Plyos combines the art of Isaak Levitan with Russian landscape painting, historic buildings and activities beyond the museums. This lets you shape your stay around your interests, choosing between paintings and the artist’s life story, the townscape and hands-on activities.
Art, life stories and landscape painting
The Isaak Levitan House Museum in Plyos displays paintings by Levitan as well as works by his artist friends Sofia Kuvshinnikova and Alexei Stepanov. A photographic and reproduction-based chronicle complements the paintings and turns the focus to Levitan’s life. The museum’s memorial rooms recreate the interiors of the late 19th century. Three artists lived and worked there in 1888 and 1889. The paintings, chronicle and recreated rooms thus offer different ways to explore the museum.
The Museum of Russian Landscape Painting has a different focus. It displays paintings in a range of styles, from the early Peredvizhniki to the present day. While the house museum focuses on Levitan, his artist friends and biographical material, the landscape museum offers a broader stylistic and historical perspective. Those interested in painting can therefore choose between a personal connection to an artist and an overview of Russian landscape painting.
Cathedral, fortress remnants and streetscape
The Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God stands on Sobornaya Hill and is the oldest church in the town. It was built in the late 17th century. Remains of the rampart of Plyos’s historic fortress can also be found on the hill. The cathedral and rampart point to different aspects of the town’s history: religious architecture and its former fortifications.
A walk through the streets of Plyos is also one of the suggested ways to explore the townscape. Typical houses with three windows and merchants’ mansions catch the eye. These distinctive building styles give the walk a clear focus, without requiring a fixed sightseeing itinerary.
Workshops and views from the water
In Plyos, visitors can visit the workshops of local artists and jewellers and sign up for master classes. If you would like to do more than simply look at crafts, this offers a different perspective from a museum visit. Check in advance whether the workshops and classes are available before planning your visit around them.
The workshop at the Ivolga Eco-Park offers another opportunity to make something yourself: visitors can create bird feeders and other items from natural materials. The activity focuses on hands-on work with natural materials. Check whether the workshop is currently available before your visit.
A boat trip on the Volga offers views of Plyos from the water. It complements exploring the town on foot with a perspective from the river. Check in advance whether the trips are currently available.
Local dishes
Kuleyka and ugly s leshchom are recommended as local dishes at Plyos’s snack bars and cafés. Availability may vary from one establishment to another. If either dish is important to your choice, ask at the place you select rather than assuming it is served in every café or snack bar.
Discover more destinations: Verbino, Kuznechikha, Navoloki, Novoye, Reshma, Lezhnevo, Sinyaya Osoka, Kochma.
For the broader travel overview: Ivanovo Oblast.
