How much does accommodation for pilgrims cost?

From 400 RUB per bed per night. Discounts apply for stays of 7+ nights — a 3-5 day pilgrimage stay comes to about 400 RUB per night. Meals are not included — this matters for fasting pilgrims: you plan your own meals by the Orthodox calendar. Bed linen, Wi-Fi, kitchen and parking are included.

Can I cook lenten meals in the kitchen and keep my own food in the fridge?

Yes, the kitchen is open 24/7: electric stove with 4 burners, microwave, kettle, all cookware for lenten meals. Store your grains, vegetables, oil, canned mushrooms on a named shelf in the shared fridge — label bags with your name. The top shelf is traditionally set aside for lenten food. We do not cook a shared menu — you are free in your choice of food and mealtimes.

Can I set up an icon corner in my room and store holy water and prosphora?

Yes, bringing icons, placing them on the bedside table, storing holy water in bottles and prosphora wrapped in a clean towel is allowed. There is enough space at the bedside for morning or evening prayer. Please do not leave lit candles unattended — fire safety in a shared building.

What if a female pilgrim forgot her headscarf or skirt for the monastery?

Most monasteries in Tula Region (Shcheglov, St Nicholas, Venyov, Optina) provide spare headscarves and wrap-around skirts at the entrance free of charge. A headscarf can be bought at any Magnit supermarket near the hostel, a long skirt at clothing shops on Sovetskaya Street. Footwear should be closed and comfortable for standing through a 1.5-2 hour liturgy.

Are quiet hours observed if I get up at 5-6 a.m. for the first service?

Yes, quiet hours from 23:00 to 07:00 are strictly observed. We do not host noisy groups. Getting up at 5-6 a.m. is common. Tell the administrator at check-in — you will be given a bed near the door to leave without disturbing others.

Can I check in at night or early morning?

Yes, check-in is 24/7. You can arrive late evening after an all-night vigil or at 4 a.m. for the first train to Optina. The administrator is always at reception.

What documents are needed for check-in?

For Russian citizens — an internal passport. For foreign pilgrims — a foreign passport with a migration card; if needed we file the arrival notification within 24 hours as the law requires.

Hostel for Pilgrims in Tula | From 400₽

Why Pilgrims Choose Us

Everything you need for a peaceful stay in Tula

Travelling to Tula to venerate the Dormition Cathedral, Shcheglov Monastery, or the holy springs near Venyov — but the guesthouse at the monastery is full or too expensive? The "Myagko i Tochka" hostel at 171 Karl Marx Street is a quiet base for a 2-5 day pilgrimage route through the shrines of Tula Region. In the morning you leave by taxi or bus for the monastery, spend the day at services and holy places, and in the evening return to a clean room where you can pray peacefully before sleep and keep candles, icons, and blessed food until the next day.

Check-in is 24/7 by passport — you can arrive late evening after the vigil or at 4 a.m. for the first train to Optina. From 400 RUB per bed per night — two to three times cheaper than mini-guesthouses at the monasteries, and only 800 metres on foot to the Tula Kremlin. We host solo pilgrims, couples, and small parish groups of up to 12 people. Meals are not included in the price — and this is on principle: fasting pilgrims plan their own meals according to the Orthodox calendar rather than adjusting to someone else's menu.

Near Churches

The Assumption Cathedral in the Tula Kremlin is 800 m on foot. The All Saints Cathedral, the Church of the Annunciation and other holy sites are within easy reach

Kitchen for Fasting Meals

Fully equipped kitchen: stove, microwave, refrigerator, kettle and dishes. Prepare your fasting meals yourself while observing your fast

Quiet Atmosphere

Quiet hours from 23:00 to 7:00, calm and respectful environment. Ideal for pilgrims who value peace and the ability to rise early for morning services

24/7 Check-in

Round-the-clock check-in, every day of the week. Arrive late in the evening after a service or early in the morning for matins — we will accommodate you at any time

From 400₽ per Night

Affordable bed prices. Discounts for extended stays (7 nights or more). Bed linen, hot water and heating are included

Security

Gated premises, video surveillance, 24-hour administrator on duty. Your belongings are safe while you attend services

Pilgrimage to Tula — Where to Stay

Holy Sites of Tula Within Walking Distance

Hostel Cozy Hostel in Tula is located in the center of Tula at 171 Karl Marx Street — 800 meters from the Tula Kremlin with the Assumption Cathedral. The All Saints Cathedral, the Church of the Annunciation, the Church of the Twelve Apostles — all within easy reach. The Shcheglovskiy Monastery can be reached in 15 minutes by transport.

Convenience for Believers

The hostel has a calm and respectful atmosphere. Quiet hours from 23:00 to 7:00 let you rest well and rise for morning services. A fully equipped kitchen allows you to prepare fasting meals yourself without breaking your fast. Washing machine, hot water and Wi-Fi are all included in the price.

Near the hostel — the Magnit supermarket (3-4 minutes on foot) for lenten food, drinking water for holy water bottles, and thin wax church candles; the Rigla pharmacy (5 minutes) for blister and anti-chafing plasters, elastic bandages for knee or ankle, and joint supplements — a full day at Optina or Kulikovo Field means 8-15 km on foot, and these can be essential.

Affordable Prices for Pilgrims

Beds from 400 rubles per night — significantly cheaper than a hotel. Discounts available for stays of 7 nights or more. 24/7 check-in means you can arrive at any time — after an evening service or early in the morning. An administrator is always on site to help with accommodation.

Distances to 7 Shrines of Tula Region and What to Bring

Plan a 2-5 day route and organise trips from the "Myagko i Tochka" hostel. Confirm service times by phone with the monasteries and churches on the eve of each trip — during fasts, major feasts, and Great Lent the schedule changes.

