that, with the help of such ple, takes in the old manors more popular examples, atten- of the Moscow Region, tion is also drawn to estates associated with the names that are less well known and of the noble aristocracy like less well preserved, especially Sheremetyev, Volkonsky and if the names of their owners Buturlin. have also gone down in history. The Tula Region also has Ivan The route “From Tula to Polenovo” includes not only the estate of the famous artist Vasily Polenov, but also the estate of the scientist and writer Andrei Bolotov and that of the philosopher Alexei Khomyakov and his family. The “Prioksky manors” can be found in the southern suburbs of Moscow, where you can visit the Troitskoye estate of Yekate- rina Dashkova, and the ancient patrimony of the Dolgorukov princes, Podmoklovo, with its remarkable beautiful church of the Nativity of the Virgin. These and other such routes are 20 T OU R I SM & L E I SU R E I N RUSSI A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

The bell The uncon- GETTING THERE tower in quered spirit Bogoroditsk of the great How to get there amazes with writer, it The central point of most of these its grandeur, seems, still manor routes is Tula, from where you but needs permeates can easily reach Yasnaya Polyana and repair. Yasnaya Bogoroditsk, visit Polenovo and less Polyana. famous manors around Serpukhov, and also travel to Melikhovo, located near Tolstoy’s the town of Chekhov. However, there estate culti- are other options, such as travelling to the town of Tver, and from there to vates such Bernovo and Domotkanovo. A number patriarchal of estates – such as Arkhangelsk to Turgenev’s Spasskoye-Lutovinovo – images. can be visited on one-day trips from Moscow. In total, the route comprises different estates in 12 regions, including Where to stay the well-known Arkhangelsk near Moscow, Vyazma, and Spasskoye- Such old estates rarely boast hotel complexes, so you usually have Lutovinovo, the home of another great writer, Ivan Turgenev. to stay in the nearest town for the night. Yasnaya Polyana, however, has PHOTO: FLICKR / ISTOCK / MARINA KRUGLYAKOVA aimed at independent tourists The Arch- a hotel of the same name, and there and are described on the pro- angel is also the mini-hotel “Varvarovka ject website: eng.visitusadba.ru. Michael Manor” in the vicinity, as well as the Church in park hotel “Grumant” with a SPA You certainly need to be the museum centre. Melikhovo has a reasonably prepared for the fact that a estate Arch- priced guest house. significant number of such angelskoye. Where to eat locations are, in reality, aban- “Manor cuisine” may be an doned ruins sited in overgrown unusual term, but behind it lies long- parks: only a few such estates lasting traditions of home-made have been restored or host feasts, derived from the cook books museums. The most famous of the past owners of the manors, country estates are included in including their family recipes. In excursion programmes from a such a way, gastronomic heritage number of tour operators. The has been gradually rediscovered by classic “manor set”, of course, restaurant-owners on the manor includes Tula and Yasnaya route. Yasnaya Polyana has the excel- Polyana, supplemented by lent cafe “Preshpekt”, where dishes excursions to Polenovo and are cooked according to the recipes Melikhovo. TLR of Sofia Andreevna Tolstoy. The cafe of the “Peshkov Manor” hotel com- plex in Chekhov has a special menu “What Chekhov Ate”, with dishes as described in the records of the writer’s cook, mother, and sisters. What to buy From the estates that once belonged to writers, tourists inevitably come away with books as souvenirs, and from the estates of artists, with albums with reproductions of their work. But there are more original options. At Yasnaya Polyana, visitors are offered traditional folk crafts and handicrafts of farmers of the Tula region, such as ceramics, embroidery, quilts and souvenir dolls. Visitors to Abramtsevo can buy carved items in the Neo-Russian style, unique pieces by graduates of the local art college, which developed from the workshop created at the end of the 19th century by Yelena Polenova and Yelizaveta Mamontova (for that, you need to visit the department of the museum-estate in Khotkovo, and its Department of Artistic Crafts). N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 21

THE GREAT PHOTO: IGOR ZVEREV / ISTOCK / ANDREY MINDRYUKOV / EVGENY NIKIFOROV / VISUALRIAN VOLGA ROUTE THE VOLGA FEDERAL DISTRICT IS ATTRACTING TOURISTS WITH THE HELP OF THE HISTORICAL “VOLGA ROUTE”, ONCE A FAMOUS MEDIEVAL TRADE ROUTE BETWEEN THE STATES OF SCANDINAVIA AND THE ARAB WORLD. An ancient reconstructed boat at the open-air museum 2in2KThOoUkRhI SloMv&o.L E I S U R E I N RU S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

GUIDES National Tourist Routes Until the 11th century, In Cheboksary, Old Rus’ traded with as in most the East through cities of the Volga Bulgaria, an Volga region, ancient Bulgar state centred on the main the confluence of the Volga and street is the Kama rivers, which covered embankment. the modern Republics of Tatar- stan and Chuvashia, and the The Republic of Mari El is another gateway «Leonid MARMER, Ulyanovsk, Penza and Samara to the Volga route: there are routes from CEO of Intourist Thomas Cook: Regions. Its history is ancient Given the title of this route, I rec- but the route is new – devel- Yoshkar-Ola to Kozmodemyansk and further ommend travelling the Great Volga opment began in 2016 – and to Cheboksary in Chuvashia. route by water. At the moment, naturally includes cities that several operators offer regular were not yet on the map when river cruises along the Volga. The that trade route was active, with route often starts in Moscow, where the exception of perhaps Kazan, flights from many countries of the which is central to a number of world arrive. By starting your jour- packages currently on offer. In ney in the Russian capital, you not addition to the Kazan Kremlin, only enjoy the beauty of the Volga the famous Syuyumbike Tower, – the main waterway of Russia – but churches and mosques, the also visit virtually all the major programme includes a visit to a cities on the southern route. It is Bulgar settlement, founded in worth noting that a river cruise the 10th century, to familiarize makes it possible to visit some tourists with national colour cities of the Golden Ring (Yaroslavl, and history. From Kazan tour- Kostroma, Plyos) as well as several ists travel to Ulyanovsk, Lenin’s cities of the Volga route (Nizhny hometown, and Samara (where Novgorod, Kazan, Ulyanovsk, the theme of the trip changes Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astra- dramatically, to old merchant khan). River navigation operates mansions and Lenin mus- only in the warm season – from eums) or to Yoshkar-Ola. The May to September. Republic of Mari El is another gateway to the Volga route: there are routes from Yoshkar- Ola to Kozmodemyansk and further to Cheboksary in Chu- vashia. In the capital of Mari El, the main tourist sites are A clock on the main city square of Yoshkar-Ola.

