Peredelkino is a rare case where a trip "out of town" takes just twenty minutes by electric train. Officially, it's part of New Moscow, but in reality, it's a pine forest, dachas, and completely different air.
This place is famous for being home to writers such as Pasternak, Chukovsky, Okudzhava, and Yevtushenko from the 1930s onward. Today, their dachas are museums, and nearby is the House of Creativity, which has evolved from a Soviet-era writers' sanatorium into a cultural hub offering lectures, exhibitions, and residencies.
How to get there
The electric train from Kievsky Railway Station or the MCD-4 line to Peredelkino Station takes about 20 minutes, with a ticket costing less than 100 rubles. From the station, it's a 15-20 minute walk through the forest to the House of Creativity, and this stroll is part of the experience.
Alternative: Novopere-delkino metro station, then bus #316 to the stop "House of Writers."
This is the cheapest and fastest way to get out of town from all Moscow directions—cheaper and closer than Kolomna or Sergiyev Posad.
House museums
The museum cluster includes the dachas of Pasternak, Chukovsky, Okudzhava, and Yevtushenko. Pasternak's house and Chukovsky's house are located on streets perpendicular to Pogodin Street, where the House of Creativity is situated.
The Boris Pasternak House-Museum is the very house where *Doctor Zhivago* was written. The interior has been preserved, and guided tours are available.
The Chukovsky House Museum is the most lively of all, especially with children: everything here is about "Moidodyr" and "Aybolit," and the house still looks as if the owner just stepped out for a moment.
⚠️ Important: The schedules of the house-museums vary, and you need to sign up for tours in advance by phone. Arriving spontaneously and getting inside doesn't always work—this is the main mistake in Peredelkino.
The Patriarchal Residence and Cathedral
Another entirely separate reason to visit Peredelkino is one that those who come "to see the writers" usually don't know about.
Since 1952, Peredelkino has been the official suburban residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus', and since 1991, the Savior-Transfiguration Patriarchal Estate has operated here.
Next to the residence stands the Cathedral of St. Igor of Chernigov—the one with the colorful domes visible from afar. The idea to build a large church belonged to Patriarch Alexy II, the project was approved in 2005, and the cathedral was consecrated by Patriarch Kirill on June 17, 2013.
The domes are covered in colorful tiles, making the building so ornate that it is often compared to St. Basil's Cathedral. This architecture is completely atypical for the Moscow Region, and many people come here just to see it.
The territory of the courtyard is open, the church is active.
House of Creativity
A former writers' sanatorium that has been relaunched as a cultural space. Here you'll find lectures, performances, exhibitions, a bookstore, and a café, while the grounds feature a pond, a forest, and contemporary installations among the pines.
This is the place to go if literary museums aren't your thing: the area is open, pleasant to walk around, and everything is beautifully lit up at night.
The pond on the grounds of the House of Creativity: in the evening, installations are illuminated, and the forest is reflected in the water.
The schedule of events should be checked in advance—the program changes every week.
This is suitable for whom
Drive here if you want peace and quiet and forests without a long journey; if you're interested in 20th-century literature; if you need a half-day "out of town" option, not a full day.
Don't expect the grandeur of estates like Tsaritsyno or Kolomenskoye—there's nothing like that here. Peredelkino is about dachas, pines, and conversations, not palaces.
How much time should be allocated?
Half a day is enough: round trip travel, one or two house-museums, and a walk around the grounds of the Creative House. If you take guided tours at both museums, it will take a full day.
As an option for the third day of your trip, Peredelkino works better than distant excursions: you can return to the city by evening. Other options are in "Moscow in 3 Days".
When to go
Best during late spring and early autumn: pine forest, long days, comfortable weather. It's beautiful in winter, but it gets dark early, and the walk from the station through the snow takes longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get to Peredelkino? By electric train from Kievsky Station or by MCD-4 to the "Peredelkino" station - about 20 minutes. Then a 15-20 minute walk through the forest.
How much is it? The trip is less than 100 rubles one way. The grounds of the House of Creativity are open, but the museums require tickets.
Do I need to book in advance? Yes, for the house-museum tours, by phone. The museums have different schedules, so check them before you go.
What to do in Peredelkino if you're not interested in museums? Walk around the Territory of the House of Creativity, attend a lecture or exhibition, sit at a cafe, or take a walk in the forest.
