Scenic Russian Golden Ring

Welcome to Moscow. On your arrival, our representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Take some rest and prepare for an exciting sightseeing tour of Moscow tomorrow! An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

After breakfast, Meet your guide for a city tour by transport:  discover Red Square , Saint Basil the Blessed Cathedral, GOUM, Kremlin, Bolshoi , Manege Square, Tverskaya Street, then Mount "Vorobievi" (or Mont des Moineaux) with its superb panorama and finally the view of the Novodiévitchi convent.

Afternoon guided tour of the Tretyakov gallery : Located in the mansion of collector Pavel Tretyakov, in the heart of the picturesque Zamoskvorietchié district, the Tretyakovka brings together the most important collection of Russian art and icons in the world and covers the pictorial history of Russia from the 11th to the 20th century. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, morning is free for a personal discovery of the city ( Optional: guided tour of the Izmaïlovo souvenir market and its colorful fake kremlin). Meet your guide for a guided tour of the Kremlin, its territory and its cathedrals:  Former residence of the Tsars, the country's largest and most famous fortress, the Kremlin is a collection of palaces and cathedrals, the oldest of which date back to the 16th century. . Its walls also house the burials of 47 tsars and many curiosities. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, departure by the fast train to Vladimir . You will be welcomed at the Vladimir station by your driver. Guided visit of Vladimir : the Cathedral of Dormition, the Cathedral of St-Dimitry dating from 1197, and the Golden Gate. Transfer to Suzdal, free time for lunch and afternoon to discover the city ( In option:  Visit of Bogoliubovo and its cathedral). Free time for dinner, and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, meet your guide and take a guided tour of Suzdal by foot (3h): The Kremlin, the wooden architecture museum, the monastery of Savior St-Euthymius. The city of Suzdal is a museum in itself as it presents an intact image of the Russian history. It has many churches and other religious buildings and a lush green countryside in the summer.  Transfer to Plios (2h30) and check in at the hostel. Free time for discovery and visit of Plios, village of the Golden Ring and very popular holiday destination for many popular artists like Levitan and Repin. Dinner and overnight stay at the hostel.

After breakfast, morning is free. Then transfer to Kostroma (1h30) in the late morning. Meeting with your guide at the Ipatiev monastery, which you will visit. Panoramic tour of Kostroma. The city was not available for foreigners until 1991 and retained its 19th century style. Departure to Yaroslavl (80km-ride). Free dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, meet with your guide and depart for the visit of Yaroslavl by foot : the Monastery of St-Savior, the Cathedral of the Transfiguration. Admire the white walls and the golden cupolas of the monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior, the splendid green bulbs of the St-Elias church, the Volkov theater, the first theater in Russia ... you will walk on the docks of this city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Free time for lunch. Departure for the visit of Rostov. Finally, your tour takes you to Rostov the Great, the oldest city in the Golden Ring. Rebellious for a long time, the city is today very peaceful, built around a formidable Kremlin which houses a cathedral and two churches. You will admire the splendor and finesse of its silver bulbs. Return to Yaroslavl to catch the evening train . Free time for dinner and transfer to the train station. Night on the train. 

Morning breakfast on the train. Arrival in St-Petersburg, meeting with your driver and transfer to the hotel. Check in. Free time for lunch. Panoramic city tour by transport : Discover the sumptuous capital dreamed of by Peter the Great at the mouth of the Neva. The Decembrists Square, the Admiralty, and Peter and Paul's Cathedral, the beautiful Winter Palace Square, Nevsky Prospekt, the canals and alleys that inspired novelists, the rostral columns, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

Visit of the Peter and Paul Fortress . Peter the Great chose this strategic place to found the fortress in 1703. It has several buildings including a splendid cathedral where almost all of the Romanov royal family now rest. Free time for dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, meet with your guide and departure for a guided visit at the Hermitage museum : Jewel of the Russian baroque art, one of the most famous and important museums worldwide. Listed as a UNESCO heritage, it houses treasures from anitiquity and artworks from painters of the Dutch, Italian, Flemish and Spanish schools. A visit, appreciated by tourists for by both the richness in collections and the magnificence of the buildings. 

Post lunch and afternoon for a personal discovery of the city ( In option : 1 / Cathedral of Saint Savior on Blood, 2 / Laure Alexander Nevsky, 3 / Walk on the canals (May-September). Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, departure by transport for a guided tour of your choice : Pavlovsk Palace and Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) by car or a visit of Peterhof. Free time for lunch at the location.

The village of Tsarskoye Selo : the “Imperial Village” was founded in the 18th century to house the summer residence of the czars. Renamed "Pushkin" after the Revolution, it houses the splendid Catherine Palace.  Pavlosk Palace : A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pavlovsk is renowned for the splendor of its interiors housing many 18th century pieces of furniture, sculptures, and paintings, but also for the beauty of its English-style park.

Peterhof : The palace of Peterhof was the Russian Versailles. The long canal linking it to the Gulf of Finland allowed guests to reach the palace by boat. Back to St-Petersburg. Free time for dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

This day marks the end of an unforgettable vacation to Russia. After breakfast check out from your hotel by 12:00 pm. Later our representative will transfer you to the airport/railway station.