- sights
- Vacation with children
- Where to go for free
- Yaroslavl in winter
- Summer Yaroslavl
- Souvenirs
- Cafes and restaurants
Yaroslavl is the most ancient city on the Volga, the official capital of the Golden Ring of Russia, one of the cities about which it is customary to say "Russia began here." Yaroslavl has been around for over 1000 years, and now it is in great demand among tourists interested in the history of the country. Here, churches and houses of the 17th century and unique museum collections have been preserved in almost pristine condition. It seems that the city is just created for walking thanks to the high river embankments and wonderful panoramas.
Located four hours from Moscow, Yaroslavl is a great place for a weekend trip and for completing the Golden Ring route. Exactly the end, because in Yaroslavl all the best that is on this famous route has been collected.
You can get from Moscow to Yaroslavl along the Yaroslavl highway. Travel time is about 4 hours. The distance is about 270 km. You will pass other beautiful Russian cities: Sergiev Posad and Pereslavl-Zalessky. It is also convenient to get there by rail, trains run often, almost around the clock. Travel time is from 3, 5 to 5 hours. Pay attention to the trains with the letter "I" after the number - these are express trains that go without stops. A very budgetary option that has recently become more comfortable is the intercity bus. Departure from Shchelkovsky railway station, travel time 5 hours, interval of movement - 2 hours.
Yaroslavl has perhaps the widest selection of hotels and inns along the entire Golden Ring, however, when traveling for the weekend, it is worth booking a hotel in advance.
sights
The city is located at the confluence of the Kotorosl and Volga rivers, on the so-called "Strelka". According to legend, it was in this place that Yaroslav the Wise founded the city of his name. "Yaroslavl" is a possessive form, meaning "the city of Yaroslavl".
The historical center within the boundaries of Sobinova and Respublikanskaya streets is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its area is over 100 hectares. The main historical sights are located in the city center:
- The Church of Elijah the Prophet, which was built in the 17th century and has remained unchanged to this day. This is the clearest example of the Yaroslavl architectural school and one of the most beautiful temples of the Golden Ring. The preserved frescoes are very interesting inside the church.
- The white-stone Cathedral of the Assumption was recreated on the site of the one that was blown up in the 1930s. Historically, the Assumption Cathedral is the oldest temple in the city, the first building of which was built in the 13th century. In the 2000s. the temple was restored according to old drawings, descriptions and preserved photographs. Now the white-stone temple with golden domes attracts the attention of all tourists.
- Be sure to take a walk along the Strelka. Now, on a high cape, a park is laid out, from where beautiful views of the Volga and Kotorosl open.
- Volzhskaya embankment is rightfully considered one of the best among all Volga cities. It was discovered back in the 19th century: the bank was fortified, a promenade with alleys and benches was arranged. Now the embankment consists of three pedestrian tiers. The most breathtaking view is from the top, the coolest in hot weather is the bottom. There are several museums on the embankment: the State Art Museum, the Museum of the History of the City and the private museum "Music and Time".
- If you get tired of the bustle of the city, take a look at the Governor's Garden, where wonderful shady alleys and granite, marble, bronze sculptures, effectively emphasized by landscape design, are hidden behind a high fence.
- Yaroslavl is depicted on a 1000-ruble bill, or rather, two of its attractions: the monument to the founder Yaroslav the Wise on Epiphany Square and the chapel of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, located on the Kotorosl embankment. It was from here that the militia under the leadership of Minin and Pozharsky went on a campaign against Moscow.
Walking around Yaroslavl, you will not pass by the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, surrounded by a stone wall and being a kind of "Kremlin". The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery was built in the 12th century and is famous for the fact that the only surviving copy of "The Lay of Igor's Campaign" was found in its library. There are several churches on the territory of the monastery, including the Transfiguration Cathedral, in its present form, which has come down to us since the 16th century. His frescoes are the oldest murals from the era of Ivan the Terrible.
Now on the territory of the monastery there is a museum dedicated to ancient Russian art, wooden sculpture and carving. It also contains a rich collection of Old Russian manuscripts.
Vacation with children
It is always pleasant to come to Yaroslavl with children, because the city has a lot of children's entertainment.
