kellogg's tour of britain 1990

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Tour of Britain Cycling Race – A History

Mathew Mitchell

• Published on July 19, 2020
• in Men's Cycling

The Tour of Britain is now firmly part of the professional calendar and has risen to be just shy of Worldtour status. It wasn’t always so though. There was no professional stage race in Britain for large parts of the 1990s and early 2000s. Really the history of this Tour of Britain only goes back to 1987 in the form of the Kellogg’s Tour too. For older people, the largely amateur Milk Race is the race that has stuck in their minds. Not a surprise really, as it is this race that traces its origins back to the 1950s and beyond.

Table of Contents

The Origins of the Tour of Britain

The Tour of Britain made its start as the Victory Marathon in 1945. Raced from Brighton to Glasgow over 5 stages, this initial race was won by Frenchman Robert Batot. The name was dropped but the race continued to be run as Brighton to Glasgow for the next few years.

As the 1940s turned into the 1950s a number of other stage races vied for contention. 1951 had the Butlin Tour see riders race between Butlins holiday parks. A separate Tour of Britain race then appeared the same year. All the while Brighton Glasgow pushed on, becoming Brighton Newcastle in 1953 and then the Circuit of Britain between 1954 and 1956. This was as a result of the internal battles between the National Cyclists Union (NCU) and the British League of Racing Cyclists (BLRC), and the BLRC with itself.

The Milk Race

1958 saw the amateur Milk Race for the first time. The Milk Race was a more international affair that saw riders from the Eastern Bloc traverse the Iron Curtain to race. The Milk Board sponsored the race all the way until 1993. By the 1980s it had lost its amateur status, becoming a pro-amateur race instead. By 1993 the Milk Marketing Board was wound-up as it broke EU rules. As a result of their non-existence their sponsorship ended and so did the race.

The Milk Race became known for its long stages, almost all over 100 miles, and routes were tough. Organisation was interesting with riders sometimes routed over tiny lanes and into fields. There were plenty of tales of riders taking wrong turns and finishing stages may hours late.

Milk Race riders and winners

The quality of the amateur field steadily improved. The 1964 winner Arthur Metcalfe rode the Tour de France in 1967 & 1968. The 1965 & 1967 winner Les West finished 4th in the 1970 World Championships. Dutchman Hennie Kuiper won in 1972, he went on to become World Champion in 1975, 3 Tour de France stages and a win at each of Milan San Remo , Tour of Flanders, Paris Roubaix and Il Lombardia. The 1973 winner Piet van Katwijk won the 1976 Tour de Suisse. 1974 winner Roy Schuiten was a double World Individual Pursuit Champion. Bill Nickson won in 1976 and rode the Tour de France the following year.

The late 1970s and into the 1980s was the era of Eastern Bloc domination. USSR riders won 7 times in 12 years. The consensus was that many of these riders would’ve been professionals under different circumstances. Professionals could race the Milk Race from 1985 when another Dutchman Eric Van Lancker won. Van Lancker would later win a Giro stage, Liege Bastogne Liege and Amstel Gold Race . Malcolm Elliott became the first Brit to win in a decade in 1988, the next year he won the points jersey at the Vuelta a Espana . The infamous Shane Sutton won in 1990. Chris Lillywhite won the final Milk Race in 1993.

Surprisingly ahead of its time, there was even a Milk Race video game tie-in. It looks like something you’d have pulled up on Ceefax, but I’m sure was very exciting in its day.

The Kellogg’s Tour

A new rival to the Milk Race appeared in the 1980s in the Kellogg’s Tour. You would’ve thought Kellogg’s and Milk would make a great combination, they usually do. The Kellogg’s Tour was aimed more at the major professional peloton with the Milk Race still for amateurs (and then pros from 1985).

Joey McLoughlin won the first Kellogg’s Tour in 1987, he’d won the Milk Race the year before. Malcolm Elliott joined him in winning both races in 1988. The star Brit of the age, Robert Millar , won in 1989. By this time Millar had already won mountains jerseys in the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. The first non-European to wear the Yellow Jersey, Phil Anderson, won the 1991 and 1993 races. Max Sciandri won in 1992, still racing for Italy at that point before his transfer to riding as a Brit. The Kellogg’s Tour bowed out in 1994 with 1988 World Champion (and winner of Flèche Wallonne and Milan San Remo in 1993) Maurizio Fondriest taking the victory.

