Moscow's Front and Secret Places for Yandex
We already organized it a year ago drinking excursion for Yandex and in the vicinity of Moscow State University. Today we are summing up the results of our cooperation with the IT giant and their project "Summer Together" this year. As part of the corporate event, Yandex employees were immersed in the world of fascinating excursions around the city of our bureau every week.
On Saturdays, six individual groups set off on a tour of Moscow's cultural attractions, where they were accompanied not only by guides but also by curators who helped with organizational issues and assessed the guests' impressions. After each tour, participants shared their feedback in the corporate automated system.
Our guides immersed the participants in the atmosphere of the "Soul of Moscow" (a tour of the alleys of Kitay-gorod), the grandiose VDNKh, Gilyarovsky's Moscow, and cozy Zamoskvorechye. In addition, the excursionists took a cultural and educational stroll along Arbat, Moscow City, and Vorobyovy Gory. And during our exclusive route "Sinful Places" the guests also drank with the guides in secret bars of Moscow, learning a lot about the drinking culture of the capital of the past and present. Conscious drinking in an unusual atmosphere is much more enjoyable. In addition, the children were given excursions "Architecture in Moscow" and based on the work of Mikhail Bulgakov "Master and Margarita«.
A few words about the "Bulgakov" route, which was led by Nastya. Starting from Mayakovsky, the group visited the area around the Variety Theatre, the house where Bulgakov lived, and both museums dedicated to his work. The guide shared stories about local residents and revealed the secrets of the Bulgakov House, causing surprise among the participants. Then the route led to Patriarch's Ponds, where the guide told about the love story of the novel and autobiographical elements associated with Bulgakov's life. The participants learned about the role of women in the fate of the master and the hardships of war that he experienced with his first wife. The shortened route ended with applause near the boulevard.
The next author's excursion "Uncle Gilyai and his time" was conducted by Anton, and also by Nastasya in an improvised duet with Dima - for the first time in the history of our agency, due to the peculiarities of recruiting participants from Yandex, one of the groups was led by two guides at once. It was an interesting experience of co-creation of two solo guides, which caused mixed feelings in the guides themselves)
We will tell you separately about the walk along the Sparrow Hills. Unlike last year, near Moscow State University, we slightly changed the route to diversify the program and include a new object - the restored Palace of Pioneers.
From the history of the pioneers, they smoothly moved on to the architecture of modernism and postmodernism. From there, there is an excellent view of the famous building of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences with its "golden brains", as well as the new Yandex office, which is being built on Kosygina Street on Vorobyovy Gory. It seems that it is precisely because of the importance of this area that Yandex prefers the route around Moscow State University: in 2024, they will just complete the construction of a new office, and this is symbolic, because the company's history, in a sense, began here.
After the Palace of Pioneers, we headed to the Theater Garden and then to the territory of Moscow State University to trace how the architecture of the area has developed from the early 1950s to the present day. Moscow State University and its surroundings are a real chronicle of architectural styles: Stalinist skyscrapers, modernist buildings, early 2000s buildings in the spirit of the Luzhkov era and the latest infrastructure, such as the innovative cluster IQ Dolina. Perhaps in the future, we will expand the route to explore the modern territory of the university complex in more depth.
We walked around the Moscow State University high-rise building from all sides, and the excursionists learned not only historical and architectural facts, but also interesting everyday stories.
The guide Anastasia has a friend who lives in the main building and is a postgraduate student, who shared interesting details about life in a high-rise building. Among our guests was a couple, husband and wife, who also studied and lived in the main building at the chemistry department. They happily supplemented the story with their impressions, and it turned out that their memories coincided perfectly with the stories we heard.
The tour ended at the observation deck with views of evening Moscow. Everyone was satisfied and thanked for the interesting a walk.
Of course, the summer of 2024 in terms of organizing excursions for corporate clients was marked by Yandex and Faberlic. However, photography was only allowed with the guys from the cosmetics company (see a large report can be found here), therefore this report is without photos.
