Kostroma is part of the popular Golden Ring route. When deciding to go to Kostroma in February, you are acting wisely: at this time the city is not so crowded. Those who stayed here during the New Year holidays have already left, and there are no spring-summer tourist groups yet. It is easier to rent housing at an affordable price, there is more freedom in cafes and restaurants, it is easier to buy tickets to exhibitions and excursions.
Winter Kostroma welcomes guests.
Weather
Usually the weather in Kostroma in February is smooth all month: at night up to −14°C, during the day about −7°C. There have been years when the temperature dropped to −39°C in early February, but this year, of course, this is not expected.
This February, according to the weather forecast, throughout the month the air temperature will remain between −3–7°C during the day and from −6 to −12°C at night.
Weather forecast in Kostroma for February 2022.
The sun can also be expected, but infrequently - no more than five to seven days for the entire month; light snowfalls are predicted in early and mid-February. Wind is possible from the Volga, so for walking excursions you need to take warm clothes: a down jacket, a winter hat, and shoes insulated with fur.
Romanov Museum
A beautiful Art Nouveau building, similar to an ancient Russian tower, was built in 1913 in honor of the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty. At the beginning it was assumed that the Museum of Antiquities would be located here. Today the Romanov Museum is part of the Kostroma State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve.
Museum visitors will learn a lot about the history of the Romanov family, get acquainted with art objects and archaeological finds. Three exhibitions are constantly running here: “Kostroma Boyars: Personnel for the Throne”, “Western European Art from the Collection of the Kostroma Museum-Reserve” and “Peasant Artist Efim Chestnyakov” (the best works of the artist). In addition to permanent exhibitions, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions on history, art and geography.
Excursions
You can get acquainted with the history of the city and its main attractions on the traditional walking tour “Kostroma - First Acquaintance”. Experienced guides will show you the main square - Susaninskaya - and tell you what interesting story lies behind the “fan” in the shape of which the streets of Kostroma are located. You will find out why the shopping arcades were named Red, Big Flour, Gingerbread and Kalash; you will figure out what connected the playwright Alexander Ostrovsky with this city. You will visit the Kremlin and delve into its history, as well as see in which mansions rich and noble citizens lived in the 18th–19th centuries. The duration of the excursion is 1.5 hours, the price is 1600 rubles for your whole family or company.
The most effective way to get to know the city is a sightseeing tour.
Evgeny Baranov from Moscow writes in his review:
“My wife and I have traveled a lot around Russia, but this is our first time in Kostroma. I didn’t think that this city would make such an impression on me. And all thanks to the guide Alexander. His story took us deep into the historical nuances of each stage of the city's history. We were not only given dates, but images of people, great personalities who left a bright mark on the fate of the city were revealed to us. Our communication was very emotional! It’s nice that Alexander took into account our request to change the starting point of the excursion and managed to rebuild the story, as they say, as the action progressed. Thank you!"
The excursion “Riddles of Kostroma” will be of interest primarily to families with children, because it will introduce you to the history of the city in a playful way: you will have to solve riddles, stroke a bronze dog on the nose, and climb the fire bell tower. From above, Kostroma in February, dusted with snow, is especially beautiful - it’s like looking at a map! The duration of the excursion is 1.5 hours, the price is 1800 rubles for a group of up to 6 people.
Climb the fire bell tower for an amazing view.
You can discover another Kostroma with the tour “Muravyovka: a walk with a secret.” It will be a ceremonial city of governors, emperors and significant historical events. The story is intended for adults. The duration of the excursion is 1 hour, the price is 1200 rubles for your group.
Svetlana Volkova from the Vladimir region shares her impressions:
“We came to Kostroma as three families and went on this excursion with a group that included people of different interests: a builder, a furniture maker, a journalist, a student, two teachers... Everyone liked the excursion! I didn’t even think that a story could be presented in such an interesting and unusual way. The guide loves his city very much and is proud of it, it’s noticeable!”
The excursion “The Sweet Life of Kostroma” includes a master class on chocolate; it will be interesting both for you and especially for your children. The guide will tell you how provincial Kostroma society lived and what the golden youth were interested in in the 19th century, as well as the history of confectioners. Duration - 1.5 hours, price - 3000 rubles per excursion for your company.
Those with a sweet tooth and families with children will enjoy the culinary master class.
