New Year program (option 2)

 (Moscow/Suzdal/Vladimir/St.Petersburg)

GROUP TOUR
9 Days / 8 Nights


The second in the series of the New Year's tours featuring St.Petersburg the former capital of the Russian emperors in addition to Moscow and the other cities of the Golden Ring. Therefore during the tour you can see three cities used to be the capitals of Russia at different historical periods: Vladimir (pre-Mongol invasion), Moscow (during and post Mongols, Tzars of Ruric dynasty) and St.Petersburg (Imperial Russia). Starting from 1918 Moscow once more regained the title and holds in up to the present.

Apart of that the group visits Suzdal - the ancient town where the time seem to have stopped centuries ago, preserving the multitude of churches, monasteries and lively ornated wooden cottages. It makes it ideal fairytale place to celebrate the New Year Russian way.

On the way we also stop at Sergiev Posad, where the Trinity Monastery of St.Sergius attracts many Orthodox Christian pilgrims from all over Russia, who flock to see the main spiritual centre of Russian Christianity.







The program of the tour:

 

Day.1
December.28   

Arrival in Moscow, transfer to the hotel, traditional Russian bread & salt welcome, check-in, dinner, tour of the “Moscow by night”.

Day 2
December 29 

Breakfast, Sightseeing tour of Moscow: Tverskaya ulitsa, (the main thoroughfare of the city), Manege Square, Red Square, Sparrow Hills (known for a fabulous view of the city), Novodevichy Convent (New Maden convent, probably the best-known cloister of Moscow, remaining virtually intact from 17 century), Christ the Saviour Cathedral (the main cathedral of Russia and the tallest Orthodox Christian church in the world) etc. Tour of Moscow Metro. After the lunch tour of the Kremlin, the historical citadel at the heart of Moscow and the seat of the Russian government, including one of the Kremlin's ancient cathedrals and the Armory. Dinner at the hotel. Circus performance or folk show.

Day 3
December 30

Breakfast, tour of the Tretyakov Art Gallery, the biggest and the most famous collection of the classic Russian art. Departure for Susdal (about 4 hours). Suzdal is an ancient Russian town that seems to be frozen in time, seen relatively few changes during the last centuries. which allowes you to imagine yourself in the old Russia. Arrival to Suzdal (at around 19.00). Check-in. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 4
December 31

Breakfast, sightseeing tour of Suzdal (in horse-harnessed sleighs), tour of the Kremlin, visit to the Spasso-Eufimievsky Monastery, Annunciation Cathedral, a small liturgical concert performed with church bells. Lunch downtown (with blinis), free time, presence at the church mass, Initiation in the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Christmas by a Russian clergyman. 
22:00-03:00 – Christmas dinner (alcoholic drinks included) with amusement program, fireworks and outdoors festivities in the market square with Grandfather Frost (Russian Santa Claus) and Snegurochka (Snow Maiden);

Day 5
January 01

Breakfast, departure for Vladimir, the ancient capital of Russia, before Moscow. Sightseeing tour of the city (including UNESCO-listed monuments of 12-th century: the Golden Gates, the Church of St.Dimitrus). Lunch in a city restaurant. Visit to Assumption Cathedral which contains the tombs of the early Russian kings of Ruric dynasty. After that trip to suburb of Bogolyubovo, where we visit to the Intersession Church on Nerl River, one of the most beautiful examples of Russian pre-Mongolian architecture. Return to Suzdal. Dinner at a restaurant.

Day 6
January 02

Departure for Moscow. Visit to the Holy Trinity Monastery in Sergiev Posad (on the way). The Trinity Monastery, founded by one of the most revered saints of Russia, St.Sergius, played an important role in the history of the country and in the development of Russian culture. In this monastery Ivan The Terrible was baptized. The siege of the monastery at the Time of Troubles in 17th century by the enemy brought the awakening of the Russian patriotic consciousness and consequent liberation of Moscow from the Polish invaders. The Trinity Monastery is included in the UNESCO list of the world heritage. Today the monastery remains to be spiritual center of the Orthodox Russia and a major pilgrimage site, a kind of Russian Vatican. Lunch in the town of Sergiev Posad. Arrival to Moscow, dinner, transfer to the train station, departure to St.Petersburg by a night train.

Day 7
January 03

Arrival to St.Petersburg. Sightseeing tour of the city (Nevsky prospect, the Palace Square, The Spit of the Basil’s Island, St. Isaac’s Square, Smolny Cathedral, etc.), including excursion to the Peter & Paul Fortress (the place where the city was started) and the Cathedral  (where most of the Russian emperors of Romanov dynasty are interred), dinner at the hotel.

Day.8
January 04   

Breakfast. Tour of the world famous Hermitage museum, former royal residence of the Russian emperors (nowadays housing West European Artscollection, the gala and private rooms of the Winter Palace, etc.),, free time, dinner at the hotel.

Day.9
January 05   

Breakfast, transfer to the airport.

 

 The price of the tour is quoted by request.