Staraya Russa

Dostoevsky's House Museum

Дом-музей Ф.М.Достоевского

The Dostoevsky family spent their summers in the healthy country climate of Staraya Russa from 1872 through 1914—well past the writer's death in 1881. His time here saw some of his most prolific work, most importantly his masterpiece The Brothers Karamazov. The large, green, wooden dacha on the riverbank is today a carefully curated shrine to the great nineteenth century writer, having survived the revolutions and wars of the twentieth century unscathed. The first floor hosts exhibits, while the second floor is arranged and recreated in the same way as the Dostoevsky family kept it.

10:00-18:00 daily·RUB 70

Museum of the Northwest Front

Музей северо-западного фронта

A modest military history museum with exhibits on the history of the Russian Northwest Front during World War II.

Mon Wed-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sun 09:00-17:00·RUB 70

Cathedral of the Resurrection

Воскресенский собор

This monumental cathedral was built close to the end of the seventeenth century. It looks quite impressive from a distance on its grand location, but there is no pressing need to get up close with a camera.

Mina Muchenik Church

Церковь Великомученика Мины

Despite the later reconstructions and its current dilapidated state, this is a wonderfully preserved little 14th-century church. According to legend, Swedish invaders, having destroyed much of the town, came to the church seeking a night's refuge from the elements, but upon entering the church went blind. The blinded soldiers were sent back to Sweden as evidence of miracles and general strangeness going on in the Russian territories they were occupying.

Grushenka's House

Дом Грушеньки

Grushenka's house, as depicted in The Brothers Karamazov, was based on this pretty 1850s-era house. Privately owned.

Living Bridge

Живой мост

If you hear locals talking about "the living bridge", don't expect anything too necromantic — the name is a holdover from the bridge's earlier incarnation as a pontoon bridge with a lively "sway."

Dostoevsky Cultural Centre

Научно-культурный центр Ф.М.Достоевского

This neat little neoclassical building has small temporary exhibits on the life and works of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, but the main reason to come is if you are interested in having a local guide take you around the town's literary sites (in Russian).

Tue-Fri Sun 10:00-18:00·RUB 70; tours: c. RUB 300

Cafe Bashnya

Кафе-бар Okami

This eatery with a cryptic name offers what now became the most popular food in Russia: pizza and sushi. Fortunately, they are not mixing it. Free Wi-Fi.

12:00-23:00 daily·Pizza: RUB 150-300

Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior

Спасо-Преображенский монастырь

The monastery includes the beautiful Cathedral of the Transfiguration (1442), the Church of the Nativity (early seventeenth century) and Sretensky Church (early seventeenth century), all having charming wooden domes. Closed following the Bolshevik Revolution, it is today managed by the Museum of Local History, which houses in the buildings both a small regional museum and an art gallery with exhibits by local artists.

Mon Wed-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat Sun 09:00-17:00·RUB 70 for the museum and art gallery each

Staraya Russa Balneologic Resort

Курорт Старая Русса

While today foreigners come to Staraya Russa because of Dostoevsky, and Dostoevsky alone, the town was for hundreds of years known for its balneologic resort, where ailing Russians would come and avail themselves of the mineral water and mud treatments. The buildings and sculptures throughout the park are for the most part pretty unremarkable, whereas the so-called Muravyovsky Fountain merits a visit. This big fountain at the centre of the complex is built atop a natural mineral water spring, and for most of its history was covered by a rather marvellous metal pavilion, with covered galleries, adorned with wooden carvings, running from the fountain to the hotel and to the wooden theatre. The complex was almost completely destroyed in World War II. In the early 1980s, the government made a half-hearted attempt to erect a new metal dome over the fountain, but the salt in the air corroded the metal and quickly brought it down. Today, the fountain is a shell of its once majestic stature—even the flow has been reduced to reduce salt water damage to nearby trees. But you can still sample its waters from the Drinking Pavilion behind it—chilled or hot like it came out of the ground.

Muravyovsky Fountain 'gives' water strictly on schedule 07:00-09:00, 11:30-14:30, 18:00-19:30

Cafe Il'men'

Кафе «Ильмень»

Il'men' is the best local restaurant (although in fairness, that's not a profound accomplishment) outside the hotel, and if you ask for a local restaurant at the hotel, they will likely direct you here. Fare is standard Russian, and the service is... standard Russian. The menu is nice and long, so you should be able to find something to your taste. Hours run very long into the night, and they usually have live music, if you are looking for a bar to hang out at.

Sun-Thu 12:00-02:00, Fri Sat 13:00-04:00·RUB 200-400

Cafe Sadko

Кафе «Садко»

Another cheap café with a very convenient location, where you can get tolerable, basic Russian food like beef kotlety or stuffed cabbage. Semi self-serve—order at the counter.

Daily 09:00-21:00·RUB 50-120

Cafe Tortuga

Кафе «Тортуга»

Launched as a café for children, this eatery eventually transformed into a cheap bar colloquially known as ryumochnaya. It is not the best place to eat unless you are deeply interested in local drinking traditions, or simply want to taste savoury pirozhki that are on sale here.

Closed · opens 10 am tomorrow

Café Grill

Кафе «Гриль»

This small café 5 min away from the train station serves lunches to locals. Join them for grilled meat or fish, both are worth trying.

Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-15:00

Saint George and Annunciation Church

Георгиевская церковь

Dating back to 1410, this stone church was the family church for the Dostoevskys during their summers here. In their first summer at Staraya Russa, the Dostoevsky family actually stayed at the house of the senior priest, Father Rumyantsev, and it was in his house that the writer finished his work Demons. While not a shining example of old Russian architecture, it has a good deal of country charm.

St Nicholas Church

Церковь Николая Чудотворца

Built in 1371. The classical bell towers were built in the early eighteenth century while the church was being rebuilt. Unfortunately, the renovations and modern décor have for all intents and purposes ruined the elegance of this ancient church.

Trinity Church

Троицкая церковь

A well-preserved 1676 church, characteristic of churches for the merchant class of the seventeenth century, right at the central City Park.

Pishi, Chitay (Read & Write) Bookstore

Магазин «Пиши, читай»

Another bookstore with the same scope.

Mon-Fri 09:30-18:30, Sat Sun 09:30-16:00, lunch break 14:00-15:00

Book Store

Магазин «Книга»

A small, handy bookstore selling local road maps.

Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat Sun 09:00-17:00, lunch break 14:00-15:00

Grocery Magnyt

продуктов «Магнит»

Groceries.

Korobeynyk Shop

магазин «Коробейник»

Souvenirs.

Усадьба средневекового Рушанина

Музей-реконструкция средневековой усадьбы

Closed · opens 11 am tomorrow

Киноцентр

2 улица Трибуны

Closed · opens 8:30 am tomorrow

Ильмень

Минеральная улица

Open now · closes 2 am tomorrow·Vegetarian options

Водонапорная башня

памятник «Доблестным Вильманстрандцам»

Калачи

улица Достоевского 3

Ресторан Карамазовы • Старая Русса

Гостинодворская улица 20

Старорусский музей

Монастырская площадь 1

Craft pub "1984"

Closed · opens 2 pm tomorrow·Wi-Fi