Enjoy three days of private tours around the famous Golden Ring, a ring of cities northeast of Moscow. These cities formerly comprised of the region known as Zalesye. Ancient towns, they also played a significant role in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church, preserved in the memory as one of the most important and significant events in Russian history. The towns have been called "open air museums" and feature unique monuments of Russian architecture from the 12th to 18th centuries. They include kremlins, monasteries, cathedrals, and churches. They are among the most picturesque in Russia and prominently feature Russia's famous onion dome archeticture. This tour is the perfect match for people looking to explore the countryside and willing to explore small towns in detail. During this tour you will have private assistance with an English speaking guide, vehicle and driver.

Day 1
Moscow
Enjoy an airport transfer with private vehicle and driver. Kensington Tours donates a portion of our proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). The Holiday Inn Sokolniki (4*) is situated just a short drive from the Moscow City center and the Red Square. The hotel gives the Russian capital a new dimension with world class service and intriguing cuisine. All 523 guest rooms are spacious and are outfitted with modern amenities, and the five restaurants and bars cater to a variety of needs and tastes. This hotel is a great choice for both business and leisure travelers as it is close to the business quarter and famous Moscow attractions, which are easily accessible by car or metro. The focal point of Moscow is Red Square, on one side of which is the Kremlin surrounded by a thick red fortress wall containing 20 towers altogether. There a several gorgeous buildings in the square including the Uspensky Cathedral which contains three of the oldest Russian icons, and where the tsars were crowned, the 14th-century Grand Kremlin Palace, the golden-domed Belfry of Ivan the Great, and St Basil’s Cathedral famous for its brightly colored domes. The Blagoveshchensky (Annunciation) Cathedral was built for Ivan III and is extravagantly decorated, from its copper domes to its agate- and jasper-tiled floors. Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral has recently been reconstructed and rededicated. Lenin’s Mausoleum is still open to the public on certain days. Outside Red Square, Tverskaya Street is one of the main shopping streets. Arbat Street is the main thoroughfare of a traditionally bohemian quarter. Today it is a pedestrian zone with crafts and artists’ stalls and street performers. The area known as Kitai-Gorod lies east of the Kremlin, and is notable for its 16th- and 17th-century churches, especially the five-domed Cathedral of the Sign, with its amazing acoustic properties. The world-famous Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater at Teatralnaya Square dates from 1824. Novodevichy Convent near Sportivnaya metro station houses a museum of rare and ancient Russian art, and is one of the finest examples of 16th- and 17th-century architecture in the city. One of the most popular new, but macabre attractions is the KGB Museum housed in the sinister Lubyanka building.

Day 2
Moscow - Suzdal
Enjoy a Russian country side drive (74 km) to Sergiev Posad, a lovely provincial town of Russia whose life centred around the monastery. An overwhelming panoramic view of the Holy Trinity from the "Pancake" Hill. Explore the unique monastic ensemble of Russian Orthodoxy from the 15th to the 19th centuries, and witness a functioning monastery with 200 monks, 300 novices and an Ecclesiastical Academy on its grounds. Here, the finest choirs of Russia can be heard at services in any of the 5 churches open to the public. A flea market in front of the Holy Gates offers souvenirs and other memorabilia. Enjoy a private tour to Vladimir from Moscow. Drive to Vladimir cosidered part of the "Golden Ring", the name for a popular tourist route connecting ancient towns north-east of Moscow. During this tour visit three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are the Golden Gates, Vladimir's unofficial symbol, Assumption and St. Demetrius Cathedrals. The city is also home to several award winning museums, art galleries and theaters; a number of world-class performing groups, artists, and artisans, and several first rate institutions of higher learning. Entrances to the sightseeing mentioned are included in the tour price. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Wonderfully placed in the heart of the city and offering cosy lodging, the Pushkarskaya Sloboda (4*) welcomes all types of travellers for a memorable stay.The hotel is ideally placed in Lenin Street. Museum of Wooden Architecture and Kremlin are the attractions that are close to the hotel.The hotel boasts 156 guest rooms that are spacious and equipped with basic requirements for a comfortable stay. Part of the "Golden Ring" of Moscow, Suzdal is a small town almost entirely untouched since medieval times. Chickens and goats roam the main street, and a staggering array of ancient churches and monasteries will occupy visitors for hours.

Day 3
Suzdal - Moscow
Enjoy a day tour to Suzdal, part of the "Golden Ring", known for unique architectural constructions dating back to the 12-17th centuries. Recognized as a leading museum of architecture, the town is fabulously rich in ancient cathedrals and monasteries, bell-towers and churches, one and two-story wooden and brick buildings. The Kremlin, the Monastery of the Deposition of the Holy Robe, the Nativity Cathedral and the Intercession Cathedral are the most popular places of interest. Suzdal is truly a town-museum distinguished for its fidelity to ancient traditions. Entrance fees in Kremlin with Krestovaya Palata and the Intercession Monastery is included in the tour price. Optional: Wooden Architecture Museum and Icon Museum (entrance fees not included). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Holiday Inn Sokolniki (4*).

Day 4
Moscow
Enjoy an airport transfer with private vehicle and driver. Depart from Moscow international airport - end of itinerary.