Ivanovo Region is a part of the Golden ring of Russia, a famous tourist route, numerous monuments of history and culture are concentrated on its territory. The most significant of them are the city of Plyos, the pearl of the Volga River, and the settlement of Palekh, the native land of famous lacquer miniature.

The two major places of interest are Palech and Plyos. Palech is a small village famous for its icon painters and small lacquer boxes. Palekh artists are generally regarded as the most highly trained of the Russian miniature painters. The discipline and technique of the ancient icon painting is readily seen in the best artists work. Palekh art is the most famous of all other similar techniques.

Plyos is a tranquil town of trees, wooden houses and hilly streets winding down to the Volga waterfront. Today this town’s renown stems from its late 19th century role as artists’ retreat. Isaak Levitan, one of the greatest Russian landscape artists, found inspiration here.

The region possesses some of the traditionally Russian features, which are of great interest among foreigners.