Just outside the city of Liski, on the banks of the River Don, is an area of outstanding beauty that is characterised by it natural chalk pillars, known as ‘divy’ (from the Russian word for ‘miracle’). Both the area as a whole and the main village here is known as Divnogorye (“Miraculous Mountain”). In addition, several churches and monasteries have been established in caves dug out of the chalk mountains and pillars and these are both popular tourist destinations and places of pilgrimage. The charm is of course added to by the beautiful nature surrounding the Don - one of European Russia’s most iconic rivers.