You can also book the tours «Arbat secrets», «VDNHa and Space», «Soul of Moscow», «Architecture “Moscow style”», «Zamoskvorechye», «Uncle Gilyai and his time», «Hot spots» and other tours.
We took a tour of Taganka designed for 12-year-old children. It was an excellent programme. We covered a great deal of ground and learnt so much. We discovered the story of Dryanaya Street and discussed the Vladimir Highway, the surrounding monasteries and churches, and the Old Believers. We now know where Korovin was born, where Stanislavsky was born and raised, where the Morozov merchant children lived, and why Arseny Morozov was considered such an outrageous figure in his day. We also discussed Solzhenitsyn, discovered where Stalin Avenue was supposed to be built, saw the bunker, walked to the Russian metochion of the Mount Athos Monastery, and learnt why the Illuzion cinema made Taganka famous. Of course, no tour would have been complete without Vysotsky and Lyubimov. We also touched briefly on Taganka Prison, although naturally we did not go there. All in all, it was an exceptionally rich and informative tour! Our guide Alexander was superb!
Our thanks to our guide Alexander for a magnificent sightseeing tour. Alexander’s love for Moscow and its history, his wide-ranging knowledge, elegant and engaging delivery, and personal charm make the tour not merely interesting and informative, but truly delightful! Thank you, Alexander! Tatiana and Tatiana, St Petersburg
On July 18th, we participated in the "Soul of Moscow" group tour led by Alexander. Kitay-gorod and its surroundings revealed a new side to us, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of us began intensively studying related materials to broaden our horizons. We'll be back, and we highly recommend it! You won't regret it.
Good afternoon, on June 23rd we had a tour called " The Soul of Moscow ," led by Alexander. He's a very pleasant young man. We visited such lovely courtyards and alleys with him that we never even knew existed, and we learned so much. We really enjoyed everything, and we hope to continue our acquaintance. Alexander! Thank you! We had a great time with you, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. See you there!
This isn't my first time with Radius. This time, I took the Moscow metro . The goal was not only to admire the underground palaces but also to learn how to navigate the metro. As a resident of a region without a metro, I was a bit apprehensive and didn't understand how to navigate the metro. Of course, the internet helps, but live communication is much better. Tour guide Yulia handled this task perfectly. The information was accessible and interesting, the presentation was calm, and the communication style was very friendly. Thank you very much for the tour and the practical experience.
Good afternoon! I gave the "Soul of Moscow" tour to some of the capital's guests. We were thrilled to hear our guide, Anton. It was so informative and engaging, and very warm. To say we were absolutely delighted is an understatement. It turned out to be a truly family-friendly excursion. We learned so many interesting facts. The material was presented professionally, all our questions were answered, and we saw so much. It was simply WOW! Thank you so much, Anton, he's the best!!!!! From now on, I'll only come to you, the Radius team. I highly recommend it. I promise we'll see each other again soon on other tours.
Overall, the tour left a positive impression! Thanks to Alexander for the walk through the courtyards and atmospheric spots of Kitay-Gorod; we certainly wouldn't have done it on our own. The tour was comfortable, and the guide spoke confidently and calmly. One thing we personally missed: we would have liked more of the historical part, relating to ancient Moscow and the history of Kitay-Gorod. There were quite a few stories about the Soviet period and the bar scene, but for our group, this wasn't particularly relevant. We think the program could be a little more tailored to the age and interests of the group. It would also have been interesting to add more historical facts, monuments, and details about old Moscow and the area itself. That said, the tour was still interesting, and some places and churches were truly memorable. These aren't really "cons," but rather suggestions for an even more comprehensive program.
Hello! We had a corporate group of 10 people. Our guide was Anton, and we had a tour of Bulgakov. I would like to point out the excellent organization; everything went smoothly. The managers were very accommodating to our changes in the number of participants. The bus was very comfortable. Anton is a super-engaged and motivated guide. He lives this history and is delighted to share his knowledge and create an unforgettable experience. Everything went well. I highly recommend it!
