Although Suzdal is a small city, it has a very rich history and beautiful architecture, which helps you feel the old Russian atmosphere. The city is included in the famous route along the Golden Ring and usually one day is spent here on sightseeing tours. But even this time will not be enough to see all the sights. The city attracts not only adults, but also young travelers. What to see in Suzdal with children, where to go for a walk and what to do on the weekend - more on that in the article below.
About the city
Suzdal is one of the cities of the Vladimir region and is an integral part of the tourist route along the Golden Ring of Russia. It is located just 220 km from Moscow and 35 km from Vladimir, making it an excellent place for weekend tours.
The first settlement on the site where the city of Suzdal grew up arose in the 10-11th century and in the chronicles it was originally called “Suzhdal”. Throughout its long history, the city was the center of the Principality of Rostov-Suzdal (12th century), and in the 13th century it became the capital of the new independent Principality of Suzdal. Since the 16th century, it had the status of oprichnina of I. the Terrible, and later became part of the Moscow province, becoming a province. But all this does not prevent Suzdal from remaining the most recognizable city in Russia.
Vacation with children
Most often, a trip with children to Suzdal is part of a route program along the Golden Ring, where the best examples of ancient Russian architecture are located. The city has more than 2 hundred buildings that are included in the UNESCO world list and which will really be of interest to older schoolchildren. It will take a week or even more to get around them all and find out the history of each. But weekend tours around Suzdal include only the most interesting of them.
If the trip is planned with younger children, it is better to really relax and not saturate the trip with excursions. Walk and explore the ancient city, imagining how people lived here 500-1000 years ago.
The tourist infrastructure in the city is very well developed, there are many excellent hotels for families with children, cozy cafes and restaurants with Russian folk cuisine.
How to get to Suzdal?
Unfortunately, you cannot get to Suzdal by train. The city is connected to the rest of the “world” only by bus.
The most economical way to get from the capital to Suzdal is as follows. First you need to take the train at Kursky Station and get to Vladimir. There you should change to a bus going directly to Suzdal. These buses depart from the railway station in Vladimir every 30-40 minutes. In another 45 minutes you will already be in the ancient town of Opole.
There are also direct bus services from Moscow to Suzdal (departing from the Shchelkovo bus station). However, their schedule should be checked at the box office.
When is the best time to go
The influx of tourists in a small town with a population of about 10,000 people does not depend on the time of year. There are plenty of people here who want to admire the beauty of the city and architectural monuments both in summer and in winter.
Most tourists gather here during various festivals and holidays; people also come to the city on these days from nearby towns and villages.
If you are planning a trip with children, which involves long walks around the town, it is better to do it in the summer in warm sunny weather. For very young travelers, the transition months - May or September - are more suitable.
It is better to plan a trip to Suzdal on holidays and weekends in advance by reserving available hotel rooms. The number of visitors to the city is also influenced by the weather - the better the weather conditions, the more people want to stroll along the picturesque ancient streets.
Revival of the City Park
With the help of municipal authorities, with the support of private investors, new alleys were laid, which replicate the old path system. Bicycle paths have been added to them, along which you can ride with the breeze on a hot summer day. In winter, a full-fledged ski track is laid along the route of the bike paths, which is chosen by lovers of active recreation.
To finance the purchase of new lanterns, several charity concerts were held in Suzdal and Vladimir.
A children's playground has been installed in the center of the park, the highlight of which are wooden houses in the style of Kievan Rus. Not far from it, right on the street, there are several sports equipment where parents can keep themselves busy while their children play and frolic in the children's playground.
A special convenience, which is not available in all Russian parks, is a permanent toilet.
In the coming years, the mayor plans to continue improving the park area by organizing several venues there for festivals and sports. In addition, work has already begun on creating a cherry orchard, where traditional Suzdal tea parties will be held in a few years.
City residents are happy with the changes that have taken place and take good care of the new park facilities. Now Children's Day and Russia Day are celebrated here annually.
Things to do
Although there are no typical amusement parks in Suzdal, families with children will never be bored due to the unusual local entertainment. In the summer, city guests are greeted by a large fair, where they hold pillow fights, compete in tug-of-war, and are treated to unusually prepared cucumbers - boiled, stuffed, baked and raw. Yes, all these fun things are happening to celebrate Cucumber Day.
Various festivals are often held in Suzdal. The brightest of them in winter occur during the celebration of Christmas, Maslenitsa and dog sled races. In the summer months, you can plan a trip to the bast festival, patchwork festival, or ax festival. In the fall, the historical festival “Suzdal-grad” is usually held in Suzdal and City Day is celebrated in September.
