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The Cure Tour History

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The Cure  

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The Cure are a band formed in 1976 hailing from Crawley, West Sussex, in the United Kingdom. Fronted by lead singer and songwriter Robert Smith, they came from the post-punk scene of the early 80’s to become one of the biggest and most influential bands in modern rock.

When a band gets to be as truly worshipped as The Cure, it can be an interesting and slightly bizarre thing to look at their early days. A little bit like seeing your favourite actor wondering whether they’re going to go with white or brown bread in a local Tesco. Or an important politician spotted zoning out on public transport, it brings them back down to earth and reminds you that they’re not all-conquering, all-powerful cosmically divine extra-dimension visitors who know the secrets of the universe, but a guy from the Sussex suburbs who formed a band to play at a school concert.

They probably looked ridiculous at their first shows, and not in the awesome way. They probably wrote some godawful songs. Some punters probably watched an early incarnation of The Cure and thought, for good reason, that they were a bunch of no-hopers. Every band has those days and if they haven’t one should be very, very suspicious of them. What makes The Cure so special is that they absolutely had those days, but knowing about them doesn’t take the sheen off them at all. They’re still a vitally important band, influential to thousands of bands the world over and that’s enough to make them legends, before the image and before the imitators.

And it all began with a school concert. In April 1973, five students from Notre Dame Middle School in Crawley formed Obelisk, the first tentative musical project of one Mr Robert Smith, who was the bands pianist. Future Cure cohorts Mick Dempsey and Lol Tolhurst backed him up on guitar and percussion, respectively, but it wasn’t until 1976 that the trio began to take making music more seriously. The band was reshuffled to feature Smith on the guitar, Dempsey on bass and Tolhurst left the now renamed Malice, but it was only to last a year until their lead guitarist left as well.

The remaining members got Tolhurst back as their drummer and renamed themselves again.This time, they would be called Easy Cure. By September 1977, Smith took over lead vocals after several unsuccessful auditions and by the start of 1978, they had dropped the Easy from their name and had recorded their first demo tape. This tape found its way to Polydor Records scout Chris Parry, who was so taken with the band that he signed them to his own label Fiction in September of that very year. In a move that nobody would get away with now, their track “Killing An Arab” was released soon after as their very first single.

It was a move that gained as much acclaim as controversy, to the extent that a re-release of the single had to be packaged with a sticker on the cover denying its supposedly racist connotations. Thankfully, the bands energetic post-punk got more attention, and their hype was considerably heightened with a session on John Peel’s legendary Radio One show. By the following year, their debut album “Three Imaginary Boys”, was released, and as part of its promotion, the band embarked on their first major support tour opening for Siouxsie And The Banshees.

This was to be a major step forward for the band, as Smith was coaxed into playing guitar for The Banshees after their original axe-man left shortly before the tour. The experience of being a Banshee profoundly changed Smith’s attitude towards the music that his band played, and when before he was most influenced by The Buzzcocks and Elvis Costello, afterwards he wanted to match the power that he felt while playing Siouxsie’s music. The result was 1980’s “Seventeen Seconds” and arguably, that was when they became The Cure that we know today.

Since then, they’ve been most known for essentially creating Goth music with the aforementioned record, its follow up “Faith”, and 1982’s bleak masterpiece “Pornography”. However, after those records they released some of the most romantic, beautiful and downright succesful pop of the 1980’s and early 90’s, with albums like “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me”, “Wish” and “The Top” showing just what Smith could do with a lovelorn lyric and a truly gorgeous melody. It’s their mastery of these two extremes that really show why The Cure are as loved as they are. They exemplify the human condition, and reflect when one is ecstatic and when one is at their lowest with equal skill and sensitivity.

There’s no-one else like them, and it’ll be a while before we see their likes again. See this band as soon as possible.

Live reviews

Reviewing a show of one of your favorite Bands who have the distinction of being in your Top 5 (if not #1) live experiences of all time can be a bit daunting.

It can go a number of ways.

1. Another Great show as hoped.

2. Sub par and a let down.

3. The Band just "mails it in" (which is the worst).

The Cure, who have been around since 1976 (Easy Cure) and haven't toured the States anyway with a new album since 2008 are currently embarking on a substantial North American tour and with no new album I was really only expecting a "Greatest Hits" type show honestly? And given their Longevity and slew of "Hits" from the heyday of MTV I guess I couldn't blame them and I would have been satisfied more than likely?

Ah, but that was not the case in Boston (6-16-16) at Agganis Arena!

The Cure came out full throttle with a high energy level for what would turn out to be a marathon show of 3 hours which included.

Not 1. Not 2. Not even 3. But 4. Yes. 4 Encore Sets!!!

Were the standards there? Of course how can they not be.

"Inbetween Days", "Just Like Heaven", "Lovesong" "Let's Go To Bed", "Boys Don't Cry" etc etc etc

And all played with a kicked up, but not hurried, sense of urgency and excitement!

Mixed in though were surprising live Gems like:

"Burn" (1st The Crow soundtrack), "M", "Kyoto Song" and the surprising "Snakepit"!!

"Fascination Street" which has one the most perfect Bass lines ever IMO was a whirlwind of insanity as Simon Gallup just pushed the Band forward.

And the songs just kept coming one after the other while the crowd basked in Robert Smith's wonderfully childlike sense of wonder and emotion in his lyrics and vocals and understated guitar work.

Most Cure fans (me included) knew every single song played which is typical of The Cure fanbase.

But when they launched into the new "It Can Never Be the Same" with it's rumbling Bass line and heart felt lyrics to Robert Smith's Mother(?) I was amazed at how well it slid into this already fantastic set and really really really hope it gets a proper release soon, if it hasn't already and I have somehow missed it?

Robert Smith is an enigma of a front man. He demands your attention but. I don't believe, has never come to grips with his fans adulations and is still obviously shy individual. And I really don't think it's an act?

Simon Gallup is without doubt the energy of this Band still! He stalks the stage and never stops moving. All the while laying down a very unique Bass foundation that compliments Roberts Jangly sparse guitar style perfectly.

Simon does not get the recognition he deserves as a force on the Bass (along with John Taylor of Duran Duran) and if you play Bass you really should take a close listen to his work with The Cure.

Jason Cooper I think has finally come out from the shadow that was Boris Williams and seems comfortable in pushing his style now more in the drumming Dept. which I believe is another reason for the energy level of the Band live.

Roger O'Donnell is sublime on the keyboards and brings that soaring majestic sound needed for anything done from DISINTEGRATION while jumping right over to the nursery rhyme key tinkling of The Cure's early 80's Synth Pop era easily.

Reeves Gabrels who is the current 2nd guitarist in the ever rotating slot is a masterful musician in his own right (David Bowie folks) and honestly I was surprised at how long He has stayed with the Band? But He steps out very tastefully when required and ads his unique flair to the sound. I will admit to missing Porl Thompson who I just think was/ is the elusive component to the Band. But if you have to have Mr. Gabrels who am I to complain?.

Honestly this review could have been round up with one word: "EPIC"

But that, would be "mailing it in".

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I first saw the Cure in 1982 in this very same venue, the effectionatelg named by U.S. Muso's as the Hammy Odeon.

Tonight some 30 years later I'm back. I feel at home especially as I'm stranding and I'm where I should be.... Down the Front

Our evening starts with And Also The Trees a reformed eighties outfit who previously supported the Cure on their 1984 tour.

The thing about Robert smith is that he is a prolific song writer and the bands back catalogue is immense which results in us experiencing a three hour plus spectacular.

And what a treat. Hits rained down and more randomly than normal. Tracks from The Top album seemed dominate. Just like Heaven, Charlotte sometimes, Hundred Years, The End and of course the gems Primary, play for today and the classic A Forest.

Of course I'd liked more from Seventeen Seconds and Faith but that would have been greedy. There were plenty of folk here tonight who weren't born when these albums were released

With so much to play we were presented with four encores and finally at 11.15 it all ended with Boys Don't Cry.

It meant so much for me to have returned to this awesome venue to see my favourite band.... The place and the band that started me on my gig going journey

Cheers Robert.... Fantastic

The Cure are a special band and should be heard in a special environment, that is why I saw them at Red Rocks in Colorado. It was a cool night and the sun was sitting low in the sky. That famous colorful Colorado sky fell down across the stage.

The fans were are pretty relaxed and were mostly 25 plus in age. Everyone seemed to be poised for a night of great music. You could hear conversations coming from every direction, everyone hoping their favorite songs will be played.

Just as it was getting dark the band took the stage. Everyone stood and applauded Robert Smith as he paced across the stage and made his way to the microphone stand. As the band members struck a few random chords then the band jumped into “Just Like Heaven”. The frenzy only grew as the bad started without pause to play “Friday I’m In Love”. Everyone was having so much fun. The music sounded better then I have ever heard it before.

Robert Smith played an amazing set list of all the hits over the years. The band played all the old songs like “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Pictures of you” with a fresh take and with a new energy. This band has been around a while and still worth seeing live!

