St. Trinity and Sergius Monastery is the centerpiece of Sergiev Posad, a town located 60 km (40 miles) away from Moscow. If you have a day to spare and would like to experience a little bit of real Russia, it is a good idea to travel to this pristine place; it’s also a chance to see the Russian countryside, fields, forests and ubiquitous dacha houses.
St. Trinity and Sergius Monastery is not just another hermitage, it was founded by, probably, the most important Russian saint whose contribution to the national history and culture can be compared to that of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy or St. Patrick in Ireland. His name is St. Sergius, he is the founder of this famous monastery and its first Father Superior. The Monastery is an ancient place, dating back to the 14th century, and it has lived virtually through all the developments of the Russian history: Mongolian domination in the 13th-15th century, the Polish invasion and the Time of Troubles in the early 1600s, the militant atheism campaign of the 1930s initiated by the Soviets when the monastery was nearly destroyed, and, finally, the resurrection after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s.
This trip is both entertaining and educating, providing opportunities for all – history, art, architecture, souvenir shopping and simply mingling with the people – this is an active monastery and a place of pilgrimage for many devoted Orthodox Russians.
The Sergiev Posad tour starts with a drive outside Moscow in a comfortable minivan or coach. Your private guide will give you information on the key landmarks you see on the way, and in about 1.5-2 hours you will arrive to the place. Before you actually walk inside the monastery, you will be taken to the observation platform to take panoramic pictures of the monastery. The tour proper takes you around all the key structures on the monastery grounds and inside cathedrals and churches.
Extended monastery tour: For those looking for cultural insights we offer extended monastery tour, which includes, besides standard features, visiting the crypt underneath the Dormition Cathedral and the spiritual academy building, normally accessible only to seminarians.
After lunch a comfortable minivan or coach will take you back to Moscow. On the way back, if time permits, this tour can be coupled with the visit to the All-Soviet Exhibition of Socialist Economic Achievements and/or Space Exploration Museum.
Alternative options: same tour can be arranged using public transportation only. Moscow has a convenient, fast and efficient public transportation system. A combination of metro/commuter train ride will take you to the monastery in ca. 1.5 - 2 hours. The monastery is located 15 minutes walk away from the train station. This is a great way to experience Russia “like locals do”. Both metro and suburban trains are clean and very safe. The train station buildings on the both ends are historical and listed as monuments of architecture.
Languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and other foreign languages.
| Number of participants | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergiev Posad Tour by coach, up to 7h., p.P. | ||||||||
| Sergiev Posad Tour by coach with extended monastery tour, up to 8h., p.P. | ||||||||
| Sergiev Posad Tour by public transportation, up to 7h., p.P. | ||||||||
| Sergiev Posad Tour by public transportation with extended monastery tour, up to 8h.,p.P. |
Every day. Tickets, guide permit, booking fee and taxes included.
