The Golden Ring

Luxury Travel from Moscow

Luxury Travel and Motorhome Rental from Moscow

Stop the world for a moment and explore the biggest nature reserves by the side of your luxury hotel room. Touring Cars Moscow rental station, which is only 30 minutes away from Sheremetyevo Airport, will guarantee a smooth start of the most memorable camper holiday in Russia. 

When you are looking for the ultimate cultural experience, without forgetting some of the world’s biggest and most amazing nature reserves, it is time to book flights to Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) and reserve a luxury hotel room on wheels from Touring Cars Moscow.

Free transfer service between the Sheremetyevo airport and TC Moscow rental station 30 minutes away, will guarantee a smooth start of the most memorable camper holiday in Russia. Our experienced and fluent English-speaking staff will provide the clients with the full introduction into their well-equipped motorhome, as a standard Touring Cars service. Additionally, clients will receive detailed information on route suggestions, great camping sites, interesting attractions, as well as recommendations for the best culinary treats, and tips for traffic culture and parking or camping in the wild

THE GOLDEN RING
14 days, 1150 km

The Golden Ring is not only the most popular route in Russian tourism, but also one of the most fascinating ones. Where else can you get so close acquainted with Rus princely, royal, epic, and feel the breath of the ancient history of a vast country? It is amazing how different the cities of the Golden Ring are. There are those bright, catchy, focused on large tourist flows, and there are those small, inconspicuous in appearance, but very comfortable, quiet in the provincial kind. Surely among them you will find “your own”, the one you will want to return to more than once.

DAY 1

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, the largest monastery in Russia, is the residence of the Patriarch, a real symbol and a sign of Russian Orthodoxy. Throughout its existence since the 15th century, the monastery has been an important cultural center. After visiting the Lavra with its amazing architectural and artistic treasures, take a stroll through the picturesque area around the monastery. Children will be delighted to visit the famous Toy Museum.

DAY 2

You will admire a completely unusual panorama of the ancient Russian city, unlike anything you have ever seen, lying on the shore of a huge blue lake in Pereslavl-Zalessky. There will be a large number of impressions and photos starting from the Kremlin, standing on the banks of the picturesque Trubezh River, then the ancient temples, amazing museums, including the Museum of Iron and Botik Peter 1, and the legendary Blue Stone

DAY 3

Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda is the place where the suburban palace of Vasily III, the father of Ivan the Terrible, was located. Here the young prince played in childhood. Angry with Moscow boyars he transferred the capital of Russia here for 17 years. The bride-show custom, where more than 2000 girls from all over the country were brought to Tsar Ivan, took place here. In Alexandrov, the Terrible Tsar killed his son Ivan. The walls of the ancient Kremlin tell these stories, you just have to listen.

DAY 4

The white stone churches of Vladimir are a reminder of past times of the period from 13th to 15th century, when this was the capital of ancient Russia. It was only in 1389 that this honorary title was given to Moscow. Now, Vladimir is one of the most important cities in the Golden Ring. This is not surprising: here remain rare churches from the 12th century, which have UNESCO protection. Most tourists come here primarily to see them, but the center of the city with its colorful low-rise buildings from the period between the 18th and the early 20th century is also worth of your attention. 

DAY 5

According to the legend, the Virgin Mary showed to Andrey Bogolyubsky the place where he built his beloved residence. From here he ruled over his vast principality. Here he was killed as a result of a conspiracy of the boyars. The remains of the princely palace are now included in the ensemble of the Holy Bogolyubovsky monastery. Another creation, made by order of the Holy Prince, is one of the symbols of Russia, the Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin on the Nerl River. Take a walk along this comfortable Russian meadow along a convenient path and you will be impressed by the view of grass growing from the green sea and the blue of the river of the white stone Temple, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

DAY 6

Suzdal is one of the most picturesque cities in the Golden Ring. Countless churches and ancient monasteries are snugly laid out on the hilly banks of the River Kamenka, and the landscape has hardly changed through centuries. It’s as if the old paintings of Russian artists have been brought to life. The ancient flavor is contained in the tourist infrastructure: there are plenty of “old-style” restaurants, and traditional Russian holidays are celebrated on a scale of their own. 