GUIDES National Tourist Routes In the Samara relatively new, and certainly GETTING THERE Space Museum unexpected: copies of the you can see a embankment of Belgium’s How to get there real rocket. Bruges and the Spassky It is most convenient to start a Tower of the Moscow Krem- trip from Kazan, which an independ- lin. In Kozmodemyansk you ent tourist can easily get to by car can learn about the culture or train. From the museum-reserve of the Mari people by visiting “Bulgar Hillfort” you can take a the open-air ethnographic boat along the Volga or a bus. The museum. journey can be continued by going to Ulyanovsk (by car the trip will The route includes Togli- take three hours, by train or bus atti and Syzran, Nizhny about six). Another option is to go Novgorod, Kirov and Perm, to Nizhny Novgorod and further by Penza and Saratov. Excur- car to Kozmodemyansk, Cheboksary sions and entertainment on and Yoshkar-Ola. these routes are very differ- Where to stay ent: from tasting Zhigulevsky In Kazan, there are several beer and the VAZ museum five-star hotels, like “Mirage” (from to Tarkhan, the estate of the $80) and Korston Royal (from $100). great Russian poet Mikhail Four-star accommodation will Lermontov. But the most be more expensive if you choose interesting thing on the Great the “Riviera” hotel with its large Volga Route is the opportu- aquapark (from $150 per night). In nity to learn more about the the three-star “Tatarstan” rooms life of the Tatars, Mari and start at $45. The most luxurious Chuvash. TLR hotel in Ulyanovsk is the five-star “Imperial Club Deluxe” in Alexander Kazan is a real paradise for gastronomic exploration. Park, from $83 per night, while in You can try soup with noodles – “tokmach” (aza in Tatar) – three-star hotels like “Venets” and “Oktyabrskaya” rooms are about and different pelmeni and pastries. $30-40. Where to eat The most Along the Volga route, you interesting need to discover Tatar cuisine, and thing about in Kazan there are a lot of oppor- this tour is the tunities for such gastronomic way of life and research. Tokamach (aza in Tatar), the culture of a soup with noodles, and different the peoples types of dumplings and pastries of the Volga (echpochmak, elesh, kystyby) are Region. recommended. In the “Panorama” restaurant these are all available with a view of the historical centre, and in the “Tatar Estate” you can buy souvenirs at the same time. Mari cuisine is a more exotic phenom- enon, and in Yoshkar-Ola it is worth visiting the “Warm River” tavern or the more modest “Sandal” cafe to try their dumplings with different fillings. What to buy From Tatarstan tourists can take home edible souvenirs, such as Tatar sweets or horse meat sau- sage. Lovers of ethnography can find all the elements of traditional Tatar costumes, including skullcaps, the famous kalfak headdresses for women, leather slippers with elon- gated toes, or unusual felt boots from the Kukmorsky felt factory. In Mari El you can find national dolls, amulets and clothes with traditional embroidery, but often tourists limit themselves to figures of Yoshkin cat and souvenirs with the image of this strange animal. 24 T OU R I SM & L E I SU R E I N RUSSI A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

GUIDES National Tourist Routes A Dymkovo N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T OU R I SM & L E I SU R E I N RUSSI A 25 “Turkey” toy. Dymkovo toys are an old Russian folk art handicraft.

THE SEMI-PRECIOUSGUIDES National Tourist Routes RING OF THE URALS THE URALS, AND IN PARTICULAR ITS UNOFFICIAL CAPITAL, YEKATER- INBURG, EXPERIENCED A GOLD RUSH MUCH EARLIER THAN ALASKA OR THE WILD WEST. IT WAS IN THE URALS, IN THE MID-18TH CENTURY, THAT RUSSIA FOUND GOLD, THANKS TO WHICH THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE WAS FOR A LONG TIME THE WORLD’S LEADING PRODUCER OF THE PRECIOUS METAL. T he discovery of gold in The Urals are Russia occurred in 1745 mountains with in the valley of the river meandering Berezovka, near Yeka- rivers and beau- terinburg. Today in Berezovsky, tiful lakes with several museums and monuments clean, clear are dedicated to gold-mining. water. Here Another name for the Urals is winters are cold the “homeland of gems”, which and summers are explains the name of its new tour- warm. ist route. The Central Urals have In the Museum already launched a dozen tours of History of under the “gemstone” brand Stone-Cutting between Yekaterinburg, Nevyansk, and Jewellery Nizhny Tagil, Murzinka, Alapa- Art in Yekat- evsky, Irbit, Artemovsky, Rezh and erinburg, you Berezovsky. The richest excursion can find out programme is in the capital of the all about Ural region, Yekaterinburg: the geologi- gems. There cal and mineralogical museums are items made display local stone treasures, and of malachite, in the History of Stone-Cutting jasper, agate, and Jewellery Museum you can rhodonite, topaz and quartz. 26 T OU R I S M & L E I S U R E I N RUS SI A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

