|
Day 1 |
|
08.00 Transfer to Uglitch (~ 260 km). Uglitch, a small town with a great history, was first mentioned in the chronicles in the 12th century. Andrew the Big, brother of the Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow made a great contribution to the development of the town in the 15th century by building the Intercession (Pokrovskiy) Monastery (later destroyed by bolsheviks), the town cathedral and red brick royal chambers. During the 16th century Uglitch flourished under the reign of Yuri of Uglitch, Ivan the Terrible's only brother. The town of Uglitch played a fatal role in russian history because of the event when the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, 10-year old Dmitry Ivanovich was found dead with his throat cut in the palace courtyard in 1591. Dimitry was the last prince of the ancient Rurik dynasty and his his death provoked the dynastic and political crisis known as the Time of Troubles. |
|
13.00 Arrival in Uglitch. |
|
14:00 Uglitch sightseeing tour including a visit to the Uglitch Kremlin and its museum, the Assumption three-tented church of the Alexeievsky monastery built in 1683 which is said to be a true gem of Russian medieval architecture. You will also visit the 18th century masterpieces- the Smolenskaya, Korsunskaya, Kazanskaya and Bogoyavlenskaya churches. In the most important edifice of the 19th century — cathedral of the Theophany, consecrated in 1853, you will become acquainted with russian art of XVIII-XIX centuries. After that we will visit a unique museum of russian bells. |
|
18.30 Hotel accommodation. |
|
19.00 Dinner in the hotel restaurant.Free time. |
|
Day 2 |
|
08.00 Breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Check-out. |
|
09.00 Transfer to Myshkin (~ 40 km). Fanciful Myshkin (Mouse's Town literally) is a small and quiet provincial town situated on the Volga river. Surrounded by a pine forest, the town is a real living antiquity of the Golden Ring, with its old wooden houses with fancy turrets and carved architraves, its churches and Volga ferry. The ancient legend says that many centuries ago prince Mstislavsky stopped for the night in the woods and was awakened by a mouse running by. This event saved prince's life because a venomous snake had lurked in the grass, ready to bite him. So the prince founded a chapel on that place, and named the new village Myshkin (mysh = mouse in russian). In the XVIII century Myshkin was granted the status of a town according to Catherine II decree, and by the end of XIX century it became one of the richest little towns on the Volga river. |
|
10.00 A walk around Myshkin including a trip to the only Mouse Museum in the world. Mice made of various materials made using diverse techniques form a unique exposition. You will also visit Russian Valenki Museum (valenki — russian felt boots), the only Museum of Wood Architecture in the Yaroslavl region, and the Museum of Local Lore and History with a smithy, a potter workshop and a glass workshop. You can attend the Museum of Russian Vodka if you want to. |
|
14.00 Lunch in the town cafe. |
|
15.00 Transfer to Moscow. |
|
20:00 Approximate time of arrival in Moscow. |