Founded as an industrial center, Tula, Russia, has a number of sites worth a day trip from Moscow, 110 mi/180 km to the north. Visit the 500-year-old Kremlin, the History of Arms Museum (http://www.arms-museum.tula.ru) and the Imperial Small Arms Factory (founded by Peter the Great in 1712; http://www.tulatoz.ru).
Some of Russia's finest samovars (teapots) were created in Tula, and there is a collection on view in the Samovar Museum near the Kremlin (http://www.tula-samovar.com.ru/museum.html). The city's most famous draw, however, is nearby Yasnaya Polyana (http://www.yasnayapolyana.ru), the country estate of author Leo Tolstoy. While there, visit his home, museum and (unmarked) gravesite. Also try some Tulsky pryanik (gingerbread), a traditional Russian cookie.
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