You are waiting for a fascinating gastronomic journey through the Yaroslavl region. You will taste the fragrant porridge cooked according to an ancient recipe, learn what is eaten in an ancient village by a small ethnic group of Russia Katsakari, learn the history of Russian vodka, enjoy artisan cheeses, and the cherry on the cake is the tasting of snail dishes with a special sauce. Join the journey, it will be very tasty and interesting.
Your gastronomic tour through ancient towns begins, on the first day you will visit the famous city of Kalyazin where the largest snail farm is located, you will taste dishes made of snails, in Kashin you will taste the most delicious kasha and learn ancient recipes of its preparation.
We start from Yaroslavl early in the morning - a long, rich and tasty journey is ahead of us.
This futuristic place with picturesque views is definitely worth a stop along the way. The facility was once intended for the study of galactic and extragalactic objects, after a fire and reconstruction is closed to the public, but that doesn't stop you from seeing the huge telescope and taking spectacular photos in front of the observatory.
The main sight of Kalyazin is a flooded bell tower, standing alone in the middle of the Volga. In the 1940s, when the Uglich Reservoir was created, part of the town had to be flooded, but the bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral managed to withstand the flooding, and it was left as a beacon for passing ships. Eventually the water level in the reservoir dropped and the monument found itself on an island of land. Since February 2021, the bell tower has been under restoration, and water excursions to it have been suspended.
For lunch, check out Café Victoria. Everything here is simple, nourishing and tasty, just like at home.
Snails, as it turns out, are eaten not only in France! In Kalyazin, there is a unique farm where those very grape snails are grown. Here you will be told and shown how the farm is set up, and given a chance to taste the delicate snails cooked in a special sauce. To make an appointment call +79206843494
And here you are in Kashin! Here, in the heart of the city, in an old nineteenth-century mansion, the Porridge Museum is located. The museum has a huge collection of kitchen utensils, wooden and ceramic dishes, Russian stove and other attributes of traditional life. During the tour you will be told about ancient recipes and cooking techniques, will learn to paint gingerbread and will be given a chance to taste freshly made porridge with tea. To sign up for a tour call +79105328701
The largest cathedral in the Tver region, its bell tower offers a magnificent view over the city.
Walking around the city, climb the green hill of the city park, which offers a view of the city, the Kashinka River and the Resurrection Cathedral.
On the high left bank of the river Kashinka there is another place with a picturesque view - the Klobuk Monastery. It was founded as early as 1400 and has been a prosperous monastery for many centuries. During the Soviet era, there was a sausage factory, a pigsty, a pottery workshop, and cells were converted to living quarters. Now it is once again a monastery, this time for women.
You can continue your gastronomic tour in the restaurant of author's cuisine on the picturesque bank of the Volga river. The menu is based on Russian cuisine from local products cooked in a wood stove. Pay attention to desserts!
Visit the famous Museum of Vodka and learn all about the traditions of Russian drinking. Taste the famous Myshkin gingerbread and visit other interesting sights in Myshkin.
The ancient village of Martynovo is home to an unusual people, the Katskari, who have their own dialect, customs, traditions, and even their own mythology. The museum was created in 2000 in order to collect and preserve the cultural values of these people. Here, in a 100 year old log hut, the Kackari tell about their lives, lives of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents and offer refreshments from the Russian oven. The food is plain, but authentic rustic: cabbage soup, potatoes, and melted milk. It is better to inform about the visit in advance by phone of the museum: +79066366090.
Next stop is a wonderful house-museum of Peter Smirnov, the vodka king and one of the most successful Russian businessmen of the 19th century. Here you will learn how and what they drank in the old Myshkin, what wines and liquors they preferred, and touch the beautiful traditions of drinking in the town of Myshkin.
Stop by the atmospheric restaurant Myshelovka for lunch to continue exploring the cozy town of Myshkin with renewed vigor.
Here you can buy authentic chocolate-covered gingerbread, which is made according to the ancient technology of the town of Mologa. The city itself has long been flooded by the Rybinsk reservoir, but the author's traditions of home baking remain. The shop offers master classes, for which you have to sign up in advance by phone +79611531727
The Museum of Unique Machinery has a rich collection of agricultural machinery, trucks and cars, motorcycles. There are also quite unusual exhibits - from a steam locomotive and an aircraft turbine to a nineteenth-century lemonade and sausage machine. You can touch many of them and even see them in action. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Monday is a day off, but if you make a preliminary registration, you can register 24 hours a day. +7 (48544) 2-79-73; +7 (48544) 2-15-92. All the museums of the city work in such a mode.
In the evening you will have dinner in a cozy family restaurant with excellent cuisine in the center of Uglich.
Before you go to rest, enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Uglich, the hydroelectric power station and the Volga. If you still have energy left, take a walk towards the Kremlin along the embankment - there is another observation point with a gorgeous view.
On the final day of the gastronomic tour you will visit the old cosy town of Uglich, taste and buy several varieties of artisan cheese, have a walk around the best sights of the town and admire the splendid views of the Volga river and the hydroelectric power station.
Start your day with the main attraction of the city of Uglich. The Kremlin stands on the high bank of the river, it has several architectural monuments and an excellent viewing platform with a view of the Volga and the Uglich Hydroelectric Power Station.
There is a cosy museum of the town life within walking distance from the Kremlin - your chance to have a glimpse into the 19th century Uglich. Here you will learn about the old traditions of the town and can drink "Uglich-style" tea from a samovar with delicious pies.
It's time to taste the famous artisan cheeses from Uglich's private cheese dairy: fresh and aged, traditional and blue mould, with herbs and pepper. The programme includes the history of Uglich cheese-making, tasting of six types of cheese with a glass of wine, a master-class on how to cook (and eat) dishes made of local cheeses. Book this activity a week in advance by calling +79108175445
You can continue your gastronomic journey in a cozy cafe serving pike-perch, lamb and quail dishes.
The monastery, which is rightfully considered a "pearl" of Uglich, was founded at the end of the XIV century by the wife of Dmitry Donskoy. On its territory there is the Epiphany Cathedral - the biggest, most beautiful and majestic in the town.
Another monastery of the XIV century. Here one should pay attention to the outstanding monument of Russian temple architecture of the XVII century - the Church of the Assumption "Divine" and the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist with the best in Uglich glazed tiles and old wall paintings.
The last thing you can do is to look at the oldest of the city's private museums, which is located on a quiet street in a cozy carved wooden house. There are exhibits that tell the heroic history of the city, and you can also see the old Uglich in miniature.
Before going back refresh yourself in a cafe with rastegay with fish - "rastegay" pies made of yeast dough with juicy filling.