
YAROSLAVL
Yaroslavl is the quintessense of a rich provincial Russian town. Neither Moscow, nor St Petersburg reflect that old-world charm so well as Yaroslavl. Unlike the capital cities which were predominantely aristocratic, Yaroslavl has always been the town of merchants. Merchants built richly-decorated churches, lavish mansions, theatres, and shopping arcades in the city. But despite all the development and industrialisation, the historic centre of Rostov is awfully cozy and quiet. Today, the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's a rare case for Russia when a whole neighbourhood is spared from flashy signboards and garish adverts. And although many churches and monasteries were destroyed during the Soviet years, whichever direction you look in the old town you'll see onion domes of all colours, shapes and sizes. A long promenade along the Volga and Kotorosl Rivers with beautiful gazebos is a popular spot for locals and tourists during the summer months, while in winter, when the rivers freeze, it's where ice fishing takes place. The newly refurbished Strelka Park is actually the oldest part of the town, which 1000 years ago was known by the name of Bear's Corner. According to the legend, Yaroslav the Wise axed a totem bear of the local pagan tribes, and founded the city of Yaroslavl on it place. Today, the bear with a poleaxe is a symbol of Yaroslavl, and appears on the coat of arms of the city.
Distance from Moscow: 264km Founded in 1010 Population: 603 961 UTC+3
EVENTS IN YAROSLAVL
6-13 March - Maslenitsa (Russian Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras) Celebrations
12-13 March - Demino International Ski Marathon
March 2017 - Jazz Festival 'Jazz Above Volga' ("Джаз над Волгой")
Last Satuday of May - Yaroslavl City Day
10-13 June - Street Theatre Festival
End of August - 'Transfiguration' ("Преображение")Arts Festival
September - Volkov International Theatre Festival
TO GET AROUND
The centre of Yaroslavl is rather small and can be explored by foot. The central railway station, however, is located on the outskirts of the city, and it's best to take a bus, or a taxi to get to the centre. Some of the churches and monasteries are also situated far from the centre, and you'll need a transport to get there.
TO GET THERE
Yaroslavl stands at the crossing point of different rail routes, and is easily accessible by train from many cities, including Rostov Veliky, Vologda, Rybinsk, Kostroma, Ivanovo, etc.
Express trains to Yaroslavl run from Yaroslavsky Railway Station in Moscow 3 times a day. The journey takes approximately 3h20min. Tickets can be purchased online on the official RZD website, or at Yaroslavsky station. Most of these express trains have 3 classes: a compartment coach with 2 beds, and a bathroom with toilet and shower in each compartment, 1st class carriages with more comfortable seats, and 2nd class with less comprtable, but still quite ok (and reclining!) seats. Some tickets include meal in price, although you can always buy some food and drinks from the restaurant car or from the food cart. Paid WiFi is available in all coaches. You'll find complimentary bag with earplugs and a sleep mask on your set.
Moscow-Yaroslavl:
train 102Я: 7.35am-10.53am
train 104Я: 2.34pm-6.03pm
train 106Я: 7.05pm-10.23pm
Yaroslavl-Moscow:
train 101Я: 7.00am-10.21am
train 103Я: 1.52pm-5.13pm
train 105Я: 7.32pm-10.53pm