On the banks of the Volga river, 720 km east of Moscow, stands the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan – Kazan. It has a remarkable historical and architectural center thanks to Western and Eastern influences. It is a multicultural city in which peacefully live Slavs and Tatars – Orthodox and Muslims. It is also a young city, as it is a university centre of the country.
The city was founded in 1005 and conquered by Ivan the Terrible in 1552. The main tourist attraction is the Kremlin, inside which you’ll find buildings of stunning beauty such as the Church of the Annunciation and the Qolşärif Mosque.
During the tour, we’ll visit an unusual building – the Temple of All Religions. We’ll also visit Sviajsk, a picturesque small village on an island.
Moscow (Monday)
| May | 18 |
| July | 06, 20 |
| August | 03 |
| September | 07, 21 |
Evening transfer to the train station for a night train to Kazan (the planned train is No024M, 23:0810:45 or similar).
Meeting at the railway station with the local guide. Panoramic tour of the city, during which you will visit the most interesting and ancient sightseeing in Kazan: Old-Tatar Sloboda, the Kaban Lake with its picturesque views, merchant houses, the old mosque of the 18th century and will hear legends and stories of Tatar people. Tourists will walk along the old Kazan; visit the monastery, where the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is kept. Lunch in one of the city restaurants with a culinary workshop “Secrets of Tatar Cuisine”. Walking excursion to the Kazan Kremlin will not leave anyone indifferent. The Kazan Kremlin is the object of UNESCO; its walls unite two religions: Moslem (Legendary Kuhl Sharif Mosque) and Orthodox (Annunciation Cathedral). You will touch the walls of Suyumbike falling tower. The Kremlin is a heart of the city, where ancient and modern cultural traditions, as well as legends and facts, blend together. Transfer to the hotel. Check in. Free time.
Breakfast. Excursion to the city island Sviyazhsk with lunch. On the way to the island you will see the Temple of all Religions. The history of the city began on May 24, in 1551, when Ivan the Terrible decided to build a wooden fortress on the island. It took only four weeks. Sviyazhsk became a base supporting Russian troops in the war against the Kazan Khanate. The island houses unique historical and cultural monuments, such as Assumption Monastery of the Blessed Virgin, Sviazhsky Cathedral, John the Baptist Monastery which has the Trinity Church on its territory – the only remaining building from wooden Sviyazhsk. Through centuries, Sviyazhsk has been remaining a Russian Orthodox shrine. Return to the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport.
*Please, take note that we reserve the right to change the order of visits.
Level 4 (active)
Level 1 (easy)
