Day 1
Thursday - Moscow
Arrival Transfer to the Hotel
At the airport in Moscow, our driver will meet you in the arrival sector with a Go Russia sign board ready to transfer you to the hotel.
Day 2
Friday - Moscow - Vladimir - Suzdal
Train to Vladimir. Guided Sightseeing in Suzdal
This morning our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the lobby of the hotel and transfer you to the railway station for your trip to Vladimir by the high-speed Sapsan train. These modern trains reach speeds of up to 250kph as they whisk you in comfort across the beautiful Russian countryside. After breakfast in Vladimir, a car will take us to perhaps the most magical of the Golden Ring towns, Suzdal. With its Kremlin, market stalls, wooden architecture museum, monasteries and countless little churches, this museum city has hardly changed over the last two and a half centuries. As well as a full sightseeing program, you’ll have a typical lunch with a local family in their home as well as the chance to try medovukha, a uniquely Russian drink which can best be described as a honey beer.
Day 3
Saturday - Suzdal - Bogolyubovo - Vladimir - Moscow
Exploring Bogolyubovo and Vladimir
After breakfast in the hotel we will travel to Bogolyubovo by car or minibus, a small settlement near to Vladimir which is home to a UNESCO-protected church. Situated in a historically strategic location at the confluence of the Nerl and Klyazma rivers, this was once the picturesque home of Prince Andrei Bogolyubov who built his palace here. Today, the palace forms part of the Bogolyubovo Monastery and our guided tour will explore its highlights including the so-called Staircase Tower and the adjoining gallery, both now incorporated into the The Church of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin. From there, we’ll take you to the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl River, virtually untouched since its construction in the 12th century. The church stands in the center of a field on a small hill; when it floods the church appears to float on the water. From there, we head back to Vladimir for a guided tour which includes the cathedrals of St Demetrius and the Assumption as well as the UNESCO listed Golden Gates. Finally we transfer by high speed train back to Moscow where our driver will be waiting at the platform to take us to our hotel.
Day 4
Sunday - Moscow
Moscow City Tour. Red Square, St. Basil’s, Lenin Mausoleum
Russia’s captivating capital will be our focus today. We begin with a drive through its boulevards and avenues for an orientation tour taking in Red Square, the Russian Orthodox cathedral of Christ the Saviour (view from outside) and the New Maiden Convent (view from outside) where the remains of many famous Russians are interred. The panoramic view from the Moscow State University enables us to appreciate the city’s geography, from Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill to the Olympic Luzhniki stadium and of course, the distant golden domes of the Kremlin. We return to the center for an in-depth guided tour of Red Square, where you will explore brightly-domed St. Basil's Cathedral. Correctly known as the Cathedral of the Intercession, its popular name associates it with a ragged prophet who foretold the Moscow fire of 1547. We’ll continue our sightseeing with a walk along the expansive facade of the GUM department store, pretty Kazan Cathedral and the Kremlin towers. No visit to Red Square can be complete without a stop at Lenin’s Mausoleum, the final resting place of the founder of the Soviet State. Seeing the embalmed body of this iconic figure will be a memorable part of your tour.
Day 5
Monday - Moscow
Kremlin Grounds & Cathedrals. Armoury. Departure to Novgorod the Great
Today we take you inside the Kremlin, the former residence of the Tsars and now the residence of the Russian president. The Kremlin’s Cathedral Square still retains the aura of early Tsarist Russia, where the spirits of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov and the early Romanovs loom large. We’ll explore the Armoury Museum which has been a storehouse for the Kremlin’s weaponry since the early 16th century. A museum for over two centuries, you’ll follow in the footsteps of millions of tourists to discover such exhibits as the chalice of Yuri Dolgorukiy, the helm and armor of Boris Godunov, a collection of over fifty Faberge eggs, works in gold, silver and other precious metals as well as antique weaponry. Leaving the Kremlin, we’ll take a tour of the incredible Moscow Underground, whose sculptures, marble, mosaics and stained glass make this the most beautiful metro system in the world. Back at the hotel, our driver will collect you to transfer you to the railway station for an overnight train to Novgorod the Great. The safe and comfortable journey in well-equipped compartments will take around eight and a half hours.