The Cure are legends and any band that will give you a 2 1/2 hour show deserves your respect. That being said this "greatest hits" + a few back-catalogue approach is what you'd expect from the Rolling Stones not from what is still an underground act. That in and by itself wouldn't even be that bad but aside from a few songs 39, A Night Like This, 100 Years sounded bland, uninspired and as though they were just going through the motions... Great light show, technical perfection but no soul! I've seen them twice in the 90's and came out of those shows thrilled, energized and inspired. Those were magical shows where the band managed to transform reality and all (the band included, to judge by their faces) came out of it exhausted and amazed, carried off as by some shamanistic ritual to dark and dangerous lands where we learned to overcome our fears and face the world around us with new hope. This wasn't one of those shows. This was Robert Smith giving his audience 30 of his best songs and not once making a spiritual connection with either the music or the crowd...

Obviously being way too young to remember The Cure the first time around (sort of, ish, ahem, etc), this was the first time seeing this bunch of post-punk proto-goths and inevitably they didn't disappoint.

Despite most of the band heading pretty swiftly towards free-bus-pass age, the gig show kicked along at a pace, with young Mr. Smith barely pausing for breath as they band kicked on through a back catalogue spanning 30+ years.

Having spent the past few weeks attempting to brush up on my Cure knowledge (via Spotify) I can gladly add this band to an ever-growing list of "if you thought the studio version was good...", as tracks like Lullaby, Lovecats and Friday all sounded immense performed live.

Main issue of the night was technical; the lack of big screens at Wembley Arena means if you're right at the back, the band are mere specks on the stage up front. The lighting design was beautifully done though, and went some way to compensate for the lack of being able to see Robert Smith gurning earnestly into the microphone.

Two review, first for The Cure. It was a wonderful show! They were willing to perform hits along with other unknown songs and sounded great at doing it. They had a half and half crowd, some diehard fans and some who thought they were bigger fans than they actually were. With it being May in Pac NW the temperature dropped quickly freezing alot of people enough to say they had seen enough. This wasnt The band's fault for lack of inspired fans. They were everything I expected from a goth rock band from the late 70s and 80s. About the venue: I love the venue as well! We have been living in Portland for 5 years but have never made a point to catch a show in the Washington Amphitheater. Wow! We felt like we were home in the south. Nice concert under the stars and the price was a great as well, considering the crappy prices shows in Portland go for. We will be going back to Sunlight Supply in August.

Buon concerto del gruppo, rovinato dalla pessima acustica del Mediolanum Forum.

L'esecuzione è stata quasi impeccabile, l'interazione col pubblico buona (Robert Smith ha persino azzardato un "Grazie mille", unica ed acclamatissima frase che il pubblico ha capito), alcune canzoni elegantemente riarrangiate.

La qualità sonora, inizialmente pessima (purtroppo tale è rimasta per tutta l'esibizione dei Twilight Sad che aprivano il concerto), è migliorata durante l'esibizione grazie al lavoro ingrato dei fonici e al fatto che gradualmente le chitarre elettriche distorte sono state sostituite con le acustiche o con suoni più docili.

Penso che sia l'ultimo concerto che andrò a vedere al Mediolanum Forum, che è vergognosamente inadatto ad ospitare concerti rock dal punto di vista acustico (peccato, perché dal punto di vista logistico non è male). Ridateci l'arena!

What a concert!

We managed to get front row side view, only a few meters from the stage.

I'd seen them in 1985 in Madrid, 2008 in Melbourne and now in Milan. Awesome songs, still as good as always. A massive repertoire to choose from, but they performed most of their hits, plus a new one, It Can Never Be The Same. Robert as grand as always, he really enjoyed the show.

Simon at his best, he inspired me when I was 17 to play bass guitar, his usual moving around the stage with his bass at knee level!

I missed Porl, though, he has always been the colourful note at the right end of the stage!

Roger as sculptural as always in front of the keyboards and Jason performing at his best.

A magnificent show, what can I say.

I hope to see them again in a couple of years!

The Cure - Barcelona, Palau Sant Jordi. November 26th 2016

My 5th Cure concert, and probably the best I've seen. No doubt it was far better than the last one, also in Barcelona in 2008 (without Roger O'Donnell on keys)

The band is great with Reeves Gabrels and Roger. Jason Cooper sounds better than ever on drums and Simon's bass is terrific.

Missed some gems such as Plainsong, Jupiter Crash, Want, Letter to Elise, but setlist was OK, 32 songs, focusing on The Head on the Door (1985) + Disintegration (89) + Kiss Me (87).

1 great unreleased song: It Can Never Be The Same on 1st encore.

Robert's voice was fine, powerful and clean. Athmosphere was good, proactive and the pop songs encouraged fans to sing along.

Looking fw to a new tour and maybe new album?

3 (three) hours of pure pleasure. 31 songs.

They sang as if they were recording the original albuns. Perfect!

Great quality and performance.

Great respect for the fans, as I never saw.

Best was not possible, im glad I went to this concert. Thank you CURE!

In Between Days

Pictures of You

The Hungry Ghost

A Night Like This

Shake Dog Shake

The Caterpillar

From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea

One Hundred Years

Step Into the Light

Play for Today

Fascination Street

Friday I'm in Love

Just Like Heaven

Boys Don't Cry

Hot Hot Hot!!!

Let's Go to Bed

Close to Me

Why Can't I Be You?

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Photos (125)

Posters (224)

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The Cure Set First North American Tour in Seven Years

By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

The Cure will embark on their first North American tour in seven years this summer as the Rock Hall-inducted band ’s Songs of a Lost World trek have added four additional dates to their previously scheduled slate of 30 shows.

Following their 2022 European jaunt, Robert Smith and company will kick off their 2023 North American dates on May 10 in New Orleans. After circling the U.S. and parts of Canada — including three-night stands at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl and New York’s Madison Square Garden — the leg concludes July 1 in Miami.

The new dates include a stop in Portland as well as additional nights in Montreal, Atlanta, and San Diego. “Please please please don’t buy tickets if you don’t intend [on] going to the show,” the band pleaded on Twitter, hoping their tickets make it into the right hands and don’t end up on secondary markets.

FOUR EXTRA SHOWS ADDED TO OUR ’SHOWS OF A LOST WORLD’ NORTH AMERICAN TOUR – THREE OF THEM ARE ‘EXTRA NIGHTS’ – 21ST MAY SAN DIEGO / 17TH JUNE MONTREAL / 28TH JUNE ATLANTA #ShowsOfALostWorld2023 1/5 pic.twitter.com/BDVMGBnNXB — The Cure (@thecure) April 5, 2023

Fans can sign up for Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan now ahead of the on-sale dates. New dates will be available beginning Friday, April 7 at 10 a.m. local time. The fourth extra show, the Portland stop, will be “an experiment to see whether non-transferable tickets are enough protection,” thus Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan will not be required for those purchases.

Other than the Cure’s 2019 performances at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, the Austin City Limits Festival , and their own Pasadena Daydream fest , the band last staged a North American tour in 2016.

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This post was updated on April 5 to include four additional tour dates.

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The Cure Announce First North American Tour Since 2016 + Are Trying to Block Scalpers From Buying Tickets

It's official — goth rock/new wave legends The Cure will embark on a North American tour this year, their first continental run since 2016.

Dubbed the "Shows of a Lost World" tour, the 30-date jaunt will kick off on May 10 in New Orleans, trekking through several major markets in the U.S. and Canada with things wrapping up on June 1 in Miami.

Opening each night are The Twilight Sad, a post-punk/indie rock group from Scotland who have been on the road with The Cure on previous tours. It also happens to be the 20th anniversary since their formation, so perhaps a special set is in order as they also continue to promote their most recent album, 2019's  It Won/t Be Like This All the Time .

The Cure, meanwhile, are expected to release a new album this year, which will be their first studio effort since 2008's  4:13 Dream . Last year, fans were even treated to a couple of new songs live , which are presumably on the forthcoming  Songs of a Lost World album, the title which frontman Robert Smith confirmed earlier in 2022. He also forecasted a fall 2022 release, so fans have really been on edge waiting for this new record.

READ MORE: The Cure Debut Two New Songs at 2022 Tour Kickoff, Their First New Music Since 2008

See the complete list of dates below.

Per The Cure's website, tickets will be available on March 15 via Ticketmaster Verified Fan Sale, which requires registration to access . "We have priced tickets to benefit fans and our efforts to block scalpers and limited inflated resale prices are being supported by our ticketing partners," the band also confirmed.

