Description

Have an extremely Russian day in Sergiev Posad, one of the “Golden Ring” cities, just 70 km away from Moscow.

Glimpse into Russia’s less talked about history. Walk off the beaten paths, try Russian foods and learn about Russian culture. Must-do tour of Russian heritage when in Moscow!

Here are some photos and fun facts from our Golden Ring tours. Your private guide is your photographer as well, so you will have tons of memorable photos from the tour!

Tour Highlights

• Have an authentic Russian adventure;
• Head to the oldest part of Russia;
• Explore the ancient Russian culture;
• Visit the oldest Orthodox churches and monasteries;
• Explore Trinity Lavra Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
• Enjoy unique Russian nature;
• Taste traditional Russian cuisine;
• See real Russian life as it is;
• Discover architectural styles of different historical periods of Russia.

Tour Itinerary

• Hotel pickup (7-10 am)

• Russian adventure – taking a local bus/train

Escape a Russian trap – traffic jam, and experience Russian-style journey on a local bus or train with your local guide and friend.

Along the way, your knowledgeable guide will tell you stories about Moscow, Russia, and the Golden Ring. Ask your private guide as many questions as you like during your private friendly talk on your Sergiev Posad tour trip.

This adventure will help you to understand what real Russia is, how people live outside Moscow, what are the differences between the capital and province. You will see one of the largest monasteries in Russia – The Trinity Lavra, try numerous kinds of Russian honey from different parts of the country, attend the museum of toys, have authentic Russian food and visit a local flea market.

• Sergiev Posad

Sergiev Posad is included in the list of Russian “Golden ring” and is one of the most ancient historical towns of Russia and closest to Moscow, located in the Northeast of Moscow.

Centuries-old churches, antique frescos, mosaics, an abundance of golden and silver ornaments, onion shaped domes, impressive interior with gold gilded altar, and royal door panels. picturesque gates and massive walls are a must-see when you’re in Russia.

Simply being here around buildings built in the 11th century is absolutely breathtaking.

Explore Sergiev Posad’s streets lined with cute old wooden houses built in a purely Russian design, and enjoy relaxing by the pond with a glass of kvas (Russian bread beer) and delicious bread from monastery bakery.

• Trinity-Sergius Monastery – the spiritual center of Russian Orthodox Church.

The legendary monastery recently celebrated the 700 anniversary of the birth of its saint patron, Saint Sergius from Radonezh, who is buried here.

With his blessing, Dmitry Donskoy won a victory against the Mongol horde at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, preventing Russia from being erased from the face of the earth. So, apart from being the pilgrimage center, the Monastery has a huge historical significance as well.

Trinity-Sergius Monastery is one of the four highest rank monasteries in Russia nowadays.

This lavishly decorated Russian Orthodox is equivalent to the Catholic Vatican and attracts the pilgrims from all around Russia.

• Monasteries

There are several churches in the complex: from early medieval to the later 18th century ones.

Admire the beauty and splendor of the monasteries and surrounding nature, listen to the stories about the iconic churches, watch the monks going about their daily routine.

Feel the serenity, purity and holiness of the place, enjoy the atmosphere, take in all the buildings and surroundings at a leisurely pace.

There are several Masses held in churches at different times in the morning. You might find it interesting to see what Russian people do in their religious ceremony.

Tip: Take an empty bottle with you (or buy it on spot) and fill it with holy water from the fountains.

• Matryoshka Museum and the Museum of Toys

Sergiev Posad is the birthplace to the most recognizable Russian souvenirs – matryoska dolls,  colourful nested dolls painted in different styles and containing different number of showpieces inside. Matryoshka Museum has a variety of works of the 19th – 21st century created by Russian masters and folk craftsmen from all traditional matryoshka centers located in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod and other parts of Russia.

The Sergiev Posad matryoshkas have distinct features: a well-balanced spherical forms with the relation of 1:2 between the width and height, bright contrastive floral ornaments painted in gouache and outlined in black.

Sergiev Posad was well known for wood carving, and you can find a private collection of Russian folk and Christmas toys here.

Have a look at various handicrafts, which are cheaper here than those in Moscow.

• Russian food

The way of making ginger bread is a true art in Sergiev Posad. Different kinds of honey from different parts of Russia are purely organic, natural, healthy and yummy. The local monastery bread is a masterpiece and a bread beer Russian drink (kvas) is so refreshing!

• Abramtsevo

A lovely estate that belonged to a Russian millionaire and art connoisseur Savva Mamonov which was the center of artistic Russian elite in the 19th-century.

The first mention of Abramtsevo dates back to the XVI century, when the place was called “Obramkovo”, according to the documents of 1580-ies. The history of the estate in the subsequent Time of Troubles, and during the reign of the first Romanov remains a secret.

At the beginning of the XVIII century, “Abramkovo” estate was owned by Fedor Golovin – the representative of an old noble family under Peter I.

Today, the museum-reserve “Abramtsevo” occupies about 50 hectares and consists of the monuments of 18-19th centuries, the park and the picturesque spots along the river Vorya.

The museum-reserve houses over 25 000 exhibits: paintings, graphics, sculptures, works of decorative and folk art, as well as photographs and archives of the former owners of the estate.

• You will see:

• The Manor House – the example of wooden Russian classicism style. Only a few buildings like this one have been preserved.
• The exhibition of Russian artists of XX century – the paintings by the artists who used to visit this place and enjoy the nature and atmosphere.
• The small hut with “chicken`s legs” – a popular hero of Russian fairytales, the place where the Russian witch Baba Yaga lives.

Wander along the scenic paths through the forest, admire the serene water of the river, cross the wooden bridges that served as an inspiration and muse for the artists at the Abramtsevo estate.