► Tours  ► St Petersburg and Moscow tours ► Two capitals and the Golden Ring

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 Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to your hotel.

  A driver with a sign saying   will wait for you in the arrival area of the airport. Free time in the city, although if you arrive in the morning we can organise an excursion on this day.

• OPTIONAL EXTRA • MOSCOW •

Moscow by Night.
An evening excursion around the main sights of Moscow including Victory Park, Red Square, the viewing platform at Sparrow Hills, Novodevichy Convent, Christ the Saviour Cathedral, the Garden Ring and Moscow City.​  Duration: 3 hours |  Transportation: by private car        PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 10400 10920 11700 12800

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 DAY2 | MOSCOW - CITY TOUR - KREMLIN

• Red Square – one of the most famous squares in the world, famous for St Basil’s Cathedral which is one of the most recognisable symbols of Russia.
• Lenin’s Mausoleum – where the body of Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the World Proletariat, still lies, embalmed in a glass box.
• GUM – a famous shopping centre located on Red Square.
• Aleksandrovsky Gardens – gardens which run along the northern wall of the Kremlin.
• Lubyanka KGB Building – an impressive building once home to the KGB; it is now the headquarters of the Federal Security Bureau.
• Zaryadye Park - a unique park built where the massive Soviet-Style Hotel Rossia once stood. It contains representations of various natural landscapes found in Russia.
• Christ the Saviour Cathedral – the largest place of worship in Russia, it was rebuilt in the 1990s after the original was destroyed on the orders of Stalin.
• Ulitsa Arbat – a popular pedestrian street which has souvenir shops and many bars and restaurants.

You will also have the following excursions around:

• Moscow Kremlin - you will go inside the famous fortress which is now home to the Russian president and will see the Tsar Canon, Tsar Bell and go inside the Kremlin’s cathedrals.
• Moscow Metro – you will go to the most beautiful stations of the metro system which is often said to be the most beautiful in the world.

 Duration: 8 hours | Transportation: by metro

• OPTIONAL EXTRA • MOSCOW •

Guided Tour of the Romanov's Chambers
One of the oldest surviving stone buildings in Moscow. The chambers are separated into women and men sections which have been recreated to give visitors a feeling of the life of nobles in mediaeval Russia. Tour availability: daily except Tuesdays  Duration: 1 hour        PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 3120 4160 5720 7280

Guided Tour of the Bolshoi Theatre
An excursion to one of the most famous theatres in the world. You will see not only the main stage but also behind the curtains. Tour availability: daily except weekends and August  Duration: 1h30         PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 13650 13650 15340 18720

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 DAY 3 | TRETYAKOV GALLERY - NOVODEVICHY CONVENT

 Breakfast in the hotel.

  Guided Tour of the Novodevichy Convent - a masterpiece of Russian baroque architecture and the most beautiful convent in Moscow, which was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. Novodevichy Convent, whose name translates as New Maiden Convent, was founded in 1524 on the orders of Grand Prince Vasily III of Moscow to celebrate Russia's recapture of Smolensk in 1514. In addition, the neighbouring Novodevichy Cemetery is the burial place of many outstanding figures of science, culture, art, politics, as well as military leaders and war heroes. Many of the tombstones are very elaborate and the work of famous sculptors. Just by walking around the graves you can learn a lot about Russian history.

 Guided Tour of the Tretyakov Gallery – home to one of the world's largest collections of Russian art. Since its foundation in 1856, the gallery has collected has more than 170,000 exhibits including some of the most famous Russian artworks and ancient icons.

 Duration: 7 hours | Transportation: by metro

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 DAY 4 | FREE DAY IN MOSCOW

  Breakfast in the hotel.

 Free day in Moscow. You can spend this day either exploring Moscow by yourself or by ordering an additional excursion, including an excursion outside of Moscow.

