Before you can blink, it’s already August. To give you something to answer the question “What did I do this summer?”, we’ve put together a guide to Suzdal, one of the pearls of the Golden Ring and, more recently, a very popular destination for domestic tourism. We’ll tell you how to spend several days here, benefiting both your soul and your body.
This guide is not an action guide at all, but rather a hint on how to build a route around the city, which will celebrate its millennium on August 9. On the eve of the celebration, we tell you how to make the trip memorable and then invite all your friends on a tour of the Golden Ring (spoiler: it’s worth it)
How to get there?
The distance from Moscow to Suzdal is 220 km. There are several ways to get there: by car, bus or express train of the Lastochka brand, although the latter only goes to Vladimir, so you have to add another 40-50 minutes to the journey to the final point. The cost of the direct bus in August is 1,145 rubles, and the train/express train – 385 rubles. The travel time is 3-5 hours. The most convenient way to get there is by car. The travel time will be about 3.5 hours on the M-12 highway. In this case, be sure to stop by the Nerl hydroelectric power station, formerly the Zapolitsky hydroelectric power station and now an experimental site of the MIRA cultural institution for the creation of multi-genre interdisciplinary projects in the field of art and culture.
Where to stay?
Suzdal is a small, ancient town in the Vladimir region, but even here there are accommodation options for every taste and budget. You can choose the tried and tested “White Beach”. Only the hotel itself, in terms of atmosphere, is more reminiscent of the same dacha because of the illustrations from the fairy tales that were read during summer holidays in childhood. And you can even go down to the Kamenka River in a dressing gown and slippers, and right there you can drink traditional Russian tea with a samovar and buns that will be the envy of all the sappers passing by. There is also the possibility of renting a house for days from private owners during the tourist season – many local residents rent out their homes partially or completely to tourists; in this case, advice: focus on the center to walk around most of the localities. From the unexpected and unusual: the largest bath complex in the world (no joke, we personally saw the Guinness World Records plaque) also offers rooms for rent in Russian (be careful, lots of wood) and European style.
Cottage “Bely Bereg”
Most likely, you will leave Moscow early in the morning. Then by 12:00 you will be in Suzdal. Immediately after check-in, have a late breakfast or an early lunch. The town is quite small, so with a short walk you can get a first impression of the area. Another reason why we highly recommend living in the center is the architecture and restaurants. The city was virtually unaffected by industrial development and many exemplary monuments of Russian architecture have been preserved, which are kept in shameless conditions to show to foreign friends and are constantly being restored. We had breakfast in the farm restaurant “Agronom” or in the place with its own cheese dairy “Syrodelnya”. Both are in the center and both are part of the Dymov holding.
Most likely, you will leave Moscow early in the morning. Then by 12:00 you will be in Suzdal. Immediately after check-in, have a late breakfast or an early lunch. The town is quite small, so with a short walk you can get a first impression of the area. Another reason why we highly recommend living in the center is the architecture and restaurants. The city was virtually unaffected by industrial development and many exemplary monuments of Russian architecture have been preserved, which are kept in shameless conditions to show to foreign friends and are constantly being restored. We had breakfast in the farm restaurant “Agronom” or in the place with its own cheese dairy “Syrodelnya”. Both are in the center and both are part of the Dymov holding.
Restaurant “Agronomist”
Next we walk through the center, exploring every street. Now the city is actively preparing for the birthday celebration, so restoration and construction work is still going on in other places. But you don’t need a clear route here. Take a walk along the main street, see the shopping galleries, go to the flea markets and local grocery stores, and don’t be shy and look for inconspicuous corners. Then, most likely, you will come to the cultural center of the WORLD. Films and performances are shown here, concerts and exhibitions are held, and in the backyard you can drink coffee at a large communal table, play badminton, and then relax on the sun loungers. The local souvenir shop, although small, is also of interest. A special recommendation is to take a closer look at the guidebooks and books from the center’s own publishing house. If you feel like a nobleman and want something spectacular later, snow-white horse-drawn carriages drive through the city centre, the price of which ranges from 2,000 to 5,000 rubles.
MIRA Cultural Center Carriages traveling through the city MIRA Cultural Center Souvenir shop of the MIRA Cultural Center View of Suzdal from the river
In the morning we head to the Confectionery in the Gostiny Dvor building. A beautiful, quiet place with antique furniture and lots of interesting little things – while waiting for your coffee, you can easily get lost in the decor and details of the interior. Then we move to the Suzdal Kremlin – the exhibition part of the complex closes quite early, so try to plan a walk for the first part of the day. What catches the eye are the frescoes and paintings in the temples, as well as urban solutions of ancient Russian town planning. On the territory of the Kremlin, be sure to find the Church of St. Nicholas – an artifact of wooden architecture dating back to the 18th century. A rare example of “cage” type churches, built like a rural hut, without a single nail. Seeing this with your own eyes is pure delight. The territory of the Kremlin itself is conducive to walking, and here all paths lead to the water. Get off, take your own SUP or join a river bus excursion. Prices vary, it is better to check on site. The most impressive view of Suzdal opens up from the water: churches from the time of the Grand Dukes almost fused together and an almost canonical pastoral.
