Ulitsa Trekhsvyatskaya

One of the main corridors that define the retail shopping district of the city center is the Ulitsa Trekhsvyatskaya pedestrian street. Though difficult to pronounce with a non-native tongue (just say it quickly as Tro-svet-ska-ya and you should get away with it), you will find a wide array of different shops and cafes here. Stretching from the Volga River , through Ploshchad Lenina ( Lenin Square ) at the city's main boulevard Ulitsa Sovetskaya, and ending at the modern Olymp shopping center, Trekhsvyatskaya is normally the chosen route for the window shopper, the people watcher, and anyone who chooses to take a casual stroll through the downtown.

City Park

Situated on the bank of the Volga between the Tverskoy Bridge and the Stare Most ( Old Bridge ) is one of the jewels of respite and peace in the downtown area: City Park . Take a stroll along the picturesque pathways along the river's edge or follow the meandering trails through its semi-wooded interior. Although beautiful in the throws of winter's white wonderland, the park really comes alive in the summer months with outdoor cafes sprinkled about, the sounds of music and laughter filling the air, the wafting scents of shashlik (Georgian BBQ), and people from all walks of life enjoying themselves while waiting out the 11 pm sunset.

Volga River

The mighty Volga , whose headwaters are only a few hours drive outside of the city, provides the context for a number of the locals' favorite recreational activities. On warm sunny days, regardless of whether or not it is a weekend, the beach located just across the Old Bridge from the city center is always packed with happy swimmers, sunbathers, and BBQ aficionados. From the dock at City Park you can take an hour-long riverboat cruise out beyond the city limits, or you can be the captain of your own vessel by renting a paddle or row boat from the boathouse near the beach. With only a small amount of preparation (and even smaller amount of encouragement), you can easily entice anyone into joining you for a picnic and swim just 10 minutes up river from downtown. Pathways and parks on both banks also are nice places to take walks and absorb the beauty.

Catherine's Travel Palace (Putevoy Dvorets)

Commissioned by Catherine the Great to be constructed as a place to rest on her journeys between Moscow and St. Petersburg , this 1775 structure is one of the more imposing, and certainly one of the most impressive buildings in the city. Inside you will find 18th century interiors, furniture, and other items complimentary to the tastes of the Tsars. Fronted by a statue of Mikhail Kalinin, for whom Tver's Soviet-era name is derived, the Putevoy Dvorets also houses the city's Art Gallery with a decent collection of Russian and Western European works. Located at Ulitsa Sovetskaya 3 on the edge of City Park , the palace is open from 11am-6pm Wed-Sun, and admission is only around 15 rubles.

Museum of Tver Life

Housed in an 18th century merchant's house opposite the Volga River from the main city center is the Museum of Tver Life . On display are a variety of arts, handcrafts, furniture, and domestic artifacts that have been used in the city and the outlaying lands throughout the centuries. Located just off Ulitsa Gorkogo at Ulitsa Nakhimova 3/21, the museum is open from 11am-5pm Wed-Sun, and admission is only about 10 rubles.