Gzhel
The home of blue-and-white ceramics. Gzhel lies in the Ramensky district of the Moscow region and is easy to visit in a day: see the painting, visit the craft museum and, with luck, watch an artist at work.
Destinations
Destinations
Russia's folk crafts are scattered across a vast map, yet many of the best-known centres are not that far from one another. Some can be seen in a day if you leave the capital in the morning; others are better for a weekend or a few days. It is easier to choose not by how famous a name is, but by what interests you: ceramics, wood, metal, fabric or thread. Below are six destinations for a first trip to the craftspeople and four questions to help you pick one.
Every craft is tied to its place: to the clay, the forest, the river. That is why it is best seen where it grew up, not on a fairground stall.
How the destinations were chosen: we include well-known folk-craft centres that you can reach on your own. The only specific facts we give are verified ones about where each craft is based and what it is known for; everything else is in general terms.
Where to go
Six destinations, from the near Moscow region to Vologda in the north.
Zhostovo and Pavlovsky Posad
Two Moscow-region crafts that combine easily in one day: in the village of Zhostovo artists paint metal trays, while Pavlovsky Posad is known for its printed shawls. Here painting and fabric complement each other nicely.
Sergiev Posad
Sergiev Posad is traditionally regarded as the home of the matryoshka, the Russian nesting doll. It is a good reason for an unhurried walk through the old centre and a look at the story of this much-loved toy.
Semyonov and Gorodets
Two centres of painting on wood in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Today the town of Semyonov is the centre of Khokhloma painting, while Gorodets painting is linked to the area around historic Gorodets. Together they make a weekend trip.
Palekh
Palekh in the Ivanovo region is known for lacquer miniatures: exquisitely fine painting on small lacquered objects. People come here who are ready to spend a long time studying one tiny picture.
Vologda
A northern town that gave its name to Vologda lace. It is made on bobbins, and you could watch the work for hours. Vologda is well suited to a trip of several days.
How to choose
Four questions worth answering for yourself before you choose your route.
What appeals to you
Clay and glaze, wood and brush, metal and lacquer, fabric or thread. The answer narrows the choice straight away to one or two destinations and tells you which region to head for.
How much time you have
The craft centres of the Moscow region work for a day trip. Nizhny Novgorod painting and Palekh need at least a weekend, and Vologda in the north several days.
Whether you want a class
If you want not only to watch but to try it yourself, check the official website in advance to see whether classes are held, for what ages and whether you need to sign up.
When you are going
In winter the road north calls for more care, and on public holidays craft museums are crowded. Weekdays are usually calmer for both the visitor and the maker.
Read next
- Routes
Three routes to the craftspeople: a day near Moscow, a weekend in the Nizhny Novgorod region and a trip to Vologda.
- What to see
Crafts of the Moscow region, Nizhny Novgorod painting, Palekh miniatures and Vologda lace: what to see.
- Planning
A step-by-step plan for a trip to the craftspeople, with sample scenarios, common mistakes and a checklist.
Sources
- Encyclopaedic reference works on Russian folk crafts
- The guide's own editorial material
This guide describes trips to folk-craft centres in general terms. Museum and workshop opening arrangements, workshop class conditions and train and bus timetables change, so check them on official websites shortly before you set off.