Home is better (this year for sure)

As they say, the New Year is a family holiday and it is customary to celebrate it at home, in the circle of relatives and friends. This year is special for all of us. Therefore, we will see him off in a family way and at home, but with all honors! We have selected for you the top 4 places where you can spend the New Year holidays with the whole family, plunging into the most festive and fabulous atmosphere without leaving the expanses of your homeland!

Veliky Ustyug

Tell me, how many places do you know where spending a few days will be equally interesting for both children and adults? Just a few minutes drive from Veliky Ustyug there is a dense pine forest, in the middle of which they built the residence of a good Russian wizard. It would not be an exaggeration to say that 1998 was a landmark year in the history of the entire region, because the launch of a large-scale project turned into a starting point for the new history of Veliky Ustyug. Now it has become a place of real pilgrimage for families with kids and just people who dream of touching magic.

When you want to take a breath, go to Santa Claus Post Office. Here is a collection of the brightest, most unusual and touching children's messages from those that come to the wizard's residence from all over the country. This branch receives 180,000 letters per year with a short address "Veliky Ustyug, Santa Claus". And everyone can send postcards to family and friends with a branded stamp of fabulous mail.

The Russian North has long been famous as a land of fisheries, and the most famous dishes that are cooked here are Pomeranian fish soup, all kinds of fish fish, cod casserole with potatoes “Siyskaya Meal”, which is languishing in the oven in its own juice.
From cranberries, cloudberries, currants, rose hips, berry-wine sauces “Volozhi” are cooked, and hot jelly kyozh remains a favorite drink of the locals, for which they use the berries, herbs and spices available at hand. Over the past decade and a half, many comfortable hotels and private mini-hotels have been built in Veliky Ustyug and its environs.

The cost of living in them depends on the number of "stars" and the distance from the historical center. Suburban recreation centers are perfect for large companies. In addition, when planning a trip to Veliky Ustyug in advance, there is every chance not only to visit the Estate of Father Frost, but also to live right on its territory for several days - there is a cottage village and a small hotel with a view of the main tower at the service of tourists.

Suzdal

Suzdal - one of the most beautiful Russian cities, located in the Vladimir region - a city-reserve, whose age is more than a thousand years. Suzdal is a city-museum, because there are so many monuments of the history of Rus', as well as ancient buildings that have survived intact and intact, unique churches and objects of wooden architecture nowhere else. It is interesting that at the same time there is not a single industrial enterprise in Suzdal, which makes it an environmentally friendly place.

There are many religious sights in Suzdal, so if you are interested in Orthodox culture and architecture, you will certainly be interested in visiting the Vasilyevsky Monastery, the Pokrovsky Monastery and the Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery. In Suzdal, as in many other tourist centers, sightseeing tours are conducted by professional, experienced guides, whose services can be used by both a group and an individual tourist. Suzdal offers various options for outdoor activities - horseback riding, skiing and sleigh rides. Hunting in the deciduous forests of Suzdal, fishing organized by professionals. And of course, Banya is one of the symbols of hospitality in Suzdal, and there are many types of baths here - from Russian classic to elite SPA in hotels.

Upper Mandrogi

Between the two largest northern reservoirs - Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga, on the left bank of the cold Svir River, in the shade of pine forests, there is an amazing place - the village of Upper Mandrogi.
When you get to Mandrogi, it seems that everything was like that many years ago, and it doesn’t matter at all that the entire territory of the village is modern buildings, reproduced according to ancient Russian traditions.

Mandrogi is a real Russian village! Here, in the craft settlement, master artisans live, who daily make unique handmade creations. Upper Mandrogi is a modern tourist cluster with a developed infrastructure. Convenient transport access, parking, moorings for motor ships and yachts, a helipad for 10 rotorcraft, a filling complex for yachts and boats, a hotel and other accommodation options for 150 beds - all this is the modern village of Upper Mandrogi. Here you can check into a hotel room, rent a whole tower and even a manor. Those who love tavern romance can live right in the tavern, which recreates the atmosphere of an inn on the postal road. All rooms are equipped with bathrooms and showers, and the interior is stylized antique.

There are three Russian baths on the very bank of the Svir. The location in close proximity to the river is not accidental: the cold water of the Svir instantly brings you to life! For those who like to shoot, there is an archery and crossbow shooting range, as well as you can mark axes and shoot from the good old pneumatics. You should definitely visit the vodka museum and the matryoshka museum, go to the forge to look at the work of the blacksmith.  

For the most inquisitive and inquisitive in the craft settlement, you can order a master class in pottery, birch bark and many other types of Russian crafts of the 19th century. Well, it is worth noting that the Upper Mandrogi was chosen by many celebrities, becoming frequent guests of the village after they were visited twice by Vladimir Putin.

Krasnaya Polyana

Krasnaya Polyana is a village in the Adler district, where sports facilities Rosa Khutor, Sanki, Laura and Russkiye Gorki were opened for the XXII Olympic Games in Sochi.
Krasnaya Polyana lies at the foot of the Main Caucasian Range, in the valley of the Mzymta River, 39 km from the Black Sea coast.
This is a balneo-climatic and ski resort area, which is suitable for all-season recreation. Here, mountain subtropical forests and mineral springs are complemented by a developed tourist infrastructure. On the territory of the Rosa Khutor there are 16 tracks with a length of 72 km, of which 13 km are used for international competitions.
It offers 10 chairlifts, conveyor and gondola lifts. Directly on the territory of the resort, 6 buildings of three-five-star hotels were built, bars and restaurants were opened. From here, excursions to the Olympic facilities of Krasnaya Polyana begin. The mountain-tourist center of JSC "Gazprom" stands out even against the backdrop of the elite resorts of Krasnaya Polyana.
There are 15 tracks laid here, 5 of which are open at night. In addition, in the vicinity of Gazprom, near the Psekhako ridge, the terrain is gentle, so there are routes for cross-country skiing and even dog sledding. Gorki Gorod in Krasnaya Polyana is open all year round, offering winter skiing, horseback riding, yoga, eco-trails in the mountains, an adventure adventure park and even a water park with a heated sandy beach. Here, the Gornaya Karusel sports and tourist complex is adjacent to hotels, SPA centers, restaurants and the Gorky Gorod Mall shopping and entertainment center.

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