A Hidden Gem in the South of Arkhangelsk Oblast - So Charming, Quiet, and Spotless!

Hello everyone!

Every year we head out of Arkhangelsk Oblast on the M4 highway, and on the left, there's the town of Velsk, which is located about 50 kilometers from the border with Vologda Oblast. That's my estimate based on the signs and road markers.

The town is a bit off the main road, so we hadn't actually stopped there until last summer.

We just happened to be feeling energetic on a warm, sunny day, and thought it'd be great to explore a new place. Plus, Velsk is an old town with a rich history. I looked up its founding date online and found out it's actually 10 years older than Moscow. Although, it didn't have city status back then.

I was blown away by the beautiful entrance to the town - dense forests on both sides, with towering pine trees stretching up towards the sky.

We drove along the main street, which runs along the Vaga River. And the Vaga River, by the way, flows right through the town.

We didn't see anything particularly interesting on the main street, just standard town architecture with a lot of single-story private homes. So, we turned right towards the river and found a parking spot. Then, we got out of the car.

I ended up walking along the waterfront without even realizing it - there were buildings on one side, and on the other, the views just took my breath away. The river, the wetlands, and the forests blending into the horizon were all so breathtakingly beautiful. And the lush green grass just complemented the blue sky and the mirror-like reflection of the river perfectly!

We decided to grab a bite and set up a little picnic, packed a backpack with a thermos and some snacks, and headed along this street.

The waterfront was nicely maintained, and it was clear that it had recently been renovated - the pavement was brand new.

On almost every wooden house, there were commemorative plaques with information about who lived there and when.

As we walked a bit further from the start of our path, we noticed a glass veranda by the river, kind of like a gazebo.

We walked in through an open door and across a little bridge. Inside, a young guy was reading a book, and there were bookshelves with more books. We still had no idea what this cool place was. We thought maybe it was some kind of summer reading room with a book-swapping thing going on.

We didn't linger around the gazebo for too long and headed towards the stunning viewing platform with breathtaking views.

There were swings that our kids immediately fell in love with, benches, flowerbeds, and fragrant pine trees.

It was there that we decided to take a short break, refueled before continuing our journey.

It's hard to put into words, but that fresh, warm air, the chirping of birds, the buzzing of crickets, and the pleasant scent of wildflowers were a real treat. Of course, my daughter didn't miss the opportunity to surprise me with a bouquet.

And just nearby, there's a monument to M.V. Lomonosov. I'm pretty sure there's not a single city in our Arkhangelsk region that doesn't have a monument to him.

The monument was created by Moscow sculptor Artemy Rodionov, inspired by Nikolai Kislyakov's painting "Lomonosov on his way to Moscow" (1948). The monument was unveiled in 2011, marking the 300th anniversary of the great scientist's birth.

We continued on our way and came across a beautiful rotunda. It's the perfect spot to take some amazing photos with a view of the river and the meadows.

After our riverfront stroll, we headed into the city to walk down the main street and make our way back to the car.

I was genuinely surprised by how spotless the city was. Not a single crumb, wrapper, or leaf was in sight - not even stuck to the sidewalk.

It's clear that locals really care about their city and take pride in keeping it clean. Yeah, there's definitely some grime and old buildings around, but the cleanliness is spot on.

Trash cans are everywhere.

There's tons of greenery and all sorts of plants in the city. I caught a glimpse of this old Christmas tree with some green buds on it - it's a great touch.

I loved seeing the bus stops decorated with Vasya's embroidery - it's a local specialty from Velsk. As a matter of fact, we even spotted a horse with similar embroidery along the riverbank.

Our stroll around Velsk turned out to be fantastic.

We actually went back to this city last week, but unfortunately, we didn't have time to explore. I've already mentioned the boutique hotel 'Troitsky' in one of my previous reviews, where we stayed. I'd love to come back here in the summer to spend more time with the view of the Vaga River.