From Moscow to Vladimir and Back: How the Golden Ring Media Tour Unfolded

From 29 September to 2 October 2026, a media tour of the towns of Russia’s Golden Ring took place, organized by the Roscongress Foundation’s International Tourism Forum ‘Let’s Travel!’. The route, timed to the 60th anniversary of the Golden Ring, ran through Pereslavl-Zalessky, Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl, the village of Vyatskoye, Kostroma, Suzdal, and Vladimir before returning to Moscow. Sixteen people took part, including bloggers, journalists, organizers, and representatives of the media tour’s partners.

“The Golden Ring regions are currently engaged in comprehensive work: new tourism products and attractions are appearing, infrastructure is being developed, and the single events calendar is being filled out for 2027. We are developing the Golden Ring as a single tourism space for seamless travel under one brand. One strand of this is joint work with colleagues from other agencies to prioritize state support for the route, including sporting and special events, along with the creation of roadside infrastructure. Many of the projects held this year, such as the Russia cycling race run jointly with the Ministry of Sport, will continue into next year’s anniversary year and attract even more tourists. It matters to us to show that the Golden Ring offers a whole range of holiday scenarios, from road trips to cruises, cultural tourism, and food tourism,” said Alimbek Khidzev, Director of the Tourism Development Department at the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

On the first day, participants visited Pereslavl-Zalessky, a town inseparably linked with Alexander Nevsky and the history of Russian statehood, followed by Rostov Veliky, one of the oldest towns on the Golden Ring, whose enduring symbol is the Rostov Kremlin overlooking Lake Nero. By evening, the delegation had arrived in Yaroslavl, beginning their exploration of this UNESCO World Heritage city.

The second day was devoted entirely to the capital of the Golden Ring, whose heritage brings together architecture, religion, and culture. Participants explored the historic centre and visited the city’s landmark sites.

The third day began in the village of Vyatskoye, an open-air museum of classical architecture with more than 50 heritage sites. Participants toured the museums and struck commemorative coins on an antique gilding press. After a full programme in Vyatskoye, the delegation travelled on to Kostroma, visiting the Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery, the Snow Maiden’s Residence, and other landmarks. The gastronomic finale of the day was a cheese masterclass at the Syrny Prichal family creamery, where participants made their own cheese.

The final day of the media tour began in Suzdal, a museum town that has preserved the look of provincial Russia almost unchanged. Participants took a sightseeing tour that included a tasting of the legendary Suzdal cucumbers, the town’s culinary emblem. The programme took in the Suzdal Kremlin, the Saviour Monastery of St Euthymius, and the Museum of Wooden Architecture, with the tours led by specialists from the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.

After the busy sightseeing programme, the delegation went to lunch at the restaurant of the Vishnya glamping site, followed by a tour of the grounds. Here they saw what contemporary leisure looks like, viewing the cabins and rooms, strolling along the riverside, considering the options for activities on the water, and visiting the banya and wood-fired hot tub.

The delegation then visited the Vladimir-Suzdal Patterns folk crafts factory, the principal heir to the traditional decorative and applied arts of the Suzdal lands and the region’s leading souvenir brand. Participants saw handmade wooden pieces being produced.

The route continued at the Dymov Ceramics factory, where guests were shown the full ceramics production cycle, from clay preparation through firing, painting, and packing.

In the afternoon, the delegation moved on to Vladimir, where media and blogging representatives walked the central streets. The walking tour took in Georgievskaya Street, along with the landmarks of white-stone architecture: the Dormition and St Demetrius Cathedrals.

Next came the Slovno v Mae patisserie for a tasting of the Golden Ring dessert, an original creation dedicated to Vladimir’s culture and its white-stone heritage. Participants were also introduced to Sungir biscuits, distinctive baked goods that serve as a way of telling the story of the region. The journey ended with the return to Moscow along the modern M-12 high-speed motorway.

“The media tour is part of the broad ecosystem of events around the ‘Let’s Travel!’ Forum, which systematically promotes domestic tourism and brings out the potential of the regions. This year, it was the first step in a series of initiatives timed to the 60th anniversary of the Golden Ring. Our key task is to make travel around Russia accessible, easy to navigate, and appealing to a broad audience,” stressed Vladimir Zatynayko, Deputy Director of the Roscongress Foundation and Director of the International Tourism Forum ‘Let’s Travel!’.

Sollers vehicles provided the delegation with comfortable and rapid transfers between the towns. Four days on the road revealed the Golden Ring as a route in which each location complements the next.

The Golden Ring media tour marked an important step towards shaping a coherent image of the route as a place where historical heritage is carefully preserved while modern tourism practices continue to develop.

Key partner: Government of Yaroslavl Region

Organisational partners: Russian Ministry of Economic Development, Sollers PJSC, Sberbank Insurance, MAER media holding, Administration of Kostroma Region, Administration of the City of Kostroma, Vladimir Region Tourist Information Centre, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Yaroslavl Region, Avtodor State Company, ECO-culture fresh vegetable brand, Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve, VITRUSS TRADE functional drinks.

Media support: Centre for Strategic Research, National Priorities, Russian Traveler, Mir Interstate Television and Radio Company