Ryazan Oblast

Ryazan Oblast is a region in Central Russia, which borders Lipetsk Oblast to the southwest, Tula Oblast to the west, Moscow Oblast to the northwest, Vladimir Oblast to the north, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast to the northeast, Mordovia to the east, Penza Oblast to the southeast, and Tambov Oblast to the south.

• Ryazan — Ryazan is one of the older cities of Russia, which has its own kremlin that served as a major fortress on the border of Tatar and Russian lands for centuries
• Kasimov — a large town that has gone back and forth between being Russian and Tatar—to which its mix of minarets and onion domes is testament
• Solotcha — once known (with some pretence) as an "Italy in Ryazan," Solotcha is a quiet town in the suburbs of Ryazan and home to the Solotchinsky Convent, which dates back some 700 years

• Konstantinovo - the home village and museum of a famous Russian poet, Sergey Yesenin
• Meshchersky National Park
• Oksky Nature Reserve

Russian will come in handy, especially outside of Ryazan.

The capital, Ryazan, is a 3 hour train ride from Moscow

Be sure to try some of the local mead (медовуха myohd-uh-VOO-khuh)