Located just a few hours southwest of St. Petersburg, near the Estonian border, Pskov is a great place to get away from the city for a day, breathe some fresh air and enjoy a walk in time to medieval Russia. Dotted all over the city are squat domed little churches, most dating from the 15th and 16th century, and the oldest continually functioning monastery, the Monastery of the Caves, can also be found here. Many features particular to Russian architecture originate in Pskov and considering the violence the city has been subjected to, it is astonishing so much of it remains. The crown jewel of the city is and always has been the Kremlin, locally known as the Krom.  In its 1000-plus years, the Krom has been besieged 42 times, attacked by Teutonic knights, Muscovites and Poles but stormed only twice until the modern era when German forces from both World Wars occupied the city.  Given the strength of its defenses, it isn’t surprising that culture and the arts flourished within the city. Masons, painters of icons and writers all developed and refined their crafts here. Pushkin himself even spent considerable time writing on his family’s estate just outside the city.

GETTING THERE: From Vitebsky station, there are a couple of trains a day to Pskov. From the City Bus Station, there are daily buses and a Eurolines bus service from Baltiisky station.