The Kellogg’s Tour finished in 1994 and after a hiatus, there were two editions of the PruTour in 1998 and 1999. The PruTour aimed at a similar level to the Kellogg’s Tour with the pro peloton invited. Stuart O’Grady won in 1998 and Marc Wauters in 1999 – both were Tour de France stage winners. There would then be another gap until the modern Tour of Britain appeared in 2004.

The Modern Tour of Britain

The modern version of the Tour of Britain made its first appearance in 2004 and is still going strong (the 2020 version excepted for COVID-19 reasons). Its history links to the Kellogg’s Tour as its predecessor rather than the Milk Race. The first race ran at 2.1 level but still attracted some star names in Tom Boonen , Paolo Savoldelli, Michele Bartoli and Daniel Moreno. The first edition had 5 stages but as the popularity of the race has grown, it now features 8 stages.

The race initially saw a mixture of rider types take victory. Mauricio Ardila won the first edition, before finishing 9th in the Vuelta a Espana the following year. Nick Nuyens won the 2005 edition, the same year he won Omloop Het Volk . Edvald Boasson Hagen won 2 stages in 2008 but went better in 2009 by winning the Overall. Boasson Hagen won again in 2015 to join Lars Boom (2011 & 2017) as the only multiple winners. Classics riders often found themselves at an advantage. The General Classification was usually decided by breakaways that couldn’t be reeled in on the tough, grippy British roads.

The 2012 edition saw Bradley Wiggins take part as the reigning Tour de France (and Olympic TT) champion. He would win the 2013 edition, taking advantage of the time trial to create a gap he didn’t relinquish. Steve Cummings became the 2nd Brit to win the Tour of Britain 2016. The 2018 race saw more stars, with Primosz Roglic and Julian Alaphilippe battling it out for the win. 2019 was the Mathieu van der Poel race as he dominated proceedings. Only Matteo Trentin came close to him throughout the week but van der Poel won 3 stages (including Burton Dassett ) to assert his dominance.

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Visiting the Kellogg Factory

I n the first five years of the 1900s, Battle Creek was in the grip of a “cereal boom.” There were more than 40 companies manufacturing cereal products made from corn, wheat or oats. Kellogg became the most widely known and successful among these enterprises and still is headquartered in Battle Creek.

Kellogg offered public tours of its factory starting in 1912, and over 6 million visitors toured the facility in the 74 years the tours were offered.

Tour guides told the story of the Kellogg brothers. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was the chief medical officer of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in the late 1880s. His brother, Will Keith Kellogg, worked alongside him. The brothers discovered, quite by accident, a process for making cereal flakes. In 1894, the brothers were unexpectantly called away while cooking wheat. When they returned, the wheat was overcooked. The brothers then forced the grains through rollers, flattening the wheat into thin flakes, and the first convenient breakfast cereal was born.

The cereal was touted as easily digestible for the patients at the sanitarium. But Dr. John Harvey Kellogg did not approve of his brother’s ideas of adding malt to the cereal and selling it to the general public. As such, the brothers had a falling out, and in 1906, W.K. Kellogg launched the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company with a sweetened version of the cereal, renaming it in 1909 as the Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Company. By 1922, the name was shortened to the Kellogg Company.

W.K. Kellogg proved to be a marketing genius. He actively promoted the cereal himself and came up with the slogan, “Beware of imitators. None genuine without this signature — W.K. Kellogg.” He created appealing advertisements in 1907 with his “Sweetheart of the Corn,” a “winsome woman” holding a shock of corn. Other advertising, promotions and free samples won a strong following for the company. Premium offers of blotters, postcards, booklets, paper dolls and other lures attracted customer loyalty.

When W.K. died in 1951, Kellogg’s was presumably the country’s most recognized cereal brand. Clever marketing continued with cartoon characters that appealed to children. Snap! Crackle! and Pop! for Rice Krispies quickly became icons for Rice Krispies. Tony the Tiger appeared in 1952 with his statement that Kellogg’s Sugar Frosted Flakes were “Gr-r-r-eat!” Toucan Sam started touting the new Fruit Loops in 1963.

The tours were very popular with baby boomers in the 1950s and 1960s. At that time, the tour ran about 60 minutes. Each visitor was given a “sanitary” paper hat to wear inside the factory. A Kellogg visitor’s brochure from the mid-1960s showed the story of, “This little kernel went to Kellogg’s … First, it was milled, – and then it was flavored, – and on to the cooker, – at the dryer, – next, to the flaker, – and finally, to the toaster.” At the end of the tour, visitors were given one or two postcards and several individual servings of a variety of Kellogg’s cereals. In the 1960s, the tour concluded with bowls of ice cream topped with Fruit Loops or Cocoa Crispies.

