The Travel Advisory

he Golden Ring is just a three- to five-hour drive from Moscow. Renting a car, though expensive (about $100 a day), will maximize your flexibility once there. The roads north of Moscow can be challenging: keep an eye out for aggressive truckers, axle-breaking potholes, and—even on the highways—the occasional horse-drawn cart. Trains to the Ring depart frequently from Yaroslavl Station, in central Moscow. Volga ferries, however, provide a more unusual experience. (Ferry tickets must be booked through tour agencies.) Once in the Ring towns, you can order taxis through your hotel concierge for reasonable rates fixed in advance.

Consider hiring a local guide—they can be very knowledgeable—to take you to the churches and cathedrals; ask for recommendations at your hotel’s reception desk. Alternatively, Lonely Planet’s Russia & Belarus provides enough information for independent visits. In all houses of worship, both sexes should dress conservatively: men should not wear shorts, and women should bring a scarf to cover their hair.

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