 Recommended optional excursions:

Excursion to Sergiev Posad
Visit one of the holiest places in Russia, where thousands of pilgrims comes daily to pay homage to the shrine of St Sergius of Radonezh. Excursion with a local guide. Tour availability: daily  Duration: 6-7 hours |  Transportation: by private car        PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 14300 15600 19500 23400

Yasnaya Polyana Excursion
Yasnaya Polyana excursion – an excursion to the favourite place of Russia’s greatest writer - Lev Tolstoy. It is where he created many of his masterpieces and where he is buried. Tour availability: daily except Mondays  Duration: about 12 hours |  Transportation: by train and by private car.      PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 24960 35880 40170 50310

Star-City Excursion

The international cosmonaut training centre. Every cosmonaut who goes to the International Space Station must undergo a training programme here. If you are lucky you will even see real cosmonauts going about their training. Due to the strategic importance of this object this excursion requires additional confirmation from the Russian Security Department and must be booked 45 working days in advance. Tour availability: Daily except weekends  Duration: 5-6 hours |  Transportation: by private car        PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 25350 27300 31200 35750

Leninskie Gorki Excursion

The estate where the founder of the USSR - Vladimir Lenin - spent his last few years and where he died and was embalmed for the first time. During the excursion  you will learn how the Soviet leader came to power and about life in the USSR. Tour availability: Daily except Mondays  Duration: about 6 hours |  Transportation: by private car.      PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 18720 20020 23270 26650

Kolomenskoe Estate Excursion

A visit to the former country residence of the grand princes of Moscow and the early Russian tsars such as Ivan the Terrible. The highlight of the estate is the UNESCO-protected Ascension Church which is unique as it is the first Russian church to feature a tent-dome and represents a break with the traditional Byzantine architectural style and the beginning of a distinct Russian architectural style. Tour availability: daily except Mondays  Duration: 3 hours |  Transportation: by metro        PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 9880 11960 14040 15470

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 DAY 5 | VLADIMIR - SUZDAL

 Morning transfer from your hotel to Moscow’s Kursky Railway Station. The driver will wait for you in the reception of the hotel with a sign saying .

 Lastochka express train to Vladimir.

 Duration: 2 hours

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Arrival in Vladimir and transfer to the starting point of the excursion. The driver will meet you outside your carriage with a sign saying .

 City tour of Vladimir – Vladimir was once the mediaeval capital of the Russian state and so is an important city in terms of Russian history. The highlights of this tour include:

• Dormition Cathedral - the main cathedral of the city. For over 200 years this cathedral held the revered Our Lady of Vladimir Icon, which Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky brought from Vyshgorod in Ukraine to Vladimir. The icon was later transferred to Moscow and can now be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery. According to legend, the icon was created by Luke the Evangelist.
• Golden Gates - a rare monument of Russian 12th century defensive architecture and all that remains of the walls which once surrounded Vladimir.
• St Demetrius’ Cathedral - one of the most remarkable monuments of mediaeval Rus. It was built in the 1190s as a palace temple of Grand Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest of Vladimir and is decorated on the outside with engravings of plants and animals, while the interior still retains fragments of frescos by Andrey Rublev.

 Duration: 2 hours |  Transportation: by car

 Transfer from Vladimir to your hotel in Suzdal.

 Distance: 40km

 Night in Suzdal.

• OPTIONAL EXTRA • SUZDAL •

Excursion to Bogolyubovo

Bogolyubovo is famous due to its place in Russian history and for having one of the most beautiful churches in Russia - the Intercession Church on the Nerl. Please note that to get to the church you need to walk about 1km as the surrounding area is protected by UNESCO and no cars are allowed.          PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 3250 4680 4940 6240  Duration: 2 hours |  Transportation: by a private car

Russian Banya Experience

Russian Banya – the banya (a traditional Russian steam room) occupies a special place in traditional Russian life. All visitors should try a real Russian banya if they get the chance and what could be better than going to a traditional banya in the picturesque city of Suzdal. At the banya you will be provided with a towel, sheet, aromatic tea and homemade jam. You could also even order in advance shashlyk (Russian kebab), tea from a samovar, a traditional homemade Russian meal and, weather permitting, the chance to refresh yourself after the heat of the steam by jumping into a pile of snow or into freezing water through a whole cut in the ice. Can you imagine a more Russian experience?!  Duration: 2 hours    PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 4000 4000 6000 7000

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 DAY 6 | SUZDAL 

  Breakfast in the hotel.