Day 6
Tuesday - Novgorod the Great (Velikiy Novgorod)
Exploring Novgorod
Arriving in Novgorod the Great early in the morning, our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board on the platform and transfer you to the hotel. Velikiy Novgorod is a hidden gem; founded in the 9th century it’s one of Russia’s oldest towns. Located close to St Petersburg it has its own Kremlin; traditionally known as the Detinets, it contains Russia’s oldest palace, dating back to 1433, as well as its oldest bell and clock towers. Included in our program is a guided tour around Yaroslav’s Courtyard, named after the Grand Prince of Novgorod and Kiev, Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslav’s Courtyard included Gothic and German Courts where rich merchants from across Russia and the cities of the Hanseatic League lived while staying in Novgorod. UNESCO-listed Yuriev Monastery on the bank of the Volkhov River is also on today’s itinerary, one of Russia’s oldest, founded in 1030. Finally we’ll make a stop at the nearby Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture. There are over twenty wooden buildings brought here from across the Novgorod region, among them wooden churches, dwelling houses and mills.
Day 7
Wednesday - Novgorod the Great - St. Petersburg
Departure to St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg City Tour
Our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the lobby of the hotel. You’ll transfer to the railway station where a local suburban train will take you to St Petersburg. Russia’s aristocratic former capital is as far removed from Moscow as another big city could get: elegant, calm and packed full of historic buildings and interesting museums in contrast to the modernity and energy of the Russian capital. The city’s many waterways earn it the moniker of the “Venice of the North”. You’ll tour its most unmissable sights: the Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Church of Christ's Resurrection (The Saviour of the Blood) and the famous cruiser Aurora whose cannon signalled the beginning of the Great Social Revolution more than 90 years ago on Lenin’s orders.
Day 8
Thursday - St. Petersburg
Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace)
If there’s one thing you can’t miss during a trip to St Petersburg, then without question it’s the Hermitage. Once the residence of the Russian Tsars, its Winter Palace is now one of the world’s best art museums. An architectural delight in itself, there are over three million works of art in its collection. They range from masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci to mesmerising paintings by the French Impressionists, sculptures to icons, antique coins to divine jewelery. The Hermitage is without doubt an unforgettable place to visit.
Day 9
Friday - St. Petersburg
Guided Tour to Petrodvorets
Today’s program begins with a half-day tour to the most magnificent of St Petersburg’s summer palaces, Petrodvorets, located in the city’s suburbs. This delightful palace, fountains and parkland ensemble was founded at the very beginning of the eighteenth century by Emperor Peter the Great. Also known as Peterhof the estate is an outstanding landmark of Russian artistic culture of the 18-19th centuries.
Day 10
Saturday - St. Petersburg
Departure Transfer from the Hotel
Our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the hotel lobby ready to transfer you to the airport for your flight home.
Tour Dates & Prices
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All our hotels have been carefully selected and personally tested by Go Russia product development team. They have been chosen for their central location, available facilities, tastefully designed interiors, and friendly service and customers’ feedbacks. Please note all our hotels are recommended on Tripadvisor and have above average ratings. On all our city-break tours we also offer
evening meals and
early-check / late check-out option in hotels as well as extra nights.
