Central Russia

Russia's heartland around Moscow, where the Golden Ring towns of Suzdal, Vladimir and Yaroslavl preserve many white-stone churches from medieval Rus.

This region corresponds to the 18 federal subjects of the Central Federal District: Moscow city, Moscow Oblast, and the oblasts of Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Tver, Smolensk, Kaluga, Tula, Ryazan, Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Lipetsk and Tambov. Novgorod, Pskov and St Petersburg to the northwest belong to Northwestern Russia, while Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan to the east fall under the Volga Region and the Urals.

Moscow has Red Square, the Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Zaryadye Park and its lavishly decorated metro stations. Just outside the city are the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius in Sergiyev Posad and the Kolomenskoye estate. The "Golden Ring" is the tourist name for a string of ancient towns northeast of Moscow: the Kremlin and Museum of Wooden Architecture in Suzdal; the Assumption Cathedral and Golden Gate in Vladimir (whose white-stone monuments, together with Suzdal's, are UNESCO World Heritage sites); the Church of Elijah the Prophet on the Volga embankment in Yaroslavl; the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma; and the Kremlin of Rostov Veliky. To the south, near Tula, lies Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy's family estate.

Allow 3–4 days for Moscow, plus 3–5 days for the Golden Ring. Yaroslavl and some other towns have direct train service, while Suzdal requires a bus connection from Vladimir. Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad do not work in Russia, so bring cash or other means of payment. Regions near the Ukrainian border, including Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk, carry security risks; check your government's latest travel advice before you go.

Destinations

Itineraries