GUIDES National Tourist Routes Residents of the see what these mountain treasures Urals some- were turned into by local masters – times joke about those fabulous malachite boxes and themselves: Like flowers from ornamental stones. the Urals, we Equally impressive are the exhibi- go up but never tions of the Yekaterinburg Museum come down. of Fine Arts and the architecture of The “Deer the city itself, where carved wooden Streams” nature buildings and luxurious merchant park is one of the houses have been preserved. most popular spots in the In Nevyansk, famous for its central Urals. iron-smelting plant and gold There are several deposits, you can see the fine tourist routes Nevyanskaya Tower dating back to with a length of the mid-18th century. In Nizhny 40 km. Tagil the museums devoted to the A “Swan Prin- history of the region, and to fine cess” tray arts and crafts are interesting – the produced by the city is famous for its painted tin Nizhny Tagil Enamelware Factory. By Irina Shlykova GETTING THERE trays. Around the village of Mur- zinka, you can take an excursion How to get there Art Nouveau style building, where “Troyekurov”, and in the restaurant around mineral mines. In Alapa- PHOTO: EKATERINA ARTEMOVA / ISTOCK / VISUALRIAN Tours through the Urals start both Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel “Panorama A.S.P.” on the roof of the evsk, where Pyotr Tchaikovsky from Yekaterinburg, which can be Castro stayed in their time. “Vysotsky” hotel with its fine view spent part of his childhood, there reached from Moscow by train in just of the city. is a museum dedicated to the great over a day, or in two hours by plane. Where to eat Russian composer. This city is also If you are travelling independently, If the “brand” of the Urals is What to buy connected with some terrible peri- it is easiest to follow the whole gems, then in food the Urals means The main souvenirs to take ods of Russian history – in 1918 route along the Gem Ring by car, pelmeni, or dumplings. Try this back from Yekaterinburg are prod- members of the Romanov family, but without a car there is plenty to familiar dish in the local version ucts made from semi-precious including the canonized Grand do in the capital of the Urals. From at the “Pelmeni Club” restaurant, stones, but you need to be careful Duchess Yelizabeta Fyodorovna, Yekaterinburg it is easy to travel by where the menu includes many when buying them. The “malachite were shot and thrown into a mine bus to Berezovsky, Nevyansk, Nizhny kinds of ravioli, vareniki and other boxes” are made of malachite that near Nizhnyaya Sinyachikha. Only Tagil and Alopayevsk in one to three hand-made delights, and “Pelmeny has been brought from Africa, in 2009 were all the victims of this hours. Dozen” is also good. You can enjoy because the famous stone is no crime rehabilitated. Where to stay contemporary Russian cuisine in the longer mined in the Urals! But jasper, Yekaterinburg is a city of splendid interiors of the restaurant serpentine and amethyst are local, Today, on the site of their business tourism, with a number and you can also find jewellery made death, stands the Monastery of of five-star hotels: Ramada, “Hyatt from stones with romantic names the New Martyrs of Russia. Irbit Regency”, “Atrium Palace” and like aventurine and charoite. Precious and Rej are noteworthy for their “Vysotsky”. The more extensive stone crafts are available not only old architecture, and there is also selection of four-star hotels include in souvenir shops, but also in the a Mineralogical Museum in the “Park Inn Radisson”, “Novotel”, market, which is nicknamed “Piglet” mansion of the manager of the “Palais Royal”, “Onegin” and and constantly changes its location. Titov Zotov estate. You can also “Moskovskaya Gorka”. From the In recent years, it has been found walk around the eco-park over the “three-stars”, “Yekaterina” and near the “Geological” metro station, Rezh river or visit another series of “Marins Park” are popular, but you near the Ural Economic University. In mines in the vicinity. TLR can always stay in the historic hotel addition to stones, antique pottery “Yekaterinburg-Central” in a 1928 and other interesting souvenirs are sold there. N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 27

GUIDES National Tourist Routes THE EASTERN RING OF RUSSIA THE FAR EAST IS A REGION RICH IN NATURAL TREASURES: HERE YOU CAN VISIT KAMCHAT- KA’S VOLCANOES AND GEYSERS, THE LENA PILLARS, AND FIND YAKUT DIAMONDS AND EVEN THE RARE AMUR TIGER. ALL SUCH POSS- IBILITIES HAVE NOW BEEN UNITED IN A NEW INTERREGIONAL ROUTE. Yakut diamonds In the Chochur- make even the Muran ethno- most beautiful complex, tourists woman even can learn about lovelier. Yakut culture. T he only problem is the Valley of Geysers. There are pro- logistics – the cities and grammes connecting Primorye nature parks of the Far and Khabarovsk with Sakhalin East are scattered across and Kamchatka, and also with the map, the distances between Yakutia. The tour with the best them are significant, and trans- name is the “Tiger Diamond” portation is not cheap. Despite all route, which involves a journey these issues the Sakha Republic between Vladivostok and Yakutsk (Yakutia), the Buryatia, Zabaikal- which takes in the “Land of the sky, Kamchatka, Primorsky and Leopard” park, the casino Tigre de Khabarovsk Territories, the Amur, Crystal, the safari park with the Irkutsk, Magadan and Sakhalin animals of Ussuri taiga, a diamond Regions, and the Chukotka and processing plant, the ice complex Jewish Autonomous Regions have “Kingdom of Permafrost” with the joined the route, although it is residence of the Yakut version of difficult to connect these regions Santa Claus, Chiskaan, and on to in one trip. From Vladivostok to the Lena Pillars nature reserve and Khabarovsk is an overnight ride by the Chochur-Muran ethnographic train, and then you catch a flight complex. You can understand to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. As that this combination of jewels, part of this programme, you can luxury, natural wonders and rare visit the Pacific Fleet Museum on predators is very expensive. These Russky Island, admire the view tours were developed with foreign, of Golden Horn Bay, take a boat primarily Asian, tourists in mind. trip along the Amur River, see the It is difficult to organize such an Sikachi-Alyan petroglyphs, and expensive trip, but it is possible visit Avachinskaya Bay and the to plan more economical options 28 T OU R ISM & L E ISU R E I N RUSSI A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

