Suzdal is an amazing place nestled among endless fields and shining with the gold of domes, bell towers, and ancient towers. Perhaps today it is one of the few Russian cities where that very primordial, distinctive Russian spirit still lingers.
The thought of a trip here had been on our minds for quite a while, and so, on a cold morning, we finally set off in a snow-white Honda CR-V Mugen, hoping to soak up impressions and touch the centuries-old history of this beautiful city.
The trip fell on a weekend that stretched into three days. If you, like us, plan to stay overnight in Suzdal and dream of finding cozy and affordable accommodation with a Russian banya, aromatic tea, and jam, book well in advance — literally three days before our departure, there were almost no decent free spots left.
The easiest way to get there is via the Gorkovskoye Highway. From Moscow, you need to get onto the M7 highway (Moscow — Nizhny Novgorod), which runs from Entuziastov Highway or the MKAD. Then the route is straight — all the way to Vladimir. If you don't plan to explore Vladimir, you can take a shortcut by turning onto the bypass: at the fork before entering the city, follow the sign for "Ivanovo" and "Suzdal", while "Vladimir" is straight ahead.
We left around seven in the morning; it was noticeably freezing outside, but the highway was already full of dacha-goers. Moreover, the M7 is known for its abundance of freight traffic. The road surface itself is generally decent, though there are uneven sections at regional borders. However, even the test CR-V Mugen on its 18-inch wheels gave us no particular trouble. A special tip for those setting off this early: be sure to bring sunglasses. The road heads east, and in the morning the sun shines directly into your eyes.
Those who like to sleep in should be wary of Balashikha with its endless traffic lights — on weekends it's better to leave earlier. Along the entire route to Suzdal (about 200 km), there are constantly villages where the permitted speed does not exceed 60 km/h, which traffic police officers actively exploit. You need to be especially careful in Pokrov, Petushki, Peksha, Kerzhach, Demidovo, and Lakinsk.
However, there are also pleasant stops along the way. In Petushki, for example, there are two museums — a local history museum and the only Museum of the Rooster in the country. And in Lakinsk, where a brewery was built at the end of the 20th century, you can drop by a shop with excellent draft beer. True, due to the natural composition, its shelf life is only a couple of days.
Now about the Honda CR-V Mugen itself. The Mugen prefix is an abbreviation of the name of the Japanese company Mugen Motorsports, founded back in 1973. The company produces parts and accessories for Honda, and also does sporty tuning of these cars and enters them in races, including the Japanese Super GT championship. In our case, the Mugen package turned out to be modest: overlays on the front and rear bumpers, modified sills, a new radiator grille, and a different rear spoiler. But even such trifles refreshed the appearance of the crossover, adding sporting zest to it. And a pleasant bonus: the Mugen version costs only 17,000 rubles more than the regular one.
Inside, everything remained the same: strict, stylish, and solidly European. Although the plastic is hard everywhere, the panels are fitted impeccably, and the texture of the material pleases the eye.
Space is also in perfect order. Wide doors allow you to get in and out without risking soiling your clothes on dirty sills. The floor in the Honda CR-V cabin is perfectly flat. The transmission lever is mounted on the front panel, and due to the absence of a console between the front seats, you can easily move from the front row to the rear without leaving the car. Thanks to the lack of a central tunnel, our three rear passengers felt quite at ease the entire way to Suzdal and back (about 400 km in total).
The rear seat cushion folds in a 40:60 ratio, and the backrest — 40:20:40. This scheme allows you to carry long loads while still accommodating two passengers in the back. Moreover, the rear sofa can be slid longitudinally, increasing either legroom for passengers or trunk volume.
The 2.4-liter engine, which debuted in 2008 — a year after the CR-V with the 150-horsepower 2.0-liter unit — noticeably enlivened the character of the "Japanese". Power grew to 166 hp, and torque increased by 28 Nm. Moreover, 80% of the peak 220 Nm is available already at 2000 rpm. The "top" engine works only in tandem with a 5-speed automatic.
With this engine, the Honda CR-V noticeably gains in dynamics, although there is still no talk of any record speed figures. The stated 10 seconds to 100 km/h is a quite real figure, confirmed in practice, but on the highway the picture is different. During high-speed overtaking, the main rival, the Toyota RAV4, looks noticeably more agile and spirited. At the same time, the CR-V bets on comfort, smooth responses, and impeccable softness of the automatic gearbox shifts. The car's appetite unexpectedly disappointed: even on the highway, fuel consumption did not drop below 15 liters per hundred kilometers. The mentioned RAV4 spends two to three liters less.
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| The stated acceleration to "100" in 10 seconds is quite justified by the Honda, but on the highway things are worse. During high-speed overtaking, the main competitor, the Toyota RAV4, behaves clearly more lively and spirited. |
We reached Suzdal without any incidents in just two hours. The first thing you notice is that there are practically no modern buildings here. Houses are no higher than two or three stories, which is why the city has preserved the appearance of a single architectural whole that has been formed over more than nine centuries. Suzdal is all temples, churches, fortresses, cathedrals, and monasteries. Wherever you find yourself, there will always be a historical structure with its own unique history.
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| The main attraction of Suzdal is the kremlin, on the site of which the city itself began to be built in the 12th century. Now the Suzdal Kremlin is a museum with numerous exhibitions dedicated to the history of the Suzdal land, famous figures associated with it, treasures from monasteries and churches, ancient Russian painting, and applied art. |
Since we had to return to Moscow in the evening, we decided to limit ourselves to viewing only the main attractions. If you have spare time, we recommend taking a sightseeing tour of the city — even souvenir vendors offered it to us for a modest fee.
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| Despite the insignificance of the changes in appearance, the Mugen package added freshness and sportiness to the crossover. In addition, the Mugen modification is only 17,000 rubles more expensive than the "regular" version. |
The Kremlin is the central attraction of Suzdal; it was from here that the city began in the 12th century. Now the Suzdal Kremlin is a museum with extensive exhibitions telling about the history of the Suzdal land, famous personalities, monastic and church treasures, as well as ancient Russian painting and applied art. It is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, with days off on Tuesday and the last Friday of the month. In the lower refectory of the Archbishop's Chambers, there is the "Trapeznaya" restaurant, where you can try the signature vareniki.
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In the very center, on Lenin Street, there is a square with trading rows where various souvenirs are sold — from wooden items by local craftsmen to genuine antiques. Here you can also buy Suzdal medovukha — a drink based on bee honey and yeast, made by fermentation. True, already upon returning home, we found out that in Moscow stores it costs almost half as much as in Suzdal.
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Suzdal is an amazing city that simply cannot be described in a few words. You need to see it with your own eyes to truly absorb it. And to genuinely feel its uniqueness, understand the locals, and immerse yourself in the local color, wander through fortresses and cathedrals — it's worth staying here for a few days. Therefore, as we left, we firmly decided to return to Suzdal, even if just for a day.
Ruslan Galimov