Golden Domes – Moscow and Golden Ring

Full day Moscow – city tour, visit to Kremlin – cathedrals and Armoury chamber, o/n Moscow

AM Orientation tour - Red Square – GUM - “Stalin`s Seven Sisters” / Highscapers - Sparrow Hills (city’s best viewpoint) – New Maiden convent (outside) Your private vehicle and the guide will be waiting for you to invite you for an exciting tour of Moscow which is more than 878 years old. Our first stop is at the Red Square. Originally a commercial centre, Red Square has been at the very centre of Russian history since the 15th century, from Ivan the Terrible’s confession of his misdeeds to the people in 1550, to great demonstrations, executions and the great parades of the Soviet Union’s military might. Ironically, “krasny” originally meant beautiful; it came to mean “red” only in the last century! From the time of Ivan the Great the square was used as a huge gathering place for public events, markets, fairs and festivals. The magnificent square encompasses an area of over $ 70,000 square metres and is bounded by the Kremlin walls, St.Bazil’s cathedral, the Historical museum and GUM departments store, the shopping arcade, that was completed in 1893. At the southern end of Red Square is the almost fairy-tale like building of St Basil’s cathedral, commissioned in 1552 by Ivan the Terrible to celebrate his conquering of Kazan; legend has it that the architect was later blinded so that he could never repeat such a building that is so traditionally Russian. It is built of brick and comprises many colourful asymmetrical helmet & onion domes situated over nine chapels. Go to the best viewpoint on Sparrow hills, from which you could easily see most of the city. Sink in the atmosphere of the medieval Russia, when even daughters of tsars were doomed to become nuns (such were the rules, visiting the refined New Maiden Convent (outside). This is one of the most beautiful of the city collection of buildings, located to the south-west of the city centre, with 16 gilded domes, founded in 1524. Many noble women, including Peter the Great’s first wife and his sister took vows and spent the rest of their lives here and are buried here. Time for lunch PM Kremlin territory, cathedrals, Armoury museum After lunch visit the oldest part of Moscow – the Kremlin. You might be surprised how many ancient and magnificent structures one can see within its walls: 15th century cathedrals (the coronation, wedding and bury place of Russian rulers), bell-tower, Patriach’s Palace, Grand Kremlin Palace and of course the richest museum - Armoury. The Armoury has a fantastic collection of insignia of Imperial power, precious clothes, ceremonial harness and unique collection of imperial carriages. The 17th century throne of Alexey Romanov covered with a mosaic of turquoises and 900 diamonds, a pheloneon of Metropolitan Platon decorated with 150,000 pearls (it took the embroiderer 2 years to work on the pattern!), the famous Faberge eggs – is a tiny part of the whole collection. O/n Moscow

Full day Suzdal, city tour, Kremlin, Museum of Wooden architecture, Spasso-Yephimyevsky monastery, o/n Suzdal

We spend this day admiring the beauty and tranquility of Suzdal. Suzdal is one of the most beautiful ancient cities of Russia, possessing more than 50 examples of church and secular architecture dating from the mid-12th to the mid-18th century. During the tour one can’t help getting absorbed in the quietness and tranquility of the town, whose main features are numerous domes of medieval churches and wooden houses of local people. The highlight of a visit is the Kremlin which contains several streets of houses, some churches, the beautiful Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral, with its blue / gold domes and sumptuous frescoes. Of interest is the Saviour Monastery of St. Euthymius – Suzdal’s biggest monastery. The monastery was founded in 1352. By order of Catherine II a prison was built inside Assumption Refectory church. Most of the prisoners were those who had committed crimes against the church. More recently the German Fieldmarshal von Paulus was held here for some time after his capture in Stalingrad in 1943. The prison is a museum now. Visit the Open-Air museum of Wooden architecture where you will see the samples of Russian houses, churches brought from different parts of the country. In summer time this place becomes the scene of different open-air folk festivals and events. O/n Suzdal.

Departure transfer

Time to say good-bye! The private vehicle and the guide will take you to the airport for departure flight.