GUIDES National Tourist Routes The “Tiger The famous Diamond” tour lighthouse at the takes you to a safari park with entrance to the Golden Horn Bay rare animals. in Vladivostok. As part of this programme, you can visit the Pacific Fleet with trips to the outskirts of Museum on Russky Island, admire the view of Golden Vladivostok – from there, it’s Horn Bay, and take a boat trip along the Amur River. possible to go to the safari park and to Russky Island, and the GETTING THERE Primorsky Oceanarium. TLR In Kamchatka, How to get there the Azimut chain – costs from $60. In River market”). In Yakutsk, you can visit PHOTO: FB.RU / ANNA IVANOVA / PAVEL MILOVANKIN / REPUBLIC-SAHA-YAKUTIA.RF everything The gateway to Primorye is Vladi- Yakutsk one of the best hotels is the the “Chochur-Muran” ethnographic is unforget- vostok, which is eight hours by plane four-star “Polar Star” complex, also complex which has a national cuisine res- table: the from Moscow. Yakutsk is a six-hour part of the Azimut chain, from $135 taurant – try stroganina traditional strips volcanoes, flight, and Khabarovsk seven. But bear per night. Rooms at the three-star of frozen raw northern fish and venison. in mind that you still have to travel “Ontario” start from $40. the geysers, considerable distances onwards to reach What to buy and the many natural monuments. Reaching Where to eat It would be nice to take diamonds the famous Lena Pillars involves sail- The proximity of Asia is reflected in home as a souvenir from Yakutia, but marine life. ing on a boat from Yakutsk for several the gastronomic choices that Primorye if that’s beyond your budget, you can hours, while the Sikachi-Alyan petro- offers – Chinese and Korean cuisine is also find more modest gifts: amulets glyphs are a couple of hours by car from popular here. You can go to the Pan- and ornaments made from tusks of Khabarovsk. Asian restaurant Zuma – one of the best mammoth and horsehair. Reindeer-skin Where to stay in the city. A popular chain of cafés is boots are a lot warmer than they look One of the best hotels in Vladiv- “Dumping-Republic”, which, unsurpris- but they, too, are not cheap. There ostok is the five-star “Hyundai” hotel, ingly, prepares dim sum dumplings with are also gastronomic souvenirs: ber- where room prices start from $180. different fillings. The second main com- ries, dried horseflesh and fish. From The four-star “Astoria”( the oldest in ponent of local gastronomic traditions Vladivostok, seaweed and pine nuts are the city) and the three-star “Versailles”, is seafood. To inspect that full diversity, popular purchases. Another popular are around $130. A three-star option it’s worth visiting the local fish markets, and inexpensive gift is the famous “Bird is more modest: “Amur Bay” – part of such as that in the “Pervorechensky” Milk” candy from the “Primorsky Con- shopping centre (locals call it the “First fectioner” factory. N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 29

GUIDES National Tourist Routes Stunning views of Lake Baikal open directly from the windows of the train. Shown here, to the right: Olkhon Island.

THE TRANS- GUIDES National Tourist Routes SIBERIAN RAILWAY t is, of course, tempting to take a pre-planned route, THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY IS and exclusive train-hotels, THE LONGEST RAILWAY ROUTE IN complete with stylish inte- THE WORLD, AND AROUSES ALMOST riors, offer trips for more THE SAME INTEREST AS THE LEGEND- ARY ORIENT EXPRESS. AFTER ALL, Ithan two weeks. There are YOU CAN REACH EUROPE VIA THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY, CROSSING about 90 cities along the route, 9,300 KM FROM VLADIVOSTOK TO but only eight stops for tourists: Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, MOSCOW. Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Ulan Bator and Vladivostok. Pas- sengers cross the Amur River over a bridge that is 2,600 meters long, visit Lake Baikal and ride along the Circum-Baikal Railway. Such trip allow travellers to visit the Urals, Siberia, Buryatia, Mongolia, Trans- baikalia and the Far East in one go, to stand on the border of Europe and Asia, to visit the Museum of the Irkutsk Decembrists and the Buddhist monastery of Gandan Passengers cross the Amur River over a bridge, visit Lake Baikal and ride along the Circum-Baikal Railway. N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 31

– the sites and impressions along The train the way are many and varied. makes long stops in all It’s true that passengers will the major spend a lot of time in a luxuri- cities along ous but enclosed space – the train the route. does not stop every day, and some regions can be seen only from the windows. There are shorter travel options – through Novo- sibirsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. The Moscow-Beijing route is very popular with Chi- nese tourists, and the journey can begin in either Russia or China. Experienced travellers recom- mend organizing your trip on the Trans-Siberian using ordinary trains and stopping overnight in cities along the route – that way, it’s more pleasant and cheaper. Travel agencies also offer a range of different variants for travelling The most famous tourist train-hotel on the Trans-Siberian Railway is «Leonid MARMER, the “Golden Eagle”, with comfortable two-berth compartments, each CEO of Intourist Thomas Cook: At the moment, a large with its own bathroom, shower and washbasin. number of regular trains run along the route of the Shaman Trans-Siberian Railway, and woman in a far fewer VIP-class chart- traditional er trains. It’s best to plan attire sitting your trip four-six months in in a trance in advance. Charter train opera- an open area tors include everything in on Olkhon the programme, from three meals a day to excursions Island in during stops. Such tours are Lake Baikal. expensive, but high quality is guaranteed throughout the route. For budget travellers PHOTO: ISTOCK / PEI HSUAN we offer regular passenger trains with luxury sleeping car cabins. The savings are noticeable, but the inconven- ience is that at almost every important station along the route travellers will have to pack their things and change train: they run to their own schedule and won’t wait for you. But you can visit the main sights at your own pace, spend the night in a hotel (and take a shower). Then the next day, a new train… travelling this way has its own sense of romance. 32 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

