Russia 2019 Day 4: Rostov To Suzdal To Moscow

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Russia 2019 Day 4: Rostov To Suzdal To Moscow

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AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures

Russia 2019 Day 4: Rostov To Suzdal To Moscow

Russia 2019 Day 4: 12th May (Sunday)

Small Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg & the Golden Ring Cities).

Day 4 - Rostov to Suzdal to Moscow:

Rostov (Dom Figurina Hotel)>van>Ankovo>Suzdal>Smolensk Temple>St Euthymius Monastery>Suzdal Kremlin>Museum of Wooden Architecture>Church of Boris & Gleb>Vladimir City>Moscow (Veliy Hotel).

This is page 4 of a 14-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page
< D3: Rostov | Go to Other Days | D5: Red Square/Metro>

Route recommendations: Here are some tips on travelling to and around Russia:

1. Traffic Directions!

Driving in Russia is left-hand drive, and driving is on the right-hand side of the road. Do look to the correct side when crossing roads.

Speed limits are between 60 km/h within urban areas, 110 km/h along expressways, and 120 km/h on highways.

2. Getting to & around Russia.

Today, we leave Rostov and head by van to Moscow. En route, we visit Suzdal, another of the Golden Ring Cities; where we visit an open-air museum of wooden architecture.

Since Russia's "special military operation" into Ukraine, accessibility to Russia by air has been limited. But several airlines (including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Turkish Airlines) still operate flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

We flew return with Thai Airways from Kuala_Lumpur (KLIA) to Moscow (Domodedovo Airport) with short transits at Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport). Presently, Thai Airways still flies from Bangkok to Moscow but now lands at Vnukovo Airport.

We booked hotels, train tickets, and several meals via the internet. Ground arrangements (and airport transfers) in Moscow were made through Alexander of Angel Tour, who can be contacted through WhatsApp at this phone number: +7926-435-86-87.

Ground arrangements (and train station transfers) in St. Petersburg were made through Tayna (contact no.: +7921-923-12-27), a local agent in St. Petersburg.

Travelling around the cities was in a 16-seater van. Travelling between Moscow and St. Petersburg was by the Red Arrow Sleeper Train and the Sapsan High Speed Train. Within Moscow, we got around using the Moscow Metro.

For out-of-pocket spending, we exchanged some Russian Rubles before leaving. We also brought along our Big Pay debit cards, as these can be used to withdraw Russian Rubles at ATMs. Debit and credit cards can also be used, but many smaller shops or market stalls only accept cash transactions. Click here for exchange rates to Rubles (presently 1MYR = 18.67 RUR, i.e. Russian Rubles).

3. Immigration & Customs Requirements

Tourists entering Russia will need a tourist visa, which can only be obtained via a TOURIST CONFIRMATION VOUCHER issued by a Russian travel agency or a Russian hotel that has the license to invite foreign tourists. This can be done through a local travel agency with affiliation to a Russian travel agency to obtain this invitation letter. The following is a list of countries that are visa-exempt to enter Russia.

For Malaysians, leaving and returning to Malaysia, getting through immigration is easier now. Just install and register MyBorderPass, and getting through will be a breeze. A QR code will be generated, have this scanned, and you're through.

4. Places & Things of Interest

There were many scenic and interesting places of interest along the way, but one should not miss the following:
At Suzdal (Суздаль) (GPS: 56.42411, 40.44744):

a. White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal (UNESCO Listing), which includes:
- Monastery of Saint Euthymius (Музейный комплекс «Спасо-Евфимиев монастырь») (GPS: 56.43317, 40.44033) (Saint Euthymius church bell ringing video).
- Suzdal Kremlin (Суздальский кремль) (GPS: 56.41664, 40.44296).
- Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Рождественский Собор) (GPS: 56.41671, 40.44296).
- Suzdal Museum (GPS: 56.41620, 40.44364).
- Church of Boris and Gleb (Церковь Бориса и Глеба) (GPS: 56.42498, 40.52784).
b. Smolensk Temple (GPS: 56.43209, 40.44348).
c. Intercession (Pokrovsky) Monastery (GPS: 56.42925, 40.43760).
d. Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life (Музей деревянного зодчества и крестьянского быта) (GPS: 56.41295, 40.43936).
e. Vladimir (Владимир) (GPS: 56.14280, 40.38957).

At Moscow (Москва) (GPS: 55.75687, 37.61505):
a. Space Conquerors Monument (Монумент покорителям космоса) (GPS: 55.82264, 37.63966).
b. Ostankino Tower (Останкинская Телебашня) (GPS: 55.81968, 37.61166).

c. Vladimir's Statue (GPS: 55.74962, 37.61016).
d. Moscow Kremlin (Моско́вский Кремль) (GPS: 55.75155, 37.61804) and Red Square (Красная Площадь) (GPS: 55.75393, 37.62079) (UNESCO Listing).
e. St. Basil's Cathedral (Храм Василия Блаженного) (GPS: 55.75252, 37.62308).
f. Spasskaya Tower (GPS: 55.75254, 37.62142).

