GROUP TOUR
8 Days / 7 Nights

The tour includes visiting the capital and three centrally located cities of Russia, known for their great history and unique culture. Differing greatly in their size, population and industrial development, they are united by their glorious history and contribution to creation of the Russian state and traditional Russian culture.

Nizhny Novgorod

Located at the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers, 450 km south east off Moscow, the city was founded in 1221 by Yuri Vsevolodovich, Grand Prince of Vladimir. For a short period of time (1341-1392) it was the capital of the mighty principality but lost afterwards its independence and became a part of the expanding Moscow state(1392). By the late 16^th century, owing to its convenient location by the trade roads to Central Asia and India, Nizhny Novgorod (or simply Nizhny as the locals nickname it) became a flourishing market town, and a stronghold of the Moscow Tzardom (the predecessor of modern Russia). During the 19^th century the riverside city became worldwide known as home for the Russia's largest trading fair and the world's biggest grain stock exchange. In 1932 the city's name was changed to Gorky, in honor of the famous Russian writer Maxim Gorky, who was born there. The old name of the city was brought back in 1990, a notable year in the history of Nizhny: closed for foreigners by Soviet authorities for decades due to a big number of defense industry enterprises located there, it was opened up that year for unrestricted access. The famous Russian scientist and the Peace Noble Prize winner Andrey Sakharov spent six years there in exile (1980-1986) for his human rights activity. Today's Nizhny, with its 1,4 million citizens, is Russia's third largest city, after Moscow and St.Petersburg, and a popular tourist destination.

Vladimir

Founded in 1108, the city is a part of the popular Golden Ring travel itinerary, known for many masterpieces of the ancient Russian architecture. Until the mid of 14^th century (when Moscow overshadowed it) Vladimir was de facto the political and cultural capital of the old Russia and the residence of the Russian metropolitans. The best architectural masterpieces of pre-Mongolian Russia, including splendid golden-domed cathedrals build of carved white stone and the magnificent Golden Gates, can still be seen inside and around the city.

Suzdal

With its population of only 12 thousand citizens, this town nevertheless is one of the country's most popular tourist centers, a real pearl of the Golden Ring travel itinerary. It was the capital of its own principality in the first half of the 14^th century, but later lost independence and became a part of the Moscow Tzardom (1392). Nowadays this charming little town, frozen in time looks right like a picture from a Russian fairytale, untouched by the modern development, with many brightly-colored domes of the churches and monasteries razing to the sky. There are more than 200 historical monuments preserved in the city.

Moscow

With its population over 10 million citizens, it is one of the world's greatest megalopolises, and most attractive centers of world tourism.

Firstly mentioned in the Chronicles in 1147, Moscow, as compared with old capitals of Europe, such as Athens, Rome, Paris and London, is a middle-aged city. However, it is the standing that really matters, not the age. Being the capital of the world's biggest country it always played very important role in political and cultural life of Europe and the world as a whole.