Christmas on the Volga. Ivanovo region

08:00 Breakfast. 

Excursion to the favorite corner of the great Russian playwright — the Shchelykovo Museum-Reserve. 

The estate of the great Russian playwright Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky is a place that he compared "with the best places in Switzerland and Italy", a place that became his lifelong love. 

Here he worked hard and fruitfully, received numerous guests, and found his last shelter here. His legacy is carefully preserved here and Shchelykov traditions are maintained.

You will visit the Ostrovsky House, a rare museum in Russia with the "effect" of the presence of the owners.

It was here, in the cozy study of his native home, that the beautiful Snow Maiden was "born" — the most beloved and romantic character of Ostrovsky's "spring fairy tale" of the same name. 

You will admire the blue openwork house of the Snow Maiden, walk through the park to Yarilina Valley, where there is a Blue Snow Maiden's key with crystal clear water.

Return to Kineshma.

Lunch. 

Kineshma was once one of the centers of Kostroma province and its richest merchants built magnificent cathedrals and temples here, tried to outdo each other in the beauty and wealth of their own mansions.

"New Year's charm of a provincial city" is a sightseeing walking tour of the historical center of the city. 

It is one of the oldest industrial centers of the Upper Volga region. The city has retained its provincial charm and the atmosphere of a county merchant town. 

In winter, Kineshma turns into a fabulous and magical city located on the high right bank of the Volga. 

During an exciting walking tour of the city center, you will get acquainted with its history, walk around the places where the famous playwright A.N. Ostrovsky wrote the immortal play "The Bride". It was here, in Kineshma, that the filming of the film of the same name took place in 1936.

Posadskaya Square, Noble Assembly, Red shopping malls. The house of the Polenovs-Tikhomirovs takes you into the atmosphere of a merchant county town of the nineteenth century. Each building has its own unique architectural appearance. 

The most beautiful place is considered to be the Volga embankment, along which we will certainly take a walk. 

You will visit the snow-white Trinity-Assumption Cathedral, founded back in 1745, next to which the magnificent openwork bell tower of the cathedral, erected in 1798, flaunts. This cathedral was once visited by Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich and members of the Imperial family! 

You will walk along the magnificent Volzhsky Boulevard, decorated with ceremonial mansions and beautiful ancient buildings, from here you can enjoy fascinating Volga views.

Excursion to the Sokolov family's private museum — the Valenok Museum.

Currently, the museum holds more than 200 exhibits, including antique woolen machines, tools for making felt boots, record—breaking felt boots, decorated felt boots, and chess felt boots, various wool products, felt boots of unusual shapes, a collection of miniature felt boots and much more.

Return to the hotel. Free time. The hotel complex has a gym, a sauna with a swimming pool.

If desired, for an additional fee, in the evening we invite you to a performance at the Kineshma Theater, one of the oldest in the country. 

It was founded by the townspeople in 1898 in memory of the great playwright A.N. Ostrovsky. The name of the performance and the ticket price will be indicated additionally.

Dinner at the hotel for an additional fee (800 rubles). It is paid together with the voucher.

09:00 Breakfast. 

11:00 Transfer to Shuya.

On the eve of the great feast of the Nativity of Christ, let's talk about the temples that were the centers of people's spiritual life before the revolution. 

Today, the purpose of our tour will be the churches of the ancient merchant city of Shuya.

There were more than 20 churches in Shuya before the revolution. Most of them were built in the XIX–early XX century. But there were also several ancient temples that existed already in the XVII century. Some have survived to our time, others, unfortunately, have been destroyed.

Lunch at a cafe with tasting of 3 types of Shuya berry infusions.

Visit to the festive fair on the central street of the city. 

Original souvenirs and gastronomic finds from all cities of the Ivanovo region. The gifts bought here will give warmth to you and your loved ones for the whole year 2025.

Visit to the Shuiskaya Vodka brand store. The products can be purchased at factory prices so that, upon returning home, you can impress your friends with unique tinctures.

We have prepared a pleasant surprise for you with a tasting of Italian cheeses from a local producer in a private cheese factory, as well as products from the Shuiskaya Yagoda eco-farm.

Excursion to the city park. 

Here you will find a unique light show that will not leave anyone indifferent. The organizers have prepared something special — a grandiose Christmas nativity scene. 

The art object was created by Palekh artists together with specialists from Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow and St. Petersburg. 

18:30 The end of the program at the Shuya railway station.

Departure to Moscow on your own.

It is possible to leave by night train from Ivanovo.