Golden Ring of Russia

At the airport in Moscow you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. This evening dinner is served at the hotel from 6- 9pm. (D)

Meet your guide in the lobby at 08.30 this morning for an informative welcome meeting. Then we take the metro and make our way to the legendary Red Square for the start of our walking tour. Here we will take in sights such as the epitome of Russian power – the Kremlin, Lenin's Mausoleum and the ritzy GUM department store. At the south end of the square, feast your eyes on the iconic St Basil's Cathedral. We also tour the mighty Kremlin, with a guided walk through the grounds to see numerous government buildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the Tsar Bell - the largest bell that never rang! If open, you can pay your respects to the grandfather of Communism at Lenin's mausoleum. Remainder of the day is at leisure.

During our stay in Moscow there will be the chance to join some of our optional evening excursions, such as a traditional Cossack Show or a Moscow by Night coach tour. (B/L)

If you have booked the optional Inside a Soviet Bunker Tour Bolt On then we will head 65 metres underground and explore the Underground Cold War Museum - a Stalinist-era Soviet Bunker that up until recently was a top secret symbol of Soviet Power. The rest of the day is free to explore amazing galleries, museums, plenty of cafes, shops (including the GUM department store for high rollers) and bars all within walking distance. During our stay in Moscow there will be the chance to join some of our optional evening excursions, such as a traditional Cossack Show or a Moscow by Night coach tour. All optional excursions are subject to availability, and are booked and payable locally. (B)

Moscow - Suzdal. This morning we take the train to Vladimir and then transfer to the picturesque Golden Ring town of Suzdal. Dating back to 1024 with stunning medieval architecture and an array of churches and monasteries, Suzdal is a major religious centre in Russia. Suzdal, with its pretty meadows and livestock grazing along the grassy lanes, retains the feel of a small pastoral village, despite the host of impressive buildings and a population of over 12,000 people.

We take a walking tour around the centre of Suzdal, where we'll see Suzdal Kremlin, Market square, Alexander monastery, Pokrovsky Monastery and Rizopolozhensky monastery. We'll also explore the incredible Museum of Wooden Architecture which has a reconstruction of an ancient Russian village from Ivan the Terrible's time. This afternoon you can enjoy a traditional Russia banya (sauna) and if you get too hot you can always jump in the river to cool off! (B/D)

Suzdal - Kostroma - Yaroslavl. Today we travel on to Kostroma, a historic city which sits on the banks of the Volga River and forms part of Russia's Golden Ring. We see the city sights on a bus tour and visit the fairytale land of the Snow Maiden's museum. Here we'll explore the mansion, learn all about Russian fairy tales and visit the frosty ice-room where you can enjoy ice cocktails at the ice bar. From Kostroma we travel on to Yaroslavl for the night. (B/L)

Yaroslavl - Moscow. The skyline of Yaroslavl is crowded with onion-shaped domes and imposing spires with churches hidden around every corner. After breakfast today we get to test our artistic skills at a wood painting class in the grounds of one of the city's oldest monasteries and you can take your artwork home as a souvenir! Then we explore the city on a bus tour where highlights include the Assumption cathedral, the remarkable 16th Century Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Saviour, Theatre square. We'll also visit The Residence of Her Majesty the Queen of Maslenitsa, which is an interactive museum with colourful wooden buildings. Maslenitsa (Butter Week) is a Russian folk festival where people eat traditional pancakes called blinis and you'll have the opportunity to sample a tasty blini at the museum. This afternoon we travel by train back Moscow where we'll spend our final night in the capital. (B)

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Hotel check out and make your own way to the airport. (B)