Old Cossack Settlements

Arrival at the airport (train-station) . Transfer to your hotel.

After breakfast a tour of the city central area will take us through a city alive and vibrant, rising into the hills along the banks of the river Don near the Azov Sea. During its 250 years of existence Rostov has grown from a small trading-post into the administrative center of Southern Russia. This tour will begin on the romantic street, Puskinskaya, turn into Gorky Park and across Bolshoi Sadova, the main East-west avenue. We will continue towards the old open market and the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Birth. From here we will walk a few blocks to the river, The Quay, passing some of the oldest parts of the early city.

Lunch at the ethnographic restoration.

After lunch excursion to Azov, a former important trade port, rich in museums monuments and buildings that will carry the visitor on a path from the time of the prehistoric and ice age world of human life to the historic times of the great Cossack defense and on through the 20th century.

* Optional folklore programmer «The Cossacks Wedding».

After breakfast start of an excursion to the stanitsa Starocherkasskaya, an old typical Cossack village, once called "the Venice of the Don," built on an island in the Don River. Today the small village, a UNESCO recognized historic location, holds the heart and soul of the Don Cossack people, their history, and culture.

Lunch in Starocherkassk.

After lunch excursion to Novocherkassk, the recognized and traditional international capital of Cossack people the world over. The tour will visit Ataman's Palace, the Archway of Triumph, the buildings of the officer's assembly and military offices and fine mansions, Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral.

* Optional folklore programme «The Acceptance to the Cossacks».

After breakfast an excursion to the stanitsa Razdorskaya the oldest capital of the Don Cossacks. In this small village. The Razdorskaya Memorial Museum keeps the items of historical and ethnographical material. In the stanitsa, the most ancient type of unique Cossack architecture, the so called kuren houses remind us of the natural goodness a simpler way always seems.

Lunch in Razdorskaya with folklore programme «The Cossacks songs and games» departure to stanitsa Veshenskaya (appr. 350 km.)

Arrival in the evening. Check-in at the hotel.

After breakfast guided walk through the stanitsa, the homeland of the famous Russian writer and Noble-prize winner Mikhail Sholokhov, visiting the museum and the farmstead of M.Sholokhov. Small eco-excursion to the Old Oak. *N.B. Visit also the «Sholokhov Spring» Festival during the last weekend of May 2008

In the morning the literary excursion «M. Sholokhov. Times and Life».You may visit the museum's stable and ride the horse afterwards. Ecological excursion «The nature of the Don» (Spur and Swan's ravine)

Departure from the stanitsa Veshenskaya for the excursion to the khutor (village) Kruzhilinsky and the stanitsa Karginskaya, where M.Sholokhov was born and brought up.

Departure to Rostov-on-Don

Arrival late evening. Check-in at the hotel.

Free time for walking in the center of the city, shopping or visiting Rostov's museum.

In the afternoon transfer to the airport or the train station and departure or extension of your stay in Rostov and Environs.