Ivolginsky GETTING THERE datsan is a Which train is best? Buddhist The most famous tourist train- Temple hotel on the Trans-Siberian Railway is the “Golden Eagle”, with comfort- located in able two-berth compartments, each Buryatia. with its own bathroom, shower and washbasin. There is a laundry and a “Ural Music hairdresser on the train, and of course Night” is a a dining-car and bar – excellent for summer music brightening up the days of travel festival in between the far-flung stations of Yekaterinburg. Russia. Although the Trans-Siberian monument is located at the Yaroslavl The price of travel starts from ¤5,000 for railway station in Moscow (it is the two-person accommodation, and rises classic starting point of the Trans- to ¤30,000 for a luxury compartment. Siberian Railway), the “Golden Eagle” departs from the Kazan station. There The classic option the Trans-Siberian Railway on is another tourist train, “Imperial for a no-frills regular trains: for 18 days you Russia”, which also offers passengers trip is the train can ride through Yekaterinburg, separate two-berth compartments “Rossiya”, which Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk with private bathrooms. departs from (visiting the Stolby Nature Park), The price of travel in these trains Yaroslavl station then move to Irkutsk and spend starts from €5,000 for two-person and arrives in the day at Lake Baikal, and finally accommodation, and rises to Vladivostok 144 on to Ulan-Ude, Chita , Blagovesh- €30,000 for a luxury compartment. hours later. chensk and Vladivostok. It is quite The classic option of a no-frills trip a roundabout route, but you can is the train “Rossiya”, which departs see more than from an express from Yaroslavl station and arrives compartment, and the trip is much in Vladivostok 144 hours later. You cheaper. TLR can choose a shared two- or four- berth compartment, or a space in a six-berth compartment-less wagon (some tourists choose that option specially, for an experience of “exotic Russia”). Where to eat Restaurant-cars on trains and station buffets are rarely noted for the variety of their menus, so for more interesting culinary experi- ences you need to look in the cities along the route. Considering how many regions you will pass through on the way, try Ural pelmeni, Buryat pies with horse meat, and milky Mongolian tea, bacon, and cakes with pine nuts. Traditional railway “fast food” are pies and berries, bought at the stations from local babushkas, although in recent years the authori- ties have clamped down on this technically illegal form of trading. What to buy You can find all sorts of souve- nirs on the trip and, unlike the pies, they can be bought safely at train sta- tions. But a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway is a case where it is worth buying something on the train itself: flash drives in the form of locomo- tives, coasters, notebooks and other souvenir products offered to the passengers by the train attendants will be a good reminder of the long railway journey. N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N RU S S I A 33

GUIDES National Tourist Routes U lyanovsk is the city The Lenin where Lenin was Memorial. More The Red Route born, and lived for than 18 million 17 years. Kazan is people from THIS IS A CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL TOUR, the city where he studied. St. 120 countries WHICH INCLUDES A VISIT TO FOUR CITIES Petersburg is the city where have visited IMPORTANT IN THE LIFE OF THE “LEADER OF THE the October Revolution took the museum WORLD PROLETARIAT”, VLADIMIR LENIN (BORN place, and Moscow is the city complex. VLADIMIR ULYANOV): MOSCOW, ST. PETERSBURG, where the foundations of a ULYANOVSK AND KAZAN. new state were laid and its new history began. THIS ARTICLE WAS PREPARED BY THE ULYANOVSK REGION TOURISM AGENCY In Ulyanovsk, founded as Simbirsk and renamed Venets Boule- in honour of Lenin’s family vard is the best name in 1924, the route place for a walk passes through places associ- and sightseeing ated with Lenin’s childhood in Ulyanovsk for and youth. On a three-hour both tourists bus and walking excur- and locals. sion, tourists first visit the Lenin Museum House – the house of the Ulyanov family, and then learn about middle-class Simbirsk life in the Museum-Estate of city life “Simbirsk Life in the late 19th and early 20th The President’s Bridge is one of the longest bridges in Europe. The Vladimir Interactive Lenin House initiation Museum. ceremony 34 T OU R I SM & L E I S U R E I N RUSSI A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S into the “Pioneers”- Lenin’s youth organization.

