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April 13, 2026
April 13, 2026
Honeymoon in Russia: Wedding Trip Routes for History Lovers
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Before fully immersing yourself in setting up your new family home, you simply must get a proper rest! Some prefer hotels, beaches, and a resort daily routine. Others agree with physiologist Pavlov that the best rest is a change of activity. For such people, excursions to unusual places, kayaking, mountain hiking, or museum visits — physical activity and creating new neural connections — would be a great option. Our suggestion: immerse yourself in Russia's history and beauty, touch mysteries and enigmas, breathe in the mystical air charged with power. We've selected several amazing places for you where "traveling to the past" is a real experience.
Table of Contents
Divnogorye: The Magic of Voronezh Region
Photo: Divnogorye / https//youtravel.me
A trip to the Divnogorye Museum-Reserve ("Divy") promises to be captivating. Here you'll find stone sculptures created by nature. These places at the foot of chalk mountains have been known since 1389. The calling cards of these locations are the chalk pillars, the Mayatsky Archaeological Complex, and the cave in Bolshiye Divy.
Photo: Divnogorye / https//www.tripadvisor.ru
In one of the caves, a real church has been carved out, consecrated and named in honor of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God. According to legend, two Greek monks fled from Sicily, saving an icon of the Virgin Mary. After spending a night on the banks of the Don at the foot of the mountains, the monks saw that the icon had ascended to the mountain. Orthodox pilgrims visiting "Divy" seek to also visit the Church of John the Baptist and the Divnogorsky Assumption Monastery. The reserve contains about 50 archaeological monuments dating from the Paleolithic era to the Middle Ages.
Photo: Cave Church of the Nativity of Prophet John the Baptist / https//www.tripadvisor.ru
Mountains, caves, rivers — all this is wonderfully suited for romantic walks. Since the reserve is located at the confluence of two rivers, the fishing here is excellent.
How to get there: by car from Voronezh 93 miles (150 km), from Moscow 400 miles (650 km); by train to Liski station, then by commuter train to the "143 km" platform or by bus to "Divnogorye" (30 minutes).
Where to stay: camping (150 ₽/night), hotel (from 700 ₽/night).
Where to eat: café and shop on the reserve grounds.
City of the Dead in North Ossetia: Mysteries of the Past
Photo: City of the Dead, Dargavs / https//discoverynn.ru
This is a place where you can directly feel the presence of mysticism. The ruins of an ancient city, shrouded in myths and legends, completely absorb you. Walking through the streets of this city will awaken in you the same feelings that made Indiana Jones get involved in his endless adventures.
Photo: Gizeldonskoye Gorge, Road of the Narts / https//www.drive2.ru
For more than 700 years, this ancient necropolis in the mountains has guarded the sleep of the dead. The road to the Dargavs Historical and Ethnographic Complex passes along a serpentine mountain road. From above, you can see the Gizeldon River (Red River). The river got its name back in 1395 after the bloody battle between the Alans and the Tatar-Mongols. The Alans lost and were driven into the gorges. There was little space for living, let alone burying the dead. So it was decided to bury the deceased on a rocky slope. According to legend about the origin of the necropolis, there lived a girl of unearthly beauty who drove all the locals crazy, including the elders. Everyone was ready to fight for her love, and when someone died in battle, the earth would not accept their bodies. Therefore, they were buried in tomb-houses.
The Alan Monastery and the Tower of Prince Tag are on the must-visit list, along with the Karmadon Gorge, where film director Sergei Bodrov's crew disappeared in 2002.
Photo: Alan Assumption Monastery / https//monasterium.ru
How to get there: by plane to Vladikavkaz, then by bus to Dargavs, then by taxi or 20–30 minutes on foot.
Where to stay: nearest hotels in Vladikavkaz, private sector (from 2,000 ₽/night).
Where to eat: there are no cafés or restaurants in the village, but there's food service in gazebos on the bank of the Tabildon River. The hostess makes amazing pies and Ossetian meat soup lyvzha.