Hotel Marriott Courtyard 4*
The Courtyard by the Marriott Moscow City Centre is a brand new full service property yet safe, tranquil and residential, located right in the heart of town between Tverskaya and Nikitskaya streets, surrounded by residential buildings and the Tchaikovsky Music Conservatory. It is an ideal place to stay, whether you are on business or leisure, since the hotel is only 10 minutes walk from Kremlin, Red Square, City Hall, and the Old Arbat; all major Moscow business centers and several embassies are within easy reach.Learn more
Hotel Pushkarskaya Sloboda 4*
This hotel is located on the bank of the Kamenka River and not far from the most famous attractions of Suzdal. The main feature of the Pushkarskaya Sloboda Hotel is its architectural ensemble, which combines the buildings of the XIXth century with pieces of wooden architecture. The hotel offers 2 variants of accommodation. You can stay in a complex of wooden houses, which are called "Russkoye podvorye" or in the restored stone building of the XIXth century. All rooms are equipped with a private bathroom (bath/shower, hairdryer), air-conditioning, direct-dial phone, TV-set with cable and satellite channels, mini-bar and safe.Learn more
Hotel Petro Palace St. Petersburg 4*
Petro Palace is a brand new, superior 4* hotel in St. Petersburg, established in 2005 which offers the best location and superb amenities. It occupies a building of historical and cultural significance, the former residence of Baron Von Schtaal. The hotel is renowned for its central location, just steps away from the major landmarks of the city: Hermitage and St. Isaac’s Cathedral. All standard rooms are designed in modern style and feature queen size, king-size or twin beds. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, internet, telephone, interactive and satellite TV, a safe and a mini bar. Swimming pool is free of charge: 07:00 – 11:00, outside these hours a fee applies.Learn more
Moscow Ibis Center Bakhrushina Hotel 3*
Part of the Ibis collection, the Moscow Center Bakhrushina Hotel is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a value hotel with facilities you can trust. Situated within the meander of the Moskva River, it’s centrally located a half hour stroll from Red Square or the Kremlin and within easy reach of the Paveletskaya metro station.Learn more
Hotel Suzdal Inn 3*
The Golden Ring is all of historical Russia condensed, and Suzdal is its heart. With so much to enjoy and do, you will want to be at the center, and in traditional, evocative surroundings. The Suzdal Inn offers all the charms of the 17th century but with every modern facility and convenience. The Suzdal Inn is equally welcoming for families with small children, through to business and conference groups. Whether you want babysitting or free wi-fi, 24 dining, a sauna or a game of billiards, personal care or bespoke tour service, you can have it all, and all within walking range of Suzdal’s historic center.Learn more
Hotel Intourist Novgorod the Great 3*
Intourist Hotel is situated in the historical center of Veliky Novgorod on the bank of the river Volkhov, among numerous monuments of the ancient architecture. The hotel is 10 minutes walk from the central Kremlin Park and 3 kilometers from the bus as well as railway stations. Guests can visit tourist places like the Kremlin, Yuryev Monastery, Museum of Wooden Architecture and Drama Theatre. There are 116 rooms in the hotel. All rooms are equipped with TV set, telephone, radio. The hotel has a restaurant, bar, conference hall, business center, currency exchange, post office, souvenirs, parking, luggage room, hairdresser, laundry service.Learn more
Hotel Nevsky Grand St. Petersbrug 3*
Hotel Nevsky Hotel Grand is ideally located in the center of St. Petersburg, and within easy walking distance of the famous landmarks of St. Petersburg - such as Hermitage; Kazan, St. Isaac's and Savior on Spilled Blood Cathedrals; Russian museum. The hotel features elegant interior and cozy homelike atmosphere. The hotel’s 135 guest rooms and 5 suites are designed in the modern style with a touch of antique, complimented by the technological amenities, including telephone, free WiFi, interactive satellite television, safe, air-conditioning system. There is a hall on every floor with soft drinks, coffee and tea, open 24 hours a day.Learn more
M-Hotel St. Petersbrug 3*
Located in the Golden Triangle District, the 3 star M-Hotel is convenient for many of St Petersburg’s attractions including being just a twenty minute walk from the Hermitage Museum. In addition, it is well connected to public transport; the nearest Metro station, Nevsky Prospect, is only a two minute walk away. The hotel’s rooms and suites are bright and airy, furnished in a comfortable fashion. WiFi is available throughout the hotel at no additional cost.Learn more