A trip to the Volga cities with a boat trip

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Discover the magic of the Golden Ring of Russia!

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ancient Russian culture and learn the secrets of the history of Suzdal, Ivanovo and Kostroma, enjoy local products in Volgorechensk and admire the beauty of the Mother Volga and the landscapes of Central Russia in Ples.

Location

Moscow

Sightseeing tours

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Pearl of the Volga

On a boat trip, you will admire from the water the amazing Ples, which inspired many artists and poets.

Ancient Suzdal

Explore the open-air museum city, where every stone holds age-old legends.

A variety of local flavors

An extensive tasting of local products awaits you: fish, cheeses, jams and sweets.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure from Moscow. Suzdal and Ivanovo
07:45 Gathering of the group in Moscow, VDNKh metro station, parking lot to the right of the Kosmos Hotel.
Departure to Suzdal.
The creator of the Golden Ring route, Yuri Bychkov, while in Suzdal, called it "Sweet Museum. The city is unique" and noted with surprise that there are a lot of people here and the city is very popular.
Sightseeing tour of Suzdal.
In the program:
visit the main attraction of Suzdal – the Suzdal Kremlin, which has existed since the 10th century according to archaeological data;
The Pokrovsky Monastery (from the observation deck) is a women's monastery that holds many secrets. In the 16th century, it served as a place of exile for disgraced tsars and women of noble boyar families.;
an inspection of the territory of the Spaso-Efimiev Monastery with a visit to the Transfiguration Cathedral and the famous bells. The monastery is famous for the fact that the walls of the cathedral contain unique frescoes of the XVI century from the facades of the building and paintings of the XVII century from the famous masters Guriy Nikitin and Sila Savin.
Visit the Golden Pantry exhibition, a real treasure trove of ancient Russian works of decorative and applied art, some of them are related to the history of the development of Vladimir and Suzdal.
Lunch at a cafe in the city.
Departure to Ivanovo.
Travel sightseeing tour of Ivanovo.
"Russian Manchester", the city of the cotton kings who set the fashion for Russian textiles, the birthplace of the first Soviet, an exemplary socialist city, a paradise for fans of "constructivism". All this is Ivanovo.
In the program:
the railway station in the style of "constructivism" in 1933, one of the symbols of Ivanovo;
Revolution Square is the central square of the city;
monument to Yakov Petrovich Garelin (1820-1890), one of the founding fathers of the city, manufacturer and philanthropist;
the buildings of Soviet constructivism, after Moscow and St. Petersburg in Ivanovo, there are the most in Russia.;
Shchudrov tent, the oldest stone building in Ivanovo, 17th century.
Transfer to Volgorechensk. An industrial town 45 km from Kostroma.
Accommodation in the hotel "Volgorechensk" in Volgorechensk, an economical option with all the amenities in the room. (reserve hotels: Gubernsky Dvor country residence (Kozlovy Gory metro station), standard rooms, building No. 5; Susanin Park Hotel 3*, Kostroma; Snegurochka 3*, Kostroma; Volga, Kostroma).
Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

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Day 2 - Ples, tasting in Volgorechensk
07:30 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
Departure to Ples.
Sightseeing tour of Ples, the "capital" of the Russian landscape, the picturesque area of this city inspired great artists, singers, and writers.
Sightseeing of the city:
Cathedral Mountain, from which you will enjoy a picturesque panorama of the city;
The monument to Vasily I is the first and only monument to Prince Vasily I, the son of Dmitry Donskoy, the long–term ruler of the Russian land.;
The market square, on which stands the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, built in 1817;
Ples Embankment is a string of two hundred–year-old houses, each with its own history;
Stone merchant properties.
Boat trip along the Volga (45 minutes).
The walk is accompanied by an audio tour: an opportunity to enjoy not only the beauty of the Mother Volga River and the charm of the city from the water, but also to learn a lot about the picturesque Ples.
Free time. A great opportunity to visit the Levitan Museum or the Landscape Museum on your own.
Lunch at a cafe.
Return to Volgorechensk.
Free time.
Dinner at the hotel restaurant with tasting:
Fishes of the Volgorechensk fisheries: cold-smoked carp and trout. The fish is smoked for 7 hours at a low temperature of 30 degrees, when smoked, beech chips are used to add color to the fish and alder chips for a subtle flavor.
Cheeses: fresh pickled cheeses, soft cheeses, cheese with mold and semi–hard Kostroma cheese (produced by Volzhanka cheese factory, Volgorechensk).
Sweets: marmalade, marshmallows, marshmallows (Merengue confectionery factory, Kostroma).
Jams made from berries harvested exclusively in the Kostroma region (Tsar Berendey LLC, Makariev, Kostroma region).
A glass of homemade wine "from Baba Nyura".
Please note: if a tasting product is not available, the tasting organizer has the right to replace it with another product.

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Day 3 - Kostroma Cheese Museum
07:00 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
Departure to Kostroma.
Sightseeing tour of Kostroma, the most beautiful city on the Volga, one of the pearls of the Golden Ring.
The ancient merchant city, which has preserved to this day the original appearance of the architectural ensemble of the XVIII century, will lift the veil of mystery of its unique history.
In the center there are:
The fire tower of the 19th century is an outstanding monument of classicism;
the guardhouse building;
a beautifully preserved ensemble of Shopping malls, which are still in service.
Kostroma is the cradle of the Romanov dynasty. It was in the Ipatievsky monastery in Kostroma that Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov hid from Godunov's disgrace. Ipatievsky Monastery is the main symbol of Kostroma.
An inspection of the territory of the recreated Kostroma Kremlin, where the miraculous icon of the Fedorovskaya Mother of God is kept in the Epiphany Cathedral.
It was written around 1239 and is famous for its great miracles and healings. This is the oldest work of Kostroma icon painting. The icon has long been revered as the defender of the city and the guardian of the Romanov family.
Visit to the "Cheese Museum".
What an association arises with the word "Kostroma", of course, cheese. Kostroma is famous for its cheeses, which is why it has rightfully received the title of the cheese capital of Russia!
The cheese sommelier will guide the guests through the halls of the ancient mansion, constantly telling them about the most mysterious, amazing and unexpected cheese stories.
You will find out:
how and where the first cheese appeared;
you will see and even be able to touch ancient and modern cheese making devices;
have a good laugh at the cheese fun;
discover a whole world called "Cheese".
Lunch at a cafe in the city.
Departure to Moscow.
21:00 Approximate time of arrival in Moscow (metro station "VDNKH").

