(Source: http://www.smolensk-photo.ru)

The Vyazma Kremlin, the Smolensk fortress wall, the infamous memorial complex “Katyn Forest”, the beautiful views of the park “Smolenskoe Poozerye”, the lost town of Verzhavsk: this is the tourist “menu” of Smolensk Oblast.

An Information Centre is open in Smolensk for tourists and curious locals; as its name suggests, it provides full information on Smolensk and Smolensk Oblast completely free of charge. Anyone who wishes can call in the Information Centre and get a tourist map-scheme of Smolensk, a leaflet about the attractions of Smolensk and Smolensk Oblast, as well as a comprehensive consultation of experts.

This all is for free. In addition, you can order individual and group tours designed for different age groups at the information centre. The Infocentre is located at the address: Smolensk, Marshala Zhukova Street, h. 4, office 302 (“Gubernsky” Cultural Centre, ascend the right stairs to the third floor or ask the receptionist).

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., break from 1 to 1:45 p.m. You can contact the Information Centre consultants by the phone: (4812) 38-47-83 or by email visit.smolensk@gmail.com.

Accommodation

The tourism centre “Baklanovo” is located on the shore of the Baklanovskoe Lake. There are a two-storey house with double and quadruple rooms and guest cabins there. Additional services include Russian bath, billiard, charcoal grill, rental of boats, bikes, skis, sledges. The cost of living makes up 400-500 roubles per person per night, 1000 roubles for a premium room.

The cottages of the tourism centre “Chaika” in the village of Nikitenki are built of pine and spruce. There are double rooms and apartments with a kitchen and a toilet for accommodation of five or six people. The rooms have autonomous heating, each block has a TV and a refrigerator. The cost of living ranges from 1200 roubles per night for a double room up to 6000 roubles for a luxury highly comfortable room. Prices are slightly lower in winter and a bit higher during the holidays. The guest house on the Petrakovskoe Lake designed for 10 guests offers rental of two rooms with furnace heating, a kitchen with utensils, a gas stove, a TV-set, a refrigerator, a large veranda and all amenities on the street. The cost of living makes up 250 roubles per day per person. The guest house for 7 people in the village of Boroviki at a 1 kilometer distance from the Sapsho Lake has three bedrooms, a living room with satellite TV, a shower, a bathroom, a balcony, a gas stove, cooking utensils and a refrigerator.

The cost of living makes up 6000 roubles per day for a house, an extra bed costs 500 roubles per person. The territory of the National Park “Smolenskoe Poozerye” offers rental of houses in private sector for 150 roubles per day, in an apartment building near the health resort named after Przhevalsky - starting from 200 roubles per day.