The museum of history of the civil aviation in Ulyanovsk. The Ivan Goncharov PHOTO: AIRGUIDE / ISTOCK / THE ULYANOVSK REGION TOURISM AGENCY / VALERY ROMANOV house-monument. Centuries”. Additionally, GETTING THERE tourists can learn about the intricacies of secondary edu- How to get there Garden Inn” or “Barcelona”. modern Russian cuisine, we cation in tsarist Russia at the From Moscow to Uly- A bit more modest, but no less can recommend the restaurant “Simbirsk Classical Gymna- anovsk, tourists can choose comfortable are the Volga, MATRЁSHKI with its national sium” museum. between a comfortable night Venets, Rakurs, Art-Ulyanovsk, flavour and dishes created from train with a journey time of 14 and Regatta hotels. natural farm products. At the Lenin memorial, hours, or a 1.5-hour flight. The you pass from the era that flight St. Petersburg-Ulyanovsk Where to eat What to buy gave birth to the great revo- takes 2 hours. The distance The Ulyanovsk region Choosing souvenirs from lutionary to the era born of between Kazan and Ulyanovsk offers a variety of cuisine to Ulyanovsk is simple: there are his genius. The route ends is 210 km, which is approxi- suit all tastes. To imagine all sorts of items with Soviet with a colourful Рioneer mately a 3-hour drive. yourself as a resident of old symbols, ranging from old initiation ceremony, after Where to stay Simbirsk, dine at the Russian Soviet badges and stamps, which tourists can enjoy a For those that appreciate restaurant “Oblomov”, its to modern magnets and beautiful view of the Volga luxury, there is the five-star interior created on the basis of original postcards. If you want River. “Imperial ClubDeluxe” hotel, Goncharov’s novel of the same something original, look for which is located next to an name. A pleasantly surprising jewellery made from the local The Red Route in Uly- aqua park. If you want to stay restaurant is “Phoenix”, which stone simbircite, also known anovsk is an opportunity to in the very centre, we can rec- has a statue of Mao Zedong as “Volga River Amber”, which learn how the personality of ommend the four-star “Hilton at the entrance and serves has a history of more than 200 the future leader of the world Asian cuisine. For lovers of million years. proletariat developed, what important political processes took place in the country and what impact they had on the development of Ulyanovsk. Guests in the city will appre- ciate the contrast between the architectural appearance of pre-revolutionary Sim- birsk in the well-preserved historic quarter, and the monumental structures erected to mark the cente- nary of the birth of Vladimir Lenin. TLR N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N RU S S I A 35

The Cathe- T hese cities, with their very different char- dral of acters, can be visited for a day trip by car or train. All you have to do is to choose the the Holy most interesting route. Trinity St. The Town of St. Sergius Sergius Lavra. Sergiyev Posad is perhaps the main pilgrimage centre of Russia. The city grew around the monastery that was founded in 1342 by St. Sergius of Radon- ezh, the most revered saint of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is called the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius and reports directly to His Holi- ness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. In the 16th century, the monastery built stone walls and watchtowers, which in the Time of Troubles with- stood a months-long siege by Polish-Lithuanian troops. A relic of that heroic defence is preserved in the oldest church of the Lavra, the Trinity Cathedral. In the door of the southern porch there is a hole made by an enemy cannon ball. However, pilgrims come here not for the sake of contemplating the damaged door, but to worship the relics of St. Sergius. The iconostasis of the cathedral was created by Andrei Rublev, and it was for this that his famous “Trinity” icon was painted, which is now kept in An Excursion in Sergiyev- Posad. TEXT: ANNA MAKAROVA,ANASTASIA PODBOLOTOVA CMFilvooessceJeotwwo els MORE THAN 6,000 CULTURAL At the The Museum HERITAGE SITES ARE CONCEN- “Yolochka” of Peasant TRATED IN THE CITIES AND factory, Klin. Life in TOWNS AROUND THE RUSSIAN Sergiyev- CAPITAL. THERE ARE SO MANY Posad. OF THEM THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO DECIDE WHERE TO GO. THE MOST POPULAR TOUR- IST DESTINATIONS OF THE MOSCOW REGION ARE SERGIYEV POSAD, KOLOMNA, ISTRA, KLIN AND DMITROV. 36 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N RU S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

ROUTES Moscow Region A magnificent The Legend of the Horseshoe view from the banks of the The small town of Dmitrov was founded in 1154 by Konchur River. Prince Yury Dolgoruky, who is also considered the founder of the Russian capital. The prince named the new fortress after his son Dmitry. Legend says that Yury chose the place for the city when his horse stum- bled over a stone and broke a horseshoe. Sceptics are shown a large stone on the territory of the Kremlin – supposedly the very same one. But the main historical monument is the Kremlin itself, surrounded by an earthen rampart – man-made wit- ness to the medieval history of Dmitrov. You can walk along the ramparts and admire the ancient Assumption Cathedral, the Church of Elizabeth the Righteous, the buildings of the Presence and the Noble Assembly located inside. To the east of the Kremlin there is a modern building housing a museum with an extensive exhibition devoted to the history, way of life and culture of the inhabitants of the region. Patriarchal Dmitrov in 1918 became a shelter for the famous ideologue of Russian anarchism – Prince Pyotr Kropotkin. This revolutionary spent three years in the modest home of his friend, Count Olsufiev, on Nobles’ Street. The Kropotkin House-Museum stands out among the modern buildings. It is worth taking a stroll along the pedestrian Kropotkinskaya Street, decorated with sculptures depicting the inhabitants of the old city: a school teacher, a pilgrim in bast shoes, and a gardener in the company of a well-fed cat. On this street, the gallery “A Tourist Dream” can be found. It is not only a souvenir shop, but also a... frog museum. Local residents claim that the “croaker” did not become a symbol of the city by accident: the location here was always marshy, and there were plenty of frogs. The small town of Dmitrov was founded by Prince Yury Dolgoruky, who is also considered the founder of the Russian capital. He named the new fortress after his son Dmitry. PHOTO: FLICKR / ISTOCK / NICK GRABOWSKI / STANISLAV VASILYEV / VISUALRIAN Kolomna’s the Tretyakov Gallery (a copy of this The Tchaikovsky imposing masterpiece of icon painting is kept House-Museum, Kremlin in the Trinity Church). Klin. wall. Gradually around the monastery a posad – a settlement of artisans – developed. Near Kelar Pond is the Toy Museum: craftsmen from surrounding villages have been famous for their carved wooden toys for decades. The “Horse Yard” near the White Pond under the walls of the Lavra is also interest- ing. In the ancient building of the monastic stables, exhibits about the past of the monastery and about the life of the Russian village are now housed. There is also an excel- lent collection of Russian dolls. The architectural ensemble of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra is a UNESCO World Heritage site. N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 37

