According to Oleg Mityaev, a Russian singer: “Summer is a small life!” It is worth adding: when the summer is over, life does not end. And the velvet season or the Indian summer invites you to skip across somewhere to a place where you can continue the holiday. We offer you a choice of several cities and towns which are worth-visiting in the opinion of our non-resident students.
Sochi
Our selection could not do without the famous resort city. Victoria Remkho, a second year student from the Faculty of Chemistry, told us about the city and the top ten of her favourite places in Sochi. We bet you don't know half of them?
1. Yew and boxwood tree grove. In the yew and boxwood tree grove, you can see Red Book plants and enjoy the cool air even on the hottest day. Also, you can find a cave, an old tower, and a spring with cold mountain water “with an earthy and herbal flavour”. Do you feel like indulging your palate?
2. Colonel Kvitko's dacha. This is a now abandoned estate of an officer who lived at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and left memoirs about his service. The memoirs are also worth-reading but the estate, the house of which resembles a medieval castle, is famous for other things. Namely, for mystical stories about treasures and “red” ghosts. The explanation is that after the revolution, the owner of the estate, Colonel Kvitko, emigrated, and the house was occupied by the Bolsheviks after a bloody fight. At first, they organised a children’s prison camp in it, and then a health camp for NKVD employees. Can you imagine how many legends are in the air of this place today, to say nothing of ghosts? In a word, fans of derelict buildings, you are welcome!
3. Dragon's Mouth waterfall. “You can have a swim near the waterfall. What’s more it’s also amazingly beautiful and cool,” said Victoria. What could be more picturesque than the description of the place? That's right, the place itself.
4. Caucasian nature reserve. In this nature reserve, you can meet such exotic animals as European bisons, Caucasian wildcats, and common raccoon dogs.
5. White Cliffs canyon. If you would like to see a Jurassic canyon, this is the right place to go.
6. Psakho canyon. A place that used to be the bottom of the ocean a long time ago. “You can have a swim in the cold water surrounded by breath-taking scenery”, said Victoria.
7. Vorontsovskaya cave. It offers routes for both tourists and speleologists. As you understand the routes differ in difficulty. Bats, stalactites, and stalagmites: for stronger effect, you can visit it immediately after Colonel Kvitko's dacha.
8. Arboretum Everything is beautiful there: flora and fauna. A bright representative of the latter is the nutria, which you can even stroke (“But be careful, it is not tame and can bite,” warns Victoria).
9. Sochi seaport. There are always a lot of tourists there. Boat trips and beautiful photos are guaranteed.
10. 33 waterfalls park. This destination is for those who love swimming in cold water. “I think even if you don’t like it, you can give it a try and stand under the waterfall at least once,” said Victoria.
Borovichi
This is the second largest and most important town in the Novgorod Region with a centuries-long history. Kirill Navruzov, who was born in this town and completed a bachelor’s degree programme and entered a master’s degree programme at the Faculty of Geology at VSU, told us about it:
“Officially, the city was founded in 1770 by Catherine II. But it was mentioned for the first time in chronicles around the 12th century. There are a lot of legends about the town but I will tell you just one, about a dead young man, whose body was washed ashore near a village. The villagers believed that this dead child brought grief into their lives. They sent the body of the youth to float further down the river, but it would soon return. Once, a villager had a dream in which the boy asked him to bury him on their land and promised to protect the settlement. As a result, the villagers did so. Soon, people started to worship his remains as a relic. It might be a coincidence but the town has never heard the sounds of war throughout its history. During the Great Patriotic War, the Germans passed it by and a hospital was located in it.
Today, Borovichi is a town famous for its furniture products and a refractory plant. The town has a museum, sports, entertainment, and shopping centres. It is worth mentioning the Antonio restaurant, which is located in a building that used to be a merchant's house. Today, it has been restored with the money of a local businessman. Also, the first arched bridge in Russia was built in Borovichi.
It is a nice town where you might want to spend the rest of your life,” Kirill concluded his story with a smile.
Volsk
Maria Sibiliova, a student from the Faculty of Philology, told us about this town in the Saratov Region:
“My town has a rich history. Although it is small and shabby, I love it with all my heart. That's why I invite you to come and visit it! We have three beautiful museums: an art museum, a history museum, and a local history museum. They have a lot of exhibits worth seeing. The town has a lot of buildings with old architecture: from mansions to two fire towers. Since the town stands on the bank of the Volga, there are beaches. You can lie on the rocky shores on the side of the river where the town is located or you can go by river transport “over the Volga” (that’s what we call it) to the islands, where there are wonderful sandy beaches. The Volsk chalk pit has been a landmark for many years, people come here to take beautiful photos and have some rest. Volski Hills (we call them mountains, which is not quite right) attract lots of hikers in the summer. Here you can take hiking routes of varying complexity, paraglide, or hang glide, and in the winter you can ski or snowboard (ski trails are available). Now, a new embankment is being built and soon the guests of the town will be able to take a walk there. Come and visit us, we are always happy to have guests!”
Pavlovsk
Student Angelina Lebedeva told us about Pavlovsk, a wonderful historical town located 150 km off Voronezh. The town, which was founded at the beginning of the 18th century by Peter I, stands on the Don. That is why Angelina’s tour of the town was a water tour:
“The embankment in Pavlovsk, which was renovated only a short time ago, offers a breath-taking view over the water. You can also admire the nature from the viewing deck, and if you go a little further, you will find yourself at a cliff above the Don, a really picturesque place. You can go on a boat trip by the motor ship “Sochi” which departs every day from the central beach at 18:00. You can also book a tour to the chalk mountains and caves. Recently, standup paddle boarding along the Don has become available. This sport is both entertaining and beneficial to health. I recommend visiting the Tambov Lake where you can swing on the swings, ride a bike, or just walk along the paths.
