Little Europe in the center of Russia. Tour to the Republic of Mari El and the city of Kazan

Breakfast.

Sightseeing tour of Yoshkar-Ola.

The capital of the Republic of Mari El is a city with a 400—year history.

Over the past decades, Yoshkar-Ola has become prettier, built up, it has its own bright style, for which it has been nicknamed the capital of architectural fakes. 

As if by magic, a brand—new Kremlin, its Bavarian castles, the Doge's Palace and the Bruges Embankment appeared here - a small corner of Northern Europe in the Middle Volga region. 

And there are also the largest number of monuments per capita — to kings, emperors, writers, a happy family and even a Yoshkin cat.

Excursion-a walk along the Bruges Embankment.

The Bruges Embankment, named after the Belgian city, is one of the most unusual architectural ensembles in the Russian province. All the houses on it are built in the Flemish style typical of the North of Europe: closed facades, decorative turrets and spires, ornaments, sculptures and arched window frames. 

Among the "Belgian" houses there are buildings in the spirit of Roman and Byzantine architecture, as well as the Spasskaya and Blagoveshchenskaya towers in the pseudo-Russian style. 

The musical program "Heritage" at the M. Shketan National Drama Theater.

The origin and development of the Mari theater is inextricably linked with the development of the heritage of oral and poetic folk art (fairy tales, songs, legends, household, calendar and labor rituals and folk games, etc.), as well as the traditions of Russian theatrical art.

The Mari Theatre today has a magnificent cast, masterful directing, fundamental and experimental performances, and exceptional work by artists.

Lunch.

Transfer to Zaazyakovo Ecopark (20 km).

Excursion to the Cheese Factory with cheese and beer tasting.

We will observe the production through the panoramic glass, and also go down to the main place — the cheese storage. We will try 15 different types of cheeses made from the milk of Swiss cows.

Chef's signature sauces will help you complement and reveal the flavors of some cheeses. You can cleanse your taste buds with fragrant herbal Ivan tea.

In addition, we will have a tasting of live unfiltered beer produced by the local brewery "Stary Georg".
At the cheese factory, we will have the opportunity to purchase dairy products and cheeses for ourselves and our loved ones.

Return to Yoshkar-Ola.

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast.

Transfer to Kozmodemyansk (about 170 km).

The city of Kozmodemyansk, standing on the high right bank of the Volga River near the Cheboksary reservoir, is only a year older than the capital of Mari El. It was founded as a prison in 1583 by decree of Ivan the Terrible.

Sightseeing tour of the city.

A small quiet town with a rich history, which has preserved its special spirit and patriarchy. A city with the expanse of the Volga, the unhurried flow of life and ancient merchant houses in lace dresses.

The Streletskaya Chapel Tower, built in 1697, has been preserved in the city. The historical territory of Kozmodemyansk occupies 120 hectares. There are 150 monuments here, including 12 of federal significance and 40 of republican significance. The main attractions of the city are the nationally famous O. Bender Museum of Satire and Humor, the open—air ethnographic museum, and the museum of merchant life.

Excursion to the A.V. Grigoriev Art Museum.

Russian Russian artists: I. Aivazovsky, K. Makovsky, I. Tvorozhnikov, A. Korzukhin, V. Polenov, T. Neff, Yu. Clover, K. Korovin, A. Arkhipov, N. Feshin, etc., as well as collections of antique porcelain, bone, glass and metal products of Russian, Western European artists, the museum has a magnificent collection of paintings by famous Russian artists: I. Aivazovsky, K. Makovsky, I. Tvorozhnikov, A. Korzukhin, V. Polenov, T. Neff, Yu. Clover, K. Korovin, A. Arkhipov, N. Feshin, etc. and Oriental masters of the 18th and 20th centuries .

Excursion to the Museum of Satire and Humor named after Ostap Bender.

The year is 1925. The steamer "Herzen", on which Ilya Ilf, a correspondent of the newspaper "Gudok", sailed, docked at the pier of the city of Kozmodemyansk. From this very time, the magical transformation of Kozmodemyansk into Vasyuki begins.

In the late 20s, the novel "12 Chairs" was published. And 70 years later, a museum named after "Comrade Bender" opens in Kozmodemyansk-Vasyuki.

Lunch.

Excursion to the Museum of merchant life.

The museum is located in an old merchant's mansion with a basement, mezzanine and mezzanine. The house was built in 1897 and belonged to the timber merchant Alexander Ivanovich Shishokin.

Free time.

Return to Yoshkar-Ola.

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast.

Transfer to Shorunzha village (150 km).

In 2019, Shorunzha was recognized as the Cultural Capital of the entire Finno-Ugric world. Only five places in Russia have been awarded this status. 

The atmosphere in the village is saturated with antiquity and national authenticity, so various authors often collect materials for books and make films here.

An interactive program in an ethnic village with lunch.

You are greeted at the sacred stone of Onar, the epic giant of the Mari people. 

Next, you will go to the museum and ethnographic complex "Ancient Mari Manor", which recreates the estate of a local peasant of the late 19th century. In the courtyard there is a house with an entrance hall, a "black bathhouse", a well, a barn and a barn. 

Master classes in ancient crafts are waiting for you. You will try to grind flour, start a mill, weave from a vine, put on Mari bast shoes and onuchi, see how hemp canvases are woven on an old warbler.

At the end of the program, guests will have lunch with national dishes: soup with rye dumplings, palysh, pancakes from the oven with fragrant jam and Ivan tea.

Transfer to Kazan (about 100 km).

Transfer to Kazan airport for flights departing after 20:00.