The complex “Individual tour of Kostroma and Plyos” is interesting. Both parts of the tour are on foot. The first introduces the history of Kostroma, the second - Plyos, located 75 km away. This is the place of Isaac Levitan, here are the landscapes that inspired him, the wooden church “Above Eternal Peace”, the Assumption Cathedral - just like in the winter paintings of the great artist. You need to breathe it in and feel it. The duration of two excursions is 4 hours, the package price is 5,500 rubles for a group of up to 10 people.
Field trip to winter Plyos.
Natalya Nikishina from Tula recalls the trip:
“I’ve been meaning to see the places that Levitan loved so much for a long time, and finally my dream has come true. Plyos is a very neat, clean town that has preserved the style and spirit of pre-revolutionary Russia. We walked along the streets, enjoyed Plyos “corners” - pies stuffed with smoked bream, and admired the views from the observation deck on Cathedral Hill. The terrain from here is at your fingertips! I can imagine how beautiful it is here in the summer, but we were there in February and therefore the foliage of the trees did not obscure even a centimeter of the panorama from us. The breadth of the view is grandiose, the grandeur of the Volga is large-scale. Yes, in February we were able to get into the Levitan Museum calmly, without queues or fuss. They say there are a lot of people here in the summer!”
We recommend choosing and booking excursions via the Internet - there is a wider range here, and prices are 15–20% lower than at travel agencies and distributors in the city.
You will be able to get acquainted with descriptions of excursion programs, read reviews of tourists who have already been on excursions, look at photographs and choose what will be really interesting to you.
The widest selection of excursions in Kostroma is on the websites Tripster.ru and Sputnik8.com.
Have a nice experience!
What else should you see in Kostroma on your own? Cheese Museum! Here they will tell you not only about the Kostroma product, but about the history of cheese making in general. And don’t forget to buy cheese as a souvenir from Kostroma - it’s much tastier than in the store. The museum is located on the street. Tchaikovsky, 19.
The cheese museum will be interesting for both adults and children.
Everything is ready for tasting.
Kostroma is also considered the capital of flax, and a museum is also dedicated to it. It's called the Museum of Flax and Birch Bark. Stop by and you won't be able to leave without a souvenir. The address of the museum is st. Valentina Tereshkova, 38.
Exhibits of the Museum of Flax and Birch Bark.
Someone else's car with bells and whistles is not always cool
In the center of Kostroma / photo by the author
I and three of my friends set off on the journey. The means of transportation was supposed to be my little Lada Kalina car. However, unexpected changes occurred at the last moment. Due to force majeure circumstances, my car had to be sent for service. To avoid interrupting the trip, my husband agreed to lend me his Lada Vesta. This added spice to the trip.
The car is foreign, not very familiar. I don't know all its nuances. And now cars are produced with such complexity, with such a mass of some buttons and devices, that just try to figure it out. So I had to call my husband more than once or twice from the road and clarify where and what was located and what I should click on.
One of the funny moments that you laugh at at the end of the trip, but which are not very happy on the way, is that our windows turned out to be open. This is in winter, at twenty degrees below zero. And we drove about two hundred kilometers with them open.
My husband loves cool weather. He usually leaves cracks on the windows and drives like that. He's hot. And I’m a freezing person, I open the car windows only in the summer. That’s why it never occurred to me that the two windows had slits open.
We are driving fast, the heater is heating up to full capacity, the car is, in theory, warm. So why does one of our ladies always complain about the cold? Why does she gradually pull on more and more things - a hat, mittens, wrap herself in a coat, put on socks and felt boots?
For half the first day of our journey this remained unclear, until the reason was discovered. Moreover, completely by accident. And this was also due to the characteristics of the car.
My car has ordinary windows, not tinted. And my husband’s car has thick tinting on the rear windows. During the day it’s okay. But at night almost nothing can be seen through it, especially if there is no lighting outside the window. For tourist purposes this is not very comfortable - like looking at something without getting out of the car.
When we approached the first attraction late in the evening - an ancient church in the village of Yuryevo, my ladies in the back seat could not see anything. I didn’t want to go out, it was too cold outside. We decided to open the windows and look outside.
We opened the windows slightly, looked out, looked at everything and raised the glass up. And then it turned out that until recently two windows - the front and back on the same side - were slightly open. They froze our poor tourist.