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

1 night

Comfort

Upscale

The tour provides accommodation in hotels along the way in standard rooms (double occupancy).

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

Season/meals	Breakfast only	No dinners: breakfasts, lunches	Full meals: breakfasts, lunches, dinners
October – April	18 690	20 190	20 990
May – September	18 990	20 490	21 290
Arrivals 01.05, 02.05, 08.05, 12.06	19 890	21 390	22 190

The surcharge for a single room is 4,100 rubles.

There is no check-in, a surcharge for single occupancy is required when applying for 1 person.

Discount on an extra bed (3 people in a room) – 400 rub.

Accommodation at the hotel "Volgorechensk", Volgorechensk.

It is possible to change the price for some dates, please check the current information when booking.

The Volgorechensk Hotel is located in the very center of the city of the same name in the Kostroma region, opposite the House of Culture.

The hotel offers comfortable rooms from standard to luxury categories. Each of them is equipped with a TV and comfortable furniture in the form of beds with fresh linens, bedside tables and cupboards. Towels are provided in the private bathroom.

There is a cafe on site where you can order breakfast and dinner for a fee. There is also an equipped kitchen area for common use. Small refrigerators and kettles are provided in the rooms. There is a pizzeria, several restaurants and grocery stores nearby.

The hotel has parking, an interactive museum in the lobby, and a souvenir shop. Nearby there is a City park, Tikhonovskaya Church. There are beaches on the Shacha River 3 km away. The distance to Kostroma Railway Station is 36.3 km, and the airport is 42 km away.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 45 tourists

Minimum age

6 years old

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

Moscow

Included in price

Hotel accommodation;
meals (according to the selected option);
guided tours according to the program (including museum tickets and accompanying guide services);
transportation service.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Moscow and back;
The surcharge for a single room is 4,100 rubles.;
choice of a seat on the bus – 1,470 rubles (to be booked when buying a tour);
personal expenses.

It's important to know

The time of departure and arrival in Moscow is indicative and cannot be considered a mandatory item of the program.
The company reserves the right to make changes to the excursion program depending on objective circumstances while maintaining volume and quality. It is possible to replace some excursions with equivalent ones. And also to replace hotels of the same category or higher.
If the number of tourists in a group is less than 20 people, a minibus of a foreign tourist class can be provided.
The company does not arrange room check-in for your safety and comfort.
Joining children's groups to the tour is on request.
The time according to the tour program (especially the arrival time) is indicated approximately. There may be delays due to circumstances beyond the control of the Tour Operator/ Travel Agent (traffic jams, vehicle breakdowns, etc.), and therefore the arrival time of the bus at the final destination along the route may be extended by 2-3 hours.

When self-booking travel documents by Tourists for further travel to their destination (permanent residence), it is necessary to take into account the possible increase in time on the tour. There is no compensation for travel tickets (air, railway) in case of a delay in vehicles during the tour for reasons beyond the control of the Tour Operator/ Travel Agent.

Dates and Prices

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27 – 29 Jun 3 days 2 nights

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2 – 4 Jul 3 days 2 nights

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4 – 6 Jul 3 days 2 nights

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11 – 13 Jul 3 days 2 nights

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16 – 18 Jul 3 days 2 nights

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18 – 20 Jul 3 days 2 nights

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25 – 27 Jul 3 days 2 nights

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30 Jul – 1 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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1 – 3 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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6 – 8 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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8 – 10 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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15 – 17 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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20 – 22 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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22 – 24 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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29 – 31 Aug 3 days 2 nights

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5 – 7 Sep 3 days 2 nights

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10 – 12 Sep 3 days 2 nights

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12 – 14 Sep 3 days 2 nights

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19 – 21 Sep 3 days 2 nights

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26 – 28 Sep 3 days 2 nights

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$239

3 – 5 Oct 3 days 2 nights

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10 – 12 Oct 3 days 2 nights

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17 – 19 Oct 3 days 2 nights

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Reviews

LV
Lilia Voropayeva

about provider

1 Jun, 2025

I booked my ticket online through the tour operator "Big Country" The process was very clear and user-friendly. I’ve already booked twice. Any questions were answered within 1–2 minutes, and everything — from registration to payment and information — was handled quickly, efficiently, and clearly. I’ll definitely be using "BIG COUNTRY" again in the future.
E
Evgenia

about provider

31 May, 2025

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The tour was wonderfully organized. Anton, our guide, and Victor, our driver, were true professionals — attentive and caring toward the group. The hotels were comfortable, and the food throughout the tour was excellent👍 The only minor issue was that I would have appreciated receiving all the departure details (like the voucher) a bit earlier — it caused some unnecessary stress beforehand. Overall, an excellent experience!
S
Svetlana

about provider

30 May, 2025

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Many thanks to the team at Big Country for an unforgettable journey around the Small Golden Ring of Russia. Everything was perfectly organized — clean and comfortable hotels, delicious food, and a well-thought-out, engaging itinerary. Special thanks to our guide Anton and driver Victor for their professionalism.