The renovated Petrovsky park is a nice place for walking and in the evening you can admire a light fountain located there. Near the entrance to the town, on the right side, you can see a path along which there is an interesting object d'art: large letters which make up the name of our town. There is a statue of St. Paul, the Apostle, who is the patron saint of our town. To feel the atmosphere of Pavlovsk, you must take a walk along the main street of own town, Revolutsia avenue. On your way, you will see interesting houses, temples, and museums. Pavlovsk is a small cosy town loved by many tourists. People come here from all over Russia to relax and enjoy the nature.”
Ryazan
Artemy Kashaev, a student from the Faculty of Geology, told us about his hometown, which is already 928 years old (there are few older cities in the Central Russia):
“Ryazan is a very cosy and beautiful city which is a happy hunting-ground for curious tourists. Everything is worth paying attention to: theatres, cinemas, music, and folk art. But a short holiday is not enough to visit all sights so I will tell you only about the most interesting places.” Here are the top 6 Ryazan attractions and city events according to Artemy Kashaev.
1. Ryazan Kremlin. It has the status of a historical and architectural museum and reserve and attracts residents and guests of the city. The Cathedral of the Assumption (the late 17th century) was built in the style of Naryshkin Baroque. It has the highest iconostasis in Russia and its four-tier bell tower can be seen several kilometres away. The famous Kremlin rampart is a reminder of the times of the Tatar-Mongol invasion. And this is only a portion of the total number of ancient buildings within the walls of the Kremlin and beyond it. If you want to delve into the history of the Ryazan Region, you should take a walk around the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin and admire the local temples. The Ryazan Kremlin hosts festivals aimed at preserving cultural heritage and folk traditions. One of these is the international blacksmith festival “Secrets of Medieval Masters”, which takes place on the streets of the city at the end of July. The famous Battle of the Vozha festival is just as interesting. It is a reconstruction of the military battle of the 14th century. This event takes place in August in the Rybnovsky district of the Ryazan Region (20 kilometres off the city).
2. International Forum of Ancient Cities. For many years, Ryazan has been receiving participants and guests of the forum of ancient cities, a major historical and cultural festival organised with the support of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO and the government of the Ryazan Region. Traditionally, the forum took place between 23 and 26 August. It was held for the sixth time and was combined with the celebration of the Day of the City. This year, the theme of the forum was “Youth of Ancient Cities”. The venues of the forum were the Gorky Library, Lybedsky boulevard, as well as many museums and other cultural institutions. Among the participants of the forum were ethnographers and various creative teams. The programme of the festival included exhibitions, master classes, and seminars.
3. Urban forest. This is a wonderful place for outdoor activities. If you want to get away from the noise of the city but do not want to spend time travelling outside the city, the Urban Forest is just what you need. This is a spacious park with a forest in a walking distance where you can take a leisurely stroll under the trees or ride a bike or a scooter. Sports equipment rental is available in the park all year round. The “Under the Bridge” street sports centre plays an important role in the park’s landscaping. The centre is a complex of outdoor sports grounds where you can work out, play volleyball, mini-football or table tennis. And on holidays, it is a venue for musical evenings, film screenings, and fairs.
4. Solotcha neighbourhood. This is a part of Ryazan which stands apart from the rest of the city. A characteristic feature of Solotcha is the forests that stretch for several kilometres. This is a favourite rest area for many Ryazan residents. And this is not only because of its natural beauty, the area has a lot of recreational amenities: the Paustovsky museum, Pozhalostin museum, an engraver whose works are as detailed as photographs, and the magnificent Solotchinsky Monastery. In addition, you can stay at the rest camp and enjoy the wonderful nature. All in all, this area is perfect for hiking holidays. It is not difficult to get to Solotcha: it is just a thirty minute bus ride from Ryazan.
5. Pochtovaya street. By another name, Ryazansky Arbat or “Podbelka”. This is probably the most attractive place for Ryazan's youth. Throughout the summer, you can see people of different ages in Pochtovaya street. The street is located in the heart of the city and in the evenings it turns into an atmospheric venue for concerts by street musicians. The atmosphere of creativity which dawns early in the morning is in full swing in the evening dusk. Lit by colourful lights you can drop into a cosy café or a restaurant with a summer veranda. You can walk down the street and see big and small stages with music bands and singers. The music is absolutely diverse: modern music of different genres, original songs, and timeless classics. The musicians who play there come from all over the Ryazan Region and other regions, from the capital and small towns of Russia.
6. “Sky of Russia”. Another interesting event in Ryazan is the “Sky of Russia” festival. It is a stunningly beautiful event when a lot of hot air balloons rise into the sky and soar above the city. You can visit the event and take photos of it between 6 and 14 August.
Miracles are just around the corner. To witness one, you don't have to go to the capitals: sometimes, on the contrary, you need to go further into the province, where you might find a long-cherished place of your own just as our students did. Their stories prove that among the students of Voronezh State University are not only people who come from Voronezh. And, as you know, the place doesn't honour the man, but the man honours the place. So choose a place for yourself!
Text by: Pavel Ponomarev
Photos from personal archives of the speakers