A boring winter evening
You can spend a February evening at the Kostroma Regional Drama Theater named after A.N. Ostrovsky. It is located near Susaninskaya Square, in house 9 on Mira Avenue. This is the only theater in the world in which every single play by Alexander Ostrovsky was staged. Performances are performed every day except Monday. The theater poster reports that on Valentine's Day, February 14, a tour of the Moscow Art Theater will take place here. M. Gorky with the play “The Deadline” based on the story by Valentin Rasputin, and on February 23 there will be a musical performance based on the story by A.S. Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter".
Another interesting place in the city is the art platform “Station”, where everything is dedicated to modern dance. Concerts of the Dialogue Dance school, three times winner of the National Theater Award “Golden Mask”, are held here. The site is located on the street. Erokhova, 3 a.
Kostroma Sloboda Museum-Reserve
This architectural and ethnographic complex (1955) is one of the oldest open-air museums in Russia. Wooden architectural monuments were transported here from areas flooded after the construction of the Gorky hydroelectric power station. Travelers will see monuments of wooden church architecture: the Church of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1552), the Church of the All-Merciful Savior (1712), the Church of Elijah the Prophet (approximately 16-17 centuries).
The ethnographic village, which is a complex of buildings - wooden architectural monuments, deserves special attention. Museum visitors will see outbuildings (barns, mills, baths) and peasant huts that were built in the past on the territory of the Kostroma region.
You can not only see how the buildings used to look, but also visit thematic exhibitions that are located inside the buildings. There is also a magical corner in Kostroma Sloboda, where visitors will see fairy-tale characters carved from wood. In addition, cultural events and folklore festivals are held on the territory of Kostroma Sloboda.
Leisure
You can spend a great day outdoors in good weather by going dog sledding. Not far from Kostroma there are two places where this winter type of recreation is available:
- “Northern Lights of Kostroma”, the complex is located 16 km from Kostroma, in the village of Serednyaya, telephone for inquiries;
- "Lylaps", the company is located 11 km from Kostroma, in the village of Glazovo, telephone for inquiries.
With the breeze on a dog sled.
If you are planning to go to Kostroma at the end of February, be sure to visit the municipal zoo - one of the youngest in the country. It opened in 2010, but it already has its own tradition. Maslenitsa is celebrated here every year on a grand scale. In 2022, Maslenitsa week will be celebrated from March 8 to 14, and you have a chance to take part in these events. The zoo is located on the outskirts of Kostroma, on the street. Lenina, 175. From the railway station it is easily accessible by minibus 51 (Krasnaya Mayovka stop).
Maslenitsa. Let's see off the winter in style.
Second day
2 days in Kostroma is an opportunity not only to get acquainted with historical sights, but also to immerse yourself in the fabulous atmosphere of the city. Tourist sites associated with myths and Russian fairy tales are of interest not only to children, but also to adult travelers. Interactive activities are provided for tourists of different ages.
Berendeyevka Park Photo: © Eduard Skvortsov
The Snow Maiden's Tower
The residence of the granddaughter of Father Frost is located in Kostroma. The Snow Maiden's Tower is located at the end of an ancient street with wooden houses. The museum welcomes guests all year round - they are greeted by Snegurochka, Cat Bayun and Brownies. Visitors are treated to a traditional Russian loaf of bread and invited to the tower. In the house, guests will see a puppet show, communicate with Santa Claus through a magic mirror and view an exhibition with Christmas trees made of unusual materials.
The main attraction of the Snow Maiden's Tower is the Ice Room. This is a hall lined with real ice. The room is maintained at a constant temperature of -14 degrees. Before the visit, guests are given felt boots and zipuns. Inside the room, all objects are made of ice: dishes, furniture and other objects. Visitors are treated to drinks from ice-cold glasses: children are served fruit drink with melt water, and adults are served mead.
The Snow Maiden's Tower Photo: © mva011076
In addition to the museum tower, on the territory of the interactive exhibition center there are: a restaurant of authentic Russian cuisine, a playground with wooden elements, a souvenir shop with designer gifts, and signpost stones like in Russian fairy tales. The Snow Maiden's Tower welcomes guests every day; visiting the museum is only possible with a guided tour. Cost of the excursion: 250 rubles. for adults and 175 rub. for children. A visit to the Ice Room is paid separately: 320 rubles. for adults and 160 rub. for children.
