The village of Vyatskoye (Yaroslavl region) is a highly advertised tourism brand today. Travel agencies position it as an open-air museum, a village of exemplary maintenance, or a village that really wanted to become a city. Now a huge number of tourists come here every year who want to see ancient monuments, the true face of the Russian hinterland and touch the ancient Orthodox shrines. Is it worth spending time on this trip and what attractions can you see in Vyatskoye?
What is there in Vyatskoye
Welcome to Vyatskoye!
I grew up in a small village and didn’t think that any village, even with several titles and awards, could surprise me. But when I got off the bus into the central square, I realized that I was very mistaken. Vyatskoye is not like ordinary Russian villages. All around are beautiful restored houses, museum signs, a restaurant building, stone sculptures and an inscription with a QR code at the stop - “The most beautiful villages of Russia.”
Photo from the site https://vyatskoe-selo.rf/
Vyatskoye is part of the association “The Most Beautiful Villages and Towns of Russia”. The village has a Russian Prize in the field of literature and art, and it is also included in the preliminary list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Now the village has 15 museums, three hotels, a restaurant, a cinema and concert hall and art objects - everything for a good family holiday. Not every small city in Russia has such a rich infrastructure, not to mention villages with a population of up to 1,000 people.
I was in Vyatka for only one day, so I chose a walking tour with a guide and a museum, and during the break I tried the famous Vyatka cucumbers. But I recommend staying a few days to visit all the museums, go to the bathhouse and, like in childhood, ride around the village on a bicycle.
Climate
The Vyatskoye village, located near Yaroslavl, has a temperate continental climate, which makes it similar to numerous cities in the central part of the European zone. Cool and humid weather is formed under the influence of air masses from the Atlantic, softening the frost and increasing the amount of precipitation.
Average temperature data calculated taking into account the last few years:
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rating on a scale of 5 points |
| January | -11,2 | -14,8 | 2,5 |
| February | -5,5 | -10,4 | 2,5 |
| March | +3,0 | -3,5 | 4,2 |
| April | +11,0 | +2,8 | 4,5 |
| May | +17,5 | +7,8 | 4,7 |
| June | +22,0 | +12,3 | 4,8 |
| July | +25,2 | +13,3 | 4,8 |
| August | +24,8 | +13,6 | 4,9 |
| September | +17,2 | +6,8 | 4,6 |
| October | +3,8 | -2,7 | 4,2 |
| November | -1,8 | -5,6 | 2,5 |
| December | -7,5 | -10,3 | 2,5 |
According to the comfort rating, August is considered the most successful month for a trip to the village of Vyatskoye.
Average climatic conditions in the Vyatka village of the Yaroslavl region:
| Month | sunny days | precipitation in mm | wind speed in m/s | rainy days |
| January | 0 | 25,7 | 4,2 | 1 |
| February | 2 | 19,8 | 4,3 | 1 |
| March | 4 | 33,4 | 4,0 | 1 |
| April | 5 | 42,9 | 3,8 | 3 |
| May | 17 | 50,8 | 3,5 | 4 |
| June | 16 | 53,3 | 3,4 | 3 |
| July | 17 | 65,1 | 3,1 | 4 |
| August | 19 | 42,1 | 3,3 | 2 |
| September | 7 | 56,3 | 3,5 | 5 |
| October | 3 | 45,7 | 4,0 | 2 |
| November | 3 | 46,2 | 4,0 | 1 |
| December | 2 | 36,4 | 4,4 | 1 |
Architecture
Vyatsky estates.
Photo from the site https://vyatskoye-selo.rf/ Colorful houses are the first thing you need to see in Vyatskoye. Stucco molding, carved gutters and wooden elements: the decor of the estates, preserved from tsarist times, is reminiscent of the facades of St. Petersburg. Each building attracts attention - a gingerbread house, a house with lions, a fire department. It’s surprising that local residents support the atmosphere and are in no hurry to dress their houses in plastic. This shows a special love for the place in which they were born and raised.
You can walk around the entire village in about 1.5–2 hours. Be sure to look into the small alleys to see the old, not yet renovated facades of houses.
Vyatsky estates. Photo from the site https://vyatskoe-selo.rf/
In the center of the village, colorful birdhouses with women's and men's names are hung on birch trees: this is a local tradition for newlyweds. On the wedding day, the groom climbs a tree using a ladder and hangs a bird house.
Flora and fauna
The Yaroslavl region, due to its geographical location, is distinguished by the presence on its territory of a diverse species composition of plants and animals. The region has 2 natural zones, each characterized by its own unique flora and fauna.
