Russia: Land of the Tsars

Your group will arrive in the beautiful capital city of Moscow to begin your trip abroad to study history in Russia’s biggest cities. After leaving your belongings in the hotel, your guide will be waiting to show you around. On this day, your group will go to the Red Square, where you will visit the Kremlin, the site of Lenin’s Mausoleum and St. Basil Cathedral, commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in 1555. After being shown around, your group will visit the famous GUM Mall, where you will be able to eat and do some shopping. Your group will return to the hotel to rest up for the next day’s activities.

After an early breakfast, your guide awaits you for your second day full of sightseeing in Moscow. First, your group will visit the Novodevichy Convent, and the Bolshoi Theatre, home to the Russian ballet. After lunch, your group will visit the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, as well as the State Historical Museum, where you will receive guided tours through the exhibitions. Finally, your group will visit the Cathedral of the Annunciation, after which you will enjoy a traditional Russian meal, where you can discuss the places you visited, as well as the places that await you.

You will arrive in St. Petersburg after a short plane ride, where another guide will be waiting for your group. After leaving your belongings in the hotel, your group will visit the Winter Palace and the State Hermitage Museum situated within. After seeing all the things the enormous Winter Palace complex has to offer, your group will head to dinner. You will able to tour the city and enjoy the nightlife afterward or return to the hotel to rest up.

Today in St Petersburg, your group will visit the original citadel, where your guide will take you through the Peter and Paul Fortress, as well as the Peter and Paul Cathedral, built by Peter the Great. Returning to the city, your group will enjoy a delicious lunch, after which you will visit the Kazan Cathedral, the mother cathedral of the city. Finally, your group will conclude their activities with a guided visit to the wonderful Faberge Museum and a walk through the Summer Garden, also built by Peter the Great

Your group will arrive in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, where your next guide awaits. After checking into your hotel, your group will visit the medieval Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, as well as the Chkalov Stairs. After an early dinner, your group will be able to tour the nightlife of this bustling Russian city, in preparation of the day ahead.

Your second day in Nizhny Novgorod will start with a tour of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, as well as visiting the Spit of Nizhny Novgorod, both located in the confluence of the rivers Volga and Oka. After having lunch, your group will receive a guided tour of the Nizhegorodskiy Gosudarstvennyy Khudozhestvennyy Museum. To finish off your day of sightseeing, you will meet up with your guide at Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street, where you will have dinner and pack up to leave for the final city of your tour.

Your group will arrive in Kazan, the last city of your tour. You will head to the hotel, where the final guide of your trip will be waiting for you. The day begins in the Kazan Kremlin and Mosque, followed by a guided tour of the Kazan Hermitage Museum. Your group will then visit the historic Bauman street, for some dinner and shopping.

On your second day in Kazan and the final full day of your trip, your group will visit the Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan, home to a vast collection of Tatar history, archaeology & artifacts. After your tour in the museum ends, your group will head to the Temple of all Religions, a project that has been under construction since 1992 by the artist and philanthropist Idlar Khanov. The complex currently houses a mosque, synagogue, and an Orthodox church, among others. This space demonstrates how different ethnic and religious groups can coexist in peace and harmony. To end your day, your group will take a tour through the Chernoye Ozero, an urban park with green areas, pathways to walk through and a statue commemorating Vladimir Lenin.

 Your group will wake up bright and early to spend the last hours of your trip walking around the city of Kazan, doing some last-minute shopping and sightseeing. You will then go to the airport for the journey back home.