Description

Highlights:

• Explore most popular parks of Moscow;
• Get this special feeling of the ancient times;
• Experience the best route of a local public trolley;
• Take a ride along the border of medieval Moscow;
• Take a stroll through the city's only hanging bridge;
• See stunning, extraordinary sculptures and statues in Muzeon park;
• Learn the history of the names of the main squares, streets and embankments;
• Enjoy vintage and Soviet architecture of our city;
• Enjoy scenic views of Moscow from the Crimean Bridge.

Bus Tour Itinerary:

Want to feel like a real Muscovite and experience the atmosphere or this extraordinary city in just a few hours? Then explore ithe main artery of Moscow - the Garden Ring.

After you visited the ancient Kremlin, explored the area of Kitay Gorod and enjoyed the sights of White city, it's time to move on and take a ride along the 17th century border of Moscow - the Garden Ring.

Arbat area

After we explore the Stalin skyscraper -  building of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we will turn to Old Arbat pedestrian zone. You will see lovely houses of 19 centuries and feel the atmosphere of old Moscow, as the Arbat preserved it almost untouched.

In 90-s Arbat was chosen by the members of numerous subcultures as the place for hangout. Nowadays Arbat is Bohemian place and one of Moscow's symbols. But long time ago it was just a suburb.

Soon we’ll find ourselves on New Arbat, that was founded in 60-s, and was conceived as a government road. This New Arbat dramatically differs from the Old Arbat.

Patriarch Ponds

One more beloved place among the Muscovites with a very rich history. A lots of famous and outstanding personalities lived in this area: poets, scientists, militaries and even criminals. In 17 century Patriarch Hermogenus founded a Patriarch's village here, hence the name. Moreover, this place is famous all over the world thanks to the genius Russian writer M. Bulgakov. He chose Patriarch's ponds as the scene of his novel "The Master and Margarita".

Hermitage Garden

The next coziest and memorable place for all of Muscovites is Hermitage Garden. Before the Revolution it was a Bohemian place, frequently attended by the great actors and writers, art workers, and patrons. Here for the first time in Moscow a movie of Lumiere's brothers was shown. Today tradition continues and there are two theaters inside the park, lots of memorials and fun.

Museon Park & Gorky Park

Today Muscovites can't imagine their leisure activities without visiting Museon Statues Park and Gorky Park. These are fun areas. Take a look at Soviet monuments of Communist rulers, take a walk along the embankment, note what's wrong with the Peter's the Great monument, enjoy big musical fountain in Gorky park and observe how Russians spend their free time.

Crimean bridge

The last part of our Moscow bus tour you'll spend walking over the Crimean bridge. Long time ago on that place was a ford, which the Crimean Tatars used in order to attack Muscovy, that's why it was called Crimean. This hanging bridge is the one of a kind in Moscow. Moreover, it serves as a fabulous observation point, it is really a mysterious place.

On the tour you will find out:

• why Stalin was mad when he saw the building of Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• how Muscovites truly call New Arbat;
• the real reason why Bulgakov chose Patriarch's ponds as the scene where Devil arrived for the first time;
• who suggested to build Moscow rings;
• where are hidden all the gardens on the Garden Ring;
• why Crimean bridge is very dangerous.

On the tour you will see:

• Historical buildings of 19 century;
• Stalin's Empire;
• 4 out of 7 Stalin Skyscrapers;
• Old and New Arbat;
• Most popular Moscow Parks;
• First electric street lamp in Moscow;
• Main squares of the city;
• Fascinating non touristy places;
• Muscovites daily life and transportation.

Fun Facts from our Bus Tours:

What is the Garden Ring in Moscow?

Actually, we call the Garden Ring a series of streets, separated by the squares.

A great number of fascinating and historical places are situated on the Garden Ring.  Traveling along that street, you can briefly learn about all main areas of Moscow, learn its history and meaning. It will help you to navigate Moscow better and surely you can feel more like a local on this tour.

Every square on the Garden Ring has its own historical background. For example, Sukharevskaya square in 19 century hosted a market. It was very popular among Muscovites, but usually stolen things were sold there. Often people had to buy there their own stuff again after it was stolen. The Smolenskaya, Crimean, Serpukhovskaya, Taganskaya squares were market places too.

Triumphalnaya square bears its name in memory of triumphal arch that stood here to commemorate the victory over Sweden, built by the order of Peter the Great, as well as Red Gate square placed another triumphal arch. In the beginning of 20 century Triumphal square was a cultural place. Several theaters were situated there, Meyerhold’s theater among them, a circus and a park.

Three squares of the Garden Ring became real battlefields during the revolution between the bolsheviks and tsar's supporters in 1917. And finally capitulation of royal regime was signed in the building, situated on the Garden Ring.

"And the Garden ring became a wedding ring to us…"

These are words from the official soundtrack to the very popular soviet movie "Moscow does not believe in tears" that has won an American Academy Award for the best foreign language film in 1980. Not coincidentally Garden Ring is mentioned in this song as a symbol of Moscow. As it is very important part of our city, it reflects all historical events beginning from the end of 16th century.

A Garden Ring? No. An earthern rampart!

The territory outside White city's wall was called Earthern city. The Earthern city was an area were traditionally poor citizens used to settle: peasants and craftsmen. In comparison with the White city this area has always been dirty and less prestigious. For example, in White city streets were paved in stone and buildings stood on the stone basements while Earthern city had only wooden houses.

This area was proclaimed as a part of Moscow only in 1593. And great fortification wooden wall, that surrounded the territory of Earthern city, was erected by the order of tsar Fyodor Ioannovich only in a year and was called "Skorodom" - fast-built house. Outside Skorodom was additionally fortificated with the moat and the rampart.

In Times of Troubles Skorodom was burnt down by Poles and restored by the Great Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich the Silent. Finally it had 57 towers and 11 entry gates.  Nowadays on that spots, where gates once stood, you can spot the main squares of Moscow.

Skorodom was destroyed and restored a lot's of times: during the Times of Troubles, Napoleon's invasion, in frequent Moscow fires. And finally in 1830 Skorodom was demolished as it lost its functions.

Miraculous transfiguration on Stalin’s orders

In 1917 the Great October revolution blew up everything that seemed to be right at that time. And in 1930-s Moscow was reconstructed… again. This time communists were making Moscow a model of communistic city. Surely that large-scale reconstruction touched the Garden Ring. The road was widened up to 60-70 meters, paved and became a ring with the help of new bridges: Crimean and Krasnokholmskiy. Since that time the Garden Ring is considered the main artery of Moscow.

*This Moscow bus tour can be modified to meet your individual preferences.