ROUTES Moscow Region The Moscow inhabited by artists , whose Region is works are exhibited there in the visited by gallery. one million oTfhKelMinusical feeling foreign visi- Klin is a venerable 700-year-old tors every town. The main tourist attrac- year. tion is the house of the great composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The composer of “Swan Lake” and The New “The Nutcracker” lived in Klin Jerusalem for almost 10 years, including his Monastery final two, and that was sufficient of the Resur- for his manor house to become a rection. museum attracting tourists from all over the world. The atmosphere in which the composer lived and worked is preserved in the house, and trees have been planted in the park by visitors – stars of the world of music. And, of course, music is played here constantly – both on the headphones of the audio-guide, and during musical evenings and concerts. Kolomna, severe and sweet The sweetness can be tasted in the pastilles (traditional Russian fruit confectionery), which have long been Such contradictory epithets describe well the char- produced in Kolomna. acter of Kolomna. The severity of this city on the southern borders of the medieval Moscow principality You can buy can be seen in the Kremlin, built in the 16th century. jewellery in Fragments of the wall and seven towers give visitors the Sergiyev- an idea of the defensive power of the ancient fortress. Posad market. Inside the Kremlin there are several churches, includ- ing the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin, and two monasteries – the Assumption of Brusensk and the Novo-Golutvinsky. The sweetness can be tasted in the pastilles (tradi- tional Russian fruit confectionaries), which have long been produced in Kolomna. The lost technology of this dessert production was restored by the founders of the Museum of Forgotten Taste “Kolomenskaya Pastila”. On the merchants’ estate guests learn about the history and recipes of pastilles, and you can try different varieties. You can also visit the museum factory, delving into all the details of the production process in the company of actors performing the role of confectioners. Theatrical museum programmes are also available in English. Pastilles are not the only interesting tastes to discover in Kolomna – in the bakery at Pyatnitsky Gate there is the “Kalachnaya” museum, where secrets of traditional baking are revealed. It is worth dropping in there, if only for the sake of buying and trying fresh rolls. The museum “Artkom- munalka” is devoted to times closer to the present day in Kolomna. It recreates the atmosphere of the Soviet communal apartment – in the kitchen, for example, there are traditional dishes from the 1960s, and in the courtyard you can play board games. But the communal apartment also refers to the stories of Soviet dissidents, as this art-residence is continually

The Dmitry The magical measures of “The Nutcracker” waltz Donskoi are also remembered on the territory of the exhibition Monument, complex “Klinskoe Podvorye”. Here, at the “Christmas Kolom na. Tree” factory, which produces Christmas decorations, The Kolomna is the Museum of the Christmas Tree. Kremlin Chapel. The museum shows the whole history of Russian Christmas and New Year traditions: you can watch craftsmen creating toys, and an entire room is dedi- cated to the topic of “The Nutcracker”. The central square of the city is decorated with a very picturesque shopping arcade of red brick, next to which is the baroque Church of the Resurrection of Christ, and nearby you can visit the most ancient church of the city, the Assumption Cathedral. Russian Holy Land Istra became a town more than two centuries ago – before that it was the village of “Resurrec- tion” (from 1781-1929 it was called Voskresensk, before being renamed Istra in 1930). The settle- ment owes its glory to the patriarch Nikon, who led the Russian Church in the middle of the 17th century. Nikon was an active builder of monaster- ies, and in this village near Moscow he planned to create a topographic and architectural copy of the Holy Land, the centre of which was to become a monastery, called New Jerusalem. The River Istra was renamed the Jordan, the surrounding hills also borrowed names from the Holy Land, and the Resurrection Cathedral of the monastery was built on the model of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. How similar the architecture of the Resurrection Cathedral of the New Jerusalem Monastery is to the original, is for those who have been to Israel to judge. On the opposite bank of the Istra (Jordan) there is the modern building of the museum-exhi- bition complex “New Jerusalem”. One of the largest and oldest regional museums, it holds widely popular collections of historical, ethnographic and artistic artefacts. In the park area, located outside the walls of the New Jerusalem Monastery, there is an Exhibition Hall with thematic exhibitions, and the Department of Wooden Architecture. The farmstead with a house, a chapel and a mill rep- resent the past historical appearance of life in the Moscow region. A visit to this complex is a good opportunity to summarize your impressions of trips to the outskirts of the capital. Visitors who want to visit these interesting cities and learn more about them can relax in very comfort- able accommodation options. TLR To organize your trip, go to: welcome.mosreg.ru The Moscow Region includes: 1594 Orthodox churches and 130 fascinating and diverse ancient monasteries museums 381 military monuments 82 magnificent parks for walks 320 historical mansions and and relaxation estates of different styles 32 ski resorts with different routes 164 modern equestrian sports clubs 23 folk arts and crafts 7 aeroclubs for amateurs and 154 beaches for swimming and relaxing professionals N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 39