The last tours ended in 1986 with safety and espionage concerns. A substitute for the tours came later in 1998 when Cereal City, an exhibit/museum, opened. Cereal City had a simulated cereal production line, but it wasn’t the same as seeing the genuine thing. Cereal City closed in 2007. Although you can no longer see, smell and taste the cereal manufacturing process, Kellogg continues to bring “the best to you each morning.” ≈

BLUE Vintage Views columnists M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson reside in Grand Rapids. They are authors of the book “Historic Leelanau: Recognized Sites and Places of Historical Significance.”

By   M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson

*Photography courtesy Kellogg Archives

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7th edition General Classification 10 August 1992 - 14 August 1992

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1991 Tour of Britain

The 1991 Tour of Britain was the fifth edition of the Kellogg's Tour of Britain cycle race and was held from 6 August to 10 August 1991. [1]

16 relations: Adri van der Poel , Allan Peiper , Eddy Bouwmans , Heinz Imboden , Jens Heppner , Kellogg's , Leeds , Phil Anderson (cyclist) , Philippa York , Rudy Verdonck , Scott Sunderland (road cyclist) , Tour of Britain , Windsor, Berkshire , 1990 Tour of Britain , 1992 Tour of Britain , 7-Eleven (cycling team) .

Adri van der Poel

Adri van der Poel (born 17 June 1959 in Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands) is a retired Dutch cyclist.

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Allan Peiper

Allan Peiper (born 26 April 1960) Alexandra, Victoria, is a retired Australian professional cyclist.

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Eddy Bouwmans

Eddy Bouwmans (born 30 January 1968 in Aarle-Rixtel) is a Dutch former road bicycle racer.

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Heinz Imboden

Heinz Imboden (born 4 January 1962) is a Swiss former racing cyclist.

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Jens Heppner

Jens Heppner (born 23 December 1964) is a German former road bicycle racer.

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Kellogg's

Kellogg's is a DBA for the Kellogg Company, an American multinational food-manufacturing company headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States.

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Leeds is a city in the metropolitan borough of Leeds, in the county of West Yorkshire, England.

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Phil Anderson (cyclist)

Philip Grant Anderson (born 12 March 1958) is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who was the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.

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Philippa York

Philippa York (previously known as Robert Millar; born 13 September 1958) is a Scottish journalist and former professional road racing cyclist.

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Rudy Verdonck

Rudy Verdonck (born 7 August 1965) is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist.

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Scott Sunderland (road cyclist)

Scott G. Sunderland (born 28 November 1966) is a former Australian professional cyclist, now Sports Manager and Consultant.

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Tour of Britain

The Tour of Britain, known as the Ovo Energy Tour of Britain for sponsorship purposes, is a multi-stage cycling race, conducted on British roads, in which participants race across Great Britain to complete the race in the fastest time.

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Windsor, Berkshire

Windsor is a historic market town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.

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1990 Tour of Britain

The 1990 Tour of Britain was the fourth edition of the Kellogg's Tour of Britain cycle race and was held from 31 July to 5 August 1990.

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1992 Tour of Britain

The 1992 Tour of Britain was the sixth edition of the Kellogg's Tour of Britain cycle race and was held from 10 August to 14 August 1992.

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7-Eleven (cycling team)

The 7-Eleven Cycling Team, later the Motorola Cycling Team, was a professional cycling team founded in the U.S. in 1981 by Jim Ochowicz, a former U.S. Olympic cyclist.

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Tour_of_Britain

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Four reasons there will be so few British golfers at the 2024 Masters

Danny Willett is still unsure if he will tee it up here at the 88th Masters as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery.

The Yorkshireman’s management insist he is determined to do all he can to play his first event since Wentworth last September because of the affection he has for the major he won eight years ago. As he reaches his decision Willett should perhaps be advised that his country needs him.

Without him, there will only be five UK golfers in the field and that will be the lowest Augusta representation in more than 30 years. As it stands, six would still be the fewest this century and would be a staggering drop from the 15 UK players who competed in the 2021 Masters.

From a rugby union team to a boy band in three short years.

There seem to be four reasons for this dramatic decrease at the tournament that Britain won four times in succession at the turn of the Nineties.