Details: Interactive exhibition
The Snow Maiden is a symbol of Kostroma Photo: © Svet-lanka
Berendeyevka Park
The 90-hectare pine-birch park is located in the northern part of Kostroma, a 10-minute drive from the city center. In Soviet times, the place was legendary - the famous fairy tale film “The Snow Maiden” was filmed here. Then an amusement park, a hippodrome and VDNKh were built here, but over time, the recreation area fell into disrepair. Only the hippodrome remains in operation to this day. In 2011, with the opening of the park hotel, the area was improved and turned into a leisure center in nature.
now includes: a hotel complex with houses stylized as the same buildings from the film “The Snow Maiden”; 3 ponds with the opportunity to swim or rent a boat or catamaran; sports grounds; wakeboarding center; restaurant "Berendeyevka", operating since 1973.
The Terem Berendey Museum is of particular tourist interest . It is dedicated to the history and traditions of the fabulous people of the Berendeys, who, according to legend, lived on the territory of the Kostroma region. The exhibition halls display wooden sculptures depicting Slavic deities, as well as objects from the peasant life of Ancient Rus'. Guests are offered not only a tour of the exhibition halls, but also lunch in a stylized cafe, as well as a photo session in Russian folk costumes. Travelers with children can also visit the nearby Kostroma Zoo.
In detail: Berendeyevka Park and the Terem Berendey Museum
Berendeyevka Park Photo: © Eduard Skvortsov
River walk
Having explored Kostroma on your own in 2 days, it’s worth looking at the city from the water. During the summer navigation period (from May to October), the city offers boat trips along the Volga. There are several options for river trips.
The most budget option is regular flights to the settlements of Borshchi and Sady. The journey in both directions takes about 3 hours. In summer, flights operate twice a day - morning and afternoon, 5 times a week. In the autumn months - only on weekends. From Friday to Sunday, the port offers short tourist excursions along the Volga. The duration of the trip is 30 minutes. The schedule includes both daytime and evening flights. The tourist boat follows to the bridge connecting Ipatievskaya Sloboda with the city center. Along the way, tourists will see Ostrovsky's gazebo near the city embankment, a monument to Lenin, and the Ipatiev Monastery.
It is worth keeping in mind that there is no main River Station in Kostroma. Ships depart from different piers. The largest is landing stage No. 4, but tourist ships mainly depart from berth No. 2, located at the intersection of Pervo Maya, Tchaikovsky and Lesnaya streets.
Old pier in Kostroma Photo: © Eduard Skvortsov
We buy souvenirs
If the items in the flax and birch bark museum seem a little expensive, look for them in specialized stores. For example, in the stores “Sudarushka” (Shagova St., 25), “Linen Palette” (Simanovskogo St., 10) or “New Linen” (Lagernaya St., 17).
And feel free to buy souvenirs in any shop - there are many of them throughout the city. And the prices are about the same everywhere. There are many interesting products in the small market near the Susanin monument or on Simanovsky Street. Or stop by the store “Souvenirs from the Snow Maiden” (Ostrovsky St., 2/1).
Be sure to bring home designer toys, majolica, wickerwork, and ceramics for the interior. These things will remind you of your trip for many years, and maybe someday, driven by your memories, you will return to this ancient city, where you have never seen so many interesting things!
Did you forget to buy gifts for your family?
Church of the Resurrection of Christ on Debra
One of the most beautiful churches in Kostroma was built in 1651 on the banks of the Nizhnyaya Debra River. There is a legend associated with its construction. It was as if a wealthy merchant, expecting goods from England, found gold bars in barrels instead of the paint he was supposed to receive. The English partners never found the owner of the treasure and advised the merchant to invest the wealth in a good cause. So he did, adding his own funds and organizing a fundraiser. Unfortunately, the merchant did not live to see the completion of construction, but the result of his efforts is still admired today.
The five-domed church building is decorated with numerous details: unusual decorative elements, paintings and stone carvings depicting mythical creatures. During its rich history, the temple has undergone some changes, for example, in the 18th century, a one-story gallery with arches was built around it, and in the 19th century, a sacristy was added and the frescoes were painted in a new way. Travelers will get acquainted with local shrines: the ancient iconostasis, particles of the relics of the Kiev-Pechersk saints and the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas of Myra.
Calculating the budget
The easiest way to get from Moscow to Kostroma is by train from the Yaroslavsky station. A ticket in a compartment costs from 1,200 to 1,700 rubles, in a reserved seat carriage - just under 800 rubles, in a seat - about 650 rubles. The journey will take 5.5–6 hours.
In February, you can rent housing with good discounts. So, in a 3* hotel located in the city center, the average price for a double room with breakfast is 2000 rubles per day, the closer to the city center, the more expensive.
