April brings long-awaited warmth, blooming, favorable off-season prices and almost deserted attractions. Let’s go!
Content
- Adygea
- Abrau-Durso
- Derbent
- Moscow region
- Leningrad region
- Elista
- Kaliningrad
- Teriberka
- Kislovodsk
Adygea: waterfalls, blooming meadows and mountains
- How to get there: by plane to Sochi, and then to Maikop, the capital of the republic, by train in 5 hours. Either from Moscow or St. Petersburg by train with a transfer in Tuapse. You will have to spend 35-50 hours on the way, depending on the train.
- What to see in Adygea
In April, people come here to waterfalls, blooming meadows, caves and mighty mountains. On the Lago Naki Plateau, go for a walk around the neighborhood for half a day, a day, or even a week. Among the one-day routes: to the Kamennoe Sea ridge for 14 kilometers and “Waterfall” for 10 kilometers. Longer hikes are ahead if you want to climb Fisht, go around Mount Oshten or take the path “Through the mountains to the sea” — popular since Soviet times. By the way, you can stay at a hotel near the plateau: explore the natural beauty during the day, and relax in a soft bed in the evening.
On the way to the plateau, you can stop at the Bolshaya Azish Cave to see amazing stalactites, stalagmites and an underground river. It seems as if you are entering a wonderful sparkling world — all thanks to the natural properties of minerals (and illumination). Walking through the cave is most interesting with a guide who will tell you the details about the place and share a beautiful legend. In the capital of the republic, Maykop, arrange a cultural program: we recommend the Museum of Oriental Art, the National Museum and the Asiatic Gold Hoard.
On the Lago Naki Plateau, go for a walk around the neighborhood for half a day, a day, or even a week. Photo: Victoria_Balobanova/Shutterstock.com
Abrau-Durso: wine-making romance
- How to get there: by plane to Sochi or by train to Anapa or Novorossiysk. You can get to the village by bus or car. The closest place to go is from Novorossiysk, and then from Sochi.
- Abrau-Durso: how does a wine vacation work and what to do besides tastings
Vacation plan: Feel like a French romcom hero. In the afternoon, walk along the trekking routes, and in the evening go to a wine or cheese tasting. To get to know the art of winemaking better and enjoy the taste of sparkling wines, visit the Abrau-Durso sparkling wine factory. Here they conduct entertaining tours of the cellars of the winery and tell about the history of its origin.
It is good to arrange a gastronomic evening at the 1870 Abrau-Durso restaurant and then wander through the art park located on the street with the beautiful name Alley of Roses. Here you can look at fountains and genre sculptures, take a boat ride on the emerald lake and just have a good time. Unlike in summer, there are few people on guided tours of the winery in April, so walking is much more comfortable. And it’s not so hot either — in general, there are some advantages.
To get to know the wine-making art better and enjoy the taste of sparkling wines, visit the Abrau-Durso sparkling wine factory. Photo: Stetiukha Kristina/Shutterstock.com
Derbent: an ancient fortress
- How to get there: to Makhachkala by plane or train, then from the capital of Dagestan — 130 kilometers by car, bus or train (2.5 – 3 hours).
- Resort Dagestan: what to see and do in Derbent
Officially, Derbent is just over 2000 years old, but according to some sources, its real age exceeds fifty centuries — connoisseurs of antiquities will like it. The first thing to do is visit the Naryn-Kala citadel, built in the sixth century, and look through the window of the dugout built for Peter the Great, where the emperor stayed during the first Persian campaign.
For beautiful shots, go for a walk through the historical district of Verkhniye Magaly. The narrow old streets with the Persian entourage are begging to fill the entire smartphone memory.
Derbent beach is beautiful, and in April it is just right for contemplating the horizon and enjoying the sounds of the waves. Swimming here is not worth it, but in the middle of spring such a desire will most likely not arise.
