A weekend on the Volga. Ples, Kostroma and Yaroslavl

Two-day tour of the great Russian Volga River. Exciting excursions in the three cities of the Golden Ring await you. 

In Plyos, you will be greeted by streets that hold the secrets of centuries, landscapes that inspired Isaac Levitan, steep hills and golden domes of churches. In Kostroma, you will learn the peculiarities of the weaving craft, admire the local monuments and the ensemble of Shopping malls. In Yaroslavl you will see the birthplace of the first Russian theater, stunning cathedrals and monasteries, the famous house with an arch and much more.

Have a great weekend with us!

Location

Yaroslavl
from
$214
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
2 days
1 night
Departures
6 - 7 Jun
13 - 14 Jun
20 - 21 Jun
27 - 28 Jun
4 - 5 Jul
11 - 12 Jul
18 - 19 Jul
25 - 26 Jul
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    1 night
Comfort
  • Midscale
  • Upscale
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
Up to 50 tourists
Minimum age
6 years old
Group meet at
Yaroslavl
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Boat trip
Enjoy the beauty of the great Russian river and the amazing landscapes of Ples
Spiritual Enlightenment
We will see the monastery where the history of the Romanov royal dynasty began.
Levitan landscapes
We will see the places that inspired the artist.

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Arrival. Ples and a boat trip

    11:00-11:15 Arrival in Yaroslavl. Gathering of the Yaroslavl railway station group is the main one at the monument to S.Mamontov.

    Transfer to Kostroma (~ 1.5 hours).

    Lunch at a cafe in the city.

    Transfer to Ples* (~ 1 hour).

    Sightseeing tour of Ples.

    Ples welcomes you with quiet streets, where every house, every carved architrave holds the secrets of centuries, and the Market Square and embankment seem to have descended from an ancient painting.

    The outlines of a once-standing fortress can be discerned on Cathedral Hill, and the majestic Assumption Cathedral seems to hold the breath of the entire city.

    Isaac Levitan drew his subjects here, Fyodor Chaliapin set foot here, and the Volga wind whispers the stories of merchants, artists and travelers — all this merges into a lively, fascinating atmosphere.

    Boat trip along the Volga.

    One of the most fascinating ways to see Ples and its surroundings is to take a boat trip along the Volga. From the water, the city opens up in a new light: steep hills, which are called mountains here, golden domes of churches, and, of course, the Volga itself, majestically flowing along its channel.

    At such a moment, you understand why Ples has become a real source of inspiration for many generations of artists and poets. (In case of adverse weather conditions, the boat trip will be replaced by an excursion to the museum of Public places).

    Free time.

    * - The Ples tour is exclusively pedestrian in nature, passing through hilly terrain with ascents and descents. We recommend choosing comfortable clothes and shoes according to the weather.

    If desired, for an additional fee, you can use the services of an electric car (pay yourself on the spot).

    Departure to Kostroma (~ 80 km).

    Transfer to the hotel, Free time.

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  • Day 2 - Sightseeing tours of Kostroma and Yaroslavl. Departure
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    1 night
Comfort
  • Midscale
  • Upscale

The tour provides options to choose from: with or without hotel accommodation.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, in rubles:

PlacementAdultChildren under 14 years of age
Without accommodation11 50011 000
Snow Maiden 3* / Shelestov 3*15 50015 000
Moskovskaya zastava 3*17 00016 500
Volga 4* / Ya-Hotel 4*18 00017 500

Surcharge for single occupancy in hotels 3* – 2 500 rubles, in hotels 4* – 4 000 rubles.

Discount on the additional place – 500 rubles.

Children under 3 years old are free of charge (without providing a separate seat on the bus and hotel, as well as without meals).

The Snow Maiden Hotel or The Shelestoff Hotel or 1 night
The Snow Maiden Hotel

The Snegurochka Hotel in Kostroma is 2.1 km away from the center. The hotel offers 55 comfortable rooms, which are equipped with all necessary appliances and comfortable furniture.

Check-in at the hotel starts at 14:00, you need to leave before 12:00.

There is a restaurant "Metelitsa", a bar, and an entertainment complex "Snow Maiden's Tower" on site.

Thanks to the professionalism of the staff of the accommodation and reception service, the settlement procedure will take no more than 3 minutes so as not to detain guests from the road.

The building consists of three floors and is ideally located on the banks of the Volga River next to the Church of the Resurrection in the center of Kostroma.

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Another option
The Shelestoff Hotel

The hotel is located in Kostroma. The main architectural sights of the city are located nearby.

Cozy rooms of the following categories are prepared for vacationers: Luxury, Comfort, Business, Innovation. Each room is decorated in a modern style and is equipped with comfortable furniture and modern appliances for a pleasant stay. 

The rooms have a private bathroom, a set of bathrobes, towels, and hygiene products.

The hotel's restaurant serves delicious and delicious dishes that will delight any guest.

The train station is 5 km away, and the airport is 6.4 km away.

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Another option
The Moskovskaya Zastava Hotel

The hotel is located in Kostroma. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, and private parking is also available. The reception is open 24 hours a day, and guests can contact us with any questions they may have.