Kazan: Capital of Tatarstan
Photo: Zilant / https//lifxil.ru
Kazan is a place where East meets West, Islam meets Orthodox Christianity. Here you can enjoy the beauty of the Kazan Kremlin, stroll through the streets of the old town, and try national Tatar cuisine. There are plenty of attractions in Kazan: specialized museums, parks, and monuments. First-time visitors strive to see the Kazan Kremlin, Kul Sharif Mosque, walk along Bauman Street, and visit the Palace of Farmers. Those with a sweet tooth line up at the Chak-Chak Museum and the Tea Museum in the Old Tatar Quarter. In good weather, tourists visit Lake Kaban with its walking paths, benches, catamaran and scooter rentals; they admire the fountain complex created based on motifs from Gabdulla Tukai's fairy tales.
Photo: Kazan / https//hikeit.ru
Kul Sharif serves as both a mosque and a museum of Islam. This ceremonially decorated building houses unique interiors created by craftsmen from around the world: Czech stained glass and chandeliers, Ural marble and granite, Iranian carpets.
Photo: Kazan Kremlin / https//kazan-kremlin.ru
In clear weather, tourists try to climb to the observation deck inside the huge kazan (cauldron) in the Family Center building. The city center can also be seen from the bell tower of the Epiphany Cathedral.
How to get there: by car, plane, or train.
Where to stay: hotels, apartments with daily rent.
Where to eat: there are plenty of dining options here; be sure to try azu, tokmach, kazylyk, echpochmak, and gubadiya!
Ivolginsky Datsan: Spiritual Sanctuary of Buddhists
Photo: Ivolginsky Datsan / https//vodohod.com
This place is filled with harmony and tranquility. Here you can immerse yourself in an atmosphere of prayerful peace, see amazing Buddhist temples, and feel yourself part of Russia's spiritual history.
Photo: Green Tara / https//lanatravels.ru
The datsan is located near Ulan-Ude. Tourists and Buddhists from all over the world come here. The datsan's history begins in 1945. According to legend, a white horse indicated the place for construction. Next to the temple, houses for lamas, a museum, and a Buddhist university have been built. Students study and live here. There are several faculties: medical, tantric, philosophical, and iconographic. The grounds have a library, café, shops, and a summer hotel.
Photo: Sacred Prayer Flags Khii-Morin / https//www.rbth.com
The main relic of the Ivolginsky Datsan is the precious imperishable body of the 12th Head of Buddhists of Russia, Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov. Lama Itigilov was the leader of Buddhists in Buryatia and Eastern Siberia. In 1927, he entered the state of samadhi, sitting in the lotus position. In 2002, the teacher's body was exhumed and found to be incorrupt. Followers of Buddhism believe that the lama did not die but is in a stage of deep meditation.
How to get there: by car, minibus, or taxi from Ulan-Ude (22 miles / 36 km).
Where to stay: summer hotel on the datsan grounds, hotels in Ulan-Ude.
Where to eat: Buryat cuisine café "Nalai" on the datsan grounds. Order the delicious buuzy (Buryat dumplings)!
Derbent: Gateway to the East
Derbent is unofficially the oldest city in Russia, which was a key point on the Silk Road. Here you'll find amazing fortresses, ancient streets, and the majestic Caspian Sea.
The sea attracts beach lovers, and history fans will be interested in curious and mysterious finds. Officially, the city is 2,000 years old, but excavations indicate that the settlement's real age is about 5,000 years.
Photo: Naryn-Kala Fortress / https//www.tatar-inform.ru
The Naryn-Kala Citadel was built in the 6th century by a Persian khan. It served as a barrier in defense against nomads, then became the center of the Arab Caliphate, and later passed to the Russian Empire. The citadel is open to visitors, and stunning views open from its territory.
The "Maiden's Bath" is a place where the bride came with her unmarried girlfriends to bathe before the wedding. Built in the 19th century in the style of old Eastern baths. After the bathing ritual with cleansing, aromatic oils, and incense, the bride was escorted home, hidden from curious eyes. The first man destined to see the bride after the ceremony was to be her husband.