The first thing to do is visit the Naryn-Kalu citadel. Photo: Vladimir Mulder/Shutterstock.com
Moscow region: Kolomna, Ryazan and Yesenin’s birthplace
- How to get there: from Moscow by car or bus along the M-5, by train. Another unusual way to see these cities is to book a river cruise.
- 10 unusual places in the Moscow region to go for the weekend
We suggest exploring the cities to the south-east of Moscow. For example, Kolomna is ideal for a short trip. You can safely spend one day exploring medieval temples (one of the oldest is the Church of the Conception of John the Baptist in a 14th—century Settlement) and unusual museums, including the Pastille Museum and the Samovar House. Do not pass by the Kolomna Kremlin, which is called “a real window into the past.”
Moving to Ryazan. Everything is classic here: the Kremlin, wooden mansions and ancient temples. Among the iconic places, we recommend visiting the Ivan Pavlov museum-estate: to see where the scientist who studied the nervous system spent his childhood and youth, to visit the house of science and the summer house-gazebo.
On the way to Ryazan, or on the way back, take a look at the village of Konstantinovo, where Sergei Yesenin was born. In the museum-reserve, you can look at the poet’s childhood home and enjoy the sunset over the Oka River.
Do not pass by the Kolomna Kremlin, which is called “a real window into the past.” Photo: vvoe/Shutterstock.com
Leningrad region: Staraya Ladoga and the village of Mandrogi
- How to get there: from St. Petersburg to Staraya Ladoga by car – 120 km. You can also come by bus or take a complex tour with a transfer.
- What to see in the Leningrad region: palaces, castles, fountains and northern nature
Dear residents of St. Petersburg and everyone who is going to the city on the Neva River in April, these ideas are for you!
We recommend driving to Staraya Ladoga on the Volkhov River. Last year, this village turned 1,270 years old, which is even more than the age of Moscow, Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, Rostov the Great and other ancient cities. It was in these places that Rurik began to rule, which is why Staraya Ladoga is called the oldest capital of Russia. Take a walk on Staroladozhskayafortresses: you can buy a ticket only to the territory of the complex or also visit the towers with expositions, but it is most interesting to learn the history of the place on a guided tour. Then go to Malysheva Gora, where the ancient church of the Nativity of John the Baptist is located, and nearby there is a holy spring.
There is another amazing place on the Svir River that will take you back to the past. Authentic peasant houses, churches and a mill from the Arkhangelsk and Vologda regions, found in remote settlements, were brought to the village of Mandrogi. They were restored and filled with household items of the 19th century.
Take a walk around the Old Ladoga Fortress. Photo: alloova/Shutterstock.com
Elista: Buddhist culture and tulip festival
- How to get there: by train to Volgograd, and then by bus (about 5 hours). Or by bus from Moscow in 20 hours, and from St. Petersburg in 28 hours.
- What to see in Kalmykia: tulips, pagodas and pink lakes
In Kalmykia, as in Buryatia and Tuva, Buddhism is a traditional religion, so Elista is primarily interested in elegant pagodas. The golden abode of Shakyamuni Buddha is impressive: its height is 63 meters, which makes the temple the largest in Europe. The knees and shoulders must be covered to enter the sanctuary. The Seven Days Pagoda is located next to the Lenin monument — there is even some irony in this. Nearby are the Golden and Southern Gates, the Three Lotuses Fountain and the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha.
The Tulip Festival is held in Elista from 5 to 27 April. The program includes performances, concerts, poetry, horseback riding, master classes on playing the dombra and, of course, many, many spring flowers. You can also see special wild tulips in the Kalmyk steppes. For example, in the Chernye Zemly Nature Reserve and on Pyatitsotka Island, however, the second one can only be visited as part of an excursion tour. These wonderful flowers bloom for a short time — about two weeks, most often in mid-April.
The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha is impressive: its height is 63 meters, which makes the temple the largest in Europe. Photo: Collection Maykova/Shutterstock.com
Kaliningrad: sea and amber
- How to get there: by plane — there are direct flights from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Perm, Ufa, Nizhny Novgorod. By train from the capitals — you need to apply for a transit visa to travel. Travel time is about a day.