The Cure 2023 North American Tour Dates With The Twilight Sad

May 10 — New Orleans, La. @ Smoothie King Center May 12 — Houston, Texas @ Toyota Center May 13 — Dallas, Texas @ Dos Equis Pavilion May 14 — Austin, Texas @ Moody Center May 16 — Albuquerque, N.M. @ Isleta Amphitheater May 18 — Phoenix, Ariz. @ Desert Diamond Arena May 20 — San Diego, Calif. @ NICU Amphitheatre May 23 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Bowl May 24 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Bowl May 25 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Bowl May 27 — San Francisco, Calif. @ Shoreline Amphitheatre June 01 — Seattle, Wash. @ Climate Pledge Arena June 02 — Vancouver, British Columbia @ Rogers Arena June 04 — Salt Lake City, Utah @ Vivint Smart Home Arena June 06 — Denver, Colo. @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre June 08 — Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. @ Xcel Energy Center June 10 — Chicago, Ill. @ United Center June 11 — Cleveland, Ohio @ Blossom Music Center June 13 — Detroit, Mich. @ Pine Knob Music Theatre June 14 — Toronto, Ontario @ Budweiser Stage June 16 — Montreal, Quebec @ Bell Centre June 18 — Boston, Mass. @ Xfinity Center June 20 — New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden June 21 — New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden June 22 — New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden June 24 — Philadelphia, Pa. @ Wells Fargo Center June 25 — Columbia, Md. @ Merriweather Post Pavilion June 27 — Atlanta, Ga. @ State Farm Arena June 29 — Tampa, Fla. @ Amalie Arena June 01 — Miami, Fla. @ Miami-Dade Arena

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The Cure Announce 2023 North American Tour Dates

• Last updated: 9 Mar 2023, 18:18:01
• Published: 9 Mar 2023, 18:18:01
• Written by: Erica Lauren
• Photography by: Shlomi Pinto
• Categories: Tour Dates Tagged: The Cure

The Cure have revealed their first full North American tour in seven years. The legendary group last performed in the states at a few festivals in 2019, and their last tour here was in 2016. See the band's last documented setlist from their European Lost World Tour on 2022 here .

The upcoming tour will kick off 5/10 in New Orleans and run through July 1 in Miami. Fans can register for tickets now at TheCure.com

05-10 New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center 05-12 Houston, TX - Toyota Center 05-13 Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion 05-14 Austin, TX - Moody Center 05-16 Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater 05-18 Phoenix, AZ - Desert Diamond Arena 05-20 San Diego, CA - NICU Amphitheatre 05-23 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-24 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-25 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-27 San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre 06-01 Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena 06-02 Vancouver, British Columbia - Rogers Arena 06-04 Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Smart Home Arena 06-06 Greenwood Village, CO - Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre 06-08 Saint Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center 06-10 Chicago, IL - United Center 06-11 Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center 06-13 Detroit, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre 06-14 Toronto, Ontario - Budweiser Stage 06-16 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre 06-18 Boston, MA - Xfinity Center 06-20 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-21 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-22 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-24 Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center 06-25 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion 06-27 Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena 06-29 Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena 07-01 Miami, FL - Miami-Dade Arena

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• A Forest ( 1189 )
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• In Between Days ( 946 )
• Just Like Heaven ( 854 )
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The Cure Announce 2023 North American Tour

By Evan Minsker and Jazz Monroe

The Cure have announced a 2023 tour of North America. Find their Shows of a Lost World dates below. The schedule comes with three dates apiece at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl and New York’s Madison Square Garden. Support on all dates comes from their longtime tourmates the Twilight Sad .

In recent years, Robert Smith has been teasing a Cure album, giving regular progress reports. In 2019, after being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ( by Trent Reznor ), Smith said , “If I’m optimistic it will be finished before the start of this summer.” The album still hasn’t materialized.

The band’s last studio album was 2008’s 4:13 Dream . In recent years, Smith has collaborated with Gorillaz and remixed Chvrches , Deftones , and, just this week, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds . Last year, the band reissued 1992’s Wish . See where the Cure landed on Pitchfork’s list of “ The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s .”

All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

05-10 New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center 05-12 Houston, TX - Toyota Center 05-13 Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion 05-14 Austin, TX - Moody Center 05-16 Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater 05-18 Phoenix, AZ - Desert Diamond Arena 05-20 San Diego, CA - NICU Amphitheatre 05-23 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-24 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-25 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-27 San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre 06-01 Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena 06-02 Vancouver, British Columbia - Rogers Arena 06-04 Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Smart Home Arena 06-06 Greenwood Village, CO - Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre 06-08 Saint Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center 06-10 Chicago, IL - United Center 06-11 Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center 06-13 Detroit, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre 06-14 Toronto, Ontario - Budweiser Stage 06-16 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre 06-18 Boston, MA - Xfinity Center 06-20 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-21 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-22 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-24 Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center 06-25 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion 06-27 Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena 06-29 Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena 07-01 Miami, FL - Miami-Dade Arena

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The Cure to Tour North America for the First Time in Seven Years

'The Cure have set all ticket prices and, apart from a few Hollywood Bowl charity seats, there will be no ‘platinum’ or ‘dynamically priced’ tickets on this tour.'

By Thania Garcia

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The Cure is hitting the road for a North American trek that includes three dates each at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl and New York’s Madison Square Garden. This will be the first time the band plays any North American shows since its 2019 festival appearances and its first tour in the region since 2016.

Following a slate of 2022 European concerts, the Cure’s “Shows of a Lost World” tour will kick off on May 10 in New Orleans and hit 30 stops across the U.S. and Canada with a closing show on July 1 in Miami. The Cure will be supported by Scottish post-punk band the Twilight Sad at all shows. See the full lineup below.

Popular on Variety

Though the band’s last studio album was 2008’s “4:13 Dream,” frontman Robert Smith has regularly teased a new body of work from the band throughout the past few years. Last year, the band reissued 1992’s “Wish,” and Smith most recently remixed Noel Gallagher’s “Pretty Boy” single.

May 10 NEW ORLEANS, LA Smoothie King Center 12 HOUSTON, TX Toyota Center 13 DALLAS, TX Dos Equis Pavilion 14 AUSTIN, TX Moody Center 16 ALBUQUERQUE, NM Isleta Amphitheater 18 PHOENIX, AZ Desert Diamond Arena 20 SAN DIEGO, CA NICU Amphitheatre 23 LOS ANGELES, CA Hollywood Bowl 24 LOS ANGELES, CA Hollywood Bowl 25 LOS ANGELES, CA Hollywood Bowl 27 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre

July 01 MIAMI, FL Miami-Dade Arena

The Cure Songs of a Last World Tour Buy Now

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THE CURE announce 2023 North American tour

The Cure have finally announced a long-awaited North American leg of their A Lost World tour — which includes three nights at L.A.'s Hollywood Bowl and three nights at NYC's Madison Square Garden. Support on all dates comes from their longtime tourmates the Twilight Sad. Check out the full itinerary below.

Additionally, the headliners announced: "The Cure have agreed all ticket prices, and apart from a few Hollywood Bowl charity seats, there will be no 'platinum' or 'dynamically priced' tickets on this tour."

Tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster Verified Fan on March 15th at 10 a.m. local time.

The Cure 2023 North American tour dates: 05-10 New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center 05-12 Houston, TX - Toyota Center 05-13 Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion 05-14 Austin, TX - Moody Center 05-16 Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater 05-18 Phoenix, AZ - Desert Diamond Arena 05-20 San Diego, CA - NICU Amphitheatre 05-23 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-24 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-25 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 05-27 San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre 06-01 Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena 06-02 Vancouver, British Columbia - Rogers Arena 06-04 Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Smart Home Arena 06-06 Greenwood Village, CO - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre 06-08 Saint Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center 06-10 Chicago, IL - United Center 06-11 Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center 06-13 Detroit, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre 06-14 Toronto, Ontario - Budweiser Stage 06-16 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre 06-18 Boston, MA - Xfinity Center 06-20 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-21 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-22 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden 06-24 Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center 06-25 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion 06-27 Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena 06-29 Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena 07-01 Miami, FL - Miami-Dade Arena

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Albums by PiL, Talking Heads, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and more make the punk frontman's list.

February 1, 2024

2023 Corona Capital Festival Rocked by The Cure, Blur, and Pulp: Photo Gallery

Plus photos of Phoenix, Fever Ray, The Hives, Kim Petras, and more.

November 20, 2023

The Story Behind The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" as Told by Lol Tolhurst

The musician talks about the creation, history, and legacy of the post-punk and goth classic.

Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields Cover The Cure's "Just Like Heaven": Watch

The old pals also performed "Tarpit" and the MBV deep cut "Thorn" at a London show Tuesday night (November 14th).

November 15, 2023

Riot Fest 2023 Rocks Chicago with The Cure, Foo Fighters, Turnstile, The Postal Service, and More: Review + Photos

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The Cure to Reissue Live Album, Show, For First Time in 30 Years

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The Cure Left Millions of Dollars on the Table, and Still Had the Highest-Grossing Tour of Their Career

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View of the Kremlin and surrounding area from 1825. From The Album of Ancient Views of the Moscow Kremlin , by Ivan Zabelin. Available online from the Yeltsin Library .

The Kremlin: Moscow’s Historical Heart Through the Ages

Published: December 3, 2021

The Moscow Kremlin has long been the main symbol of Moscow and Russia – and for good reason. It was with the Kremlin that city of Moscow officially began and from which it grew. The Prince of Moscow, ruling from the Kremlin and drawing on the growing power of his city, united and conquered the cities and lands around him to create Russia.

