The Battle of Borodino

Revisiting Napoleon's Bloodiest Day

Travel Tips

by LTC Villahermosa and Matt DeLaMater
artwork by Mark Churms and Steven Palatka

John Sloan, retired U.S. Army Colonel and Russian military expert, has taken several tour groups to Borodino. He offered us some travel advice.

Safety: Moscow is fairly safe, but pickpockets are not unusual and also watch out for shady taxi operators. The mafiya isn't interested in routine tourists. I have traveled alone, but don't recommend it for the inexperienced. I advise going with a small group of like-minded folks and get a tour company to handle the arrangements. This provides safety in numbers and some reduced prices for the group.

Air transport: We flew Aeroflot last summer and it was excellent (and cheaper than western airlines). Flights are limited to 1-2 a week from selected U.S. cities. I would fly to Moscow and then take the train to other cities. Try to avoid flying domestic air inside Russia. To tour the 1812 campaign route, you could fly to Warsaw or Minsk and then take a tour bus to Moscow - then fly home from Moscow.

Accommodations: I recommend the Hotel Ismailovo - very big and tour friendly. The Russia right by Red Square and the International, Intourist, and other hotels downtown are extremely expensive. The Ismailovo is out east a ways but on a subway line.

Restaurants: All the hotels have decent restaurants and offer package rates for food and room. Generally I eat only breakfast and some dinners at the hotels as it's waste of time to go back for lunch. (Moscow has McDonalds.)

Car rental and hiring a driver: I advise against renting a car and driving to Borodino. The danger of accident and traffic tickets is very high. You must also get insurance coverage and an international driving license. I recommend using the travel company or the hotel to hire a reputable driver. Driving in Moscow is a nightmare - worse traffic than anyplace in the U.S, Borodino is a 2-3 hour drive.

Battlefield visit: You can see battlefield and museum in 4 hours easily. Everything is well marked with monuments like Gettysburg (but in Russian!). Go to the small museum before walking the field.: The museum has maps in Russian so, take an English reference with you. The nearest town, Mozaisk, has a restaurant but no good hotel. The battlefield is an ideal place to take a picnic lunch.

Tour guides: Although at least one of the museum staff speaks English, they don't give guided tours. I recommend the Moscow Military Historians Association whose members, like retired Colonel Kuznetsov, have always taken me around.

The Borodino cyclorama in Moscow: They do give guided tours; probably have them in English but I heard only Russian. There are rooms full of paintings, uniforms, etc., and a lot more than the cyclorama itself. It has a nice gift shop and I think are open standard business days. Contact Galina Ivanovna Gerasimova at Borodino Battle Panorama Museum, Kutozovsky Prospect 38,121170 Moscow. Telephone 148-79-78, fax 148-9489

More Battle of Borodino

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