Yappi Club, a new venture in Moscow, seeks to change the way city tours are done, providing tour groups and travelers to Moscow with an in-depth look into Russian culture
Founders of the Yappi Club Alina Turetskaya and Andrey Krikunov bring an unusual perspective to guided tours in Moscow. They have both studied abroad, but are natives of Russia.
The result is that they combine a local pride and deep knowledge of their own culture with an excellent understanding of the foreign perspective. Currently they are offering a number of interactive and innovative tours of Moscow, and they envision more interactive activities in the future.
Here's a short sampling of the tours they offer:
- Moscow City Tour: Moscow began as a fortress on a hill above the Moscow River. Today, it is one of the biggest and most densely populated cities in the world. This tour traces the historical and architectural development of the Russian capital from a small settlement on the banks of the Moscow River to a sprawling megapolis occupying 1000 sq. km. Starting with a breath-taking panoramic view of the city, and followed by a ride on the Moscow Metro, a veritable underground museum, the tour will also take you along wide modern avenues and through narrow winding streets dating back to medieval and pre-revolutionary periods.
- The Moscow lights: A tour following the Moscow River, a colorful path of lights criss-crossed with beautifully illuminated glass-covered bridges, past the spectacularly lit Seven Sisters skyscrapers, built under Stalin. The tour ends with an optional dinner at one of Moscow's sky-high restaurants, soaking up the night panorama of the megalopolis.
- Kitai-Gorod:The walls of Kitai-Gorod, a small settlement just beyond the Kremlin, were erected in XVI century by the mother of Ivan the Terrible and dismantled by Stalin. Over the centuries Kitai-Gorod was inhabited by merchants and entrepreneurs, who have left their mark on the buildings and architecture that remains there today. The area consists of a number of streets where you can trace the development of Russian architecture from medieval times to the present day. During this walking tour you will visit the first foreign embassy in Russia, the Old English Yard, and the house of the Romanov boyars. After a short coffee break in one of the most famous trading centers in Moscow, The Upper Trading Rows, the tour proceeds to the street known as the «Moscow City» of the 19th century, where the first commercial banks, insurance companies in Russia, and the Moscow stock exchange were located.
- Petrovka and its Neighborhood: Unlike many other areas in central Moscow, this one has not changed much with time. Many two and three story buildings stand untouched. The “Hermitage” gardens, the numerous narrow winding streets and Peter’s Monastery, with a marvelous church on top of its gate, welcome you now just as they were two centuries ago. You will pass former publishing houses, private mansions, banks, theatres and small private gardens. You will marvel at the different architectural styles that stand together in harmony in this small neighborhood.
- Zamoskvorechie: Zamoskvorechie, meaning ‘beyond the Moscow River’ is one of the oldest parts of Moscow and one of the few areas practically untouched by the Soviet era, where one can catch a glimpse of pre-Revolutionary Moscow. It used to be home to craftsmen of all trades, after Peter the Great’s reforms brought in merchants with their grand mansions, followed later by the nobility. The tour proceeds along the street where the Tatar-Mongolian invaders rode centuries ago to take the city prisoner for 250 years, and explores the many little picturesque lanes running off it, where you can forget for a moment that you are in one of the busiest cities in the world.
- The Novodevichiy Convent: Located in the south-west of Moscow, at the curve of the Moscow River, watched over by the picturesque Sparrow Hills and Moscow State University, the Novodevichiy Convent ensemble is an outstanding monument of architecture of the 16th-17th centuries. For centuries it served as a final shelter for women of noble and royal families who took the veil, not always out of their free will. The tour also includes a visit to the famous Novodevichiy Cemetery, located alongside the convent, where many famous Russian cultural, military and political figures are buried – most recently Boris Yeltsin, and the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich
- Kolomenskoye: An oasis of natural beauty and tranquility amid the bustling concrete jungle that is the Russian capital and the oldest settlement to be found in present-day Moscow. Kolomenskoye is home to several churches, some of which date back to the early 16th century, and was known for its numerous connections to the Russian royal family, including Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great. At Kolomenskoye, the Yappi Club guides invite you to participate in a traditional Russian wedding ceremony featuring the costumes and traditions of grooms and brides of yesteryear. Indulge in true Russian hospitality: join in folk singing, learn ancient Russian proverbs and sayings, and discover the traditional ways Russia meets and greets its guests! On this tour, sample the traditional snacks of pancakes with fruit jam or caviar, try a shot of famous Russian vodka with mushroom pie to follow or participate in the traditional Russian greeting ceremony of “Bread & Salt” – a custom that has not changed over time.
There are many more tours available. For more information, and for tour prices, visit the tour company website.
More day trips from Moscow can be found here.
For tips on how to adapt to Russian culture, go here.
And for more ideas on what do do while you are in Moscow, visit this page.
The copyright of the article Moscow Tour Guides in Russia Travel is owned by Ray Nayler. Permission to republish Moscow Tour Guides must be granted by the author in writing.