  City tour of Suzdal - Suzdal is perhaps the highlight of the Golden Ring, as the whole city is an open-air museum thanks to it being practically unspoiled by modernisation and industrialisation. On this excursion you will visit:

• Suzdal Kremlin - this is the oldest part and historical core of the city. Although the kremlin's walls no longer stand, parts of the earthen mound fortifications do remain. The buildings inside the kremlin are now used as museums.
• Nativity Cathedral (1222) – the kremlin’s cathedral is the Nativity Cathedral and the current version stands on the place of an 11th century version which was built on the orders of Vladimir Monomakh. The interior features stunning frescos as well as a necropolis where the sons of Yury Dolgoruky have been interred along with several members of various noble families from Suzdal.
• Spaso-Yefimiev Monastery (1352) – this is the largest monastery in Suzdal and with its large fortified walls it is often mistaken for being the Suzdal Kremlin. Today it is a museum with various exhibitions including its main cathedral with its amazing frescos.
• Museum of the Wooden Architecture and Peasant life – this collection of wooden buildings, including churches and windmills, from various parts of European Russia is one of the best of architectural museums in Russia. It now resembles a village in itself made up of beautiful examples of 17th - 19th century wooden buildings which have been brought here to protect them from fire or from being dismantled.
• Trading Rows (1812) – Suzdal’s set of trading rows are still used for their original purpose and a souvenir market is held outside where you can buy a whole range of souvenirs, including bottles of the mead for which Suzdal is famed.

 Duration: 3½ hours |  Transportation: by a private car

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 Free time in Suzdal.

 16:00 | Transfer from Suzdal to Rostov Veliky. 

During the transfer you will pass through the territory known as Opolye where the landscape is not at all typical for the north-eastern part of European Russia and characterised by its open fields and wide open spaces.

 Distance: 154km

 19:00 | Arrival in Rostov Veliky and check-in at the hotel.

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 DAY 7 | ROSTOV VELIKY

  Breakfast in the hotel.

  City tour of Rostov Veliky - On this excursion you will visit:

• Rostov Kremlin – the former residence of the metropolitan of the Rostov Eparchy which is called a kremlin due to its large, fortified walls which were built more to look impressive rather than to provide a defensive function. The white stone kremlin is a monument of pre-Petrine Russian architecture.
• Dormition Cathedral – the main cathedral in the kremlin which dates from the 16th century and was modelled of the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. It is 60 metres in height. Next to the cathedral is a belfry containing 15 unique bells, whose sound is widely celebrated across Russia.
• Museum of Rostov Finift – Rostov finift enamel painting has been a famous local handicraft since the 18th century. This museum has over 3000 examples on display.
• Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery – Rostov’s Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery was founded in approximately 1390 by Bishop Jacob (Yakov) of Rostov, after whom it is now named. After the Kremlin it is the most beautiful sight in the city with its eclectic Conception of Anna Church and St Jacob of Rostov's Church.

 Duration: 3 hours.  Transportation: by car

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 Free time in the city.

 17:00 | Transfer from Rostov Veliky to Yaroslavl.

 Distance: 58km 

 18:00 | Arrival in Yaroslavl and check-in at the hotel. Night in Yaroslavl.

• OPTIONAL EXTRA • ROSTOV • 

Guided Tour of the Rostov Finift Factory
Guided tour of the Rostov Finift Factory – although it is a factory, a large part of making finift is still done by hand. On this tour you will have a unique opportunity to see masters at working creating miniatures on the enamel. Master classes on painting Rostov finift are also an option.  Duration: 1h.     PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 6500 8580 11050 13000

Boat trip around Lake Nero (from May to October only)
A 30-minute trip during the day out onto the lake from where you can enjoy stunning views of the kremlin and the monasteries of Rostov.  Duration: 30min.      PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 3380 6760 10140 13520

Excursion to the Borisoglebsky Monastery

This trip into the Russian provinces is rewarded by a magnificent fortified monastery which has practically remained unchanged over the centuries. It was founded in 1363 by the monks Fyodor and Pavel with the blessing of St Sergius of Radonezh and was dedicated to Russia's first native saints.  Duration: 2h. |  Transportation: by a private car      PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 5330 8060 12090 16120

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 DAY 5 | YAROSLAVL

 Breakfast in the hotel.