LIV Golf recruiting top talent

Of course. There is not an aspect of the professional male game that the Saudi-funded breakaway has not affected and here, it appears, is another casualty of the golfing revolution. The main problem for LIV golfers being that, without world ranking points, their ability to qualify for the Masters is severely limited. 

Three of the UK’s Masters competitors in 2021 jumped ship within 15 months of that major. Ian Poulter and Paul Casey have not played in the Masters since, with the former acknowledging last week that he never will again.

Having finished 14th in 2022, Lee Westwood recognises the same and is resigned to being stuck on 20 appearances, with two runner-up placings. He thinks time was probably up anyway.

“I missed out [in 2022] by one shot of coming in the top 12 who qualified for the next year, but maybe it’s a little cyclical because the British guys who would regularly get good finishes there aren’t getting any younger,” the 50-year-old said.

“Which Brits would be there from LIV now? Paul probably would have and perhaps Blandy [Richard Bland] would have finally made it the way he’s been playing. But it’s hard to say. The world rankings have hardly helped have they?”

Rankings revamp penalising European players

Westwood’s contention that LIV’s continued exclusion from the rankings system makes it almost unfeasible for the rebels to qualify via the world’s top 50 – the way the majority of golfers earn their Masters berths – is impossible to disagree with, regardless of whether you subscribe to the “they-made-their-bed” viewpoint or not.

But the rankings – and specifically, the rankings overhaul in 2022 – has apparently also worked against British major interests and goes so far to accounting for the dwindling UK delegation.

In August 2022, it came into effect that points are awarded to all players who make the cut in a tournament and using a field-rating calculation based on a statistical evaluation of every player in the field, rather than just those ranked among the top 200 like before.

In simple terms that means that the PGA Tour now receives more points for its events than previously, with the DP World Tour a much poorer relation. Essentially the mechanism favours the PGA Tour by reducing the points for winning on other Tours as well as in limited-field events.

Padraig Harrington, the 2018 Ryder Cup captain, said that the European circuit has been “hammered” by the changes and his successor Luke Donald appears to agree. “If you talk to statisticians they tell you it’s now fairer, but it does seem a bit off,”  Donald told Telegraph Sport. “Maybe it was a little soft one way before and now it has gone too far in the other direction. They need to figure it out, because I don’t think it really puts a value on how difficult winning is, wherever a player wins and however big the field is.

“It looks harder than ever for some of our young guys to get into that world top 50 and from there into the biggest events.”

This includes the Masters and Poulter believes it takes the motivation away from the British hopefuls on the DP World Tour.

“When I first qualified for the Masters [in 2004] it was purely through my efforts on the European Tour,” he told Telegraph Sport . “If a young player compiled the same results now as I did then, they wouldn’t come close to entering the top 50. So that’s a route denied, just because people in Sawgrass wanted their Tour to be even more dominant.

“It’s a shame. Because never mind the players not fulfilling their dreams of playing Amen Corner, and realising they will now have to go to the US to have a chance, think about the kids watching at home. The Masters and seeing our Brit guys competing against the best was one of the reasons why people like me got into golf in such a big way.”

Green jackets getting old

If the likes of Westwood, Poulter and Donald have ventured too far past their prime to qualify, then Britain has seen the golden oldies – whose Augusta spots were guaranteed by dint of their green jackets – all run out of time.

Sir Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam played in 96 Masters between them and compiled a nation’s proud Georgia CV all on their own. Faldo won in 1989 and 1990, Lyle in 1988 and when Woosnam prevailed in 1991, Britain’s Augusta dominance was so pronounced there were rumours they were thinking of dying the members’ jackets red, white and blue.

However, with Lyle finally hanging up his spikes last year, 2024 will be the first time in 45 years that the field will not feature any members of the evergreen three-ball.

The UK could always rely on the trio swelling the numbers and the fact is that – Willett apart – the supposed golden generation that came in their wake failed to find a path to the Butler’s Cabin.

The UK has boasted six top twos and more than 30 top 10s in the past 20 years. It is an impressive tally. But it has done nothing to shore up the size of the UK contingent.

Less young talent coming through

Whatever the importance of the rankings dispute or the LIV effect, there can be no doubt that Britain has a dearth of top-flight talent compared to recent times.

To think that just eight years ago at the Masters, there were six UK pros in the world’s top 10. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is the only one this time around and many will point out that he plays for Ireland in the Olympics.