Day 7 

As it was also called “Russian Manchester” Ivanovo - this is an example of a Russian industrial city of the 19th, early 20th century. You will have the opportunity to see 500 samples of Russian textiles in the Museum of Ivanovo Chintz and walk through the streets of a typical provincial merchant town. 

DAY 8

Ples, one of the most beautiful Volga river cities, is located in an area with a rather difficult terrain, on the coastal hills. The picturesque location and beautiful views attracted landscape artists, such as Isaac Levitan - who created more than 40 works here. Many of them can be seen in the Museum of Landscape and the House-Museum of Levitan.

DAY 9

Kostroma is the spot farthest from Moscow (344 km) and, therefore, the least visited city of the Golden Ring, and for a good reason. Kostroma contains well-preserved merchant houses from the 19th century, and one of its main treasures – a few rows of shopping complexes from the 18th and the 19th century. Brisk trade thrives in them to this day. Kostroma is located on the Volga River, and the high banks offer impressive views of the Volga expanses.

One of the most significant places in Kostroma is the Ipatiev Monastery. It is known as the “cradle of the tsarist dynasty”. It was here that the founder of the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Romanov, hid from his enemies, while his coronation ceremony took place in the Trinity Cathedral of the monastery.

DAY 10

Many call Yaroslavl “the pearl of the Golden Ring”. This charming historic city, at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers, recently celebrated 1000 years of existence. The historical buildings in the city center are from the 17th and the 18th century and are some of the best preserved in Russia. Since 2005, they have been enjoying UNESCO protection. Yaroslavl is famous for its magnificent churches and monasteries from the 16th and the 17th century, many of which house the ancient paintings.

The place to walk along in the city center is the Volga embankment. The high bank offers an excellent view of the Volga, where lovers like to meet in a romantic pavilion. Tourists are also attracted here by a whole series of museums. First of all, there’s the Yaroslavl Art Museum, dedicated to the art of the period from the 13th to the 20th century, and the largest in the Russian provinces (it has a specially good avant-garde collection). The City History Museum, located in a cozy merchant’s mansion, can be interesting, too. Whereas, fans of antique gramophones, samovars and porcelain, should go to the “Music and Time” private museum.

DAY 11

Admire the amazing panorama, the sheer Volga banks cut by ravines, along which streams run down, and the tent bell towers of five-domed temples rush down. Interesting museums such as the Provincial Bank, as well as festive programs in honor of the local Romanovskaya breed of sheep, will leave an unforgettable impression on this cozy city on the banks of the Volga.

DAY 12

The main attraction of Myshkin, as well as its picturesque location and beautiful temples is the Myshkin People's Museum. It was created in 1966 by local enthusiasts, and one of its founders, V.A. Grechukhin is still running it. This is a whole museum complex, with such diverse exhibits as the Mouse Museum, a department dedicated to the “vodka king” Smirnov - the creator of the famous drink named after him, the “Valenki” Museum, the blacksmith’s department and many other interesting exhibitions gathered in one territory.

DAY 13

Uglich is the oldest Russian city on the Volga; its foundation dates back to 937. Over their centuries-old history, these places have been seen by the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars and civil wars of the princes, and witnessed the murder of the son of Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry, and survived the construction in Soviet times of the dam that blocked the Volga for the Uglich Hydroelectric Power Station. With its compact size, an abundance of architectural monuments and museums, and the famous Uglich cheeses, this city will not leave you indifferent.

DAY 14

Ancient Rostov is deservedly considered one of the most interesting cities in the Golden Ring. Founded in 862, it recently celebrated its 1150th anniversary. Natural and historical attractions combine in Rostov with amazing harmony. The city is built on the shores of Lake Nero, and the towers of the monasteries are reflected in the clear water, as in a mirror. In Rostov, the past seems particularly close and alive. All the same, leisurely buyers wander through the ancient trading rows from the 19th century, and people pray fervently in the church of the Savior on the Marketplace with its wonderful frescoes from the 17th century. Like 100 years ago, lessons are given in the beautiful gymnasium built in 1907, funded by the merchant and philanthropist - A.L. Kekin.

 

 << Back to Touring Cars Russia Destination Page