08:00 Transfer from your hotel to the railway station. A driver will wait for you at the lobby of your hotel or place where you stay. (OPTIONAL)

Please note that the check-in for Russian trains starts 30 minutes before departure. You must have your passport with you and present it at check-in.

09:30 Departure from Moscow to Vladimir

The way to Vladimir takes 1h 40min. Stations are announced in Russian and English. The train only has a two-minute stop in Vladimir, so be ready to get off in advance.

11:14 Meeting your English-speaking guide and the driver at the Vladimir train station. 

City tour of Vladimir – on this tour you will visit the main sights of the city:

Assumption cathedral– this is an outstanding monument of Rus before the Mongol-Tatar Invasion, dating from 1189. It is one of the few churches where frescos by Andrey Rublev have survived.

St Demetrius’ Cathedral – another masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture. It was built in 1197. 556 carved stones decorate the cathedral and create a magical view of the world where Christian motives stand side by side with more pagan images.

Golden Gates – this structure includes a triumphal arch and a gate-church which was built in 1164 during the reign of Andrey Bogolyubsky. It is a unique monument of ancient Rus military architecture. Similar gates were erected in Kiev at the time, but these have not survived.

Lunch (own expense)

Transfer to Bogolyubovo (10 km). Bogolyubovo can be translated as 'God-loving'. Appropriately, it is famous for its UNESCO-protected monastery and  Intercession Church on the Nerl which is considered a masterpiece of Russian church architecture and the reason for visiting. On this tour you will visit the main sights:

The Bogolyubovo Convent with the remains of the Palace of the Prince, 1157

The Church of the Intervention on the Nerl, 1165, is believed to be a perfect temple of ancient Russia due to harmony of its proportions. It stands on a small hill in the field and fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape. The most notable highlight of the church is white stone carving on the facades depicting beautiful girls’ faces and King David surrounded by fantastic animals. According to calculations of researchers, a carver was to spend about 3.5 thousand days creating this rich ornament

Transfer from Vladimir to your hotel in Suzdal. (Distance: 40km)

Overnight in Suzdal.

Breakfast at your hotel.

10:00 City tour of Suzdal - the highlights of the tour include:

Suzdal Kremlin – the most ancient part of Suzdal from where the city began. It is situated in the south of the city on the bank of the River Kamenki. Based on information contained in chronicles, the Suzdal Kremlin has existed since at least 1024 and archaeological evidence suggests it even dates from the 10th century.

Nativity of the Virgin Mary Cathedralwith the unique Golden doors produced in 1230 – this cathedral was built in 1225 on the foundations of an even older building. It is believed that the former church was built during the reign of Vladimir Monomakh. The cathedral is the oldest surviving building in the city.

Spaso-Yefimiev Monastery – in the past Suzdal was surrounded by 15 monasteries and the Spaso-Yefimiev Monastery is just one of the five monasteries which survive today. It was founded in 1352 and today it is one of the main sights in the city as it is now a museum. In imperial and Soviet times the monastery even held a prison.

Museum of Wooden Architecture – many wooden buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries have been brought here from all over the Vladimir Region. By walking around the buildings you will get a good picture of how the Russian provinces looked in the 19th century.

The Transfiguration of Jesus cathedral 1560, the bellman performance at the monastery

The Intercession of the Virgin Nunnery – the place of the exile of the Moscow tsar’s ex-wives

The Market square

14:00 Lunch (own expense)

15:50 Catching the train back to Moscow

17:30 Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to your hotel. A driver will wait for you next to your wagon.(OPTIONAL)