Istra tours are an excursion to a city once eyed by the Soviets as a promising resort town thanks to its picturesque reservoir and small-town flavor. You may be surprised to learn that over the last four centuries thousands of pilgrims have come to Istra to tour its unusual Holy Land - the New Jerusalem Monastery, which includes an exact replica of Church of the Holy Sepulcher and is now preserved as a unique example of Russian architecture.
Istra will also attract fans of Chekhov and Levitan, who both lived at Kiselev Estate and created their respective masterpieces here. Each visitor finds their personal favorite landmark among the town’s many old estates and unusual sculptures, and everyone on our Istra tours is advised to make room in their luggage for the gorgeous Fedoskino lacquer miniatures for which the region is known!
