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Highlights of the Golden Ring Tour
Overview
The ultimate Golden Ring experience takes no less than 8 cities in 7 days. Discover Russia’s ancient past through its magnificent Cathedrals and historic Kremlins. If you are looking for the complete Golden Ring experience with no exceptions, then this is the tour for you. This 7-day tour visits all the major tourist hotspots with added extras including cheese tasting, extended walking tours and plenty of free time along the way.
Assumption and Dmitry Cathedrals
Visit the castle of Grand Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky
Suzdal Kremlin
Visit to the Museum of Cheese with a unique cheese tasting experience
Sightseeing in Plyos and Yaroslavl
The Golden Gate of Vladimir
The Museum of traditional Russian craft Finift’
Visit to the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius
Itinerary
Moscow
Russia’s official capital, Moscow, is the political and religious heart of the country. The city has the highest density of billionaires, is the world’s most populated inland city and boasts six out of Europe’s ten tallest buildings. It continues to be a major tourist destination in Europe growing year on year with famous attractions including Red Square, St Basil’s Cathedral, and the Kremlin.
Day 1
Arrival in Moscow
Welcome to Moscow! Your driver will pick you up from your scheduled arrival point (airport / railway station), before taking you to your hotel for check-in.
Arrival Transfer
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Travel to
Golden Ring
The Golden Ring refers to the chain of Medieval towns to the North and East of Moscow including Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Rostov, Kostroma, and others. The region is one of Russia’s oldest routes and has become a popular tourist hotspot due to its beautiful landscapes, churches, and ornate architecture. The Golden Ring contains several UNESCO designated sites dating between the 12th and 17th centuries.
Exploring Bogolyubovo
The rest of your afternoon will be spent in Bogolyubovo where you will visit the Bogolyubovo monastery, and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl.
Breakfast & Lunch
Assumption Cathedral
Golden Gate
Expert Guide
Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin
Religious Buildings & Monuments
Scenic Surrounds
Day 3
Sightseeing in Suzdal
After breakfast, your guide will take you on a sightseeing tour of one of the most beautiful places in the Golden Ring, Suzdal. As part of your tour, you will visit the Kremlin including the Nativity Cathedral and the Museum of wooden architecture, before visiting the Monastery of Saint Euthymius for a bell ringing mini concert. You will then stop for lunch in a restaurant within the heart of the city.
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour
Suzdal Kremlin
Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ
Monastery of Saint Euthymius
Options available
Cultural Immersive Experience
Scenic Surrounds
Cheese tasting in Kostroma
In the afternoon, you will set off for Kostroma. On arrival, you will have a city tour where you will get to see the exteriors of The Resurrection Church on the Debra, the Epiphany monastery, and the Ipatiev monastery, before heading to the Museum of Cheese with a unique cheese tasting experience.
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour
Church of the Resurrection
Epiphany Cathedral
Scenic Surrounds
Museum of Cheese
Food & Drink Experience
Free Time
Day 5
Sightseeing in Yaroslavl
Today, you will experience one of the Golden Ring’s most popular destinations. After breakfast, you will begin your sightseeing tour of Yaroslavl including the Yaroslavl Museum, Church of the Epiphany, Saviour Monastery and more.
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour
Yaroslavl Museum-Preserve
Epiphany Church
Transfiguration Monastery
Scenic Surrounds
Religious Buildings & Monuments
Options available
Day 6
Visiting the Rostov Kremlin
The final day of your Golden Ring highlights tour. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before checking out and heading out on the 1-hour drive to Rostov Veliky. While in Rostov, you will get a bit of free time to look around the city before heading to the Kremlin and the Museum of Finift.’
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour
Rostov Kremlin
Rostov Finift’ Museum
Scenic Surrounds
Trinity-Sergius Monastery
Souvenir Shopping
Day 7
Departure from Moscow
Your tour will end with an extra day of free time in Moscow which you can use to do some last-minute exploring before checking out of your hotel and meeting your driver for the transfer back to the airport / train station.
Breakfast
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Departure Transfer
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More information
What’s included
Accommodation as part of the tour- Airport / Railway Station Transfers
- All tours are COVID-19 secure and offer flexible booking options. Visit our Covid-19 information page to find out more
- English, German, French, Spanish or Italian speaking guide
- Entrance tickets to all locations as part of the tour
- Food and drink (as mentioned in the tour itinerary)
- Russian Tourist Visa Invitation
- Transport (as specified in the tour itinerary)
What’s not included
Alcoholic drinks- Dinner at all the hotels
- International train / plane tickets
- Optional excursions and activities
- Personal costs (souvenirs, additional snacks etc)
- Porter services
- Tips for drivers/guides/in restaurants
- Travel / medical insurance
Travel Tips
All travellers are asked to check the vaccination requirements before travel. Visit our Vaccines and Health page to find out more- Any dietary or allergy requirements will need to be disclosed before the start of the tour
- Carrying a water bottle with you is recommended
- Medication should always be taken with you and kept on your person
- Please ensure that you keep any personal documents and valuables on your person at all times
- WIFI will be available at most of the hotels, although mobile coverage may vary in rural areas
- Your local guides will recommend stops where you can go souvenir shopping during your tour
Special notes
There are no special notes for this tour
Suggested reading
Enrich your travel experience with our list of top recommended books from specialist travel guides to compelling novels. Whether you are looking for something to pass the time on the train, or want to get to grips with the local history, reading is essential to turning your trip into a fully-fledged experience.
Russia: Lonely Planet
The ultimate guidebook to Russia that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s Russia is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to this vast country from how to get around, the best places to eat in its most popular cities, what you need to see while you are there, cultural highlights, currency and more. In addition to its noteworthy insider tips about key attractions such as the Moscow Kremlin, Lake Baikal and the Romanov sites, this guide includes detailed maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
Moscow: A Traveller’s Reader
A masterful anthology documenting Moscow’s turbulent growth through the lives of its people from the bloody reprisals of Peter the Great to the literary greats of the 19th century. The city spent much of its early life in turmoil from being the subject to much greater empires including the Tatars, to being burnt down numerous times, yet rising from the ashes twice as magnificent each time. Kelly’s compelling narrative covers all of Moscow’s major milestones over 700 years in engaging detail. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of Russia.
Moscow, St Petersburg & the Golden Ring
The ultimate guidebook to the Golden Ring that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s Moscow, St Petersburg and the Golden Ring is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to these three spectacular regions including the best places to eat, what you need to see while you are there, cultural highlights and more. In addition to its noteworthy insider tips about key attractions such as the Moscow Kremlin, the Peterhof and the many monasteries and cathedrals of the Golden Ring cities, this guide includes regional maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
Visa Information