Shrine	Address	Distance from hostel	How to get there	Services (regular days)	What to bring
Dormition Cathedral, Tula Kremlin	Tula, Kremlin, building 1	0.8 km	10 min on foot along Lenin Avenue	Liturgy 8:00, vespers 17:00	Headscarf and skirt for women, candles, prayer notes
Shcheglov Monastery of the Mother of God	Tula, Liza Chaikina St., 1	6 km	15 min by taxi, bus No. 28	Liturgy 7:30 (weekdays), 8:30 (Sun.), vespers 17:00	Modest clothing, headscarf, 1-2 L bottle for holy water
St Nicholas Church on Rzhavets	Tula, Lozhevaya St., 129	3.5 km	10 min by taxi, trolleybus No. 2	Liturgy 8:00, vespers 16:00	Headscarf, candles, commemoration notes
St John the Baptist Monastery (Venyov)	Venyov, Volodarsky St., 32	52 km northeast	~1 hour by taxi, bus from Tula bus station (2-3 runs/day)	Liturgy 8:00, vespers 16:00	Warm clothes in autumn/winter, bottles for spring water, packed lunch
Holy Trinity Cathedral in Odoyev	Odoyev, K. Marx St., 25	75 km southwest	~1 hr 20 min by taxi, bus from bus station (morning/day)	Liturgy 8:30, vespers 16:00	Packed food for the day, candles, headscarf, cash (cards work worse in the district)
Optina Pustyn (Kozelsk, Kaluga region)	Kozelsk, Optina Pustyn Monastery	145 km west	~2 hr 30 min by taxi, bus Tula → Kaluga → Kozelsk (day trip)	Midnight office 5:30, liturgy 8:30 and 9:30, vespers 17:00	Full day kit, warm clothes, bottles for holy water, thin candles
Kulikovo Field and St Sergius of Radonezh Church	Kimovsky District, Ivanovka village	110 km southeast	~1 hr 40 min by taxi, weekend excursion bus	Moleben by church schedule (check with the museum-reserve)	Comfortable shoes, water, hat in summer

Time base: Tula Kremlin and city churches — until lunch, all-night vigil in the evening; Shcheglov Monastery and St Nicholas — full day from one trip; Venyov and Odoyev — a separate day starting early morning; Optina Pustyn and Kulikovo Field — one full day each. In 3 days you can comfortably cover the city shrines + Shcheglov + one out-of-town monastery.

What Matters for a Pilgrim: Fasting Food, Silence, Icon Corner

Fasting meals — cook them yourself in the shared kitchen

Meals are not included in the price — and for a fasting pilgrim this is a plus. It is hard to keep a strict fast in Tula cafés and canteens: even a "lenten menu" is often cooked in the same oil as meat dishes. In our kitchen you cook your own buckwheat, stew cabbage, make lenten soup from your own ingredients. Electric stove (4 burners), microwave, refrigerator with named shelves per guest, kettle, all kitchenware — pans, pots, plates, mugs. Fasting products go on the top shelf of the fridge, kept apart from other guests' non-fasting food.

Silence for early liturgy

Quiet hours from 23:00 to 07:00 are strictly observed — this is written in the rules and stated at check-in. The hostel is small, most guests are adults, we do not accept noisy groups. Rooms hold 4-8 beds — you will typically share with other early risers: business travellers, long-haul drivers between routes, older tourists. If you plan to get up at 5-6 a.m. for the first service, tell reception in advance — they will give you a bed near the door so you do not wake anyone while packing.

Icon corner and keeping holy objects in the room

You may bring icons, candles, holy water and prosphora into your room — this is not against the rules and will not raise any questions with the administrator. Each guest has a personal bedside table and a place in the shared wardrobe: place icons on the table, put a bottle of holy water in the wardrobe, keep prosphora and antidoron wrapped in a clean towel. If you need to pray morning or evening, there is enough space at the bedside to stand and make prostrations.

5 Tips for a Pilgrim Setting Out from Tula to the Shrines

Confirm service times by phone with the church

Monastery websites are rarely updated. The day before departure, call the church office or the monastery duty phone: ask what time liturgy is, whether confession is available, and whether there are any restrictions for the day (brotherly refectory not open to laity, cross procession, patronal feast). This saves you an empty trip.

Leave early morning with a time buffer

Venyov or Odoyev is 1-1.5 hours from Tula on an empty road, but morning traffic leaving the city adds 30-40 minutes. Leaving the hostel at 6:00-6:30 gets you comfortably to a distant monastery liturgy at 8:00. Order the taxi the night before with a fixed price — morning tariffs can be higher.

Take bottles for holy water and food for the road

Springs at monasteries usually do not sell empty bottles. Take plastic bottles of 1.5-2 L with a wide neck (easier to fill from a ladle), a simple bag for prosphora and antidoron, a thermos with hot water or tea for a snack on the road. Pack a lenten lunch — bread, vegetables, soaked apples — from our kitchen in the morning.

Observe the monastery dress code

For women: headscarf, skirt below the knee or a long dress, covered shoulders. Most monasteries provide spare headscarves and wrap-around skirts at the entrance, but bringing your own is better. For men: long trousers (no shorts), a shirt or T-shirt with sleeves. Optina and Shcheglov Monastery are strict about appearance; city churches in Tula are more relaxed.

Return to the hostel by 22:00 if you plan an early morning

After an evening service at a distant monastery it is tempting to stay for the end of the vigil. Remember: the last buses to Tula from Venyov and Odoyev leave at 19:00-20:00, and late-night taxis cost 1.5-2 times more. Come back with time to spare, be in bed by 23:00 — you will need to get up at 6:30 for the morning service at the Dormition Cathedral.

Hostel for Pilgrims in Tula