Mixed and coniferous forests predominate here , and there are a huge number of reservoirs. In addition to a wide variety of plants, it is home to 350 species of animals and 240 species of birds.
To preserve the nature of the Yaroslavl region, a regional Red Book has been created, which lists endangered plants and endangered animals throughout the region.
Museums
Photo from the site https://vyatskoye-selo.rf/
There are 15 museums in Vyatskoye for every taste: for example, “Sounds of Time”, “House of Angels”, the exhibition “The Circus Lights the Lights”, the Museum of Russian Fun. I chose the Fatyanovo Culture Park
: It tells about the life of ancestors in the Bronze Age, 2000 BC.
Ticket price is 200 rubles. In small clay buildings, half buried in the ground, there are many archaeological exhibits: battle axes, spears made of flint, stone and bone, bronze jewelry. Above each display case there are signs with information about excavations and the life of ancient people in Russia. You can study history on your own and buy a single ticket to visit ten museums for 1,050 rubles . But it is more interesting to participate in interactive programs . For example, the “Pages of the History of Printing” museum offers to make your own coin for 400 rubles, and in the “Vyatka Trading Peasant” museum, Marya Karpovna will meet guests in Russian national costume and ask them to bring water on a yoke and chop wood. Such entertainment will cost 300 rubles.
Photo from the site https://vyatskoe-selo.rf/
Fans of quests can go through a two-hour detective story “The Case of Stolen Valuables” (1,000 rubles) or an adventure game based on Nekrasov’s poem “Who Lives Well in Russia” (800 rubles). In addition, you can attend master classes on painting toys (200–300 rubles) and take part in traditional Russian festivities . All interactive activities are suitable for both children and adults.
Want to know more about unobvious places to travel in Russia? Then read the article.
Hotels
While staying in Vyatskoye, you can stay at the main hotel complex, located next to the art museum.
Central Hotel Vyatsky
You can book your favorite hotel room on the hotel’s official website or by phone. The hotel is located in the restored ancient mansion of the Kundyshevo-Volodinskaya almshouse, located at the address: Nekrasovsky district, village. Vyatskoye, st. Sovetskaya, house No. 8.
The hotel complex has free Internet and satellite TV, and there is a guarded parking lot next to the hotel building. The hotel provides daily room cleaning. Children under 3 years of age are accommodated free of charge.
The hotel consists of 3 buildings and can simultaneously accommodate up to 110 people. All rooms have a private bathroom and telephone. The cost of hotel rooms starts from 3 thousand rubles.
Boutique Hotel "Princesses of Ukhtomskaya"
The cost of rooms in the boutique hotel “Princess Ukhtomskaya” starts from 4,800 rubles. per day. Each hotel room is equipped with a small kitchen and free internet throughout the property. There is guest parking next to the hotel. The hotel can accommodate children of different ages.
Boutique hotel of the Museum “Music and Time”
The cost of hotel rooms starts from 2,800 rubles. per day.
The hotel has rooms:
- with sound insulation;
- family;
- for non-smokers;
- luxury.
There is free wireless Internet throughout the entire territory and there is secure parking. You can watch children's TV channels on TV. The hotel provides daily cleaning of rooms. Each room has a mini-bar and a separate shower room.
Local kitchen
Photo from the site https://vk.com/vyatskoeselo
Vyatskoye is considered the cucumber capital of the Yaroslavl region : until the 90s of the 20th century, local residents planted cucumbers in huge fields, like potatoes. In one working morning, up to 300 kilograms were collected and salted in tons in wooden barrels. Today the fishery has almost died out, but the recipe is passed down from generation to generation. Local residents affectionately call the cucumber “white sponge”: it is pot-bellied, with white veins, and is suitable for pickling. I tried this exact cucumber at a local restaurant: it is very tasty and reminiscent of my grandmother’s pickles. For those who like experiments and unusual tastes, I recommend trying dumplings with cucumbers, pies and cucumber jam .
How do you like the idea of organizing a gastrotour around Russia? What places to include in it besides Vyatka - read the article.
Ecology
In the village of Vyatskoye, as in the entire Yaroslavl region, there are certain environmental problems. In addition to a large number of attractions, there are enterprises nearby that pollute the environment.
There is severe pollution of water protection zones on the Pechegda and Volga rivers with waste discharged from the Mendeleev Oil Refinery. Tar storage ponds were installed back in the USSR, when it was believed that this method of disposal was completely safe.
However, there is a real threat of environmental disaster on the Volga in the event of any flood, as a result of which toxic tar waste could enter the river.
