Завидово

Zavidovo is a popular resort region located 120 km northwest of Moscow, on the shore of the Ivankovskoye Reservoir. There is a large national park with picturesque landscapes, rich flora and fauna. On the wooded banks of the Shoshinskoe Pleas built beach hotels, tourist centers, elite dacha settlements. The resort has a well-developed tourist infrastructure for active recreation. In Zavidovo entertainment centers are opened, hunting and fishing farms are organized. National Park is connected with Moscow excellent roads and railroad main line.

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Video: Zavidovo

Contents

Highlights

The resort village of Zavidovo, which gave its name to the national park, is located in the Konakovo district of the Tver region, near the M10 highway. The distance from here to Moscow is 112 km, to St. Petersburg – 522 km, to Tver – 48 km. There are 86 other settlements in the park, including the town of Konakovo.

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The administrative center of the reserve “Zavidovo” is located in the village of Kozlovo, which is 23 km from the village of Zavidovo. In its vicinity is located the residence of the President of the Russian Federation “Rus”. This is a guarded territory, for entry you need a pass. From the village you can enter the federal highway M10 Moscow – St. Petersburg, a part of the European highway E105. The nearest railroad station is Zavidovo. From it to the resort hotels can be reached by bus or cab.

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Convenient transportation allows you to come to the beaches of the national park at weekends. On the coast you can stay in luxury hotels. In Zavidovo also offers and inexpensive accommodation in guest houses, campgrounds. For their guests hotels organize fishing, water walks, bicycle tours in picturesque places, extreme trips on jeeps and buggies. Zavidovo is famous for its international class golf club Zavidovo PGA National, fashionable hotel Radisson Resort Zavidovo. Every year the resort hosts the rock festival Nashestviye, which gathers guests from all regions of the country.

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History of Zavidovo

The ancient village of Zavidovo has been known since the 14th century, when these lands were part of the Tver principality. Then the forest and river lands surrounding the village belonged to the Moscow sovereigns. In these parts was the hunting estate of Ivan the Terrible, here liked to come and Tsar Boris Godunov.

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In the XVI-XVII centuries, the village was among the suburbs of the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. During that period, two churches were erected here. In the XVIII century, when on the orders of Peter the Great laid the highway Moscow – St. Petersburg, the village of Zavidovo was at the very “sovereign road”. At the same time the village received an impetus to intensive development. A post station with a hotel, a tavern and a coachmen’s hut was set up here, and weekly fairs were held. Zavidovo was mentioned in Alexander Radishchev’s novel “Journey from Petersburg to Moscow”. Empress Catherine II, other crowned persons with their entourage, as well as almost all the famous personalities of the Russian Empire of the XVIII-XIX centuries – the patriarch-reformer Nikon, senator and poet Gavrila Derzhavin, historian Nikolai Karamzin, fable writer Ivan Krylov, Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov.

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In the XIX century the village belonged to the ruling house of the Romanovs. In the winter of 1826 here stopped the funeral procession carrying to St. Petersburg the remains of Emperor Alexander I, who died in Taganrog. The coffin stood at the altar of the parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Zavidovo. The funeral tomb sash is kept there even now.

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Since the 1920s in Zavidovo operated hunting farm, here spent their leisure time Vladimir Lenin and members of the Soviet government. In 1936, near the town of Dubna, the riverbed and floodplain of the Volga were blocked by a 9-kilometer dam, which created the Ivankovskoye Reservoir, also known as the Moscow Sea. The area of the water mirror is 327 km², with a width of 5 km. The Moscow Canal, which connects the capital with the Volga River through a system of locks, begins here. In the water area of the man-made sea there are about three hundred picturesque islets covered with mixed forest. Most of them are uninhabited and represent untouched corners of nature. On the largest islands departmental sanatoriums were erected, wharves were built. On the coast of the Moscow Sea opened vacation homes, fishing campgrounds, hunting farms, summer school camps.

In the 1970s in the village of Kozlovo built a cottage for the General Secretary of the CPSU Leonid Brezhnev. Socialist leaders Fidel Castro, Erich Honniker, Joseph Broz Tito, and Janos Kadar came here to hunt. The village had a culinary shop where hunting trophies were turned into delicacy hams, smoked meats, sausages and stews. In 1992 the presidential residence “Rus” was established by the decree of Boris Yeltsin. The surrounding forests received the status of the Zavidovo National Park. The Zavidovo Reserve also includes a part of the water area of the Ivankovskoye Reservoir – Shoshinsky Bay.