5. Food

a. Breakfast

Inclusive Western Breakfast at Dom Figurina Hotel (GPS: 57.18457, 39.41380) in Rostov.

b. Lunch

At the cafe in the grounds of the Monastery of Saint Euthymius(GPS: 56.43317, 40.44033) in Suzdal:
Cabbage Roll, Cabbage Soup, Borscht Soup, Chicken & Mushroom Soup, Potato Chicken Stew, Pies.
c. Dinner

At the food court of Globus Hypermarket (GPS: 56.17677, 40.45926) at the outskirts of Vladimir:

Sausage with Mash & Coleslaw, Cheese Wrapped Pork with Eggplant Stew.

6. Accommodations

First of four nights at Veliy Hotel Mokhovaya (Велий Отель Моховая Москва) (GPS: 57.18457, 39.41380) (now known as Mirros Hotel Moscow Kremlin) in Moscow.

7. Communicating with Each Other

When travelling in a group, it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest. Back then, it was not easy to buy Russian Sim cards, and our Moscow guide got the Beeline physical SIM cards (with 14days unlimited data) at 700 RUR (MYR 37.50) for us before we arrived.

Even now, it is not easy to purchase a SIM card. However, it is possible to buy Russian Sim cards online; just be aware of the restrictions posted earlier.

8. Communicating with Locals

At hotels and tourist spots, locals speak fairly good English. In the smaller towns, most locals speak only Russian. As such, it would be good to know some basic Russian.

9. Dressing

When entering churches and monasteries, it is advisable to wear long pants, especially for women. Ladies will also have to wear headscarves or veils. Caps and hats should be taken off when in churches and monasteries.

10. Weather

Daytime temperatures at Rostov and Suzdal were 10°C. While daytime and nighttime temperatures in Moscow were 9°C and 2°C, respectively.

Useful weather forecast sites for Russia is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.

11. Navigation

I used MapMyRide to track our routes and stops. Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.

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PRELUDE

A day earlier, we said goodbye to Sergiyev Posad and left for Rostov, and made sneak visits to the secret Spaso-Vifanskiy Muzhskoy Monastyr' and Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit convent. After that, it was to the Russkiy Park, and the Finift Enamel Factory
Today, we leave Rostov to head for Moscow, and en route, we will stop Suzdal, another of the Golden Ring Cities, where we will visit a kremlin and a museum of wooden architecture.

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DAY 4: ROSTOV TO SUZDAL TO MOSCOW

Map OK Small Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg & the Golden Ring Cities).

Day 4 - Rostov to Suzdal to Moscow:

(Click Here Russia 2019 Days 4: Rostov to Suzdal to Moscow Route Map)

Many of the posts below are linked to my Facebook postings during the trip and are embedded here with some comments. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post to read more details. If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first.)

Daily Log - Day 4 (12th May, Sunday):

We were supposed to leave Rostov, early at 5:30am to head back to Moscow, but due to a bad night of mosquitoes, we only left at 7:30am to head for Suzdal (another of the Golden Ring Cities), and had to skip Vladimir City so as to avoid the Moscow rush-hour traffic jam. Our route to Suzdal, took us along the rougher rural roads (some stretches were un-tarred). It was a pleasant, quiet route; the only disadvantage was finding P-stops. The guys had an emergency stop at the woods near Ankovo, mid-way to Suzdal 😅; while the girls managed to hold on until we reached Motel'"Kartskhiya" on the outskirts of Suzdal. By now we had learnt to recognize the important Russian word "Туалет", i.e. toilet.

Places of interest at Suzdal:

1. Saviour Monastery of Saint Euthymius (listened to church bell symphony).
2. Smolensk Temple (viewed from outside ).
3. Suzdal Kremlin & Suzdal Museum.
4. Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life in Suzdal, the wooden buildings assembled here were collected from different villages of the Vladimir Oblast (region), including: the Church of the Transfiguration, the Church of the Resurrection, & the House with Mezzanine.
5. Refectory of the Pokrovsky Monastery (Convent of the Lady of Intercession).

6. Church of Boris and Gleb, the oldest church in North East Russia.

We skipped Vladimir City, reaching Moscow in the evening, where we stayed at Veliy Hotel Mokhovaya.