While the Kremlin can be seen as something of a constant in Russian history, the Kremlin itself has seen major changes within its walls and to its own status. It has lost and gained buildings. It has changed from the seat of government to an ancillary structure, back to the governmental seat, and finally to a museum complex.

The resource below unites the work of multiple SRAS students writing on Home and Abroad , Challenge Grants , and Online Research Internships to bring you an overarching view of this iconic complex.

The Kremlin Walls

By Hudson Dobbs

The Kremlin was first established in 1156 by Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy. This post-dates the first mention of Moscow, which dates back to 1147, when Prince Dolgorukiy invited Prince Sviatoslav of Chernigov to Moscow to celebrate their alliance.

The actual site of this stronghold has likely been occupied since the second millennium BCE. It likely had fortifications built there as early as the 10th century, by the then-resident Vyatichi, a tribe of Slavic peoples.

Eventually, Prince Dolgorukiy ordered the construction of what would become the Kremlin walls. These first walls were tall and expansive and built out of wood. Although this structure was built for protection, it also served as a symbol for the power and strength of the new city of Moscow.

While the first walls did their job well, they were eventually burnt down by Tatar-Mongol forces and later upgraded to more fire-resistant oak in 1339. As the city grew, the Kremlin also further developed, and with it the popularity of building fortresses in town centers. Cities such as Smolensk, Kazan, Novgorod, and Pskov all constructed a Kremlin of their own. In fact, the word “kremlin” simply means “a fortress within a city.”

By the 13th century, the Kremlin housed the political and spiritual power of the state, with residences, workshops, churches, and state buildings all residing within its walls. In the 1360’s, Prince Dmitry Donskoy rebuilt the walls in limestone and a gleaming white Kremlin soon became the iconic image of Moscow. These walls were credited in helping the city defend itself from sieges by Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania in the late 1360’s.

The walls and towers that exist today are still another iteration, and were built on the order of Grand Prince Ivan III, also known as Ivan the Great, from 1485 to 1495. Ivan wanted to build something grander and more worthy of being his residence – something that would be comparable to Constantinople in terms of size and importance.

Wanting what would be specifically a “Third Rome,” Ivan invited Italian architects such as Aristotele Fioravanti and Pietro Antonio Solari. Their involvement is why the current fortress closely resembles castles of Northern Italy. Its red brick made the Kremlin unique for the time, as it was the first structure in Russia built from such material.

These brick walls have stood, with minor adjustments, since that time. One noticeable change came in the late 1600s, when Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich ordered the red brick to be whitewashed in limestone, returning it to gleaming white the city had been hitherto known for. Eventually, the whitewash stopped being maintained and was allowed to wear off, a process that was complete by the 1900s.

Grand Kremlin Palace Tour

By Jack Fisher

Formerly the Moscow residence of the Russian tsars, the Grand Kremlin Palace (not to be confused with the State Kremlin Palace) is a complex inside the Kremlin. It now hosts diplomatic meetings and official state ceremonies including presidential inaugurations. It is also designated as a residence of the President of the Russian Federation, but is rarely used for that purpose.

When SRAS gave me the opportunity to take an exclusive tour of this complex, which is an exclusive tour that is normally off-limits to the general public, I had to take it.

This particular tour is different from those that cover the more public areas inside the Kremlin and requires signing up early and submitting your documents for a security check.

I met the tour group on a Friday afternoon in Aleksandrovski Sad, which borders the Kremlin walls. From there, we made our way towards the Kremlin grounds entrance. There was a huge line to get into the grounds through a first security checkpoint, but we were able to skip straight to the front of it since we had registered for our tour ahead of time. Once we were through the gate, the crowd thinned out significantly.

As we walked through the Kremlin grounds, we saw other tour groups taking photos of the landscaping, palace, and other historical buildings. Unlike us, they didn’t have the permission of the Russian government to enter the actual palace. When we got to the palace, we walked through the front doors, crossed a second security checkpoint, met our guide, and started the tour.

Our tour guide inside the building was a woman that worked in preservation. She only spoke Russian, so everything was translated for us by an SRAS-hired guide to English. We began on the first floor of the newer section of the palace and saw several ornate living rooms and guest rooms, followed by the empress’s and emperor’s chambers. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to see the emperor’s office and bathroom as President Putin had decided to use them as his personal study for the remainder of his time in office.

After the first floor, we headed upstairs to the second. From the outside the palace appeared to have three floors, but in reality the second floor just had massive, vaulted ceilings and two levels of windows. From what I saw, the second floor seemed to be where the fun happened. The first major room we walked into was the Hall of the Order of St. George, built to house major military meetings and balls and today used as a large conference room. There were names of famous military officers and soldiers inscribed on the walls, and the hall looked like it could hold hundreds of guests. Then it was on to the Hall of the Order of St. Vladimir, which was way less cool. It did, however, have the largest chandelier in the palace, for what that’s worth.

Next, we moved into the oldest section of the palace. It was built in the late 1400s and the newer sections of the palace were built out to connect with it. Our guide told us that by the time of the last czars, the older section was used strictly for ceremonial purposes. The walls were covered with paintings of historical rulers and religious figures. It was definitely my favorite room as there seemed to be an aura of timelessness hanging about the place.

Then we went back through the Hall of the Order of St. Vladimir and through another hall to the older bedchamber of the czar and an older, smaller meeting room for the czar and his nobles. This section was markedly different as there was none of the opulence of the newer palace. It had a utilitarian feel due to its practical layout with comfortable but plain looking chairs, reasonably sized paintings, low ceilings and large traditional Russian stoves.

Finally, we visited the throne room. It was massive, just like the Hall of the Order of St. George, and had polished stone and gilding everywhere. Unfortunately, it was a reconstruction. Our guide let us know that the soviets had torn it apart when they came to power, creating what looked like a massive classroom to house the first meetings of the Soviet Congress. The Russian government had restored it completely within the past decade. She also let us know that the current heir to the Russian throne is Prince Harry of England, which is an interesting fact I’ve been surprising Brits with lately.

On our way out, we exited through a portrait hall. Most of the portraits were typical Enlightenment and Victorian era paintings with stuffy looking people. However, one painting caught my eye: the portrait of Knyaz Sbyatoclav. The man looked absolutely hardcore (and you can see him below in a photo I took).

In my opinion, it was definitely worth $75. While I wouldn’t go twice, the fact of the matter is that you get to see the inside of a beautiful building and stand in rooms that very powerful people meet in and have met in for hundreds of years – which is an opportunity that few regular people are given. Don’t think that it’s too expensive, because you’ll have the experience and memory with you for the rest of your life.

The Kremlin Without a Capital (1712-1918)

By Lee Sullivan

The Kremlin has always been a symbol of Russian power and authority. It is often used interchangeably with the Russian state in journalism and academic literature. This is not surprising considering the Kremlin is situated in the heart of Moscow and has typically housed Russian rulers and their offices – and continues to contain an official residence and office for Russian president Vladimir Putin. However, not all of Russia’s leaders have always called the Moscow fortress home. This article covers the nearly 200 years of Kremlin history when Moscow was not the capital.

Peter the Great moved Russia’s capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg in 1712. Despite the continued crowning of tsars in the Annunciation Cathedral and symbols of power in the Kremlin vaults, Moscow’s role in state life was minimal compared to that of the new capital. This changed when a new stage of construction began under Catherine the Great. Even though St. Petersburg was the new capital, she was crowned in Moscow following ancient tradition. A commission to replace the code of laws from Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich’s time was called in Moscow and its session was held in the Kremlin’s Faceted Palace. This was a sign that under Catherine the Great the state would be ruled from both St. Petersburg and Moscow. Additionally, the Senate was divided into departments under Catherine. Four were in St. Petersburg and two were in the newly commissioned Senate Building, which still stands in the Moscow Kremlin.

Catherine additionally planned a grand reconstruction of the Kremlin interior, one that would have seen most of its buildings demolished, save for the historic cluster of churches, and replaced with modern imperial architecture built with long, straight roads, much like St. Petersburg itself. Demolition was started, including to parts of the original Kremlin walls, when cracks began to appear in one of the cathedral walls due to the resulting disruption of the soil. Because of this, and because of the project’s already enormous cost, it was cancelled, and the original walls re-built.

In September of 1812, French troops occupied Moscow. Napoleon, who led them, planned to occupy the Kremlin as his residence. It is widely thought that in defense against the French, the Moscow mayor ordered fires be set across the city. They raged for days so and were so intense that Napoleon was forced to leave the Kremlin due to the smoke. Upon returning he declared an intention to remain in the Kremlin for winter and ordered additional fortification of the Kremlin walls. However, the French army was weakening due to battle loss and poor supply.

Napoleon ordered his troops to retreat and blow up the Kremlin in the process. Mines were laid but their effectiveness was reduced by rain and prompt Muscovite response. Still, considerable damage was done, including to the Vodozvodnaya Tower, which was completely destroyed.