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Geography and climate

The 125,400 hectare Zavidovo National Park is spread over five districts of the Moscow and Tver regions, in the southern part of the Verkhnevolzhskaya lowland. In the west, a significant part of the Shoshinsky Bay adjoins the protected area, overlooking the Ivankovskoye Reservoir, created on the Volga River. There are 15 wooded islands in the water area of the bay. There are old apple trees on them – a reminder of the villages flooded by the reservoir and located in the floodplain of the Shoshi River mouth. The banks of the reef are cut by shallow bays overgrown with reeds. Waterfowl nest here. There are many lakes and swampy lowlands in the vicinity. Meadows and floodplains of numerous rivers separate the forests. A dense forest massif is located in the center of the park, it is bounded by the beds of the rivers Shosha, Yauza and Lama. It hides the richest mushroom and berry places.

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The relief of the reserve is hilly, the height of some elevations reaches 130-160 meters. The best view of the expanses of the national park opens from the hills near the village of Dyatlovo, located 49 km north of the village of Zavidovo.

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In the thickets of protected forests there are moose, roe deer, bears, wild boars, lynx, foxes, hares. Since 1935 deer and wild boars brought from the Far Eastern taiga and the Caucasus have settled in the forest lands of Zavidovo. In total, there are up to 40 species of mammals here. There are 163 species of birds nesting in the tree crowns. Among them are grouse, partridges, grouse, grouse, grouse and owls.

Zavidovsky Reserve is located in the zone of humid temperate continental climate. Warm air masses brought by south and southwest winds, as well as the vast Ivankovskoye Reservoir mitigate weather conditions in this part of the East European Plain.

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In January and February, street thermometers rarely fall below -10°C. Spring thaws come in April, but late night frosts sometimes last until the end of May. From June to August air temperature fluctuates within +18 … +24 °С. Freezing starts in late September – early October.

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Bathing in local reservoirs is most comfortable from the 20s of June to early August. During this period, the water temperature in the Moscow Sea and rivers flowing into it reaches +19 … +21 ° C.

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In summer, mosquitoes are annoying in the region. It is useful to bring a spray or other means to repel annoying insects.

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Sights

On a clear day, the golden dome of the 50-meter high five-tiered bell tower in the center of the village of Zavidovo can be seen many kilometers away. A slender belfry was erected at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1865, but during the Soviet era it was destroyed. In 2003 the construction was restored. The five-domed Assumption Church of the XVII century has avoided destruction. The interiors have preserved frescoes of painters of the XIX century. One can admire authentic paintings in the refectory building, where the chapels of Archangel Michael and Prophet Elijah are located. The complex also includes the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, built nearby in 1787. Both churches are in operation and have been beautifully restored at the expense of benefactors.

In Zavidovo there is an adoration cross, covered with legends. According to ancient legend, the cross was placed in memory of the visit to the village by St. Sergius of Radonezh, who was on his way to Tver in 1382. The parents of a boy who was dying of a serious illness turned to the wonderworker for help, and he healed the sick man through prayer.

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In the building of the Sunday school at the Church of the Assumption and in the premises of the icon storehouse museum expositions have been created, telling about the history of the Moscow – Petersburg highway, about the founding of Zavidovo, about Tver traditions and folk crafts. The showcases present Konakovo faience, gold thread embroidery, silver jewelry, patterned women’s shawls, funny toys made of birch bark and wood. A small numismatic collection is exhibited. Among the coins there are tangi of the Golden Horde era. By the way, the word “money” comes from the name of such silver coins.

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In the basement of the bell tower there is a museum “Yamshchitskaya hut”. Here is recreated the interior of a prosperous peasant house, collected collections of antique household items. Visitors are treated to fragrant herbal tea, berry jam, served a specialty – jacket potatoes with pickles and mushrooms from protected forests.

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In the churchyard there is a village pogost. There are preserved tombstones of the XVIII century. On the square in front of the church there is a monument in memory of local residents who died in battles with the German invaders during the Great Patriotic War.

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Beaches

On the coast of Shoshino Bay there are many wild corners with a gentle descent to the water. Fishermen’s paths lead to them. But swimming in such places is not very convenient: the banks are overgrown with sedge and reeds, the bottom is muddy.

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The best beaches of Zavidovo resort belong to coastal hotels, campgrounds and vacation homes. Here the coast is padded with imported sand, the entrance to the beaches is free, but for sunbeds and umbrellas you have to pay. On the beaches work toilets and showers, there are cabins for changing, cafes and bars.

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Entertainment in Zavidovo

Zavidovo has a prestigious international-class golf club Zavidovo PGA National with a landscaped 18-hole course. Guests are welcomed by the club hotel (67 Arkhangelskaya St.), a restaurant with excellent cuisine. The club has a golf academy and a school for beginners. The equipment is available for rent, the size of clubs is selected individually. In the specialized store players are offered a full range of equipment, clothing, shoes, accessories from famous brands.