Museum-theater "Alyosha Podvorie" offers a meeting with cartoon characters about Alyosha Popovich. Here you can meet the hero himself, and Lyubava, and even the horse Julia. The symbol of the city - the bear - is dedicated to a whole museum called "My beloved Bear", which contains a huge collection of various types of bears.
Children in Yaroslavl are always attracted by the zoo, where wolves, deer, foxes and bears are kept in open enclosures. In the contact area, you can feed a calf or a donkey. You will see the inhabitants of the marine world in the dolphinarium, where dolphins, fur seals and belugas perform.
Those children who are interested in science and the world around them will have great fun in the interactive Einstein Museum of Entertaining Sciences, as well as in the planetarium with interactive exhibitions and a real telescope.
In the park on Damansky Island and in the park of the 1000th anniversary of Yaroslavl, you can “ride” on rented bicycles and roller skates.
Where to go for free
Yaroslavl is a city with beautiful Russian architecture, which you can admire absolutely free. Entry to existing temples and churches is usually free as well. Be sure to take a walk along the Volzhskaya embankment, but do not forget about Pervomaisky Boulevard, which Yaroslavl residents themselves love very much. Both sides of the street are built up with houses of the 19th century, which, together with the alley in the middle of the boulevard, seems to take the strollers back two centuries.
Do not forget to rub the monument to the bear and make a wish, it will certainly come true. If you are traveling along the Golden Ring, be sure to walk to the Zero Kilometer of the Golden Ring memorial sign.
Yaroslavl in winter
Winter in Yaroslavl is snowy, frosty, sometimes the temperature drops to -30. However, in recent years, this happens infrequently. During the New Year holidays, festivities are held in different parts of the city. A skating rink is opening on Sovetskaya Square, next to it is a fair. The city also hosts the Ice Sculpture Festival. At the end of winter, Maslenitsa is widely celebrated.
In the vicinity of Yaroslavl there are two ski resorts "Shaksha" and "Bend". There are trails for skiers and snowboarders, tubing trails, a rental and a cafe. "Bend" also offers skating, snowmobiling, laser tag and steam bath.
Summer Yaroslavl
In summer, near Yaroslavl, the famous open-air festival "Dobrofest", which started in 2010, is held. Fans of rock, hip-hop and alternative music gather here.
In May, the famous Yuri Bashmet International Music Festival is held, where musicians and opera singers from Germany, Russia, France and Canada, as well as the maestro himself with his orchestra, perform.
In September, the original KhrenFest festival takes place, the protagonist of which is a favorite Russian product. Within the framework of the festival, a fair is held, as well as tasting of horseradish preparations.
Souvenirs
Yaroslavl is rich in unique and original souvenir products. These are bears of various shapes and sizes, ceramics made of colored majolica, bells made of a variety of materials, clocks from the local Chaika factory, Poshekhonsky cheese produced since the 1860s, and Old Yaroslavl balsam.
You can buy all these souvenirs in the shops of the city near the sights. Moreover, most of the souvenirs will be of local production.
Cafes and restaurants
Among the cafes and restaurants of Yaroslavl, the choice of cuisine and budget is huge. You can have a quick bite of pancakes with a large selection of toppings. Many small cozy cafes are located on Kirov and Deputatskaya streets. The city has a large selection of pancakes, tea, dumplings and canteens with a very democratic price tag.
The best places to dine with a child are Anderson Cafe on Respublikanskaya with a wonderful children's room and a creative approach to the design of dishes, as well as the Freken Bock cafe on Svoboda Street, where a large assortment of pastries and pastries is presented.
Most of the high-level restaurants are located on the Volzhskaya Embankment (with panoramic views) and on Svobody Street. You will find a wonderful atmosphere and exquisite dishes of Russian and European cuisines in the restaurants "Baguette, Pate and Yellow Plaid" and "Horns and Hooves". On the embankment, take a look at the "Traktir", where a warm, homely atmosphere reigns and Russian cuisine is served. The Salt cafe has a wide selection of drinks to continue the evening. The Vanilla Sky restaurant attracts with its original serving of dishes.
There are quite a few restaurants in Yaroslavl that specialize in Russian cuisine. It is worth noting "Ioann Vasilievich", the interior of which is designed based on the famous film, and the "Sobranie" restaurant on the embankment, where meat in pots is cooked wonderfully and excellent horseradish is served.