Even on an ordinary summer day, it’s nice to stroll around the town, looking at architectural monuments, go to one of the playgrounds and take a ride along the river. Kamenka on a river bus, seeing the sights from a different angle. In winter, the city enjoys sledding and skiing.
Children of any age will be interested in visiting the “Shchurovoe Settlement” - a wooden fortress-set for the film “The Tsar” by P. Lungin. Now it has turned into an interactive museum dedicated to ancient Russian culture.
Three birthdays of the City Park
Before the revolution, Suzdal Park was a piece of forest with several paths. The place was quite abandoned, so it was difficult to call it a park. The then head of Suzdal proposed organizing a garden here for recreation and cultural leisure of the townspeople. It was in those days that the first trees were planted, which framed specially planned alleys. The place immediately became popular: during the day, families with children strolled leisurely here, and in the evenings, loving couples had dates.
During the Soviet era, the first dance floor in the city appeared in the park - this was about 40 years ago, then the park began to be considered an official recreation place. The park became a meeting and parting place for many townspeople: they celebrated anniversaries here, saw them off to the army, celebrated family holidays and made proposals.
The general devastation that followed perestroika was also reflected in the Municipal Park of the 950th Anniversary of Suzdal: the lawns were overgrown with weeds, the alleys were destroyed and taken away brick by brick, benches and trash cans also disappeared in unknown directions.
Today, citizens, led by the mayor of Suzdal, are actively restoring the City Park in an effort to revive its former beauty and splendor.
What to see
The entire town of Suzdal can be called a full-fledged open-air museum. There are new buildings here, but they are simply buried in architectural monuments, which are under the protection of the world organization UNESCO. What will be interesting to see in Suzdal with children?
Children's Museum Center in the Bishop's Chambers of the Suzdal Kremlin
Almost all excursions upon arrival in the city begin from the Suzdal Kremlin. The defensive structure itself was destroyed; several churches on its territory remained intact, incl. and the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary with blue domes.
After walking around the territory of the former Kremlin, you can take your children to the Children's Museum Center in the Bishops' Chambers. It is dedicated to the history of the city of Suzdal. Why is this place so attractive to children? One of his exhibitions is dedicated to the Euphrosyne Fair, where a barrel organ plays, puppeteers perform, show tricks, and there is a paradise with funny images.
Once in the second exhibition of the museum, children will go to the zemstvo school for a lesson in penmanship with pen and ink. And on Christmas Eve, the museum holds master classes on making twisted dolls and teaches carols.
Museum of Wooden Architecture
This museum is located in close proximity to the Suzdal Kremlin. On the excursion, families with children will be able to walk among the log huts, look inside, get acquainted with the life of that time, and visit the ancient church and outbuildings.
All exhibits at the exhibition are real buildings that were brought from the outback of the Vladimir region. In each hut, the interior and life of that time, ancient samovars and patchwork quilts were reproduced. And for young visitors there is even a children’s playground on the museum’s territory.
Monastery of Saint Euthymius
The Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery is included in the list of UNESCO protected sites and operates to this day. This is the most popular of the five monasteries in the small town of Suzdal. The Assumption Refectory Church is considered the oldest building on the territory of the monastery. The approximate period of its construction is the 16th century.
What tourists definitely could not expect on the territory of the ancient monastery was a prison. Yes, it contained persons with clergy rank. In addition to such an unexpected building, the monastery has a whole play town “Spassky Detinets” for the youngest visitors. The tour of the monastery also includes a climb to the belfry, where a schoolchild will even be allowed to ring the bell.
Museum "Shchurovo Settlement" in Suzdal
You can feel like a real resident of an Old Slavonic settlement by taking an excursion to the Shchurovo ancient settlement. Here you can visit a wooden hut, an armory, a forge or a barn, visit a military camp kitchen and a mill, and climb a watchtower.
Children really enjoy the interactive program of the museum, where they can not only watch and listen, but also touch exhibits and take part in archery, bake homemade bread according to an old Russian recipe, and visit and feed pets from the mini-zoo.
This place became a museum after the completion of filming of Ivan Lungin’s film “The Tsar”. And the scenery for the film became an open-air exposition of an old Russian settlement. You can visit the interactive museum on the territory of the AZIMUT hotel for a fee, but admission is free for hotel guests.
The Wax Museum
In such a small town with a lot of attractions, there was a place for a Wax Museum. His collection includes more than 150 figures in 3 large halls.
