Golden Ring
The Golden Ring is a chain of small ancient towns located to the North and East from Moscow. It is the most popular tourist route among the Russian provinces. Depending on the time available you can choose one day or multi-day tour.
Vladimir:
Vladimir is one of the most ancient cities in Russia. It’s history begins in 1108 when the prince Vladimir Monomakh founded it to fortify the Klyazma river’s shores and gave the new city his name. The main three sights of the city are 3 architectural monuments which were built in the 12-th century: The Golden Gates, the Cathedral of St. Demetrius, the Cathedral of Assumption
Suzdal:
Suzdal so-called museum-town, one of the most beautiful towns of the country with more that thousand-year history: it was the first time mentioned in the chronicles in the year 1024. This ancient town will greet you with tolling of the monastery bells. It’s a wonderful quite place which looks as if nothing had changed for the last two centuries. Suzdal with its hilly green valleys, ancient monasteries and amazing landscapes looks more like a fantasy village, walking around it is a pleasure.
Sergiev Posad:
Sergiev Posad is one of the pearls of Russian Golden Ring. Though the crowded and noisy Moscow is not so far (70 kilometers away), Sergiev Posad is still like an ancient small town – calm and peaceful. Even the people are different here: they don’t run in a hurry, you will not see nervous businessmen or informal youth here. Everyone is polite and serene.
The history of the town is connected with the establishing of the greatest orthodox monastery in Russia in the year of 1345 by St. Sergius the Radonezh. The monastery was dedicated to Saint Trinity and was called Saint Trinity Sergius Lavra. It gained a reputation of the source of Russian military and spiritual strength. For a long time Sergiev Posad was the spiritual center of the country, sort of Russian Vatican. The architectural ensemble of the Saint Trinity Sergius Lavra is protected by UNESCO now.
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Sergiev Posad (1 Day Tour) (On Request)
09:00 Pick up in the hotel and departure to Sergiev Posad. The travel time will pass very fast as your guide will divert you with a very interesting story about the foundation of Sergiev Posad.
Excursion to the Saint Trinity Sergius Lavra. You will be impressed by the medieval Russian architecture: gorgeous cathedrals with gold covered domes and the most beautiful 88 meters high belfry in Russia.
Souvenir shopping.
There is a small souvenir fair near the entry to the lavra.
Lunch in the local café.
The Toy museum. The next place you can’t ignore is a Toy Museum. You may find the oldest matryoshkas on display, and toys of the royal family’s children.
Gefsiman-Chernigov Sell or Master-class in Matryoshka factory
- Visit the Gefsiman-Chernigov Sell (monastery) which is a part of Saint Trinity Sergius Lavra and is located in 3 kilometers away from it. The most religious monks preferred to leave the Lavra and to live in the most difficult conditions. In 1847 one of the monks started digging a cave for the future underground church. Now the monastery is famous for its cave church.
- Master-class in Matryoshka factory.
Sergiev Posad is known as the motherland of traditional wooden toy – matryoshka. During the excursion you will know about the technology of production of the doll from the procurement process to the hand painting. During the master-class you will play a role of a painter: you will be taught the basic techniques of painting
17:00 Departure to Moscow
Start of the tour – lobby of your hotel
Duration 8-9 hours
Transportation – by car
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Vladimir – Suzdal – Sergiev Posad (2 Days Tour) (On Request)
DAY 1
08:00 Pick up in the hotel and departure to Vladimir which is located in 200 km. to the North-East from Moscow.
On arrival to Vladimir you will begin the tour from the Golden Gates which were built in 1158 when Andrey Bogolyubski made Vladimir the capital of Ryazan-Suzdal principality. The aim of the gates was to fortify the town and to give it majesty and pomp.
Lunch in the local café
Continue exploring the city visiting the Cathedral of St. Demetrius the most expressive and probably well-known example of pre-Mongol period. It was build in 1190s as a palace temple of the prince Vsevolod the Big Nest. The cathedral is well preserved and now it’s functioning as a museum.
The next point of the tour is the Assumption Cathedral – orthodox temple built in the 12-th century. The cathedral was the largest building of the new capital, the center of its architectural ensemble. By taking the most favorable point of the urban terrain – at the edge of the cliff, it reigned over the city and its surroundings; the golden dome of the cathedral was seen for many kilometers around.
Departure to Suzdal..
The first place to visit in the town is the Kremlin of Suzdal. The appearance of the Kremlin had been formed during many centuries since the 12-th century under the influence of each prince of Suzdal.
To see how do people lived in Russian villages centuries ago and how that villages looked like you will visit the Museum of Wooden Architecture which is located on the picturesque shore of Kamenka river. You will see wooden buildings (houses, windmill and even a functioning orthodox church) of 18-19-th centuries, which were taken here from different villages of the country.
Dinner in the local restaurant.
20:00 Check-in at the hotel.
DAY 2
Breakfast at the hotel
09:00 Departure to Sergiev Posad
Excursion to the Saint Trinity Sergius Lavra. You will be impressed by the medieval Russian architecture: gorgeous cathedrals with gold covered domes and the most beautiful 88 meters high belfry in Russia.
Souvenir shopping.
There is a small souvenir fair near the entry to the lavra.
Lunch in the local café.
The Toy museum. The next place you can’t ignore is a Toy Museum. You may find the oldest matryoshkas on display, and toys of the royal family’s children.
Gefsiman-Chernigov Sell or Master-class in Matryoshka factory
- Visit the Gefsiman-Chernigov Sell (monastery) which is a part of Saint Trinity Sergius Lavra and is located in 3 kilometers away from it. The most religious monks preferred to leave the Lavra and to live in the most difficult conditions. In 1847 one of the monks started digging a cave for the future underground church. Now the monastery is famous for its cave church.
- Master-class in Matryoshka factory.
Sergiev Posad is known as the motherland of traditional wooden toy – matryoshka. During the excursion you will know about the technology of production of the doll from the procurement process to the hand painting. During the master-class you will play a role of a painter: you will be taught the basic techniques of painting
17:00 Departure to Moscow
Start of the tour – lobby of your hotel
Duration 2 days
Transportation – by car