Photo: Kyzlar-Khamam Maiden's Bath / https//blog.welcomedagestan.ru
The Juma Mosque is the oldest functioning mosque from the 8th century, built by Arabs; it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It used to be the largest building in the city. The building is surrounded by giant plane trees that are over 800 years old.
How to get there: by train, bus, plane, or your own car.
Where to stay: hostels, guesthouses, hotels.
Where to eat: numerous cafés and restaurants with national cuisine and home cooking. Try chudu, kurze, and khinkal (this is a traditional Caucasian dish; don't confuse it with Georgian khinkali).
Kizhi: Island of Wooden Fairy Tales
Photo: Church of the Transfiguration / https//charmtravel.ru
A trip to Kizhi Island is like a fairy tale. The wooden churches amaze with their beauty, harmony with the landscape, and unique aspen shingles (lemekh) that change the buildings' color depending on the lighting. Here time seems to have stopped, and you can easily feel like a character in a Russian version of "The Witcher" game.
Kizhi is located on Lake Onega in Karelia, 42 miles (68 km) from Petrozavodsk. This open-air museum unites 68 architectural objects under UNESCO protection. The core of the complex: the Churches of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Intercession of the Mother of God, and a bell tower. The extensive collection of architectural monuments, iconography, and household items of peoples who inhabited these places deserves attention. The founders of the settlement are considered to be the ancestors of Novgorodians who conquered the lands of indigenous peoples in the 10th and 11th centuries.
Photo: Lake Onega / https//iskatel.com
Many legends and mysterious stories surround the island. One of the most widespread tells of the construction of the Transfiguration Church without using nails.
How to get there: by cruise ship from Moscow and St. Petersburg; from Petrozavodsk by hovercraft; by skis or dog sled across the ice of Lake Onega (in winter).
Where to stay: near the island there are many guest houses, glamping sites, tourist bases, and hotel complexes.
Where to eat: restaurant with Karelian and European cuisine. There's a grocery store on the island.
Suzdal: Pearl of the Golden Ring
Photo: Window Frames / https//www.tutu.ru
Suzdal is a true pearl of Russian provincial life. Ancient churches, well-maintained streets, bell towers — all this creates a peaceful atmosphere ideal for a romantic getaway.
Suzdal is located 22 miles (35 km) from Vladimir and is part of Russia's Golden Ring. They don't build railways or industrial enterprises here; buildings over three stories are prohibited. It's a true open-air museum with more than 150 architectural monuments.
The Suzdal Kremlin was built in the 10th century. The fortress burned and was rebuilt many times, but original structures have survived to this day. The Nativity Cathedral, the Archbishop's Chambers, and St. Nicholas Church are the main attractions of the Kremlin.
Photo: Suzdal / https//www.tutu.ru
The Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery was founded in 1352 by Prince Boris Konstantinovich. Besides its monastic past, this place is known as a prison where both Old Believers and Decembrists served their sentences. Today tourists view museum exhibitions, listen to male choir singing, watch restorers at work, and walk along the fortress walls. To the left of the monastery is a small observation deck where you can admire the city and river.
The Intercession Convent was built in 1364. For a long time, it was considered the largest in Russia. High-ranking individuals were exiled here. Tourists visit the burial vaults of nuns and the relics of Sophia of Suzdal.
Photo: Intercession Convent / https//experience.tripster.ru
The Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life is a museum complex with structures from the 18th–19th centuries. Here are several wooden churches, residential houses, windmills, wells, and barns brought from all over Vladimir Region.
The Trading Rows from the early 19th century is a gallery where merchant shops were once located. Now souvenirs and antiques, paintings by Suzdal artists, and mead are sold here.
How to get there: by car, by train or commuter rail to Vladimir, then by bus.
Where to stay: a wide selection of hotels for every taste, guest houses, and daily apartment rentals.
Where to eat: many Russian cuisine restaurants with pies, rasstegai, and liqueurs; bakeries and snack bars.
