Dmitrov is one of the older towns north of Moscow, founded in the 12th century and still arranged around a walkable historic core. It does not have the spectacle of Sergiev Posad, but it has enough for a good day: kremlin earthworks, churches, a monastery, small museums, and the last home of anarchist thinker Peter Kropotkin.
The Dmitrov Kremlin is the anchor. Its defences are broad earthen ramparts rather than stone walls, which gives the centre a softer, greener feel than many Russian fortress towns. Nearby, Boris and Gleb Monastery adds the monastic side of the story, while the Kropotkin House Museum pulls the town into the early Soviet years.
Come by train from Moscow if services are practical, and plan to walk. Dmitrov's centre is compact, and the pleasure is in linking the sights without turning the day into a checklist.