►Tours ► Weekend Tours ► From Moscow ► Weekend in Kazan

  Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan and one of the most beautiful cities in Russia, which markets itself as the Third Capital after Moscow and St Petersburg. In 2005 the city celebrated its millennium. Even though Kazan is only 900km from Moscow it has its own culture, cuisine and language. Tatarstan is predominantly Muslim but you will see a mix of mosques and Orthodox churches here, sometimes within a few metres of each other.

  Sviyazhsk was founded by Ivan the Terrible in 1551 as a fortress to serve as the base for the conquest of Kazan - then the capital of the Kazan Khanate. The island was visited by several tsars in addition to Ivan: Paul, Nicholas I and Alexander II. The great Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin was also a frequent visitor and it is said that Sviyazhsk served as the prototype for the island of Buyan in his fairy tales.

  A weekend trip to Tatarstan is a perfect way to see a different Russia, learn about Tatar culture and enjoy Tatar food. A premium train with first class carriages runs between Moscow and Kazan which allows you to travel with the maximum level of privacy and comfort. 

 Total distance of the tour: 1718km -  1586 |  132km

 FRIDAY | DEPARTING MOSCOW

 19:40 | Overnight Premium train to Kazan from Moscow’s Kazansky Railway Station. You can board your train 30 minutes before departure.

 Duration: 12h20

 SATURDAY | KAZAN

 08:00 | Arrival in Kazan. Transfer to the hotel. A driver will wait for you next to your carriage with a sign saying .

 10:00 | City tour of Kazan – on which you will visit the main sights of the city, including

• Kazan Kremlin – the heart of Kazan and its main site. Although a fortress has stood here for centuries the present-day walls mainly date from the time of Ivan the Terrible. The Kazan Kremlin is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
• Qol-Şärif Mosque – rebuilt in 1996, it is now the main mosque in Tatarstan. The mosque stands on the site where a mosque, said to be reminiscent of St Basil’s Cathedral, was destroyed by the troops of Ivan the Terrible in 1552.
• Ulitsa Baumana – the main pedestrian and most beautiful street in Kazan.
• Ss Peter and Paul’s Cathedral – one the most unusual and pretty cathedrals, not just in Kazan, but in the whole of Russia. Its beauty was noted by the Russian emperors who visited as well as by Aleksandr Pushkin and Alexandre Dumas. The famous opera singer Fyodor Shalyapin also sang here.
• Palace of Agriculturalists – although it was only built relatively recently, this palace is now one of the most spectacular buildings in the city. The main structure of the palace incorporates elements of empire and classical architecture on a grand scale.
• Kazan Monument Registry Office – one of the more unusual buildings in Kazan built in the form of a kazan cauldron opposite the kremlin. From here you can enjoy stunning views of the historical centre of the city.

 Duration: 3½h |  Transportation: by a private car

  Free time in Kazan – you can explore the city by yourself or book one of our optional additional excursions.

 Night in Kazan.

• OPTIONAL EXTRA • KAZAN •

Night-time Kazan

As soon as it get dark in the Tatar capital, the lights come on and Kazan at night looks especially beautiful as many areas are especially lit up, including the fountains outside the Tatar Dramatic Theatre, the Millennium of Kazan Park and Lake Kaban. The excursion will include visits to some of the main sights of the city which are also illuminated: the Qol-Şärif Mosque, the Söyembikä Tower, the Palace of Agriculturalists, the Kazan Registry Office, the Ekiyat Puppet Theatre and the sport facilities of the Kazan Arena.          PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 8840 9520 10200 10880  Duration: 2 hours |  Transportation: by a private car

 SUNDAY |  SVIYAZHSK ISLAND

 Breakfast at your hotel.

 Transfer to Sviyazhsk Island. Your guide will wait for you in the lobby of your hotel with a sign saying . During the transfer you will stop on the way at the Temple of All Religions, a unique building comprising symbols of 16 world religions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the ancient Egyptian religion. The man behind this temple is Ildar Khanov who was convinced that if all religions of the world were united, there would be no more wars on earth.

 Distance: 65km

 Excursion around the island - the highlights of this tour include:

• Trinity Church – the first church to be built on the island; it dates from 1551 when Sviyazhsk itself was being constructed. It is the only wooden church on the island and the oldest surviving church on the Volga. It is believed that Ivan the Terrible himself prayed here several times.
• Bogoroditse-Uspensky Monastery – this monastery boasts unique architectural treasures which can be found nowhere else on the Volga. It has two ancient churches which date from the mid-16th century, soon after the construction of the original fortress here. These are St Nicholas' Church with its tall bell tower and the Dormition Cathedral. Inside the cathedral you can see frescoes with date from the time of Ivan the Terrible. They represent one of just two examples of 16th-century fresco painting in Russia and cover almost 1080 square metres.
• Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral – the largest cathedral on the island; it was built at the end of the 19th century in the Byzantine revival architectural style popular at the time in Russia. The external appearance of the cathedral has remained practically unchanged, resembling a multi-tier tower with flat spherical domes.

 Duration: 2½h |   Transport: by a private car.

 Transfer back to Kazan.

 Distance: 65km

 Upon your return to Kazan you will have free time in the city.

 19:00 | Transfer from your hotel to Kazan Railway Station. The driver will wait for you in the reception of your hotel.

 19:45 | Departure on the Tatarstan premium night train to Moscow

 Duration: 11h25

• OPTIONAL EXTRA • KAZAN •

Excursion to the Raifsky Monastery

Raifsky Monastery was founded in the 17th century, it is today the largest working monastery in the Kazan Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church. Since its foundation, many important events have took place at the monastery. The monastery’s architectural ensemble today has been restored and is now one of the most splendid religious sites around the Volga. Tourists and pilgrims alike come here from all over Russia to see or pray to the miracle-working Our Lady of Georgia Icon, drink the healing water of the source here or simply to just enjoy the views of the monastery and the neighbouring lake.           PRICE PER GROUP 1-2 PAX 3-4 PAX 5-6 PAX 7-8 PAX RUR 10200 11000 11560 12920  Duration: 4 hours |  Transportation: by a private car

 MONDAY | ARRIVAL IN MOSCOW

 07:10 | Arrival at Moscow’s Kazansky Railway Station.

• It is possible to fly to Kazan and in this case you will depart early on Saturday morning and return on Sunday evening. You can fly with either Aeroflot or S7.
• The Tatarstan premium train has 1st class carriages (two berths in a compartment), please let us know in advance if you would like to have this upgrade.
• The tour is planned for starting on Friday and ending on Monday, but it is possible on any day except for Mondays when the museums are closed.
• Optional excursions should be booked before the start of the tour to schedule the itinerary.
• The tour is available in     other languages upon request.
• All excursions/guided tours included in the itinerary are private which means private guides and private transport along the programme - unless otherwise stated.
• The tour is suitable for travellers with children.
• Best time to travel on this route: from the end of April to mid-October and from December to mid-March.
• The prices given below are for guidance only. The actual final cost of your excursion will depend on availability. Hotel prices and train tickets can go up or down depending on how much in advance you book them and date of your travel. Press the "Book Now" button to receive a confirmed price for your proposed date of travel.

• CANCELLATION POLICY •