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In the high season (May-September) amateur competitions, All-Russian tournaments, games of international teams are held here. Stages of the game are recorded by video cameras, then professionals will analyze each movement, give recommendations to improve the skills of athletes. During the summer vacations of schoolchildren the club offers junior programs, masters teach kids the subtleties of the game. The hotel and restaurant are open year-round.

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To see the novelties of the big screen can be in the town of Konakovo, there is a cinema chain “Global Cinema” (Naberezhnaya Volga, 25).

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Zavidovo has long been famous for fishing. Especially for fishermen on the territory of the Radisson hotel there is a stocked pond. Those wishing to fish are given to rent fishing gear, sold feed, bait. Carp are most often caught on the hook, but you can catch pike and even sturgeon. For immediate preparation of the catch there are sites with braziers. Food and drinks from the restaurant can be ordered to the picnic site.

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Lake, rich in fish, there is also on the territory of the resort complex “Zavidovo”. Here, too, gazebos with fryers and light furniture are installed. Firewood is included in the rental price. If you wish, the cooks of the local restaurant will prepare the catch.

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Hotels organize evening and morning fishing tours with boat and motorboat rentals. Experts will suggest the best places for fishing on the local section of the Volga, in the Shosha water area, in the surrounding rivers and lakes, where perch, pikeperch, bream, roach, about 30 species of fish in total. Tourists are also offered motorboat and sailing trips, horseback rides in the vicinity, bicycle tours. Extreme tourists rent buggies, off-road vehicles.

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During the permitted period, local hunting farms issue hunting licenses. Huntsmen accompany those wishing to hunt for game birds (ducks, woodcock, grouse, etc.), organized hunting for elk, bear, wild boar. Hunting lodges are equipped in forestries.

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Every year in July on the green plain in Zavidovo is erected stage rock festival “Nashestviye”. Here a lively tent city appears, tents with fast-food are set up, parking lots are laid out. During the days of the music festival, up to 200,000 guests from all over the country come here.

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Cafes and restaurants

The kitchens of the restaurants in the hotels and villages of the Zavidovo National Park are supplied with products from the surrounding farms and fisheries. The menu offers excellent cheeses, smoked meats, pickles, forest mushrooms. Here you can taste deliciously prepared hunters’ prey: raw venison, spicy sausage from bear meat, dishes from hare and feathered game. Pies with burbot liver, moose dumplings and other delicacies are served. For dessert try rye cookies, traditional Tver kovrizhki with honey and plain sourdough, mix of seasonal forest berries. The check for a dense dinner in local restaurants will amount to 3500-5000 rubles per person, excluding alcoholic beverages. Lunch in a cafe will cost 1500-2500 rubles.

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Ratings of Zavidovo restaurants are headed by an atmospheric institution “Russian Seasons”, located in the resort boutique hotel “Zavidovo” on Arkhangelskaya Street, 67. The restaurant’s halls are decorated in the style of a country estate of the XIX century, summer terrace is open. Coals crackle cozily in the fireplace in the evenings, live music sounds. From the wide windows facing west you can see sunsets over the Volga. Main dishes cost 250-900 rubles. The restaurant awaits guests from 09:00 to 21:00.

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Among vacationers popular and restaurant “Crimea”, located on the territory of the golf club in Zavidovo, next to the yacht pier. A hearth blazes in the center of the room, with a veranda overlooking the Doibitsa River. In the morning, light breakfasts are served here, and there is a children’s menu. Main courses cost from 650 to 3000 rubles.

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You can have a tasty lunch at the restaurant “Traktir” at the hotel “Yamskoy”. Chefs specialize in Russian cuisine. The check for one person will be at least 2000 rubles.

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A wonderful restaurant of Georgian cuisine “Kinza” is opened in a stylish chalet on the outskirts of the village of Terekhovo. Here they serve kharcho, khachapuri, shish kebab, khinkali, lobio and other Caucasian dishes. The cost of the main items on the menu is 500-1500 rubles.

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Inexpensive refreshment is available at roadside snack bars and village canteens. Fast food is sold in beach kiosks. In the village of Mokshino there is a chain McDonald’s (14 Leningradskaya St.).

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Where to stay

The best hotel in the resort region is Radisson Resort Zavidovo 5*. The 239-room building is built in a sparse forest near the Doibitsy River, in the village of Varaskino (Tverskaya Boulevard, 2). There is a beach, a yacht club, a mini-golf course on the coast. Basketball and volleyball courts, a soccer field, a tennis court and a soccer field await resort guests. Extreme athletes will like the rock-climbing wall. The hotel has a fitness room, a spa center with a Jacuzzi, three swimming pools, a sauna and a Turkish bath. Several restaurants and lounge bars are at guests’ disposal. A buffet is served for breakfast. The range of prices for accommodation – 5336 – 123 710 rubles.

