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Itineraries > Central Russia

Silver Ring tour

Enjoy the authentic monuments of ancient Russian architecture and majestic nature of the Russian north

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Monasteries, citadels andPoetry

We will start our wonderful holidays on the Western borders of Russia with a journey to the origins of the country: Veliky Novgorod. Then we proceed to witness the power, beauty, and grandeur of the oldest and invincible Russian citadels – Pskov Krom and Izborskaya fortress. We will see the Holy miracle of the cave monastery of Pskov-Pechersk monastery with our own eyes and spend a half-day in the places of the best known poet of Russia– Alexander Pushkin

Types of tourism

Excursion

Nature

religion

literature

Excursion

nature

literature

religious

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Russian beautiful Caucasian woman with red hair and a scarf on her head is in the Orthodox Church, lights a candle and prays in front of the icon

Fragment Gate of the St. Sophia Cathedral. Selective focus

Veliky Novgorod, the old city, the ancient walls of the Kremlin, St. Sophia Cathedral. Famous tourist place of Russia.

1^st day of the itinerary

Yaroslav’s Courtyard& Novgorod Kremlin

In the morning, we leave St. Petersburg for Veliky Novgorod, one of the earliest-founded cities in Russia. It will take 3 hours by bus. We start our acquaintance with the city from Yaroslav’s Courtyard. It was the venue of the famous Novgorod Torg – strings of ships of Hanseatic merchants sought to unload and sell their goods in the rows of Novgorod shops. Despite the small territory, there are many different attractions-from merchant churches and the Knyaz’s temple of the twelfth century to the white-stone arcade that remains of Peter’s Gostiny Dvor.

After lunch, we continue our tour in Novgorod Kremlin, one of the ancient Russian outposts. Inside Kremlin, we will go inside St. Sophia Cathedral. Built in 1045-1050 by the order of Knyaz Vladimir of Novgorod, son of Yaroslav the Wise, this is one of the largest structures of Kievan Rus, testifying to the strength and greatness of the young state.

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www.flickr.com/photos/97199236@N04

2^nd day of the itinerary

Yuriev Monastery& Vitoslavitsy Open-Air Museum

Today we start from one of the most famous abodes in the Russian North, men’s monastery – Yuriev Monastery. This is the southern military fortification of Veliky Novgorod, created by the great Kievan Knyaz Yaroslav. Yuriev Monastery is perceived to be the first Orthodox monastery of Novgorod .

Here the time comes for an entertaining visit of the Vitoslavitsy open-air architectural and ethnographic museum that allows you to get acquainted with Russian tradiional folk culture. The Museum contains the best-preserved units of traditional wooden architecture.
In the afternoon we depart to Pskov. It will take us more than 3 hours to cover a distance of 250 km. Upon arrival, we proceed with hotel check-in and dinner.

3^rd day of the itinerary

Pskov, Izborsk& Pechory

We start our sightseeing in Pskov from the combined pedestrian and bus city tour. The walk will start at Dovmont’s town. Here you will learn why the Pskov Kremlin was one of the strongest fortresses in the whole Europe. Later you will see mount Sokolikha and a Grand monument in memory of the victory over the Teutons Alexander Nevsky in the ice battle on it.

After lunch, we move towards Izborsk and Pechory. We will visit Izborskaya fortress that for centuries protected the country from Western enemies. And we will also have a walk to the Holy springs “Slavic keys”. Later we will explore the men’s active Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersk monastery. This monastery is distinguished by its caves, where the first monks hid from the Crimean Tatars. The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded in the caves. The monastery was repeatedly raided by the Livonians, but in the Soviet years, it retained its religious functions since it was located on the territory of Estonia.

www.flickr.com/photos/alexxx-malev

4^th day of the itinerary

Homeland of Alexander Pushkin

Our last day will be devoted to the Russian famous poet – Alexander Pushkin. We will see his cave on the family cemetery of the Gannibal-Pushkins and visit estates Mikhailovskoye and Trigorskoye. All these sights are just in 120 km from Pskov. Mikhailovsky is the ancestral estate of Alexander Pushkin’s mother, his poetic homeland, the place of the poet’s spiritual formation. Trigorskoe is the home of Pushkin’s friends, a place that was his second home during the years of Mikhailovsky’s exile. The house in Trigorsky is perceived as a prototype of the Larin house from Pushkin’s best-known poem Eugene Onegin.

After this visit, we start our long 5-hour trip back to St. Petersburg.

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