Suzdal Kremlin House of the Russian Tea Party
In the morning we slowly make our way to the Russian Tea House for breakfast. Here you can not only order a samovar with interesting batches of tea for a whole campaign, but also enjoy a decent breakfast. They also prepare desserts and edible souvenirs in packaging with characteristic Suzdal motifs. Then you can take a walk to the local ceramics factory and the Dymov Keramika school. In Moscow, the kids have a corner at VDNKh, but here you can also personally participate in the creation of household items: they offer tours of production and also hold master classes for everyone. If you don’t have the time or desire to practice fine motor skills, but really want to take home a nice pair of teas, check out the factory shop in Trading Rows. In addition to ceramics and glass, there are home textiles, cute little things and even clothes from local craftsmen. The dresses are worth the effort, like those of the merchant’s wife in Kustodiev’s painting!
Then turn the corner and enter the Gostiny Dvor restaurant and again into the Dymov establishment. No, this is not an advertisement, just a great local project, the presence of which only beautifies the city and the impression of being in it. And in the evening go to it – a bathhouse! To the “Hot Keys” bath complex mentioned above. There are about 20 separate baths on the territory, you can also order a tub, steam cooking with a master and food at home. You will not see your neighbors, just as they will not see you. A nice bonus is that each house has its own access to an artificial pond where you can dive while sailing.
Russian tea house Dymov ceramics shop Goryachiye Klyuchi bath complex
Having explored the city, we move on to less obvious attractions. The fourth day can be devoted to getting to know its cultural component. For example, look at the Intercession Monastery. It was founded by Prince Dmitry Konstantinovich in 1364 and became the place of imprisonment of Vasily III’s wife, Solomonia Saburova, a representative of an ancient boyar family. The prince accused his wife of infertility, divorced her and sent her to the nuns. However, Solomonia, unjustly accused by her husband of infertility, gave birth to a son in the Intercession Monastery. Wanting to save the young prince from the persecution of her unfaithful husband, the woman faked her death. By the way, after her death, Solomonia was canonized – today she is better known as St. Sophia of Suzdal, the patron saint of the city. This is “Saint Barbara” in Suzdal. But the monastery itself deserves attention – it is a place of worship for the people of Suzdal. The architectural monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was here that many representatives of noble families were imprisoned and tonsured as nuns. These walls keep the stories of their guests, usually sad and dramatic.
Having explored the city, we move on to less obvious attractions. The fourth day can be devoted to getting to know its cultural component. For example, look at the Intercession Monastery. It was founded by Prince Dmitry Konstantinovich in 1364 and became the place of imprisonment of Vasily III’s wife, Solomonia Saburova, a representative of an ancient boyar family. The prince accused his wife of infertility, divorced her and sent her to the nuns. However, Solomonia, unjustly accused by her husband of infertility, gave birth to a son in the Intercession Monastery. Wanting to save the young prince from the persecution of her unfaithful husband, the woman faked her death. By the way, after her death, Solomonia was canonized – today she is better known as St. Sophia of Suzdal, the patron saint of the city. This is “Saint Barbara” in Suzdal. But the monastery itself deserves attention – it is a place of worship for the people of Suzdal. The architectural monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was here that many representatives of noble families were imprisoned and tonsured as nuns. These walls keep the stories of their guests, usually sad and dramatic.
Pokrovsky Monastery
At the end of the day, go to any restaurant you like. Eat everything you see with cucumbers. Enjoy delicacies made from local fish and drink local sbiten or unfermented sbitny – everything is delicious. And cucumbers, due to the peculiarities of the local soil, are generally a local pride. Just as in Rostov you have to eat crayfish, here cucumbers are everything! After dinner, go for a walk – you need to digest what you tried and saw. Take home local cucumber jam as a souvenir – this year’s personal gastronomic discovery.
At the end of the day, go to any restaurant you like. Eat everything you see with cucumbers. Enjoy delicacies made from local fish and drink local sbiten or unfermented sbitny – everything is delicious. And cucumbers, due to the peculiarities of the local soil, are generally a local pride. Just as in Rostov you have to eat crayfish, here cucumbers are everything! After dinner, go for a walk – you need to digest what you tried and saw. Take home local cucumber jam as a souvenir – this year’s personal gastronomic discovery.
“Cucumber” coffee