 Walking tour around Yaroslavl. The highlights of the tour are:

• Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery – one of the largest, richest and best fortified monasteries of the 16th century. It is closely associated with the volunteer army of Minin and Pozharsky which was based here while it prepared to liberate Moscow from the Poles in the early 17th century. Inside the monastery is the Transfiguration Cathedral which is the oldest surviving building in Yaroslavl and was built on the site of an even older church between 1506 and 1516. It interior is decorated with spectacular frescos. To protect these unique frescos it can only be visited between May and October.
• Volga Embankment - this embankment running along the River Volga is one of the prettiest places in Yaroslavl and several historical churches and other buildings are located here. From here you can enjoy great views of the largest river in Europe. 
• St Elijah the Prophet’s Church (17th Century) - this church is a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture which is stunningly beautiful on the outside and on the inside thanks to its detailed frescos and amazing iconostasis. To protect these unique frescos it can only be visited between May and October.

 Duration: 2 hours |  Transportation: walking

 Free time in the city.

 21:20 | Transfer from your hotel to the railway station in Yaroslavl. 

 22:22 | Premium train to St Petersburg. Night in the train.

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 DAY 9 | ARRIVAL IN ST PETERSBURG 

 11:50 | Arrival in St Petersburg and transfer to your hotel - a driver will wait for you in next to your carriage with a sign saying . 

  Free time in St Petersburg.

• OPTIONAL EXTRA • ST PETERSBURG •

St Petersburg by Night Excursion.

Twilight is a great time to see St Petersburg and the wonderful panorama of the Neva opening up to the Strelka and Peter and Paul Fortress. Plus it is only at night that you can see one of St Petersburg’s most famous spectacles – the opening up of its bridges. This event attracts lots of tourists daily, especially around the Dvortsovy, Troitsky and Blagoveschesky Bridges.  Duration: 3 hours |  Transportation: by a private car      PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 8060 9360 10270 10790

Peterhof Palace and Park Excursion

Peterhof Palace and Park - this is the most visited imperial residence outside of St Petersburg and is often called the Russian Versailles. Peter the Great decided to decorate his new residence on the Gulf of Finland with many fountains ranging in size from the massive cascade outside the Grand Palace to small fountains in the form of trees to trick unsuspecting guest.  Tour availability: daily except Mondays  Duration: 6 hours |  Transportation: by private car or on boat        PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 17210 20410 26520 31330

Oreshek Fotress (only from May to October) Excursion

This monument of mediaeval Russian defensive architecture is located on the source of the Neva. It was founded by Novgorodians in 1323 but from 1612 it was held by the Swedish until it was recaptured by Peter the Great in 1702. Having lost its strategic significance, it later became a prison for high profile prisoners. Imprisoned here were Yevdokia Lopukhina (Peter the Great's first wife), Emperor Ivan VI, several Decembrists, members of the People’s Will organisation (including Lenin’s brother who was executed here) and Polish nationals who fought for Polish liberation. Between 1941 and 1943 a small garrison at the fortress were able to hold out here and protect the Road of Life from the Nazis for over 500 days. Therefore many famous events in Russian history have a connection with this fascinating fortress.  Duration: about 6 hours |  Transportation: by private car and by boat      PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 18590 21450 27040 31590

Best Cathedrals of St Petersburg Excursion

This tour includes visits to the most striking and beautiful cathedrals of St Petersburg - St Issac's Cathedral, Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral, Chesme Church, Cathedral of the Ioannovsky Convent and the Cathedral of the Smolny Convent. These cathedrals represent different architectural styles and historical eras, but all are unique, grand and beautiful.  Duration: 6 hours |  Transportation: by a private car              PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 15340 19630 23660 28730

Guided tour of the Zoological Museum and Kunskamera

This guided tour will show you the most interesting natural history museums in St Petersburg: the Zoological Museum and the Kunstkamera. The Zoological Museum is the oldest zoological museum in Russia and has over 30,000 exhibits on display ranging from the smallest mollusc up to an enormous blue whale. When they are not on loan to other museums, the museum is home to Dima and Masha the baby mammoths which were discovered relatively well preserved after millennia spent in the permafrost of Siberia. The Kunstkamera was the first museum to be opened in Russia. It has a unique collection of artefacts which tell the history and everyday life of various peoples of the world. There is also a section on rare birth defects and anomalies, with the unfortunate babies and animals preserved in jars (it was hoped that people would become less superstitious if they became more aware of birth defects). In addition the early-18th century building in which the Kunstkamera is located is a monument in itself and has become the symbol of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Tour availability: daily except Mondays  Duration: 4 h |  Transportation: walking      PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 12350 13000 20670 21320

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 DAY 10 | CITY TOUR - HERMITAGE - PETER AND PAUL FORTRESS

 Breakfast in the hotel.