However, with Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton all in the top 20, there are still live hopes. “We might not have the quantity, but there is still definitely the quality,” Fleetwood told Telegraph Sport last week. “No reason for panic.”

He is right, but after so long with so many up there it is perfectly justified to look below and see who will arrive to supplement the troops.

Robert MacIntyre is in his first season on the PGA Tour and should eventually become established in the top 50, while nobody should give up on Matt Wallace. And there are good prospects coming through.

Alex Fitzpatrick, brother of Matt, has already proven himself a winner, while Scotland – without a Masters player for the first time in 35 years – have great hopes in 17-year-old Connor Graham.

The factory is still churning out potential superstars. Except, it appears, just not at the same pace and output.

Maybe the past few decades have been the exception and the UK must get used to a small, but talented detachment.

It is not the most ghastly proposition. Consider that when Sandy opened the shutters on Britain’s Augusta tee party there were only five countrymen alongside. Good swings sometimes come in small packages.

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Moscow Metro Underground Small-Group Tour - With Reviews & Ratings

Moscow metro underground small-group tour.

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Tour Information

Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
• Free Cancellation
• Duration: 3 Hrs
• Language: English
• Departure Time : 10:00 AM
• Departure Details : Karl Marks Monument on Revolution Square, metro stop: Square of Revolution
• Return Details : Metro Smolenskaya
• If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
• If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
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Go beneath the streets on this tour of the spectacular, mind-bending Moscow Metro! Be awed by architecture and spot the Propaganda , then hear soviet stories from a local in the know. Finish it all up above ground, looking up to Stalins skyscrapers, and get the inside scoop on whats gone on behind those walls.

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We begin our Moscow tour beneath the city, exploring the underground palace of the Moscow Metro. From the Square of Revolution station, famous for its huge statues of soviet people (an armed soldier, a farmer with a rooster, a warrior, and more), we’ll move onto some of the most significant stations, where impressive mosaics, columns, and chandeliers will boggle your eyes! Moreover, these stations reveal a big part of soviet reality — the walls depict plenty of Propaganda , with party leaders looking down from images on the walls. Your local guide will share personal stories of his/her family from USSR times, giving you insight into Russia’s complicated past and present. Then we’re coming back up to street level, where we’ll take a break and refuel with some Russian fast food: traditional pancakes, called bliny. And then, stomachs satiated, we are ready to move forward! We’ll take the eco-friendly electric trolleybus, with a route along the Moscow Garden Ring. Used mainly by Russian babushkas(grannies) during the day, the trolleybus hits peak hours in the mornings and evenings, when many locals use it going to and from their days. Our first stop will be the Aviator’s House, one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and you’ll hear the legends of what has gone on inside the walls. Throughout your Moscow tour, you’ll learn curious facts from soviet history while seeing how Russia exists now, 25 years after the USSR.

Local English-speaking guide

Pancake snack and drink

Additional food and drinks

Tickets for public transport

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Tips and gratuities for the guide

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Traveler Reviews

This tour exceeded our expectations. Nikolai (Nick), our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, thorough, and has a great personality. He didn't take shortcuts and really covered everything that was on the agenda in great detail. We saw beautiful metro stations and learned the history behind them, including many of the murals and designs.

We did the tour with Anna her knowledge and understanding of the History surrounding the metro brought the tour alive. Well done Anna!

This tour was amazing!

Anna was a great tour guide. She gave us heaps of interesting information, was very friendly, and very kindly showed us how to get to our next tour.

Amazing beauty and history.

An excellent tour helped by an absolutely amazing guide. Anna gave a great insight into the history of the metro helped by additional material she had prepared.

great tour and guide - thanks again

great will do it again, Miriam ke was very good as a guide she has lived here all here life so knew every interesting detail.a good day

Tour Details

Moscow metro tour: architectural styles of the subway.

Duration: 2 hours

Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

This metro tour of Russia’s capital and most populous city, Moscow, is your chance to get a unique insight into the beautiful and impressive architecture of the city's underground stations. Admire their marble walls and high ceilings representing Stalin's desire for glory after World War 2, and see first-hand how the interiors change with the rise of new political eras. Your guide will lead you through the complex network, which is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems worldwide, with over two billion travelers in 2011.

Opened in 1935, Moscow’s underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow’s underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.