At the entrance, guests are greeted by exhibits of Princess Olga, Grand Duke Vladimir, Andrei Rublev, Nestor of Pechersky. In the next room, the great Russian tsars and emperors meet: Ivan the Terrible, Peter I, famous military leaders - heroes of the Patriotic War. And in the last hall there are modern figures and politicians, as well as writers and iconic personalities who have left their mark on the history of Russia. There is also a hall in the basement, but visiting it with children is not advisable, because... there is an exhibition of a torture chamber there.
Rizpolozhensky Monastery
One of five monasteries in Suzdal. This place attracts tourists more because of its beauty. On Fridays and weekends, you are allowed to climb the bell tower of the monastery, which offers stunning views. This is one of the best viewing platforms in Suzdal, which attracts tourists with small children.
Prikaznaya hut
Prikaznaya hut of the Intercession Monastery
The one-story stone building of this museum was built at the beginning of the 18th century. It is a rare example of a non-religious building that has survived from those times. The museum is located on the territory of the Intercession Monastery
. All documents sent to ancient Suzdal from the capital - decrees of the sovereign and letters of grant - passed through the clerk's hut. And from here petitions were sent to Moscow with various requests. In addition, peasants and monks found guilty of wrongdoing were brought to the administrative hut and, while the proceedings were ongoing, they were kept in a stone basement. In the museum you can see carefully recreated rooms and furniture from three hundred years ago, as well as an exhibition telling about the history of the Pokrovsky women's monastery. How does it work:
Except Wednesday and Thursday from 10.00 to 18.00.
Where is it located:
st. Pokrovskaya, 76
Results
Suzdal is one of the brightest and most memorable points on the tourist route through the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia. It is rarely allocated more than 1-2 days for excursions. There are so many architectural monuments and museums in this town that it would be impossible to get around them even in a week.
Suzdal is a great place for weekend tours, visiting fairs and festivals, and holidays. The town has many attractions with a rich history that will be of interest to older students, and for younger children, walks around the beautiful city and children's entertainment are perfect.
Lazarus Church
What to see in Suzdal, besides the Kremlin? It is impossible to ignore other temples of this historical city. At least three dozen churches have survived in Suzdal. And one of the most beautiful is the Church of St. Lazarus, dating back to 1667. Perhaps, in terms of originality and splendor of decor, it has no equal in all of Suzdal! And the bell tower of the Lazarevsky Church can be called the most recognizable in the entire district.
The masterpiece of white stone architecture has five domes, and the cornice of the church is decorated with a belt of tiles. By the way, this technique of decorating Orthodox churches was first used here. Three low apses are attached to the church on the eastern side.
Where to eat
The kitchen has the largest smokehouse, braziers and ovens in Suzdal. The menu includes Russian caviar, overseas tartars, fish and meat. The average bill is 1,500 rubles.
- You need to go to the Russian Compound restaurant for large portions of royal pancakes and potato pancakes, handmade dumplings and dumplings, locally cured pickles, homemade liqueurs and mead. The average bill is 1,500 rubles.
- The “Beehive” restaurant is a cozy village house with walls made of girth-length logs, massive wooden furniture, Lukomorsky oak, grips, pots, rakes and other utensils from an old wives’ tale.
The menu includes pies, pancakes and warm bread from the oven, Russian caviar, meat and fish. Everything is in the best traditions of Russian cuisine. The average bill is 1,500 ₽.
Winter activities and fun
different carriages and carts in Suzdal
. Cab drivers can even be intrusive when they try to invite tourists for a ride. But city streets are often uncleaned, so skiing takes place not on the usual asphalt roads, but on snow.
Sleigh and carriage rides
Another popular entertainment is slides
. Both children and adults enjoy sliding down the large natural mountain. Here you can rent an ice boat or inflatable sled. Regardless of age, people participate in this traditional winter entertainment with joyful excitement and cheerful laughter.
Slide ride during the New Year holidays
You can also taste local mead
, for which the city is very famous. In shopping arcades, tasting 10 types of this drink will cost 280 rubles. But you shouldn’t taste non-alcoholic honey drinks, since they taste little different from each other.
Tasting Suzdal mead
You definitely need to visit the small shops. Not far from Suzdal there is Pokrov, where gingerbread is baked. Tourists often buy this delicacy as a souvenir. In the shops you can buy various wooden products. They also sell mushrooms, preparations and other homemade products on the streets.
Celebrating Maslenitsa in Suzdal
The cafe mainly serves Russian cuisine.
- borscht, sbiten, lard, mead. The usual sushi and pizza are rare. There are many small restaurants in the city center. Their menus are almost the same, as are their prices. Therefore, you can choose any establishment that you like.