The Kremlin quickly underwent restoration under Tsar Alexander I and Nicolas I. Despite the war’s considerable drain on state funding, Tsar Alexander I prioritized restoring many parts of the Kremlin including towers, walls, palaces, and cathedrals. He often traveled to Moscow to observe the restoration progress. Many of Russia’s best architects were included in the restoration efforts. Order was progressively restored to the Kremlin and new gardens, now called the Alexander Gardens, were laid out along its exterior. Buildings like the Senate were brought back to their original appearance.

Restoration was completed under Nicholas I, who gave special attention to the restoration of ancient Kremlin churches and other old buildings. He also commissioned the construction of new buildings like the Great Kremlin Palace, after having the old one demolished. The entire imperial family attended the palace blessing during an official ceremony in April 1849. It was constructed and designed with techniques that were ahead of their time – vaulted construction for walls and ceilings, inlaid stone floors, and iron rafters.

Shortly after the revolution, the Communists restored Moscow as the official capital in 1918 when Moscow was reinstated as Russia’s capital. Construction and restoration were completed by the mid-19 th century. During the Soviet years, the Kremlin housed Soviet leaders and saw the development and then dissolution of the Soviet state. Today the Kremlin stands in Russia’s capital as a unique architectural ensemble.

The Kremlin Under the Soviets

The new Bolshevik government made sweeping changes to the historic Kremlin complex to, as they saw it, better represent the character of the new socialist state.

During the revolution of November 1917, the Kremlin was ransacked, leaving it with broken glass, destroyed icons, and parts of the complex in disrepair. Restoration of the walls and towers began in 1918, but further restoration stalled for lack of funding and because the communists had not yet decided on a plan for their changes to their seat of government.

The first targets were churches and royal symbols. Nuns and monks who had long lived in the Kremlin were removed. Churches had valuables removed and transferred to the new Commissariat of Finances to fund state projects. Many royal treasures and even crown jewels were similarly transferred. The double-headed eagles on the top of the buildings were promptly removed.

Many buildings were repurposed. Initially, many were converted to housing for Communist functionaries as the revolution and war had depleted Moscow’s housing stock while driving immigration from the countryside to the city. At one point, over two thousand people lived inside the Kremlin. By 1939, however, Kremlin residents consisted of only about three dozen high ranking officials.

Other notable repurposings included turning the Palace of Facets into a canteen with its kitchen inside the Tsarina’s Golden Chamber. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower was turned into a workshop, the Small Nicholas Palace became a worker’s club, and a gym was placed in the Church of St. Catherine. In 1932, the Andrew and Alexander Halls within the palace were gutted to make room for a party congress.

Many of the buildings and statues within the complex were destroyed, often to make way for new construction; only 26 of the original 54 buildings survived the Soviet period. The Chudov Monastery and Ascension Convent were both destroyed to make way for a military academy and eventually the Kremlin Presidium was built on the ground to house the Supreme Soviet, the supreme legislative body of the USSR.

In 1929, the Maly Nikolaevsky Palace, a former royal residence, was replaced by a new administrative building.

In the 1920s, the Russian royals buried in the Archangel Cathedral on the Kremlin’s Cathedral Square were exhumed and autopsied. They and the items in their sarcophagi were turned over to the Kremlin museum. Some valuable artifacts were requisitioned to the state treasury.

In 1935, five stars of rubied glass replaced the double-headed eagles that once topped the Kremlin gate towers.

Throughout WWII, the Kremlin was disguised under mock construction and painted roofs. Despite this, several bombs still fell on the Kremlin grounds, but did not cause major damage.

In 1947, Stalin painted the Kremlin walls red in an unmistakable ode to socialism, a drastic change from the traditional white that the walls had carried for centuries.

In 1955, the Kremlin opened to the public as an open air museum. In that same year, a ban on living in the Kremlin was introduced, lessening any security risk opening it to the public might create.

The last wave of demolitions came in 1958-1961, when the Palace of Congresses, built to house the congresses of Communist Party and cultural events, replaced the Old Amoury and part of the Patriarch’s Palace.

In part due to the outcry from this massive renovation, greater care of the Kremlin grounds began. The official Kremlin museum system was established in 1966, and Elena Gagarin, daughter of Yuri Gagarin, was hired as museum director. Today, that system includes the large armoury, several churches, and items outside of the Kremlin, such as St. Basil’s Cathedral.

The changes made during the Soviet period have left the Kremlin with a striking architectural contrast between traditional, tsarist-era architecture with Soviet-style buildings and the iconic, ancient red walls and remaining cathedrals. Despite the destruction and changes that were carried out, the compound still offers an unforgettable look into Russian and Soviet history that is impossible to get from anywhere else.

The Kremlin Stars

Translated by Caroline Barrow

The following was originally posted to the the Russian 7 website . It has been translated here by SRAS Home and Abroad Translation Scholar Caroline Barrow. Additional edits and updates were applied in 2021.

On October 24, 1935, two long-standing symbols of the Russian monarchy—the two-headed eagles which stood on top of the Kremlin towers, were ordered to be brought down and replaced with five-pointed stars.

Why a five-pointed star became the symbol of the Soviet regime is unknown, but what is known is that Lev Trotsky supported this symbol. Greatly fascinated by the esoteric, he knew that stars and pentagrams have a strong energetic potential and are one of the strongest symbols. The swastika could have easily become the symbol of the new government, since it had a strong following in Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century. Swastikas were displayed on the currency of the temporary government led by Alexander Kerensky, and swastikas were painted on the walls of Empress Alexandra Fedrovna’s Ipatiev House before the royal family was executed there. This swastika trend was stopped almost solely by Trotsky and the Bolsheviks, who opted for the five-pointed star. The history of the twentieth century even showed that stars are stronger than swastikas… Stars shone over the Kremlin, in the place of two-headed eagle.

Erecting the thousand-kilogram stars on the Kremlin towers was not a simple thing to do. The problem was that the needed technology did not exist in 1935. The smallest of the Kremlin Towers, Borovitskaya, rose to 52 meters, and the tallest tower, Troitskaya, reached a height of 72 meters. Throughout the country, there were no tower cranes capable of reaching these heights. However, for Russian engineers, the word “no” did not exist, only the phrase “we must.” Engineers designed and built special cranes that could be installed on the upper deck for each tower. A metal base, called the console, was mounted at the base of each turret window, and on each console the engineers mounted a lifting crane. Thus, the process occurred in several stages: first the two-headed eagles were dismantled, and second, the stars erected.

Each star weighs about one ton. Given the height at which the stars would be placed and the fact that each star has a surface area of 6.3 square meters (potentially excellent for catching the wind), there was a danger that the stars might be blown away along with the top of the towers. So, it was decided to stress test the towers and, it turns out, with good reason: the upper part of each tower and its console was completely destroyed in the process. So, builders reinforced the masonry at the upper levels of the towers, and for the Spasskaya, Troitskaya, and Borovitskaya Tower, metal bracing was added to the base of the tower. The console on Nikolskaya Tower was so damaged that it had to be completely rebuilt.

All the stars were not made identical; four stars differ from one another in their artistic forms. On the Spasskaya Tower star, rays go out from the center. However, on Troitskaya Tower’s star, the rays look like spikes. The star on Borovitskaya Tower is made up of two contours, one inscribed in the other, and, finally, the rays on Nikolskaya Tower’s star have no pattern. In terms of length, the Spasskaya and Nikolskaya Towers were similar, with the distance between the ends of the rays being about 4.5 meters. On Troitskaya and Borovitskaya Towers, the star rays were shorter, and the distance between the ends of the rays was less, measuring 4 and 3.4 meters, respectively.

A star is good, but a spinning star is twice as nice. Moscow is large, its people many, and all must see the Kremlin stars. For the base of each star, special bearings were produced by the First Bearing Plant. These special bearings allow the stars to rotate with the wind even despite their significant weight. Consequently, it is possible to know the direction of the wind given the position of the stars.

Installation of the Kremlin Stars was a true celebration for Muscovites. The stars were not carried under the cover of night to Red Square. The day before the stars were placed on the towers they were put on display in Gorky Park. District and City Secretaries of the Communist Party came together with the ordinary mortals below to see the stars. The stars were lit from the outside to make the Ural stones shine and the rays sparkle. The eagles, taken off the towers, were also displayed to visually demonstrate the dilapidation of the “old” world and the beauty of the “new” world.

The Kremlin stars were not always ruby glass. The first stars, installed in October, 1935, were made from high-alloy stainless steel and red copper. In the center of each star, on both sides, the stars were embedded with precious stones outlining the hammer and sickle emblem. Over the course of a year, the glitter of the gems dimmed. The stars were also found to be too big, not fitting well with the architectural ensemble. In May, 1937, it was decided to install new, illuminated glass ruby stars. Also, they added a star to a fifth tower, the Vodovzvodnaya Tower. The ruby glass was produced at a factory in the city of Konstantinov, according to the method of the Moscovite glassmaker, N. I. Kurochkina. It was necessary to prepare 500 square meters of ruby glass, and for that, a new type was invented—selenium ruby glass. Before that, gold was used to color the glass; selenium was cheaper and produced a deeper color.

The Kremlin stars don’t only rotate, they also light up. In order not to overheat and cause damage, about 600 cubic meters of air is blown through the stars per hour. The stars are not affected by power outages, because they have their own, independent generators.

