Beautifully located in lush countryside with a superb lake and as one of the oldest cities in Russia, Pereslavl-Zalessky is a delightful town. Located 140 km to the northeast of Moscow by the huge Pleshcheyev Lake, few old towns can compare with its magnificent setting while churches, monasteries, 19th century factories, wooden houses and mansions make it a unique example of Russian history.

Nevertheless, not all Pereslavl's visitors immediately realize its beauty. Those who merely see the main street often criticize the place, saying it has no squares and just small wooden houses. There is an element of truth to this criticism – the main street runs for three kilometers through the entire length of the town.

To really appreciate Pereslavl, you need time to wander through its streets and along the banks of the River Trubezh. From the top of Goritsky Hill the town looks pretty much the same as it did many centuries ago and you are left in no doubt that this is the real Russia. The famous writer Mikhail Prishvin, who lived there for many years, once wrote, "Looking at the monuments from different centuries, you can imagine almost the entire history of Russia."

In the 13th century, the town was home to the famous military leader Alexander Nevsky who defeated the Teutonic Knights for wreaking havoc along the borders with the Baltic countries. Then at the beginning of the 14th century Pereslavl and the Moscow princedoms were united. Since then, the fate of Pereslavl has been inextricably intertwined with Moscow. Great princes and tsars often spent time in the town, making generous contributions to the Pereslavl monasteries and building churches and castle walls with their own money.

When the seat of government was transferred from Moscow to St. Petersburg, the entire region waned in importance. Pereslavl-Zalessky gradually ceased to attract the tsars and, as a result, money stopped flowing into the town. Realizing the difficulty of survival without a new source of income, the residents started up manufacturing in the town. As a consequence, factories and plants began appearing so that by the beginning of the 20th century, the town's population reached 10,000. Fortunately, industrialization somehow never interfered with everyday life in the town, which to this day has remained quiet and unhurried.

Today the population of the town is over 40,000. The communist era, unfortunately unable to leave well enough alone, put up bland, uninspiring high-rise blocks and transferred people into the town to occupy them.

On the city's Red Square is the Transfiguration of the Savior Cathedral. Constructed in 1152, it is the oldest landmark and also an ideal point to start your tour. Nearby are the Church of St. Peter the Metropolitan, the Church of Vladimir Mother-of-God Icon and the Church of Alexander Nevsky.

Take a bus or just walk down the city's central street to the Goritsky Monastery – an impressive piece of 17th-and 18th-century architecture located in Muzeiny Pereulok. At one time the residence of the ruling archbishop, the monastery currently houses a museum of history and art displaying a rich collection of Russian icons and art. From there it's a short walk to the Botik estate museum, where Peter the Great once stayed. Then, further down the banks of the Pleshcheyev Lake, at the mouth of the Trubezh River, is the famous Church of Forty Saints (Sorokosvyatskaya), built in 1775. The famous Fyodorovsky Monastery, once the city's richest, is to be found south of the center. Its most distinguished edifice is the Fyodor Stratilat Church, built in the 16th century.

To the north, meanwhile, is the Nikitsky Monastery, founded by Nikita, a local miracle-worker, hundreds of years ago. According to legend, Ivan the Terrible's son was miraculously healed after he drank water from the monastery's well.

The road here runs past the city's cemetery with a beautiful chapel glimmering through the trees. Curiously, the Nikitsky Church was restored during the Soviet era although they appear not to have done the job as thoroughly as they might. In 1984, the dome fell, causing considerable damage to the remaining structure. Nonetheless, the Nikitsky Monastry remains a famous site, particularly because it was featured in the movies "War and Peace," and "Yemelyan Pugachev."

Pereslavl is an ideal place for an inexpensive and relaxing trip. It has a modern hotel complex (15 Sovetskaya Ul.), two restaurants and and even an attractive beach with a boating station.

How to get there:
You can take an elektrichka or a bus from the Yaroslavsky Railway station. There is also a regular bus to Sergiev Posad from metro station VDNKh. The ride takes some 90 minutes.