On a summer Friday afternoon, the trains and roads are packed with people off to their "dacha" for the weekend to tend their gardens, take walks, and just relax. Backpacks stuffed with food and plants, and cars piled high with lumber and supplies to take to the country.
Dachas are privately owned country houses or cottages located anywhere from the near suburbs to over 200 kilometers away. It is possible to rent a dacha (or a room in a dacha) for a whole season or for a shorter time. Look for rentals in newspapers or see APARTMENT RENTALS and REAL ESTATE AGENTS.
Dachas are built of wood or brick and can be quite large. The bath facilities vary; luxurious occasionally, simple frequently. Running water in a dacha is a luxury, the toilet is often in a separate building in the yard, showers are a rarity, separate Russian-style bath houses located near a lake or river, are more frequent. Most dachas have electricity, telephones are few and the stove provides heat. In general, they are a special place to be in the summer.
Gardening is a major activity and almost every respectable dacha has a large garden with flowers, berries, fruits and vegetables.
The most fashionable areas for dacha rentals in Moscow are in the directions of Belorusskoe, Kievskoe, Leningradskoe, Rizhskoe and the very best area is around Zvenigorod in the Belorusskoe direction.
The areas where the Government members’ dachas are located, namely, Arkhangelskoe (BB5), Barvikha (BB4), Ilinskoe and Petrovo-Dalnee, are known for their beauty and clean environment. Romash is a very prestigious, expensive place not far from the city. Other good areas are around Klin & Solnechnogorsk (Leningradskoe direction).