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Yaroslavl & Rostov

Yaroslavl

Day Schedule

➤Breakfast

➤Yaroslavl city tour

➤Transfer to Rostov the Great

➤Rostov the Great city tour: the Rostov Kremlin & master class on national crafts

➤Transfer to Suzdal and evening at leisure

➤Overnight in Suzdal

Yaroslavl

The legend has it that the future Grand Prince of Kiev Yaroslav Vladimirovich, being at that time the Prince of Rostov the Great, was inspecting his lands back in 1010 and met an unknown pagan tribe in the place where the Volga River and its tributary the Kotorosl River flow into each other. The locals were hostile towards the prince and set a ferocious she-bear on him. Yet the prince had no fear and killed the beast with a pole-axe. The pagans submitted themselves to the prince’s control and he decided to found a city with a fortress on this site in order for freight boats to sail freely across the Volga River and trades and crafts to be developed here.

Yaroslavl was the first Christian city on the Volga River. Apparently, there are plenty of decent cathedrals and churches here to visit, however, we feel it's better to skip and instead, visit the Residence of Maslenitsa. What is, or who is Maslenitsa? Sign up to our tour to find out!

Rostov the Great

We continue to explore the Golden Ring of Russia with a visit to Rostov the Great, one of the most ancient Russian cities. It was first mentioned in chronicles in 862, and the word ‘the Great' was added to the official name of the city much later, in the 12th century. We visit outstanding Rostov Kremlin, which is probably not that old by Russian standards - it dates back to 17th century only - but is a truly magnificent fairy-tale town. Its domes, covered with silvery wooden tiles, bunches of green and silver cupolas of the five-domed churches, long narrow red tent-roofs and numerous chimneys seem to float over the ground. Green four-sloped roofs with golden flags are seen above them. Tracery crosses with pendent chains beam over the churches.

Rostov finift

Enamel in Russia has been known since the end of the 10th – beginning of the 11th centuries thanks to relations with the Byzantine Empire. As an individual type of art, finift came to Russia from France. To be more precise, it came from Limoges, where in the middle of the 17th century a pictorial enamel miniature appeared.

Thus, finift is the oldest decorative and artistic craft of Russia, one of the most interesting and vivid types of miniature painting. The exclusive nature of enamel miniatures is due to the artist's high artistic skill and extreme difficulty of production.

We shall visit great local museum, one-of-a-kind place to get acquainted with this unique Russian art. For centuries, the most outstanding artists and jewelers of these land have kept secrets of the technology. The master class will allow you to create your own enamel miniatures.

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