 A city tour around St Petersburg. The highlights of the tour are:

• Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral - one of the city's most famous landmarks with its instantly recognisable semi-circular colonnade with 96 columns.
• Peter the Great Monument (The Bronze Horseman) - the most famous monument in St Petersburg and one of its most recognisable symbols. It was a gift from Catherine the Great to the city.
• Field of Mars - a memorial field where many revolutionaries were buried and also where the first eternal flame in Russia was ignited.
• Rostral columns - symbols of the city which were used as lighthouses up until 1885.

 The city tour also includes:

• Guided Tour of the Peter and Paul Fortress – the original point of foundation of St Petersburg which later served as a prison for political prisoners. Its cathedral is the resting place for almost all Russian monarchs after Peter the Great. 
• Guided Tour of the State Hermitage - one of the most famous art galleries in the world which receives over 3.5 million visitors a year. It is located inside the Winter Palace which was once the official residence of the Russian emperors and empresses. Many of the palace's 365 rooms are filled with sculptures and paintings of world-renowned artists of all ages, although quite often the interiors of the palace outshine even these masterpieces. It is said that if you stand next to each of the exhibits or pictures for a minute, it will take eight years of your life to see everything. Our guide though knows shortcuts and will take you to the must-see exhibitions and rooms so you won’t need to stay there that long!

 Duration: about 7-8 hours |  Transportation: by a car and by metro

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 DAY 11 | SAVIOUR CATHEDRAL - PUSHKIN - CATHERINE PALACE

 Breakfast in the hotel.

• The collection of mosaics of this cathedral is one of the largest in Europe. The mosaics cover the whole interior of the cathedral, and the production of these masterpieces delayed the completion of the cathedral by ten years! Famous Russian masters - Vasnetsov, Nesterov, Belyaev, Kharlamov, Zhuravlev, Ryabushkin - took part in the work. Even the iconostasis features mosaics.

• Pushkin (formerly known as Tsarskoe Selo) is located in 25km from St Petersburg. The Catherine Palace here is among the top five most beautiful palaces in Russia and its Amber Room is often called as the most beautiful palace hall in the world. About 100kg of gold was used to decorate the palace.

 Duration: about 7-8 hours |  Transportation: by a private car 

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 DAY 12 | DEPARTURE FROM ST PETERSBURG

 Breakfast in the hotel.

 Transfer from the hotel to the airport.

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• The tour is available the whole year round starting on any day, but please take into account that the museum’s working hours and days-off vary so we reserve the right to change the itinerary while trying to save the excursion programme.
• Optional excursions should be booked before the start of the tour to schedule the itinerary.
• Transportation in Moscow, where travel by metro is designated, can be changed to a car upon request, but please note that the transport situation in Moscow is not very good, so you could get stuck in a traffic jam.
• Tickets to museums cannot be sold without an excursion with a guide.
• During state holidays and celebrations, Red Square may be closed (either partially blocked off or completely closed).
• The price of the tour may be increased during the period of the White Nights (11JUN-10JUL) and when the International Economic Forum (end of May or beggining of June) is being held in St Petersburg. Please check the price when booking.
• In cities of the Golden Ring where there are no 4 or 5 star hotels, the calculation includes hotels of 3 or 4 stars.
• All excursions/guided tours included in the itinerary are private which means private guides and private transport along the programme - unless otherwise stated.
• Best time to travel on this route: from the end of April to mid-October and from December to mid-March.

• CANCELLATION POLICY •

DATE OF CANCELLATION	CANCELLATION CHARGES
FROM 60 TO 45 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	10%
FROM 44 TO 15 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	30%
FROM 14 TO 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	50%
LESS THAN 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	100%