Traveling to Russia, you can come across places where fairy tales come to life. In the Ivanovo Region, you can catch the Firebird’s feather, and in Lipetsk, you can climb Kudykina Mountain. New Year’s holidays are a time of miracles, which means it’s the best time to go on an odyssey through places steeped in legends and epics. Together with Yandex Travel, we will create a route to fabulous locations in Russia.

Baba Yaga

Hidden in the marshy wilderness, the village of Kukoboy in the Yaroslavl Region is associated with a legend. Locals believe that Baba Yaga, the culprit of children’s nightmares, lives in the thick of the forests. According to legends, chilling sounds could be heard from there at night, and many travelers could not return home.

In 2004, in Kukoboy Rural Park, they decided to build a hut for a heroine of Slavic folklore. Now everyone can see Baba Yaga’s home. Her full-length puppet figure stands next to her. Along a forest path, fairy-tale characters lead tourists through the gate to the Museum of Fairy Tales, where they are greeted by curator Marya the Iskunnitsa. Guests are offered an interesting program with competitions and tea parties.

The village of Kukoboy is 160 km away in Yaroslavl. You need to follow the M8 federal highway to the village of Prechisty, and then turn to the Poshekhon forests and drive for about 30 km.

Snake Gorynych

Kudykina Gora in the Lipetsk Region is home to one of the most dangerous heroes of Slavic mythology, against whom the valiant Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich fought. The three-headed dragon with impenetrable scales and fire-breathing breath was not easy to defeat.

Today, in the village of Kamenka, you can see the gigantic statue of Snake Gorynych, 15 meters high. Every weekend, the three-headed monster spews out flames, creating a frightening yet breathtaking sight. During the winter, the show starts at 6:00 p.m.

The park on Kudykina Gora also houses an exact copy of Russian fortresses of the 4th-5th centuries, a safari park and the world’s largest lollipop, Petunets.

The village of Kamenka is located 5 kilometers from the M4 highway. The most convenient way to get from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Yelets is by train (the journey takes about 7 hours). Buses run from Yelets, Lipetsk and Voronezh to Zadonsk. There, at the bus station, you need to check the schedule of the Zadonsk-Kalabino or Zadonsk-Svyetnoye routes. These buses pass by the park with the statue of Gorynych Snakes. You can take a taxi from Zadonsk in 20 minutes.

Emelya

By pike’s behest, you can find yourself in the homeland of Emeli-the Fool, the laziest hero in Russian fairy tales, in Rostov the Great. According to legend, it is in Lake Nero that the magic pike lives, which fulfilled all his wishes.

Sightseeing tours include walking along the ramparts and along the magic lake, as well as an overview of the Assumption Cathedral in the Rostov Kremlin. The program includes a feast with fish soup according to a traditional recipe from Emelya.

In February, the “By Pike’s Command” festival is held in Rostov Veliky. Guests participate in a bell ringer contest, and then watch the parade led by Emelya himself, who, of course, moves on the stove. The fun ends with round dances.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to get to Emelya’s homeland by stove. From Yaroslavl and Moscow, take the M8 highway by car. The Rostov Kremlin is a 20-minute walk from Rostov Veliky Train Station. You can also get there by public transport.

Firebird

The village of Palekh is considered the birthplace of the majestic Firebird. According to legend, in the thicket of the forest of what is now Ivanovo Oblast, she burned down a meadow suitable for living. Masters and magicians settled there. To this day, the miracle bird is considered the patroness of their talent. Palekh is known for his unique art craft — a lacquer miniature, the main motif of which is the Firebird. Hence the “blazing” name of the village — Palekh.

You can get acquainted with local art and take part in painting workshops at the Palekh Art Museum. Tourists are also invited to visit a village feast with a folklore entertainment program.

In 2017, Palekh received from Rospatent the right to be called the birthplace of the Firebird. Since then, the administration has been developing a grandiose project near the historic center of the village. It is planned to build a Firebird tower with animation zones and a concert venue.

You can get to Palekh from Moscow from the Shchelkovsky bus station by bus that goes to Yuzha. An alternative way is to take a train ticket from Yaroslavsky Railway Station to Ivanovo. Buses travel from this city to Palekh every 30 minutes.

The closest railway station to Palekh is in Shuya (75 km). It is more convenient for travelers from St. Petersburg or Nizhny Novgorod to get to it.

Ilya Muromets

It is easy to guess that the birthplace of the famous epic hero, Ilya Muromets, is the city of Murom (Vladimir Region). According to legend, the hero was born in the village of Karacharovo (Murmansk Oblast). According to one version, the hero’s prototype was Saint Elijah Pechersky. In his youth, the strongman was called “Chobotok” because he fought off enemies with a chobot (boot). He became a monk at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra under the name Ilia and was canonized as “Saint Elijah Muromets”. There is a monument to a monk soldier in Murom.

You can learn more facts about Ilya Muromets on sightseeing tours near the Blagoveshchensky Monastery. Guests explore fabulous places. For example, a forest where, according to legend, Ilya Muromets uprooted trees and thereby changed the course of the Oka River.

From Vladimir, you can get to the monument to the epic hero from the bus station in 50 minutes. Trains depart from Moscow from Kazansky Railway Station to Murom. The average travel time is 4.5 hours. If you are traveling by car, you will need to travel 230 km of the M-7 Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod highway. The journey takes about 4 hours.

Source: https://travel.rambler.ru/

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