For the original lighting, the Moscow Electrical Lamp Plant produced the lights for the stars. The stars on Spasskaya, Troitskaya, and Nikolskaya Towers all had 5000-watt bulbs, and the other two operated at 3700 watts. In each star, two parallel filaments were installed. That way, if one burned out, the other filament still shone and a control panel is was notified of the burnout.

To change a bulb, one need not need to climb up to the star. Rather, the bulb comes down on a special rod that runs straight through the bearing. The whole process takes 30-35 minutes. In the stars’ history, the stars stopped shining only twice—once during the war, and another time for the filming of the now-classic movie The Barber of Siberia .

Editorial Note: Update 2021. Starting in 2015, the lighting of the Kremlin stars was updated with one star’s lighting system replaced each year. The old incandescent lamps were replaced with modern metal halide lamps. These lamps are approximately four times more energy efficient than the old bulbs and provide a more intense, higher-quality light. Metal halide lamps are often used for sports stadiums and other places where strong, high-quality light is needed.

In preparation for this switch, Employees of the Central Scientific and Restoration Design Workshops (TsNRPM) measured the illumination of each arm of each star separately to make sure that each would still be lit evenly and brightly. They also created models of the stars lit with various methods including LED matrices and optical fiber. In the end, metal halide was determined to be the closest in historical appearance to the existing incandescent lamps.

Within this update, each star was also given its first compressive maintenance since 1946. Damaged panes were replaced, the stars were cleaned inside and out, and the lubricants within the rotation system were replaced with modern fluids.

The State Kremlin Palace

By Benjamin Bradley Mulick

Finished in 1961 after three years of work, the Palace of Congresses, later renamed as the State Kremlin Palace (not to be confused with the Grand Kremlin Palace), opened its doors for the first time for the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, welcoming thousands of party delegates as well as communist leaders from around the world. Today, it is still the Kremlin’s newest building and a multipurpose facility, housing large conventions, cultural displays from around the world and even its own ballet troupe. With these functions giving it continued purpose, the Kremlin’s most modern and out of place building is also one of its most significant.

The Kremlin State Palace stands out from the gilded, pastel buildings around it with its hulking angular lines, and large windows divided by tall marble columns. It’s crowned by a glass banquet hall, which was the brainchild of Khrushchev himself.

It features three main halls: The Great Hall, the Small Hall, and the Diplomatic Hall. The Great Hall is the largest, featuring the palace’s main stage and hosting its most important events. With a seating capacity of six thousand, it is where party congresses were held, and where some of Russia’s most prominent cultural programs take place today. The Small Hall hosts smaller musical performances, and by virtue of having removable seating, also hosts dance events, such as the World Cup of Latin American Dance, as held in June of 2021. The Diplomatic Hall provides a smaller and more intimate setting in which to enjoy performances. Last but not least, the Diplomatic Hall often hosts lesser-known artists, often performing genres that do best in closer settings, such as jazz and folk.

The facility also holds many smaller meeting rooms, intended as breakout rooms for conventions, but also used for various purposes today.

The construction of the State Kremlin Palace came with considerable controversy. Not only is it stylistically wildly inconsistent with the rest of the Kremlin’s buildings, one of Russia’s most oldest and most important historical ensembles, but it also resulted in the destruction of several older buildings to make ways for the Palace’s massive presence.

The demolished buildings included the Old Kremlin Armory Building, originally built in 1851 to house the Kremlin’s ceremonial guard and a collection of state documents and treasure. The northern wing of the Patriarchal Chambers was torn down, formerly part of the private quarters of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Because these were officially designated historic buildings, the legality of razing them was questionable and likely would not have taken place had not the decision been made from the office of Khrushchev himself.

Perhaps the real loss, however, came from underground. The original plans for the palace, before the Second World War, envisioned it as truly massive facility built where Christ the Savior Cathedral now stands. In the Khrushchev era, it was planned to build a smaller but still very large building near MGU, along the river, in what were then the still-developing outskirts of the city. When Khrushchev decided to place it inside the Kremlin, its footprint was again shrunk and it faced restrictions on its height so that the view of the Dormition Cathedral would not be entirely lost.

To make up for this, the bottom part of the building was sunk sixteen meters into the valuable archeological depths of the Kremlin’s soil. The buildings torn down to make room for the Palace were themselves built over much older foundations.

Archeologists were given a short window to explore the former Palace of Natalya Narishkina, the mother of Tsar Peter I, as well the former sites of churches, royal kitchens, workshops, and studios in what was once an economic center based within the historic Kremlin.

Teams of archaeologists were assigned to the area, who, in addition to expected finds, also found a number of secret tunnels. Unfortunately, while the archaeologists did their best to learn and preserve what they could, the limited timeframe allowed by the construction of the State Kremlin Palace meant that the archaeological potential of the site was, in large part, wasted. The tunnels were filled in, the old foundations built over, and the ruins lost to history.

Today, the Palace is perhaps best known as the home of The Kremlin Ballet, which was specifically formed in 1990 under esteemed Russian artist and choreographer Andrey Petrov with the purpose of performing there after the Bolshoi Ballet stopped performing at the palace and returned to the Bolshoi, then under renovations.

While the Kremlin Ballet was created with a strong basis in the classics, they have made more recent contributions to the ballet world with a number of their own classically-inspired modern works, including a ballet adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer .

The State Kremlin Palace also hosts the Moscow Classical Ballet, which has been dancing in Moscow since 1966. Demonstrations of this tradition in the upcoming year will include the Moscow Classical Ballet’s dancing reinvention of Romeo and Juliet (which was considered scandalous when it was first performed in 1972), and a performance of Swan Lake , one of Russia’s most important contributions to dance, as performed by the Kremlin Ballet.

Built to hold important political events, the State Kremlin Palace is more a cultural building than a political one. The stage’s relatively short history promises to be subsumed by its promising future. Whatever the next big musical or cultural phenomenon in Russia is, the State Kremlin Palace will be a part of it.

• Read a review of The Snow Maidan as performed at the State Kremlin Palace on this site.

A Tour of the Moscow Kremlin Today

Tour as reviewed by Helen McHenry, 2019

As part of our SRAS cultural program, we were given the opportunity to take a tour of the Kremlin, a historic complex and symbol of the Russian government. We met our guide outside of Red Square before walking along the Kremlin walls to the visitors’ entrance. She pointed out the swallowtail merlons bordering the wall, a design popular in 15th century Italian-style architecture, before we mounted the battlement. To travel behind the Kremlin walls, we crossed a bridge that used to span the Neglinnaya River but today acts as an archway covering part of the footpath.

Inside the Kremlin is an intriguing mix of old and new – from the 15th century walls to the 20th century block of modernism known as the State Kremlin Palace. Our guide informed us of the controversy over the palace’s design, which stands in such contrast to the more traditional styles surrounding it. The building, built under Khrushchev’s leadership primarily as a government meeting hall, has almost as many floors underground as it does above ground. Although many cried out against the building when it was built, it still stands today, where it is now used mainly to host concerts.

A brief walk along a path lined with cannons from the state artillery collection brought us to what appeared to be the mother of all cannons. Indeed, the Tsar Cannon is the largest bombard by caliber ever manufactured and has never been used due to its vast size. Just around the corner lay a similarly large but unused item – the Tsar Bell. Commissioned during the time of Empress Anna, niece of Peter the Great, an almost life-size image of her adorns the bell’s surface.

We then traveled to Cathedral Square, which, as its name suggests, features a number of beautiful cathedrals. The overcast day did nothing to accentuate the gold domes that capped their many towers, but no amount of gloom could dim their impressive stature – so immense that photographing them from my vantage point proved a challenge. Each cathedral was adorned with more stunning iconography than the last, overwhelming to the point of monotony as we shuffled through the throngs of tourists.

Our next visit was to the State Armoury, a neoclassical building resplendent with the wealth of the tsars. We traipsed through room after room of riches, from icons, dishware, and diplomatic gifts to clothing, carriages, and thrones. What stood out to me the most was the two distinct – and sometimes warring – natures of Russian identity on display at the Armoury, East and West. The contrast was particularly obvious amongst the collections of clothing, weaponry, and thrones. The older pieces hearkened back to the time before the Western pivot of Peter the Great. While these remained just as ornately decorated as their modern counterparts, they were, on the whole, a lot less outlandish than those done in the styles of the West.

The Armoury marked our last stop within the Kremlin, so we traveled across the city center to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Although the cathedral is the world’s largest Orthodox church, the current building is not the original. Christ the Saviour was demolished under the reign of Stalin and was only rebuilt in the late 1990s. Since then, the cathedral has gained fame as the site of Pussy Riot’s 2012 performance, which landed three members in jail for “hooliganism.”

Our guide let us explore the church on our own, as the church requires groups to be led by its own guides. Looking forward to lunch, we opted for a quick pass through the cathedral. Had I not been so hungry, I could have spent hours inside, as every surface held intricately-painted religious imagery intermixed with adornments heavily gilded with gold. Photographs were not allowed within the cathedral, reserving this spectacle to be seen first-hand.

