Kostroma

An ancient Golden Ring city on the Volga, where the Ipatiev Monastery marks the birthplace of the Romanov dynasty and the Museum of Wooden Architecture and a moose farm make it great for families.

Kostroma lies about 340 km northeast of Moscow, where the Kostroma River meets the Volga. One of Russia's historic Golden Ring cities, it is also the capital of Kostroma Oblast. In 1613 Mikhail Romanov was chosen as tsar at the Ipatiev Monastery, which is why the city is regarded as the cradle of the Romanov dynasty. After a great fire in 1773 the old town was rebuilt on a fan-shaped plan, and Susanin Square, the fire watchtower and the Trading Rows together form one of the best-preserved classical-style town centres in Russia. Sightseeing falls into three parts: the old town centre (the square, the Trading Rows, the Central Park, the Epiphany Monastery and the Romanov Museum), a full day on foot; the Ipatiev Monastery and the Museum of Wooden Architecture on the west bank, half a day; and the surroundings, including the moose farm, the silversmithing village of Krasnoye-on-Volga and the artists' town of Plyos. June–August is the best time for strolls along the Volga and river cruises, while in winter you can visit the Snow Maiden's House and see golden domes in the snow. The train from Moscow takes about 4–6 hours, or you can drive via Yaroslavl. Plan on 2–3 days, easily combined with Yaroslavl. Local specialities are cheese, linen and silverware, most conveniently bought at the Trading Rows.

Top sights

• Ipatiev Monastery – A white-walled, gold-domed monastery at the mouth of the Kostroma River, where Mikhail Romanov was invited to take the throne in 1613.
• Kostromskaya Sloboda Museum of Wooden Architecture – An open-air museum beside the Ipatiev Monastery, gathering wooden churches, farmhouses and mills moved here from across the region.
• Kostroma Trade Rows – One of Russia's best-preserved commercial arcade complexes from the 18th and 19th centuries, where you can buy cheese, linen and silver jew…
• Susanin Square – A fan-shaped square lined with 18th- and 19th-century classical buildings, the heart of Kostroma's old town.
• Kostroma Fire Tower – A classical fire tower completed in the 1820s, shaped like a temple and hailed as Russia's most beautiful fire tower.
• Central Park & Kostroma Kremlin Site – A riverside park on the site of the former Kostroma Kremlin, with the Ostrovsky Pavilion and the Susanin monument, overlooking the Volga.
• Church of the Resurrection on the Debre – A red-brick church built in the 1650s with funds from a merchant. Its ornate porch and 17th-century murals make it Kostroma's finest buildi…
• Epiphany-Anastasia Monastery – A women's monastery that houses the Feodorov Icon of the Mother of God, the protective icon of the Romanov family.
• Romanov Museum – Built in 1913 to mark the 300th anniversary of the dynasty, the museum now displays Russian paintings and Romanov family collections.
• Snegurochka's Terem – The official home of Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden of Russian fairy tales. This timber tower has an ice house and interactive shows, making…
• Museum of Flax and Birch Bark – A folk museum showcasing Kostroma's flax weaving and birch bark crafts, where visitors can try the work themselves and buy souvenirs.
• Kostroma Cheese Museum – A small cheese museum centered on tasting, where you can sample a variety of local Kostroma cheeses.
• Sumarokovo Moose Farm – A moose breeding and research farm founded in 1963, where you can feed moose up close and taste moose milk. A hit with families.
• Krasnoe-na-Volge – A traditional center of Russian silver and enamel craftsmanship, with a jewelry museum and a rare 16th-century tent-roofed church.
• Plyos – A painters' town on the Volga where Levitan created famous works. Hills, wooden houses and churches make up classic Russian scenery.

Where to eat

• Groza – A high-end restaurant inside the Ostrovsky boutique hotel in the city center, reinterpreting traditional Kostroma dishe…
• Dorogaya, Budu Pozdno Grill Bar – A popular grill bar in the old town serving modern Russian food with a contemporary twist at affordable prices, along w…
• Staraya Pristan – A restaurant on a moored barge along the Volga, serving Russian food with river views, themed after the film Cruel Roma…

Itineraries

• Golden Ring & Volga River Loop Tour – Charter a car to travel counter-clockwise around the Golden Ring, connecting monasteries, Volga River towns, and white-…