Places of interest in Moscow:

1. Monument to the Conquerers of Space.
2. Ostankino Radio & Tower.

3. Red Square.

4. St. Basil's Cathedral.

8:00am - After a hearty hotel breakfast, we said our goodbyes to Rostov and headed off. Instead of going directly to Moscow along Route E115, a European B class road lying entirely in Russia, we will be making a long detour to Suzdal (another of the Golden Ring Cities). The first part of our journey was on unpaved roads; this slower journey allowed us to enjoy the very green countryside and the rustic houses along the way.
The only thing about travelling along these less-travelled roads is that there are hardly any toilets around! Somewhere much before An'kovo, we made an emergency pee-stop for the guys to take care of their private business behind a bus stop, PHEW! The girls somehow managed to hold it in until we reached a rest stop at Motel'"Kartskhiya", another 1-1/2 hours away.

10:55am: We arrived at Suzdal. Here's a map of the town with various places of interest. It is located along the Kamenka tributary of the Nerl River, about twenty-six km north of the city of Vladimir. It is the smallest of the Russian Golden Ring towns

Not too far away, the old town of Suzdal can be seen, serenely sitting on the banks of the Kamenka River.

First, a stop at the Smolensk Temple, while the guys admired the building with its distinct tower; the girls were busy, shopping for trinkets and souvenirs.

Next stop - the Monastery of Saint Euthymius, renowned for its melodic church bells ringing.
Just a quick photo here while we adjourned for lunch at a cafe within the monastery grounds.
No worries, we will see more of the monastery later.

Our lunch started off with Cabbage Soup, Borscht Soup, or Chicken & Mushroom Soup.

Cabbage Roll.

Potato Chicken Stew and Pies.

The girls adding colour to the entrance archway to the Monastery of Saint Euthymius.

Back out in town, we noticed that horse carriages are still used by the locals.

Across the river, we espied the red tower of the Church of Boris and Gleb, which we will visit later.

At the Suzdal Kremlin, the rich blue domes of the Cathedral of the Nativity, which are embellished with golden stars!

Also within this kremlin, is the Suzdal Museum, its bell tower under refurbishment.

1:15pm - Not far away is the Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life. Here, in the 1960s, twenty old wooden buildings from all around the Vladimir Oblast were collected and assembled for people to see how Russian peasants lived, worked, and worshipped in the 17th to 19th centuries. Here's a map to get a lay of the land.

Amongst the buildings reconstructed and on display is the Church of the Transfiguration,

the Church of the Resurrection,

More views of the Church of the Resurrection, outside and indoors views.

The House with Mezzanine.

Tucked in one corner, a unique windmill, built with timber logs, it looks very different from the Windmills of Kinderdijk that we saw during a 2017 Cyling Tour of Holland.

We crossed over to another side of Suzdal and visited the Church of Boris and Gleb. From the entrance, it looked like a simplistic building.

But a side view shows its true beauty, which includes a tower that looks like a pagoda.

More views of the main building entrance and the church with golden domes.

And at the top of the buildings were blue domes and a green sphere with golden spikes.

Inside are displays with write-ups of the church and its history.
It was built in 1152, on the orders of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, in Kideksha (hence it is also known as the Kideksha Church) on the Nerl River. It was probably part of a princely (wooden) palace complex, but was only used by Dolgoruky for a few years before he left to become Grand Prince of Kiev in 1155. The village, four kilometers east of Suzdal, was an important town before it was destroyed by the Golden Horde arm of the Mongol Empire and declined in stature. Wow! Didn't realise that the Mongols conquered part of Russia.

4:00pm - Arrived at Globus Hypermarket at the outskirts of Vladimir City. Here, Alex had us have an early dinner as he foresaw that traffic jams would delay us reaching Moscow for dinner.

For dinner, we had: Sausage with Mash & Coleslaw, and Cheese Wrapped Pork with Eggplant Stew.

To avoid slow traffic, we detoured, and instead of using the Volga Highway (Route M7), we used the R75 and then the M8. This took us past the Church of St. Nicholas Cherkutino (Церковь Николая Чудотворца в Черкутино) (GPS: 56.18472, 39.76538) at Vladimir Oblast, with its bright orange tower; and later the blueish Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God (Церковь Владимирской иконы Божией Матери) (GPS: 55.91160, 37.7745) at the Mytishchi District of Moscow.

We arrive at the outskirts of Moscow at dusk, with the Space Conquerors Monument silhouetted against the setting sun, and neon lights colourfully advertising the Ostankino Tower.

8:15 - We joined the Moscow traffic jam 😏.

The slow traffic gave us time to appreciate the period architecture of some of the grand buildings.

8:45pm - The route to our hotel took us through Red Square, with views of the Moscow Kremlin & St. Basil's Cathedral, and later passed the Vladimir's Statue.
Please excuse the blurry photos; they were taken from the van in low evening lighting.

Это был долгий и захватывающий день. Спокойной ночи!

(That's "Eto byl dolgiy i zakhvatyvayushchiy den'. Spokoynoy nochi!" meaning "It was a long and exciting day. Goodnight!" in Russian)

(For more photos of Day 4, Click Here)

This is page 4 of a 14-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page
< D3: Rostov | Go to Other Days | D5: Red Square/Metro>

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