The Kremlin in its entirety is a spot I recommend to all visiting Moscow, as four hours within its walls was not enough for our group to even scratch the surface of the wonders within.

Tour as Reviewed by Joseph Ozment, 2016

As part of SRAS’s Russian as a Second Language (RSL) program at Moscow State University, I had the opportunity to attend a guided walking tour of the Kremlin and its museums. We had a professional tour guide provided by SRAS who was very well informed about all aspects of the Kremlin’s sites and always willing to answer questions.

The tour, as offered by SRAS each session, can differ slightly based on availability and timing. We began our day’s tour not at the Kremlin, but at the nearby Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Russia’s largest Orthodox cathedral and one of the largest Christian structures in the world. Note that there are wardrobe requirements for entering the church (men and women both must have their shoulders covered, while men cannot wear shorts and women must wear skirts at least beneath the knee).

Before going inside, we were taken around the massive structure, and given a brief yet informative overview of its history. We learned that, despite the classical style of the building, it is actually only about 20 years old, having been constructed to resemble the church that once stood on the same ground.

During Communist times, the ground on which the Church now stands was a massive swimming pool, having been filled with water after the original Church was destroyed. The plans that the Communists originally had for the site were to construct the headquarters of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which would be one of the tallest structures in the world and house the office of the Soviet Union’s premier inside the head of a giant Vladimir Lenin statue adorning the top.

The Cathedral is a truly stunning structure. Comparable only to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in my mind, the sheer amount of open air is amazing when one considers how still and tranquil it is on the inside.

We then continued onwards to the Kremlin itself, which was teeming with guided tours from all over the world, just like ours. Seeing other groups from America, but also some from France, Italy, China, and several other European and Asian countries was very interesting, as people tend not to think of Russia as a popular tourist destination. However, tourism here has grown rapidly in recent years, particularly since the ruble lost about half its value on world markets, making Russia a much more affordable location.

Anna informed us of the purposes of all of the first structures we encountered within the Kremlin walls. First of all, though, she made sure that we were aware that the word “Kremlin” does not refer just the center of government in Moscow, but is a general word that means fortress. Most Russian cities and towns of reasonable size and with a medieval history possess a Kremlin.

We saw one of the offices in which President Putin occasionally works, as well as the large, semi-controversial event and concert hall that resides just inside the main entrance to the Kremlin. Despite its modern style that clashes somewhat with the comparatively ancient structures around it, the fact that the building is covered in glass at least ensures that it reflects the beauty and history that abounds within the Kremlin.

After seeing the aptly named Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell, both of which are two of the largest objects of their kind in the world, and neither of which have been used for their structural purpose in their existence, we moved on to see several of the many churches that stand within the walls of the Kremlin.

Inside the Church of the Annunciation, we were informed of some of the basic components of any Russian Orthodox Church. For starters, every inch of wall is covered in some image or another, from icons of Saints to giant murals that depict judgment day and the people of earth being sent either to heaven or hell. We also learned that the altar in an Orthodox church is given its own room, to which only the priests are allowed entry. The mysticism that is native to Orthodoxy and inherent to its liturgy was embodied in all aspects of these churches.

After our tour of the Kremlin’s outside squares, we were taken on a tour of the Armory Museum, which houses outfits, household items, carriages, armor, weapons, and various sundry items that belonged to the Tsars and Tsarinas of Russia. Anna knowledgeably led us through the various styles worn by different Russian rulers, and explained the significance(s) behind the appearance of what they wore and the carriages in which they rode.

We were in awe of the beautiful jewels that encrusted everything the royals wore and every vessel out of which they drank or off of which they ate, not to mention of the thrones on which they sat. We saw gifts from foreign dignitaries and rulers, and even the museum’s collection of Faberge creations.

All in all, it was a day rich with history and made even more enjoyable by our friendly and incredibly knowledgeable tour guide, Anna. There is hardly a more essential Russian experience to have during your time in Moscow than a guided tour of the Kremlin.

Incidentally, Anna, a guide that SRAS has worked with for years, helps run a guiding collective in Moscow called Bridge to Moscow . They run many private tours and are available for custom tours and travel as well.

Latest Updates

By Josh Wilson

In addition to the changes to how the Kremlin stars are lit and renovations to the Kremlin bells in Spasskaya Tower , for instance, several recent events are of interest.

In the mid-2000s, the Russian Orthodox Church lobbied for the restoration of the Chudov Monetary and the Ascension Convent within the Kremlin walls. The idea was seriously considered and even discussed on television by President Vladimir Putin, although only in the sense of rebuilding them as cultural monuments and part of the museum complex, rather than as working religious institutions. In the end, however, the Kremlin Presidium was simply torn down in 2016 and the area left mostly open with fragments of the old foundations left under glass for viewing. The result is a Kremlin even more dominated by open space and gardens.

Wind has damaged the Kremlin walls on a few occasions. In June 1998, several of the iconic sparrow tail structures on the wall were damaged by strong winds. In April 2018, strong wind damaged the Senate Palace roof. In October 2021, scaffolding being used to restore a section of the inner wall was blown over the top of the wall, also damaging several of the iconic sparrow tail structures. In all cases, the damage was quickly repaired.

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About the authors

Serena Keenan

At the time she wrote for this site, Serena Keenan was a rising junior at Smith College in Northampton, MA. She was majoring in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies with a minor in Government and a concentration in Translation Studies. She hoped to study abroad in Moscow during the spring 2022 semester. After college, she hoped to go on to work in nuclear nonproliferation. In her free time, she likes to read and crochet.

Program attended: Online Interships

View all posts by: Serena Keenan

Caroline Barrow

Caroline Barrow is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in International Studies and Russian. She loves traveling and hearing people’s stories. Out of the places she’s been able to visit, her favorite was Kiev, Ukraine for its beauty, history, and friendly people. She received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship and, at the time she wrote for this site, was spending year teaching English in Kostanay, Kazakhstan. Additionally, she was been named SRAS’s Home and Abroad Translation Scholar for the 2013-2014 cycle. Her contributions included mostly translations of articles and blog posts that will be of interest to students.

Program attended: Home and Abroad Scholar

View all posts by: Caroline Barrow

Lee Sullivan

Lee Sullivan is an undergraduate student at Stetson University. She is currently pursuing a BS in cybersecurity and a BA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies. Next semester Lee will be in Vladivostok, Russia – studying the Russian language and participating in the Home and Abroad internship with SRAS. She aspires to pursue a master’s degree upon graduating.

View all posts by: Lee Sullivan

Benjamin Mulick

Ben Mulick, at the time he wrote for this site, was a fourth year Global Studies major at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

View all posts by: Benjamin Mulick

Jack Fischer

Jack Fischer, at the time he wrote for this site, was majoring in Physics with Russian and Economics minors at Iowa State University of Science and Technology in Ames, Iowa. He is studied Russian as a Second Language with SRAS over the summer of 2016 to improve his command of the Russian language. In the future, he’d like to work for himself and run a business, preferably abroad.

Program attended: Challenge Grants

View all posts by: Jack Fischer

Joseph Ozment

Joseph Ozment is a fourth-year International Studies and Russian Studies major at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. He is minoring in music minor and has spent a lot of free time on music projects. He is studying Russian as a Second Language and also working an internship with The Moscow Times. He hopes to increase his Russian skills and cultural awareness so as to use his knowledge of the country and language in a professional setting in the future.

View all posts by: Joseph Ozment

Helen McHenry

Helen McHenry, at the time she wrote for this site, was a double major in international relations and Russian at the Ohio State University, with minors in Spanish and public policy. She studied with Russian as a Second Language with SRAS at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow in order to advance her proficiency in Russian and appreciation for Russian culture. She hoped to use the knowledge gained during her time abroad to advocate for foreign policy that strengthens relations between East and West in her future career.

View all posts by: Helen McHenry

Julia Brock

Julie Brock, at the time she wrote for this site, had returned to University of Kentucky to pursue a Global Studies Certificate, with an emphasis on Russia and the travel industry. She earned prior BA and MA degrees in psychology. A few years ago, she traveled to Russia, Estonia, and Finland, and loves the culture and history of these areas. She works at the campus library, and enjoys reading, running 5Ks, and spending time with her dogs. She lived for five years in Minnesota and loved the snow, winter sports, and Museum of Russian Art.

View all posts by: Julia Brock

Hudson Dobbs

Hudson received his BA in Russian Studies with a minor in Corporate Communications from Baylor University. At the time he wrote for this site, he was serving as a Home and Abroad Scholar as part of a Spring, 2022 session of SRAS’s Language and Society program St. Petersburg. While abroad, Hudson will be researching the Russian coffee culture, as well as the evolution of specialty coffee in Russia. His goal is to open his own coffee shop in the US - taking his experiences abroad and applying them to his future business.

View all posts by: Hudson Dobbs

New 2022 European Tour announced

THE CURE HAVE JUST ANNOUNCED DETAILS OF A 44 DATE EUROPEAN TOUR TAKING IN 22 COUNTRIES AT THE END OF 2022 WITH THE TWILIGHT SAD SUPPORTING ON ALL DATES.