An equally significant problem is the poor quality of drinking water. In almost 40% of all reservoirs used as drinking water, the content of chemical elements is exceeded, the remaining 60% do not meet the standards for microbiological indicators.
In addition to harmful discharges into water, significant damage to water quality is caused by worn out and old pipelines , which have long expired.
The third big problem associated with the environmental situation in the Yaroslavl region is air pollution due to the large number of cars.
A more unusual problem, but clearly existing and environmentally related, is the improper disposal of mercury lamps. Mercury vapor is colorless and odorless, but is very poisonous.
Due to environmental illiteracy, the population throws hazardous household waste into ordinary garbage containers, which is a gross violation. Mercury lamps must be handed over to specially equipped collection points.
Another environmental problem of the Yaroslavl region is the presence of the Rybinsk Reservoir , which has almost completely exhausted the corrosive wear of the valve gates on the sluices, which has a negative impact on the purity of the water.
Healthy water
Photo from the site https://vyatskoye-selo.rf/
Spring water in Vyatskoye is compared in terms of mineral properties and benefits with the waters of the German resort of Baden-Baden. It smells like hydrogen sulfide and contains iron oxide , which replenishes the deficiency of the element in the body, strengthens the immune system and tones the muscles. The water is really tasty, but cold: a constant temperature of seven degrees. From the Yerekhtan spring, water flows into the chapel-font, where you can perform the ritual of ablution .
Church of the Resurrection.
The Church of the Resurrection of Christ was built in 1750 at the expense of parishioners. The temple is a tall pillarless quadrangle, crowned with a five-domed structure, with a belt of kokoshniks under the cornice. The bell tower of the Temple, one of the highest in the Yaroslavl region (33 meters), is a tall octagonal pillar-shaped structure, topped with a tent, with a belfry. Around the temple there is a stone fence with a gate and an ancient cemetery. The interior decoration of the temple is made in the style of Naryshkin Baroque and Second Rococo. Carved iconostases, the summer church has five tiers, the winter church has three tiers. In the Temple there is a miraculous icon with the relics of Panteleimon the healer, which was brought as a gift to the God-loving residents of the Vyatka volost by the monks of the Panteleimon Monastery. The icon was streaming myrrh. Pilgrims from all over come to Vyatskoye to venerate this icon. In 1929, during a campaign to destroy churches and remove bells, it was decided to demolish the Temple. But local residents closed the temple with heavy locks, went to various authorities with petitions and defended the Temple.
Leisure
Photo from the site https://vk.com/vyatskoeselo
In Vyatskoye you can rent bicycles, scooters, a badminton set, rent a gazebo, grill and skewers for a picnic. A rope playground was created for children in Vyatskoye, and a billiards area for parents. In winter you can go ice skating, skiing, cheesecakes and ice skates.
New stage of life
For Vyatsky, the 20th century was marked by the organization of a collective farm. Over time, it transformed into a diversified enterprise, which received more than one government award in the course of its activities. During this period, active construction of social and domestic buildings, improvement of the reservoir and residential facilities were noted. Subsequently, the reservoir fell in love with local residents as a recreation area.
At the end of the twentieth century, a prosperous and promising collective farm fell into disrepair due to financial problems. The result was that he was declared bankrupt, followed by desolation and destruction of architectural monuments.
Only in 2006 did restoration work begin. Today, the bulk of the cultural heritage monuments have been restored. Museums are opening, tourism infrastructure is actively developing, and various events are being held. Every year Vyatskoye has about 100 thousand guests.
Checklist for vacations in Vyatskoye
- Walk around the village and identify the architectural styles of the houses.
- Go to at least three museums.
- Make your own coin.
- Paint the toy.
- Visit the bathhouse: classic and black.
- Drink water from the source.
- Try dumplings, pie or cucumber jam at a local restaurant.
- Ride a bike or scooter.
Take care of yourself in advance
Special conditions for you, children and the whole family; programs for athletes, travelers, extreme sports enthusiasts and insurance against work-related injuries.
Choose
Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God.
The Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God was built in 1780 at the expense of the merchant Grigory Dmitrievich Kubanin. The temple was destroyed in the 30s of the 20th century. And now a decision has been made to reconstruct the temple. When we visited Vyatsky, we could calmly go inside the temple, which has no roof and no windows. The worst thing is that the frescoes on the walls of the temple were practically lost, and not without the help of people who “made their own changes” to this art. At one of the walls of the temple there is a brick staircase along which you can reach the roof, or what is left of it. I sincerely hope that the temple will be restored in the near future.