To rent a one-room apartment with a good renovation and modern furniture for a day costs an average of 1,500 rubles.
You can take a taxi from the station to the hotel for ≈ 100 rubles.
So, February is a great time to travel to Kostroma. At the end of winter, you can economically, comfortably, without fuss and haste, get to know this beautiful ancient city. Dress warmly and have a safe trip!
Author: Natalya Singatullina
Article last updated: February 7, 2022
Get to Kostroma
You can take a bus for 3 hours, or you can take a blah-blah-car for 1 hour and 200 rubles. I love blah blah, that's understandable.
What exactly do I know about Kostroma??
- Kostroma and Moscow were founded by Yuri Dolgoruky.
- Kostroma has been around since the 12th century and is part of the Golden Ring of Russia.
- The princes came here for Mikhail Romanov to persuade him to ascend the throne.
- the Morozov boyars lived here
- Kostroma is the birthplace of the Romanov dynasty of Russian tsars, who ruled Russia for 300 years.
- There are many white stone churches with miraculous icons and shrines in Kostroma.
- Kostroma is located on both banks of the Volga, where two rivers - Kostroma and Volga - merge.
- “Cruel Romance” was filmed in Kostroma.
- Kostroma is the center of Russian jewelry; more than 1/3 of jewelry is made here.
- The same cheese is made in Kostroma.
- Kostroma made a fuss and called itself the birthplace of the Snow Maiden.
Kostroma, Znamensky Monastery
Interesting monuments
The sights of Kostroma are not complete without monuments to great people, various characters and significant events. Their photos with descriptions can be seen below.
- Monument to Yuri Dolgoruky
The monument was erected in honor of the 850th anniversary of Kostroma, at the burial site of the capsule with the ashes of the city’s founder, Yuri Dolgorukov. The sculpture depicts the “father of the city” seated on a majestic bench decorated with carvings. In his hands he has a sword in the form of a cross, decorated with a crown, his right hand is extended forward, pointing to the Volga. The height of the monument is 4.5 m, weight is about 4 tons.
Location: Sovetskaya Square.
- Monument to Ivan Susanin
The author of this monument was V.I. Demut-Malinovsky. The monument, made in 1835, looked different. Emperor Romanov stood side by side with Susanin; during Soviet times, the sculpture was destroyed. After 50 years, they decided to revive the monument, and sculptor N.A. took up this task. Lavinsky.
He completed the monument only in the person of the peasant hero. Later, a recreation park was built around the statue. The height of the structure is 12 m.
Location: Susaninskaya Square.
- Monument to Home Front Workers
The author of this original memorial is R. Simonova, winner of the national competition. Based on her sketch, the sculptor V. Tserkovnikov created a sculpture - this is a woman and a boy standing in a huge tear. On both sides of the monument there are two slabs, on one the names of the rear heroes are indicated, on the other the names of its creators. The height of the monument is 7 m.
Location: st. Deputatskaya, 49.
- Monument to the Snow Maiden
The bronze sculpture of the Snow Maiden, surrounded by forest animals, was created by sculptor A. Eremin. Residents of Kostroma believe that touching a bird sitting on a girl’s hand will help fulfill her cherished desire. Despite the fact that this monument is relatively young, it is in demand among tourists. The height of the monument is only 90 cm.
Location: st. Sovetskaya, 1.
- Monument to cats and dogs injured by cars
The original monument was erected in Kostroma quite recently on the initiative of representatives. This is a small cartoon cat with a piggy bank hat next to it. Sympathetic citizens drop into it not only donations for injured animals, but also notes with a proposal to name the cat.
Location: Sovetskaya Square, 1.
Museum "Forest-Wizard"
Having visited this fabulous tower, and this is exactly what the museum looks like, travelers will plunge into an atmosphere of magic. In the first hall, the guide will tell you about the forest, the magical and healing properties of trees, and introduce you to ancient crafts: wood carving, forging and willow weaving. The second hall of the museum is dedicated to fairy-tale characters living in the forest: Baba Yaga, Leshem, Lord of Stumps and others. In the third hall, travelers will be greeted by characters from Slavic myths and legends, forged from metal by Kostroma craftsmen. Another exhibition of the museum is “Jewelry Miracles” - fabulous objects (for example, a magic chest) made by students of the Krasnoselsky School of Artistic Metalworking. In addition to the exhibitions, visitors can take part in a master class and make a beetle from willow twigs.