Thank you for a fascinating tour! It gave me so much food for thought to explore! Note: Review of the "Zamoskvorechye" tour with guide Maria.
I'd like to express my gratitude on behalf of our team! Thank you for keeping to our scheduled schedule despite our lack of organization. Our colleagues appreciated your preparation for the tour! It was informative. Note: Review of the "Modern Residential Complexes, Factory Past, and Avant-Garde" tour of the ZILART residential complex with guide Maria. Maria prepared and conducted a customized tour for employees of the Samolet Group of Companies development company.
Thank you! You have great talent. Good luck! ☺️ You're a wonderful guide! Thank you again! Note: This is a review of the corporate tour "The Heart of the Capital" with guide Maria.
Thank you for a wonderful day today!!)) Note: review of the excursion "The Soul of Moscow" with guide Maria
On behalf of the whole family, I want to thank you for a very informative and interesting tour! Note: This is a review of the "Palace Dungeons" tour with guide Maria.
Good afternoon! I'd like to express my gratitude and that of my guide for organizing the tour! We were very pleased. We'd like to do it again in October, but on a different route — ZIL. Note: This refers to the tour for Samolet Group developers, led by guide Maria.
Thanks to Alexander for the bar tour of Baumanka ! It was fun, exciting, and we discovered so many new places! Awesome! May we reach new heights!
Good afternoon! I was on a tour of Sukharevskaya Square — we went all the way to Tsvetnoy Boulevard. I didn't expect it to be so interesting! For those wondering whether to go — go for it! It truly became one of my most memorable summer memories!
Anastasia, good morning! Thank you and Masha for yesterday! The speakers are happy. The connection through the headphones was often lost, especially at the checkpoint, but that's just our current situation. You could hear if you were standing close, no more than 1.5 meters away. Colleagues have already asked for your contact information. I'd be happy to share it and look forward to another opportunity to work with you. Special thanks to the Director for the Bureau . Note: " Heart of the Capital " tour for participants of the 2025 Moscow Oncology Forum. Guides: Anastasia and Maria.
We'd like to thank Anton and Alexander for leading the tour! It was fascinating to hear how the Krasnaya Presnya district developed and how Prokhorov's influence on our city's development. It was a pleasant immersion into a quiet, previously unexplored area!
Good afternoon, thank you so much, Anastasia. The " Uncle Gilyai " tour was fantastic. Even though we're Muscovites and know a lot about Moscow, the experience was amazing, so much new and interesting happened. We'll definitely be back.
Thank you for the " Heart of Moscow " and " Khamovniki " tours. Anton, a knowledgeable and passionate Moscow guide, gave me the tour. He's a great storyteller, intelligent, well-read, and captivating. You've truly opened up my Moscow to me! I'll definitely be back next summer to explore Moscow with you. I'll recommend your wonderful tour program to all my friends!
Excursions with the Radius travel agency are always a positive experience if you choose them. We planned a tour of Zamoskvorechye on our next visit. We've worked with our guide, Anton, before. We'll definitely recommend him to everyone we know. The tour is informative, not overloaded with dates, and the information is comprehensive yet easy to understand, as it's presented in a light, narrative manner, not like a history textbook, dry and academic. Thank you for this approach. We'll definitely use the Radius agency again on our next visit to Moscow.
Thank you so much for the tour of Zamoskvorechye . Despite the weather, it was very interesting and informative! Note: this refers to the tour with guide Anton.
A huge thank you to Anastasia. We had a fantastic tour of the Patriki district. We learned so much. Anastasia is a true master of her craft. The tour was captivating, not at all boring, lively and interesting. Everyone was delighted. We were full of new impressions. I definitely recommend it. You won't be disappointed!
We explored the Soul of Moscow with my family and Radius on my birthday. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the walk! Anton shared so many interesting facts about the capital and its history, taking us into spiritual depths no one else had even suspected. Most of us were either born or longtime Moscow residents who spent a lot of time walking around. It was educational, heartwarming, and unforgettable. 🙂 Overall, this wasn't my first time walking around Moscow with Anton, and each time was a real adventure!