The rooms are equipped with stylish and comfortable furniture, an LED TV with satellite channels, air conditioning, a telephone and a private bathroom with a set of personal hygiene products, towels and a hairdryer.

Guests can always order their own food or take advantage of room service in the hotel's lobby bar.

The hotel is located in the very center of Kostroma, on the Volga River embankment, a 15-minute drive from the main train stations and within walking distance from public transport stops.

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Another option
The Volga Hotel

The 4-star Volga Hotel is located near the central embankment in Kostroma. Near the historical part of the city with many attractions. The convenient location will ensure a comfortable stay during tourist or business trips. 

102 rooms are offered for accommodation, with categories from "Standard" to "Suite". Their interior is decorated in light shades, and from the panoramic windows you can see the city or the river. There are beds with orthopedic mattresses, Wi-Fi, a TV and a private bathroom.

There is a restaurant on site that serves delicious dishes. Guests can also choose a rate with breakfast included.

In 258 m — the Church of the Resurrection on the Forest, in 416 m — the State Philharmonic, in 575 m — the landscaped Muravyovka Park. The distance to the airport is 6.8 km, to the railway station — 1.8 km.

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Another option
"I am a Hotel"

Ya-Hotel occupies a modern 4-storey building located next to the Epiphany-Anastasiinsky Monastery. Guests are provided with an expanded range of services, including meals.

The hotel's rooms are decorated in a modern style. Moscow artists worked on the design of the rooms. The rooms have not only a comfortable bed and other furniture, but also a workplace so that hotel guests can continue to work while on a business trip.

There is a restaurant complex on the territory of the hotel, which is divided into several zones. In the morning, guests are invited to the breakfast room to recharge with hearty meals and a good mood. There is also a banquet hall and a lobby bar.

Staying at the hotel, you can diversify your stay by visiting interesting places nearby. There is a Literary Museum, a monument to a Dog, and a fire tower within walking distance. The train station is 3.5 km away and the airport is 6.7 km away.

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Tour conditions

Group
up to 50 tourists
Minimum age
6 years old
Duration
2 days 1 night
Group meets at
Yaroslavl

Included in price

  • transportation services according to the program;
  • accommodation in the selected hotel (when choosing a rate with accommodation);
  • Meals: breakfast and 2 lunches;
  • guided tour service according to the program.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Yaroslavl and back;
  • surcharge for single occupancy:
    • in a 3* hotel – 2500 rubles;
    • in a 4* hotel – 4000 rubles;
  • additional payment for a special menu (vegetarianism, diets, etc.) – 400 rubles for 1 lunch;
  • meals not included in the tour program are dinner.

It's important to know

Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

What kind of transportation is provided on the tour?
Are there any possible changes in the tour program?
Is insurance included in the price of the tour?

Dates and Prices

Reviews Leave a review

  • M
    Good afternoon! I really enjoyed the cities of Plyos and Kostroma. The Moskovskaya Zastava hotel in Kostroma is well located, the rooms were comfortable, and the breakfast was good. However, the drive from Kostroma to Yaroslavl took a very long time, and we got stuck in traffic on the highway at the entrance to the city. As a result, there was very little time for sightseeing in Yaroslavl. There was also no place to park the bus, and the group had to rush to the train station. Overall, the Yaroslavl tour was disappointing. In addition, the tour bus was quite old, and the seats were uncomfortable.
    Photo Big Country Travel
    Big Country Travel
    Hello Marina, Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the trip overall. We’re sorry to learn about the issues with the organization of the Yaroslavl excursion. Your comments are very important to us, and we will share them with our team to help improve the quality of our tours and overall experience. We hope that, despite these shortcomings, you’ll consider traveling with us again when planning your next trip to Russia!
  • M
    Marina
    about provider
    19 Mar, 2026
    Everything was well organized. All the tour information was sent in advance, we were met promptly, and the hotel check-in was quick and smooth.
  • S
    Shorena
    about provider
    9 Nov, 2025
    I’m grateful to the tour provider, overall, I really enjoyed the trip. My only comment is about the meals. For example, I don’t eat meat or dairy products, and when filling out the questionnaire, I clearly listed everything I strictly avoid. When I arrived at the café for lunch, I double-checked about getting a meat-free meal, and they assured me they had my information and would serve a suitable option. I trusted that, but after just a few spoonfuls of borscht, I found pieces of meat which was quite disappointing and irresponsible. As a result, I was left half hungry, since I could only eat a small piece of pollock with some potatoes and salad and the portions were very small. I also wasn’t happy with lunch at the Slavyansky restaurant: the borscht they planned to serve as a "meat-free" dish was clearly cooked in meat broth, so I had to refuse it. The portion of cod there was maybe about 100 grams, served with rice, so at least I didn’t stay completely hungry. In conclusion, I’d really like to see dietary requests taken more seriously. Some travelers may also have allergies, so if someone writes that they don’t eat certain foods, it’s important to pay close attention to that.
    Photo Big Country Travel
    Big Country Travel
    Hello Shorena, Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the trip overall. We’ll definitely share your comments with our colleagues in the region to help improve the catering quality on future tours. We hope that despite this issue, you’ll choose us again to organize your next trip around Russia!