TICKETS FOR ALL SHOWS GO ON GENERAL SALE LATER THIS WEEK AND YOU CAN FIND TICKET DEAILS AT THECURE.COM/SHOWS/

THE FULL LIST OF TOUR DATES:

06 – RIGA Arena 08 – HELSINKI Hartwall Arena 10 – STOCKHOLM Avicii Arena 12 – OSLO Spektrum 13 – GOTHENBURG Scandinavium 14 – COPENHAGEN Royal Arena 16 – HAMBURG Barclays Arena 17 – LEIPZIG Quarterback Immobilien Arena 18 – BERLIN Mercedes Benz Arena 20 – KRAKOW Tauron Arena 21 – LODZ Atlas Arena 23 – VIENNA Marx Halle 24 – PRAGUE O2 Arena 26 – BUDAPEST Arena 27 – ZAGREB Arena 29 – MUNICH Olympiahalle 31 – BOLOGNA Unipol Arena

01 – FIRENZE Mandela Forum 03 – PADOVA Kioene Arena 04 – MILAN Forum 06 – GENEVA Arena 07 – LYON Halle Tony Garnier 08 – MONTPELLIER Sud De France Arena 10 – BARCELONA Palau Sant Jordi 11 – MADRID WiZink Center 13 – TOULOUSE Zenith 14 – BORDEAUX Arkea Arena 15 – NANTES Zenith 17 – FRANKFURT Festhalle 18 – STRASBOURG Zenith 19 – BASEL St Jakobshalle 21 – STUTTGART Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle 22 – KOLN Lanxess Arena 23 – ANTWERP Sportpaleis 25 – AMSTERDAM Ziggo Dome 27 – LIEVIN Stade 28 – PARIS Accor Arena

01 – DUBLIN 3Arena 02 – BELFAST SSE Arena 04 – GLASGOW OVO Hydro 06 – LEEDS First Direct Arena 07 – BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena 08 – CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena 11 – WEMBLEY OVO Arena 12 – WEMBLEY OVO Arena (Added due to demand) 13 – WEMBLEY OVO Arena (Added due to demand)

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THE 10 BEST Moscow History Museums

History museums in moscow.

• Specialty Museums
• Art Galleries
• Art Museums
• History Museums
• Children's Museums
• Science Museums
• Military Museums
• Natural History Museums
• Observatories & Planetariums
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• Garden Ring
• Boulevard Ring
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Adventurous
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

2. Armoury Chamber

3. Kuskovo Estate

4. Bunker-42 Cold War Museum at Taganka

5. Novospasskiy Monastery

6. Victor Vasnetsov House Museum

7. Gorky's House (Ryabushinsky Mansion)

8. The Victory Museum

9. Cathedral of the Archangel (Arkhangelsky Sobor)

10. Cathedral of the Annunciation

11. State Museum of GULAG's History

12. L. Tolstoi's Khamovniki Memorial Estate

13. Izmailovo Estate

14. Marina Tsvetayeva's House Museum

15. Lyublino Estate

16. The State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia

17. Kremlin State History and Culture Museum Preserve

18. Bunker 703

19. Gogol House - Memorial Museum and Scientific Library

20. MUSEUM-ESTATE OF F.I. SHALYAPIN

21. Gorky Park Museum

22. L. Tolstoi's State Museum

23. Archaeological Museum

24. Military Uniform Museum

25. Church of the Twelve Apostles and Patriarch's Palace

26. Alexey Tolstoy Museum

27. Museum of the Special Purpose Garage of the FSO of Russia

28. Exhibition of Military Equipment and Weapons in the Open Air

29. Car History Museum

30. Ostankino Palace and Museum

What travelers are saying.

• Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve
• Armoury Chamber
• Kuskovo Estate
• Victor Vasnetsov House Museum
• Gorky's House (Ryabushinsky Mansion)
• The Victory Museum
• Cathedral of the Annunciation
• Kremlin State History and Culture Museum Preserve
• Izmailovo Estate
• Lyublino Estate
• Novospasskiy Monastery
• L. Tolstoi's Khamovniki Memorial Estate

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Moscow Tours

The glorious capital of mother Russia

Home / Russia travel Destinations / Moscow Tours

Moscow Tours overview

Our private Moscow city tours allow travellers the benefit of an expert tour guide with you in every step. All you have to do is take it all in and enjoy. Explore a city born from an imperial past, yet an enduring symbol of Soviet Russia. This is a city between two worlds. When you visit Moscow , you will see how its art and architecture reflects a crossroad between Europe and Asia. Moscow revels in the centuries of comings and goings of great minds that have called this world-renowned metropolis home.

Moscow Travel Highlights:

• Rich in history and culture, reveals some amazing stories. Our captivating Moscow tours have a way of bringing the past to life as you follow a Soviet trail through the city
• Explore numerous world-class historical and contemporary art galleries and museums in Moscow , including the Tretyakov State Gallery, the Pushkin Museum, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, and many more

Moscow holds the World's Best of Jaw-dropping Art

• Be enthralled by the monumental architecture of famous churches and iconic buildings, such as the Kremlin, the Red Square, and Saint Basil’s Cathedral
• Experience the magnificent Moscow Metro, whose grandiose architecture, intricate mosaics, and dramatic sculptures have made it a must-see attraction when travelling Russia
• Indulge yourself in one of their many famous theatre art performances, whether it be an opera or ballet performance in the glamorous Bolshoi Theatre or a post-drama or comedy production in the Gogol Centre

Captivating Adventures to Experience in Moscow

• Take a Moscow river cruise along the mighty Volga River for a unique perspective into exploring Russia’s hidden gems and treasures
• Feast on exotic Russian cuisines while strolling through the street markets or at a fine dining restaurant, and enjoy countless specialty stores sampling vodka, caviar, and chocolate
• Shop to your heart’s desire in Moscow’s two most lavished shopping centres, GUM and TSUM, where items range from the most glamorous high-end fashion brands, art, and jewellery to antiques and traditional handicrafts

Must-Visit Moscow Landmarks

The Red Square, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, and The Kremlin top every visitor’s list. These iconic buildings have defined Russia for centuries, but Moscow’s culture doesn’t stop there. Visit Izmailovsky Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world (six times larger than New York’s Central Park) or marvel at the Ostankino Tower, once the tallest structure on earth. Chase down real adventure and ride the Moscow Metro for a true taste of Russia in what visitors call part bomb shelter, part art gallery.

Moscow is an elite paradise with the highest concentration of billionaires on the planet, so nothing is off-limits. Moscow is full of history and possibility – both a political hub and billionaire playground. Visit Moscow and decide for yourself what this dynamic city means to you. Explore the expertly designed Moscow tour packages below for some more inspiration.

Explore Moscow Tours

Moscow Vibes – Three Day City Escape

This handcrafted Moscow tour is perfectly planned weekend exploration of Russia capital's most famous tourist attractions. You will enjoy a panoramic tour of this magnificent city, will explore mighty Kremlin and Red Square and indulge in world-famed Moscow metro and Arbat street.

Classic Moscow - Art, History and Culture

Breathe in the history of Moscow, explore its Imperial and soviet past, dynamic contemporary culture and lifestyle. On this 5-day tour of Moscow, you'll visit the must-see sights with your private guide and explore the city at your own pace.

Highlights of Moscow & St Petersburg

Immerse yourself in the art, history and culture of Russia and explore the contrasting styles of Moscow and St Petersburg in just one week. Experience the iconic landmarks of Moscow, then, take a fast train to Saint Petersburg, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

Moscow and St Petersburg in Style

This carefully crafted 9-day itinerary tells the tale of two cities – Moscow, the source of Eastern political, economic and spiritual influence, and St Petersburg – Russia’s cultural epicentre and window to Western Europe.

Moscow, St Petersburg and Golden Ring Rendezvous

This tour of Moscow, St. Petersburg and the Golden Ring explores the places that shaped Russia’s history – past, present and future. Uncover Moscow’s ongoing revolutionary spirit, before journeying back in time to rural, medieval Russia. End in St Petersburg, a city of royal splendour and undeniable romance.

Moscow & St Petersburg Winter Escapade

Experience the romantic, winter wonderland atmosphere and festive city lights of Russia’s two biggest cities and celebrate the New Year! You’ll discover some of the cities' most iconic attractions and lesser-known gems.

Northern Lights in Russia: Arctic Winter Magic

Explore main sights of mighty Moscow and cultural capital of Russia - Saint Petersburg. Head to Karelia, where we’ll stop to admire the Ruskeala Mountain Park and historic Kizhi Island. Discover the customs of the indigenous Saami in Kola Peninsula and observe Aurora Borealis dancing in the sky.

A custom tour made to order

We understand sometimes our set departure dates do not align with your ability to travel at that time, or you just want to travel bespoke. We got you covered.

Go custom — gives you the choice & flexibility of creating your own bespoke itinerary, using our tours for inspiration.

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