Getting around by metro, your local guide will take you through parts of Moscow’s infamous history. Stop at stations built during the time of the USSR (Soviet Union) that are praised as one of the most extravagant architectural projects from Stalin’s time. After World War 2, he was keen on establishing Stalinist architecture to represent his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn how when his successor started the de-Stalinization of the former Soviet Union in 1953, the extravagancy of the architecture was toned down.

Discover how the unique character of each station reflected several different eras. While stations like Kievskaya and Slavyansky Bulvar have pompous halls and high stucco ceilings brimming with extravagant decorations, those built later, like Volzhskaya, are lightly adorned with sparse furnishings. Architect Alexey Dushkin and painter Alexander Deyneka were just two of the many artists who made these magnificent landmarks possible.

Revel in Moscow's glory days, as well as the years of scarcity, on this fascinating Moscow metro experience. Conclude your tour at one of the central stations in Moscow. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today.

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If you love history, would like to know more about Russia’s past, or just want to take an interesting walk, book this guided Moscow walking tour of Soviet-era sites. With your expert guide, walk through Lubyanka Squ...

Walking Tour of Moscow's Kolomenskoye Estate

On this walking tour through the Kolomenskoye Estate in Moscow, immerse yourself in Russia’s interesting royal history. Walk around the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ascension Church, built in 1532, and enter the Hou...

Moscow Cultural Walking Tour: Red Square, Kitay-Gorod and St Basil's Cathedral

Take a guided walking tour of Moscow's cultural highlights, like the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage-listed Red Square, said to be the central square of Russia. Walk through the adjoining district Kitay-Gorod, one of ...

Kremlin Grounds, Cathedrals and Patriarch's Palace Tour from Moscow

A great three hour tour exploring the Kremlin Grounds, Cathedrals and Patriarch's Palaces in Moscow! The small city in the center of Moscow, once the residence of Czars and Patriarchs, contains Russia's main cathedra...

Moscow City Tour

The Moscow City Tour covers all the highlights and most beautiful places in the enchanting Russian capital. The tour begins with a stop at the Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, the architectural masterpiece and w...

Culture Shock Rating

We have a wide range of tours designed to give you an insight into the destination you're travelling in and there is something for everybody. The culture shock ratings considers the destination visited, transport used, activities undertaken and that "Wow, I'm really not at home now!" factor. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

This is the least confronting of our tour range. Transport used on the trip is either private or a very comfortable public option, the activities included are usually iconic sites and locations that are not all too confronting.

The tour can include a mix of private and public transport providing a level of comfort that is slightly below what you would experience at home. Sites visited are usually iconic sites, tours can also include market visits, visits to communities etc that provide the traveller with a fantastic insight into destination.

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether it's a packed public bus where you are forced to stand, a visit to a local market, a local community, you are sure to have an experience that is very different from what you're used to at home.

The comforts of your home town and the environment you are used to are more of a rarity. Expect some challenging transport options, visits to local sites and areas that don't resemble anything at home.

You're out there in the global community! You are likely to be exposed to the elements, travel in whatever means of transport is available and basically take it as it comes, whatever comes! It can be tough.

Physical Rating

Our physical rating gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

These tours have very limited physical activity. Usually climbing in and out of the transport provided, walking through sites, markets etc included in the itinerary.

These tours have a bit of physical activity but nothing that should challenge you too much. This could be climbing on and off public transport through to a walk through the destination you're travelling in, they can include walking only tours or a combination of walking and transport.

These tours involve a bit of physical activity from walking up and down hills in the destination you're travelling in or the surrounding areas. Climbing on and off local transport or riding a bike up to 30 kms along predominantly flat terrain or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

These Tours will provide you with some solid physical activity. Whether its bike riding, walking, trekking, kayaking or riding on public transport you will need to have a good level of fitness to enjoy this tour.

Be prepared for some serious physical activity. These tours are our most challenging and involve some serious walking, hiking or bike riding. Can involve step climbs by foot or pedal and some challenging public transport options in the destination you are travelling.

Luxury Rating

Some trips are like a stroll on the beach, while others have you trekking alpine passes. Some of you thrive on camping out on the savannah, while others may prefer a hot shower and a comfortable bed in a lodge. Follow the grading systems below to find the right trip for you.

To help you choose the trip that's right for you, we've broken all of our trips down into four service levels. Measuring the comfort level of the accommodation and transport. So whether you're travelling on a budget and want to save money by using public transport, or prefer upgraded accommodation and are happy to pay a little more, then we have a level for you.

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.