A Gateway to Russia’s Illustrious Рast SITUATED IN THE CENTRE OF ST. PETERSBURG, THE ICONIC BELMOND GRAND HOTEL EUROPE IS A SHORT WALK FROM THE CITY’S MOST FAMOUS SIGHTS. THE HOTEL’S HISTORICAL HERITAGE, MODERN COMFORT OF ROOMS, AND EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE MAKES IT A PERFECT PLACE TO STAY WHILE VISITING THE CITY. G TEXT: VLADIMIR SERGACHEV the Russian avant-garde style. Under rand Hotel Europe was the supervision of Adam Tihany, designed in conjunction with 19 rooms of the Historic floor were Italian architect Rossi, and turned into six luxury suites equipped opened in 1875. It is famous not only for being the first Russian five- with a smart home intelligent control star hotel, but also for hosting members system. Each of the avant-garde suites of royal dynasties and famous people, is one of a kind: The Malevich suite such as the famous Russian ballerina features angular shapes and straight Anna Pavlova, Pyotr Tchaikovsky and lines. The Archipenko suite distin- Bernard Shaw. This distinguished hotel guishes itself through warm tones and constantly honours the traditions of rounded lines. The largest of the Grand the past, making it the destination of Hotel Europe avant-garde suites (170 choice for luxury travellers. sq.m), named after Wassily Kandinsky, For those seeking privacy and com- amazes with its range of colours and fort, the hotel offers 10 magnificent interaction between lines and shapes. luxury apartments that overlook the It goes without saying that the hotel’s Arts Square. It was a true challenge for culinary symphony has always been Michele Jouannet, a French designer, to just as delightful as everything else. If restore each room to its former glory. restaurants, cafés and bars can be com- But the results speak for themselves. pared to a great orchestra, then Europa The apartments reflect the distinctive restaurant is its star soloist. It can be historic character of the building, and each room, given its own unique name, features elements of a certain historical era. Materials used in decoration vary Tchaikovsky from Italian marble to Karelian birch. Nights Every detail is infused with the essence with ballet of elegance and comfort. Guests not performances only feel welcomed, but also develop a take place holistic appreciation of the connection every Friday. between their suite’s name, décor and Caviar grand epochs of the city’s history. masterclasses  At the “top” of the historic wing are conducted of Belmond Grand Hotel Europe is a weekly. 350 sq.m Presidential suite that over- looks Nevsky Prospect. The largest and most spacious suite boasts the spar- kling luxury of Chinoiserie decorative elements, a music room featuring an antique Carl Schröder grand piano, PHOTO: BELMOND GRAND HOTEL EUROPE a private study, library, fitness center, sauna and a separate room for staff. These elements are seamlessly melded together, making the Presidential suite a highly desirable option for the most discerning of clients. The signature In 2014, the Belmond Grand Hotel “Egg in Egg” Europe surprised its guests by moving dish has been served in the away from the Art Nouveau heritage «Caviar Bar» for the first time in its 140-year his- for 20 years. tory, redecorating an entire wing in 40 TOU R ISM & L E ISU R E I N RUSSI A N AT I O N A L TO U R I S T R O U T E S

Terrace rooms HOTELS St. Petersburg overlook the Church of the compared to the exclusive grand piano Saviour on Steinway & Sons, and is impeccable in both style and quality. Everywhere Spilled Blood. you look, you see genuine artworks, Historic Krysha which lends a certain prestige to the ballroom is restaurant.  It is not just a place to quell perfect for gala hunger, but to satisfy the soul, feel the dinner dances. music of notes, interiors and cuisine… The Kandinsky Named after one of Russia’s most suite is the most famous products, the “Caviar Bar” stands out among other restaurants with spacious of all its splendid interiors, where one can the avant-garde have a royal meal with iced vodka and pancakes with caviar. The wine menu suites. includes 50 kinds of vodka, but what makes this bar truly different is its signa- ture dish “Egg in Egg” – truffle-infused scrambled egg, topped with stur- geon  caviar enclosed in a shell, and served with a shot glass elegantly filled with sea salt. Can you feel your mouth watering? It’s no wonder that those who have tried this delicacy ask to have it served in an ostrich egg… After extensive renovation, the Bel- mond Grand Hotel Europe opened its iconic Krysha ballroom. It was first designed by Fyodor Lidval in 1909 and renovated by Robert Angell Design International, the London-based design studio, with a great regard to the histori- cal legacy of the hotel. As if soaring over St. Petersburg, the Ballroom remains a site of pilgrimage for high society. TLR For those seeking privacy and comfort, the hotel offers 10 magnificent luxury apartments that overlook the Arts Square. It was a true challenge for Michele Jouannet, a French designer, to restore each room to its former glory. But the results speak for themselves. The golden- The historic Romanov domed music suite features antique furniture from the room of the hotel’s collection. Presidential suite. belmond.com/grandhoteleurope

IN FOCUS Primorye The bay of red pebbles on Russky Island is a quiet refuge for the city romantics of Primorye. 42 T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

IN FOCUS Primorye THE BAY of Red Pebbles HE CLIMBS THE HIGHEST PEAKS IN PRIMORYE, CROSSES MOUNTAIN RANGES, AND GOES ON EXTREME EXPEDITIONS – SOMETIMES ALL FOR THE SAKE OF A SINGLE, UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPH. VLADIVOSTOK LAND- SCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER VITALY BERKOV IS AN ENTHUSIAST, FOR WHOM A 15-KILOGRAM BACKPACK WITH HIS PHOTO EQUIPMENT IS EXACTLY WHAT MAKES HIM HAPPY. N AT I O N A L TO U R I S T RO U T E S TOU R ISM & L E ISU R E I N RUSSI A 43

IBNerkFovOclCimbUs SthePr i mor ye highest peaks in Primorye, crosses mountain ranges, and goes on extreme expedi- tions – sometimes all for the sake of a single, unique photograph. VITALY BERKOV is a photographer and traveller who catches the beauty of Primorsky Terri- tory in his works. He was born and raised in Vladivostok, and has taken part in and been a finalist in exhibitions such as “The Most Beautiful Country”, “Primordial Russia”, “Wild Nature of Russia”, and was the winner of the “Look at Vladivostok” project, and photo competitions like BBC Wildlife Photographer, “Travel at Home”, “Epson Colour Planet”, “Far Eastern Heritage”, Lucida Art and many others.

IN FOCUS Primorye

The Elamovsky waterfalls are not easy to reach, but nothing stops the most determined photographer of Primorsky Territory. 46 TOU R ISM & L E ISU R E I N RUSSI A N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S

IN FOCUS Primorye N AT I O N A L T O U R I S T R O U T E S T O U R I S M & L E I S U R E I N R U S S I A 47

COLUMN Еxplanation 48 TOU R ISM & L E ISU R E I N RUSSI A N AT I O N A L TO U R I S T RO U T E S