The Cold War & Beyond into a World of Russian Aviation & Space Exploration (CB-08)

Our driver will greet you in the arrival sector; look out for a Go Russia sign board and you’ll be transferred to the hotel.

The Russian capital’s our destination today. We begin with a drive through Moscow’s historic streets to get our bearings as well as to visit some fascinating sights, among them the main Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and the cemetery of one of the oldest convents in the city, the New Maiden's Convent. We’ll drive up to the Moscow State University to take a look at the city panorama spread out below us from this, one of Stalin’s high rises. Back in the city centre, we shall visit unmissable, eclectic Red Square, which took its name from the Russian word for red meaning beautiful. In it, you’ll instantly recognise the colourful domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and delight in the less famous but equally stunning Kazan Cathedral. GUM department store lines a whole side of the square. You’ll also find Lenin, his body embalmed for posterity in a granite Mausoleum. Our final stop today will be at the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of Russia. There, our guided visit will reveal an extensive collection of banners of Soviet and Third Reich Army as well as personal belongings belonging to Soviet and Nazi leaders including the General Zhukov and Adolf Hitler. Inside, there’s a wide range of weapons, military uniforms and decorations, while the outside exhibits include many armoured vehicles, artillery, antiaircraft systems and battle aircrafts.

The Kremlin, former residence of the Tsars and now home to the President, is a crowd pleaser, especially its Cathedral Square packed full of golden-domed churches. You’ll discover the Armoury too, once the Kremlin’s storehouse and now a museum showcasing not only weapons but exquisite works of art including the famous Faberge eggs. We will also visit the wondrous Moscow Underground. Created in the Socialist Realism style, this lavishly decorated system with its marble, mosaics and magical stained glass has to be seen to be believed. Finally, we step into the newest museum in the city. The Museum of the Cold War was once a top secret command centre. Now you’ll descend underground for a guided tour of this ex-military facility, where you will pass through formerly secret tunnels, see samples of communication equipment and fire arms and learn about how it functioned during Soviet times.

Poklonnaya Hill (Poklonnaya Gora in Russian) is the most significant monument constructed to honour Russia’s victory in the Great Patriotic War. Its Victory Memorial opened only in 1995, but since 1958 on this site there has been a granite plaque bearing the inscription: "Here there will be a monument to the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War." Nearby, you’ll pay a visit to a museum commemorating the Soviet victory in World War Two; this open air space contains many interesting tanks and military vehicles used at that time.

North east of Moscow, we find Star City. Surrounded by pine and birch forest, this is Russia’s cosmonaut training facility. For fifty years, this is where cosmonauts have come to learn how to cope in space; you’ll discover how they cope with weightlessness in the hydro laboratory, see the mock up of space station MIR and visit the hall where real space vehicles are used to prepare them for their missions.

Today’s included sightseeing programme is based around the Central Museum of the Air Forces. Situated at Monino, just outside Moscow, it’s one of the world’s biggest aviation museums. Among the historic craft on display are the famous Ilya Muromets - a four-engined biplane which was the first mass-produced bomber in the world - the Soviet "Concorde" (the Tupolev-144), the Tupolev-95 Bomber (NATO classification - Bear) and the Tupolev-22М (Backfire). You’ll also see Ivan Kozhedub’s La-7; during World War Two he brought down 62 German airplanes and is considered a hero. The museum also features collections of weapons, uniforms and air-related artwork.

Our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the hotel lobby and you’ll transfer to the airport for your return flight.