Comintour - Moscow: yesterday, today, tomorrow

Moscow: yesterday, today, tomorrow

GROUP TOUR
5 Days / 4 Nights

With population over 10 million citizens, it is one of the world’s greatest megalopolises. Firstly mentioned in the Chronicles in 1147, Moscow, as compared with old capitals of Europe, such as Athens, Rome, Paris and London, is a middle-aged city. However, it is the standing that really matters, not the age. Being the capital of the world’s biggest country Moscow always played the very important role in political and cultural life of Europe and the world as a whole. In Russian history Moscow played very important role uniting the various constantly quarreling principalities and establishing Russia as a single state in the process. With the two hundred years exception of Romanovs, who after Peter the Great resided in St.Petersbug, most of the Russian rulers known in the modern history, such as Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Lenin and Stalin directed their orders from the Kremlin – the old citadel in the heart of Moscow.

Being the capital of the Russian tzars Moscow concentrated the best artistic potential of old Russia. Some talented European architects also worked for the tzars, mostly Italians. They took part in the construction of some of the most important buildings including the Kremlin. In the old days Moscow was nicknamed “Forty times forty” referring to the hundreds of the golden domes of the churches embellishing the skyline. Many of them are still visible now.

Moscow reached its heyday in the time after the Second World War, when on the orders of Stalin many impressive buildings where built, including above all the so called “Seven Sisters” - the seven skyscrapers of Neo-Gothic style that are still remaining among the most visible landmarks of the Russian capital. Therefore we often refer to Moscow architectural style as the “Stalin's Moscow” in the same way as we talk about the “Romanov's Petersburg”. Around the same time the glamorous early stations of Moscow Metro were built to impress as much as to serve as the means of transportation.

Contemporary Russian capital is a modern vibrant city, full of great shopping opportunities, big and diverse artistic community and busy nightlife. Nowadays the Stalin's Moscow gradually giving way to the modern development. Endless dull apartment blocks of Khrushchev era are being replaced with much better designed buildings. One of the examples is the area of the Moscow City – the quickly developing modern commertial district which is designed to become the business heart of Moscow and the engine of the Russian economy.

The program of the tour:

Day.1	Arrival to Moscow, transfer to the hotel. After the dark the group goes to “Moscow-by-night” tour that gives a unique prospective of the Russian capital in the evening. At the elevated Sparrow Hills, tourists can get the best panoramic view of the big city lights, accompanied by a complimentary glass of vodka with traditional Russian snacks.
Day 2	OLD MOSCOW After the breakfast the group starts the city tour, seeing some of the most famous Moscow\'s landmarks connected to the rich history of Moscow such as multy-colored and multy-domed St. Basil\'s Cathedral, the historical New Maiden Convent with its cemetery of the famous Russians, and the symbol of Russian spiritual resurrection the Christ the Savior Cathedral. In the afternoon we visit Chambers of the Romanovs – ancestral home of the last Russian royal dynasty.
Day 3	SOVIET PERIOD This day is mostly dedicated to the Soviet period of the Moscow\'s history. Stalin wanted to turn his capital into a showcase model city. His legacy still can be seen in the “Seven Sisters” - the seven skyscrapers built in the Soviet Neo-Gothic style. In the morning the group, accompanied by the guide, can go and see The Mausoleum: the tomb of Lenin, the founder of Soviet state, the Red Square and the famous GUM department store. After that we visit The Kremlin – the old citadel in the heart of the city and the place where the Russian government works since the capital was moved to Moscow from St.Petrersburg. In the Kremlin the tourists have a chance to see the parade of the presidential guards regiment at noon. In the afternoon the group visits the viewing platform on the top of the main building of Moscow University – probably the most impressive of the “Seven Sisters”. After that we visit the bunker of Stalin – the commanding centre of “Uncle Joe” built in 1939 in the East of Moscow. It is the whole underground city, fitted with state of art of that time, capable of accommodating hundreds of soldiers, tanks and service personnel and even connected by an underground railway line to the Kremlin. In the evening the guide takes the group for a tour of the Moscow Metro which was designed by the best soviet engineers and architects to serve not merely as the means of transportation but also to impress people with the elaborate style of its stations. Nowadays the Moscow Metro is one of the busiest underground railways in the world nevertheless remains rather orderly with the trains arriving every couple of minutes at the rush hours. Also we can visit the showcase Stalin\'s Exhibition of the People\'s Economic Achievements (VDNH) (an exhibition centre and park full of majestic buildings in the Soviet era) and the park of demolished sculptures of the Soviet Union.
Day 4	MOSCOW TODAY The tours of this day introduce the Moscow of the modern time. Shortly after the breakfast the guide takes the group to the Museum of Contemporary History, followed by a highlight tour “Modern Moscow” stopping at art Gallery “Vinzavod” or “Garage”, underground mall Okhotnyj Ryad, Moscow City ( the brand new business core of the city) and Bagrationovskij Bridge.
Day 5	Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Departure.

The price of the tour is quoted by request.