- Kaliningrad retreat: how to plan three days for yourself
In April, there is a sweet fragrance on the streets of Kaliningrad: it’s all about the blooming magnolia. Her huge, luxurious buds are fragrant with light vanilla. At this time, another beautiful cherry tree blooms. The most popular one is located at the Museum of the World Ocean. All lovers of flora and fauna are advised to take a walk through the Immanuel Kant Botanical Garden — in spring you can observe a beautiful flowering here.
Coming to Kaliningrad and not reaching the Baltic Sea is not comme il faut. Choose one of the cozy cities: Baltiysk with a beach where you can find a piece of amber yourself, calm and picturesque Svetlogorsk or cute Zelenograd— the city of cats. You won’t be able to swim (unless the sea is appreciated by fans of the invigorating +5 °C). But there won’t be as many people around as in the summer, when there’s nowhere to fall.
In April, there is a sweet fragrance on the streets of Kaliningrad: it’s all about the blooming magnolia. Photo: dugwy39/Shutterstock.com
Teriberka: harsh northern landscapes
- How to get there: by plane, train or bus to Murmansk. Then — by bus or by car to Teriberka (2-3 hours). If you’re driving your own car, fill up the tank and stock up on gasoline. Gas stations are tight on the road and in the village.
- Teriberka: northern lights, graveyard of ships, snow-covered beaches
After the release of the movie Leviathan, Teriberka has become a cult place among travelers who are greedy for unusual locations. People come here not only to see the filming locations, but also to feel the harsh nature and taste the freshest seafood. In the middle of spring, it is still cool here: on average, the temperature rises to three degrees, but the frost is no longer as piercing as in winter. If you’re lucky, you can watch the northern Lights in April. From April to July, the probability of seeing whales on a boat trip increases. Again, a lot depends on luck here — after all, you can’t send a phone invitation to a meeting to a whale.
From natural places, we recommend going to the stone beach “Dinosaur Eggs”, the Batereysky waterfall, the cemetery of ships. The locations are not so far apart, and you can drive around everything in one day. There is also something to see in the conditional center of Teriberka: the skeleton of a whale from Leviathan, a discarded ship on the beach, an abandoned, slightly creepy Teriberka school (you can not officially enter there).
From natural places, we recommend going to the cemetery of ships Photo: Lizavetta/Shutterstock.com
Kislovodsk: Karlovy Vary in Russian
- How to get there: by plane or by train to Mineralnye Vody. From there, it is about 60 kilometers by car, bus or train to Kislovodsk.
- Where to stay in Kavminvody: the best resorts and sanatoriums
Pushkin, Lermontov, Mayakovsky, Chaliapin and Gorky visited Kislovodsk, and today the city is waiting for you! And what unusual names are there for the surrounding mountain peaks, hills and natural objects: A Ring, a beautiful kurgan, a Red sun.
The mineral springs of the city are famous for their healing properties, so people mostly come here for a sanatorium vacation. The advantage is that this type of leisure is year-round, and prices in low season are more pleasant than in summer.
It’s great to alternate wellness activities here with exploring interesting places, of which there are plenty. There is only one national park where you can walk for several days in a row: admire the panorama of the city from one of the observation decks, take photos against the backdrop of a cascading staircase, see an abandoned swimming pool from the 1980 Olympic Games, and walk to the Temple of Air. We also recommend visiting Chaliapin’s beautiful cottage, going to the Narzan Gallery, and getting to the monument to Lermontov on Krasnoe Solnyshko Mountain.
There is only one national park where you can walk for several days in a row. Photo: Collection Maykova/Shutterstock.com
Wherever your thirst for adventure takes you: to the mysterious north, to blooming Kaliningrad or to romantic Abrau Durso, the island is always happy to help you choose the perfect hotel or apartment.
Cover photo: zzz555zzz/Shutterstock.com
