Tarusa

This tiny Russian town on the Oka River where it meets the Tarusa River, with a centre of largely single-storey 19th-century buildings so well preserved that the town holds protected status as a natural and architectural reserve and appears on Russia's register of historic cities. A short drive from Serpukhov, it has cafés and restaurants in its compact core and sits directly on the water.

• Population10,180
• Nearest water0.8 km