This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you are better prepared for what to expect, what not to expect and can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Vladimir. To help you make friends with Vladimir before you visit, we've included a few helpful and fun things you should know about the area. Enjoy!
Vladimir, one of the largest tourist centers in European Russia, is one of the most famous cities of the Golden Ring and it has much better transport connections than most of the other cities in the Ring. It attracts tourists with its three white stone monuments of pre-Mongolian architecture, recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the project "White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal." The first is the Assumption Cathedral -- a cathedral from the fourteenth century (with fragments of frescoes by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny). The second is the Dmitrii Cathedral (from the twelfth century, with rich decorative carvings on the façade), and the third is the Fortress Golden Gate (from the twelfth century, rebuilt in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries) -- a white stone triumphal arch with the Gateway Church above it.
Compared to other cities from the "Golden Ring," parish churches from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Vladimir are not so numerous. The most interesting are the temples of the Assumption of the Virgin (from the seventeenth century), St. Nicholas in the Galea (from the eighteenth century) and Nikita (also from the eighteenth century). Other sights worth seeing are the Golden Gate -- an outstanding monument of ancient Russian architecture, built in the twelfth century; the Vladimir Central -- the famous maximum security prison, founded by Catherine II; and the Historical Museum.
There are a handful of Vladimir hostels. There is not much competition and Vladimir is a historic city with just over three hundred thousand inhabitants close enough to Moscow to attract enough tourists. That has driven up the prices of hostels in Vladimir and they are slightly more expensive than the average for Russia. Most Vladimir hostels are quite good, and located quite centrally, only a few bus stops from the very center of the city and a few stops from the train and bus stations so you can visit the city quite easily from Moscow.
Written by local enthusiast for Vladimir hostels
George Traveller