Merkitskaya Fortress: Legend from the Depths of Ages
Merkitskaya Fortress is not a fortress in the usual sense of the word. This place is a rock formation in whose inaccessible caves the Merkits lived.
Photo: Merkitskaya Fortress / https//discoverburyatia.ru
In the 12th–13th centuries, in the place of modern Buryatia, there was a Merkit state (a Mongolian tribe that became part of Genghis Khan's empire in the early 13th century). They say that the Merkit leader kidnapped Genghis Khan's wife, and he ordered the tribe to be destroyed and all its members killed. The Merkits were defeated; the survivors fled and hid in the forests.
Tour guides tell stories at almost every hill. Here the foundations of walls, roads, and secret passages, as well as warrior training grounds, have been preserved. Tourists ascend to the fortress, from whose observation decks a striking view of the steppe and rivers opens up. At the top is an altar where you can leave offerings and recite mantras. Shamans and lamas often come to these places for special rituals. They're interested in two "humming stones" that are believed to have healing powers.
Photo: Apricot Grove / https//saihantur.ru
An eco-park has been formed on the "fortress" grounds to reduce negative environmental impact. Ascents are organized in tourist groups. The trail allows people of various fitness levels to make the climb on foot or by bicycle. There's a belief that you can't take anything from here — it may bring misfortune.
How to get there: by car or taxi from Ulan-Ude, 1 hour; no signs.
Where to stay: in Ulan-Ude.
Where to eat: better to bring water and food with you.
Gorokhovets: One of Russia's Most Ancient Cities
Photo: Gorokhovets / https//triiips.com
In 2016, Gorokhovets became part of the Golden Ring of Russia. This small town, founded in 1168, can really be walked around in a day, so many travelers try to visit it on the way to Suzdal and Vladimir.
Photo: Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Monastery / https//dzen.ru
In the 9th century, the first settlement appeared on these lands, and in the 12th — a fortress city. Gorokhovets for centuries was an outpost of Vladimir, and later Moscow Rus. Residents repeatedly participated in battles, and also tanned leather and produced their own wine!
The place is surrounded by legends and mysteries. According to one of them, an underground labyrinth exists beneath the city, connecting a church with a monastery. Somewhere in the tunnels, as legend has it, is Ivan the Terrible's lost library.
How to get there: by your own car, by train or commuter rail from Nizhny Novgorod, by bus.
Where to stay: guesthouses, mini-hotels, and hotels within the city; tourist bases near Gorokhovets.
Where to eat: home-style café "Solyanka" near the monastery, restaurant "Otdykh," teahouse "U Klyazmy."
Verkhoturye: A Journey Through Time in the Urals
Photo: Verkhoturye / https//nashural.ru
Abandoned churches and monasteries, ancient streets framed by blooming gardens, and stunning historical monuments await couples ready to embark on yet another journey through time.
Verkhoturye is a place where every stone is steeped in history and legends. The first mention of it appears in ancient chronicles of the 11th century, and since then the town has acquired its special atmosphere. Walking through the winding streets of Verkhoturye, you can completely forget about the hustle of modern life.
Photo: St. Nicholas Monastery and Trinity Cathedral / https://autotravel.ru
The first place worth visiting is Verkhoturye Fortress. Its impregnable walls inspire respect and admiration with their might. The fortress exhibition introduces visitors to the rich history of this place and the twists of fate the city has experienced. Explore the ruins of the ancient Church of the Resurrection of Christ. It was the first building in the town.
Verkhoturye Kremlin is the smallest Kremlin in Russia and the only one in the Urals. Part of the fortress wall, barns, and Trinity Cathedral have been preserved in their original form.
Photo: Verkhoturye Kremlin / https//rus.team
How to get there: by car 186 miles (300 km) from Yekaterinburg, by bus №601, by train to Verkhoturye station.
Where to stay: guest houses, mini-hotels, and hotels.
Where to eat: home-style café "Solyanka," bistro "U Shirkhana," monastery refectory.