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The legendary Abramtsevo estate was a creative mecca in the 19th century and remains today a pleasant place to visit during a Russia city break holiday. Tucked away behind a characteristically Russian forest, it is easy to see how the Abramtsevo estate managed to inspire generations of artists and writers with its rustic charm.

As one approaches the estate, removed from Moscow’s city bustle by a 70km north east ride, one sees delicate wooden bridges spanning crystal clear streams and wildflower dotted hillsides that hint at the canvas counterparts they inspired so long ago. Abramtsevo became the site of an artistic retreat where a virtual who's-who of Russian writers and painters congregated to relax, hone their artistic talents and pool their creativity for joint projects. It was this artists' colony that we can largely thank for the neo-Russian movement of the 1890s. Today visitors are free to wander around the majority of the buildings on the estate and see some of the original art and decorative work created by members of the artists' colony. The estate is a delightful spot for a summer stroll through the woods and is a lovely afternoon outing for anybody interested in traditional Russian arts and crafts. The spectacular Abramtsevo estate is a highly recommended day excursion to take, if you are looking to discover further reaches of Moscow on a weekend break holiday.

Kuskovo Estate located in Perovsky district of Moscow is one of the finest examples of 18th century Muscovite summer residences of Russia. The once small village of Kuskovo was awarded to Boris Sheremetev, a general and Russian count, for fighting valiantly in battle for the Tsar Peter the Great. The Sheremetev’s were amongst the wealthiest families in Russia and Boris Sheremetev decided to build a summer residence in Kuskovo. The beautiful estate was designed and built by both Russian and French architects and in total the project took over 40 years to complete. Fantastically, the Kuskovo Estate has survived the traumas of Russian history, being one of the few 18th century palaces preserved in the Russian capital. The Kuskovo Estate originally was several miles out of the capital, but now forms a part of the East District of that city, making it a very accessible place to visit for Muscovites and Moscow city break visitors alike. The estate includes a central palace, an old church, Italian & Dutch houses, Grotto, Hermitage and an amazingly preserved French garden, full of ponds & Italian sculptures. Without a doubt the centre piece of the Kuskovo Estate is the wedding cake shaped palace but the charming geometrically laid out French gardens are a great retreat from the city streets of Moscow. Also to be found is Russia’s only Ceramics Museum. This museum possesses one of the richest collections of glass and ceramics from the Antiquity till modern times in the world. The Kuskovo Estate is a heavenly city break attraction and won’t be a disappoint to any discerning traveler. Try and time your visits on Independence Day on June 4th or Bastille Day on July 14th as both the US and French Embassies celebrate by hosting classical music concerts and festivities.

Another one of Count Sheremetyev serf-built palaces is 18th century Ostankino Palace, found in the north-eastern part of Moscow. The interior boasts richly adorned ceilings and walls and has an oriental atmosphere in the main hall. The palace is inseparably linked to his love of the dramatic arts and his love for his serf bride. His wife, Parasha Kovalyova, was a gifted opera singer and performed regularly at Ostankino Palace, which was created especially for staging performances. Today, the grounds often host summer concerts and there is a separate pavilion that houses temporary exhibits for visitors to enjoy. The elegant Ostankino Palace will be a pleasure to explore for any discerning city breaks explorer and is an appropriate escape from the bustle of Moscow’s city centre.

One of the most magical sights in Russia is the Trinity St. Sergius monastery, 90 km north-east of Moscow in the town of Sergiyev Posad. The monastery is one of Russia’s most important pilgrimage sites and is the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Trinity Lavra of St Sergius is one of the most beautiful sights in the whole of Russia. As the road rises out of Moscow the golden and light-blue onion-shaped towers, decorated with golden stars, start to glisten, beckoning the visitor. This is an experience all in itself, even before entering the historical complex. The monastery was founded by Sergiy of Radonezh in the middle of the 14th century and is home to some of the most unique architectural buildings that were built throughout six centuries. It contains magnificent relics of different stages in Russian architecture and the history & art museum has a huge collection of Russian art, that is a national treasure of Russian people. Listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, the world famous architectural ensemble of the Trinity Lavra St. Sergius monastery is one of the most fascinating excursions one can experience, whilst on holiday in Russia. If you can spare a full day during a city break to Moscow, don’t miss the opportunity to book a tour to see this awesome attraction.

Suzdal is a small town in Russia, north of Moscow near the town Vladimir, where people live peacefully in their wooden cottages. Everywhere around Suzdal there are rising silhouettes of churches and monasteries with golden cupolas in the middle of luxuriant green nature. It’s a scene that cannot be described by words alone. Inside Suzdal, the atmosphere is as if nothing has changed since the 19th century, as goats, chickens and cows graze freely next to the Kremlin and monasteries. One can really feel Russian country life here and this will especially be appreciated if you have spent the last few days touring around the busy streets of Moscow. Suzdal is a fantastic day excursion, where one can enjoy walks around fairy tale dome convents, find dreamy countryside views, be seduced by the calm of the Kamenska river and even discover a monastery fortress. It’s a rare place where one can discover lots or simply relax in the grass and still be totally satisfied. Without a doubt, Suzdal is, perhaps, one of the most interesting and rewarding stop along towns on the Golden Ring, that shares ancient Russian architecture with spectacular scenic views.

For Tailor made holidays to Moscow and Russia contact Vamos Travel the Russia holiday experts: 01926 330 223