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Not far away are the buildings of the hotel Radisson Residence Zavidovo 4 *, designed for family vacations. The spacious rooms have equipped kitchens, dishwashers, refrigerators, table sets. Guests have the opportunity to use the infrastructure of the neighboring Radisson Resort hotel, including a spa center, beach and restaurants. A double studio room costs from 12 500 rubles per day, for a family apartment with 3 bedrooms and a living room you have to pay 35 500 – 49 500 rubles. Separately paid breakfast (2000 rubles).

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Four-star recreation complex “Zavidovo” with its own beach is erected in the village of Shosha. For guests is equipped with 43 rooms of various categories – standard, studio, townhouse, suite. In addition to the main building, there are cozy cottages and chalets for 4-9 beds. The cottages have bedrooms and living rooms with a fireplace, kitchens and bathrooms, terraces with dacha furniture. The cost of accommodation ranges from 11,116 to 18,156 rubles, breakfast included. In the complex there are restaurants and bars, equipped with sites for self-cooking kebabs. On the territory there are tennis courts, a golf course, a billiard hall, a shooting range. There is a spa complex with swimming pools, Jacuzzi, sauna, beauty salon. The complex has a currency exchange office, souvenir store. There is an opportunity to rent a bicycle, electric scooter, there is a car rental office. A pleasure yacht is waiting for guests at the pier. Individual mini-cruise on the river will cost 8000 rubles per hour.

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In the city of Konakovo is located beach hotel Konakovo River Club 4 * (Prigorodnaya Street, 8). The hotel is designed for active recreation, sports, here comfortably stay fishermen and hunters. In the main building there are club rooms, on the territory are built townhouses, cottages equipped with kitchens. On the territory there are tennis courts, playgrounds for badminton, soccer, basketball. There is a yacht club with its own sailing fleet, two helipads have been built. There is a sandy beach on the shore. Domestic animals live on the ranch, there is a zoo. For children’s entertainment in the river bay there is a whole island with attractions and a beach. A bridge leads to the Children’s Island. The cost of accommodation in the “River Club” starts from 2880 rubles, breakfast included.

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With a family it will be convenient to stay at the hotel “Yamskaya” (Zavidovo, Yamskaya Sloboda, 19). Rooms in wooden buildings are equipped with all amenities – bathroom, toilet, air conditioning, TV. On the territory there is a tavern specializing in Russian cuisine. A bathhouse is built near the river, kids can have fun in the children’s club. The cost of accommodation in a double room – from 4200 rubles per day. For a suite with a bedroom, living room and balcony ask 13 000 rubles. Breakfast is paid at will. On the territory there are family rooms, designed for 10 beds (two beds in the bedroom, 4 folding sofas in the living room). Rent such apartments can be for 10 000 rubles per day. It is allowed to stay here with pets. For a four-legged “guest” is a one-time payment of 1000 rubles.

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Unpretentious tourists stay in the camping “Zavidovo”. Its cottages are built in a birch grove, not far from the hotel “Yamskaya”. For 4500 rubles per day here you can rent a separate family cottage with four beds, necessary furnishings, a terrace, a place for barbecue. Windows are equipped with mosquito nets, heated floors. At the service of vacationers common kitchen with a stove and barbecue. On the shore of the lake there is a bathhouse. Common toilets and showers are located in the yard separately. Rental of bicycles and sports equipment is offered. In the pavilion dining area serves breakfast. Meals are paid separately (400 rubles). In the summer season on the territory of the campground you can set up your own tent.

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Residents of local villages rent accommodation to resort residents. The price – from 2000 rubles. For example, in Zavidovo, on Solnechnaya Street, 87, one of the private apartments in a five-story apartment building is equipped as apartments for tourists.

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Transportation

The Zavidovo region is connected by bus and rail suburban communication with Moscow and Tver. Federal highways M10 and M11 Moscow – St. Petersburg pass through the territory of the national park. The Zavidovo railway station is located in the village of Novozavidovsky, from there to the village of Zavidovo 6 km to the south-east. Buses run between the villages. Wealthy tourists prefer to travel by cab.

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How to get there

From Moscow to Zavidovo it is convenient to get by electric train of the Tver direction. Trains depart from the platforms of the capital’s Leningradsky railway station every day. Travel time is 2 hours. 10 minutes, ticket price – 315 rubles. High-speed electric train “Lastochka” will bring passengers to the station “Zavidovo” in 1 hour. 15 min. The ticket will cost a little more expensive – 454 rubles.

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From the Moscow bus station “Northern Gate”, as well as from metro stations “Voykovskaya” and “Khovrino” go buses to the district center of Konakovo. Travel time – 2 hours, ticket price – 327 rubles.

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Auto tourists should leave Moscow for Zavidovo to the northwest, on the highway M10. Much faster motorists get to Zavidovo resorts via the M11 “Neva” toll highway.

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