education first tours pay

EF Tours Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Is EF Tours right for you?   

So your kid just came home from school with a gorgeous full color brochure about an upcoming trip to Europe with EF Tours that one of their teachers is leading.  He or she is super excited about all the cool things they get to do and is just begging you to let them go.  

It sounds great, but as a responsible parent, you want to know exactly what you’d be sending your child off to do, and how things would actually work on this trip.  

Well, lucky for you we took a 12 day visit to Europe with EF Tours, and have all the details to decide if taking an international trip with this company is right for you or your teenager.  

We’re going to start with the breakdown of how things work with EF and what to expect as a participant or a parent, and then move on to our specific experience with our tour.  

I always like to start my reviews by reminding you that I was not compensated in any way to write this post.  All opinions are my own, and all costs were paid out of our pocket for this experience.

What is EF Tours? 

EF Tours is a travel company that specializes in international tours for students.   

According to their website , EF Tours has been in operation since 1965 and offers trips for students and teachers designed to “provide immersive, life-changing education.”

Basically, EF Tours organizes international trips for students to a wide variety of destinations, promising “compelling itineraries” full of “experiential learning.”

They also promise to have the “lowest price on the market” for this type of travel.  

EF, as a company, offers may types of tours ranging from group trips for adults to organized gap years for high school graduates.  While these options are available, the bread and butter of the company is the basic high school student tour which is what we took.  

How do EF Tours work?

EF Tours have a pretty straightforward process during the sign up period, prior to departure and during your trip. 

Before we get into that, it must be said that EF Tours operate fully independently of the local school district, and are not endorsed or supported by them whatsoever.  

While this may seem like a school trip, it is not.  It is a trip run by a business who just happens to recruit participants through the school system.  Your local principals, school boards, etc. have zero control or influence on these trips.  The school is only involved in the process as far as whether they allow teachers to hand out information in schools or not. 

The EF in EF Tours stands for Education First.  According to their website, EF claims to “design tours to help educators teach, and so students can learn more—about tolerance, other perspectives, and themselves.”

The Sign Up Process

EF Tours are set up to be “hosted” by a local teacher who is then designated as the “group leader.”  Teachers are incentivized with free and reduced price travel to recruit students to join their tours.  

Tours are advertised by the group leader/teacher to students at their school and to their local community.  Interested students and parents are invited to attend informational meetings either in person or virtually where the group leader/teacher goes over the itinerary and any questions potential participants may have.  

Students and parents can then sign up directly through the EF Tours website, and submit all payments directly to the company.  

Trips are usually initially introduced about two years before the travel date so that participants can make smaller monthly payments to cover the cost of the trip.  Costs for these trips can range widely, depending on the destinations and length of the trip.  

EF has the group leader/teacher set up deadlines for signing up to go on the trip, sometimes including small discounts to encourage enrollment.  This tends to give a false sense of urgency to the sign up process. 

We found that participants can sign up just about any time before the trip departs.  We signed up about a year out from the trip, while another student who traveled with us signed up just a month or two before we left.  

Anyone was allowed to sign up for the trip.  We were encouraged to invite friends and family to join us on the tour, whether or not they were associated with our school or even local to our area.  

Adults did need to pass a background check in order to participate in the trip, since adult tour participants are traveling with minors.  

We were not given specific dates for our trip, but instead we were given a window of time during which the trip would occur.   Our dates were finally confirmed about two months before our departure.  

There are usually two or three optional excursions that can be added to any tour.  These usually include some special activity or visit to an additional landmark.  

Tour participants may also choose to upgrade the insurance for the tour. 

Before Your EF Tour

Once you’ve signed up for your EF Tour, you’ll be given access to a tour portal on the EF website where you can track your payments and what steps you need take next to participate in the trip.  They also provide a fundraising page, where friends and family can pay EF directly to offset the cost of your trip.  

Our group had a few in person meetings at a local restaurant prior to our trip where we discussed issues ranging from passports to packing for our trip to Europe , and got a chance to meet our fellow travelers.  This may or may not be true or all groups that are traveling with EF.  

Each participant in our tour was required to submit a copy of our passport to EF to insure that we had the proper documentation to travel.  

Information about our flights was not available until about a month before our departure, and information about our hotels was not available until we were about three weeks out from leaving.  

EF Tours uses a wide range of airlines, and travelers do not get to indicate a preference.  EF books all travelers in economy class seats for all transportation methods.  EF will book with whatever airline has space available for the lowest price for the group.  

As for hotels, travelers know very little about where they are staying ahead of time.  Per the website, tour participants are assured that “travelers can count on safe, clean and comfortable hotels with private bathrooms” but much beyond that the info is sparse.  

Students can expect to room with one to three other students, and possibly have to share beds.  Adults can expect to share a room with one other person.  For a fee, a single room can be requested for the tour. 

EF does indicate up front that hotels may have small rooms without air conditioning, television, or elevators, and that WiFi may not always be available.  

During an EF Tour

All transportation arrangements are made by EF Tours, including flights, buses, trains, etc.  They book all accommodations and attraction admissions for tour participants. 

Two meals a day are included in the cost of a trip with EF Tours.  Breakfast is provided each day at the hotel, usually continental style, but sometimes with hot offerings just depending on your hotel.  Dinners are are pre-arranged with a preset menu by EF at local restaurants.  EF will make accomodations for those with specific dietary needs, such as gluten free or dairy free meals.

While the teacher recruiting students is designated as your group leader, they don’t actually lead the tour once you start traveling.  EF provides a Tour Director to accompany your group through the entire trip.  

This Tour Director is supposed to handle just about everything on your tour, including all your pre-booked accommodations, meals, excursions, tickets, and transfers.  This person is there to direct the group and handle any problems with logistics you may encounter along the way.  

During the tour, your group will meet up with various local guides who will give you some sort of tour of the city or historic site that you’re visiting.  These tours are usually walking tours, but sometimes are bus tours, depending on the location.  

Tour participants are also given access to an EF Tours App, that just lists your daily itinerary for your trip.  

Our EF Tour Review

Our specific tour featured quite a daunting itinerary.  We toured Europe for 12 days, visiting sites in London, Paris, Florence, Rome, Pompeii and Capri, with no more than two nights in any destination.  

Our tour consisted of 26 travelers from our high school: three teachers, seven adults and 16 students.  We were combined with a group from upstate New York consisting of 14 travelers: one teacher, one adult, one child and 11 students.  There were a total of 40 people on our tour.  

What EF Tours Promised

Before our tour, the group leaded made sure every person who showed an interest in going on the trip got the glossy, full color brochure that outlined our itinerary and told us what to expect on the tour.  

The brochure promised that participants would be “surrounded by the people, the language, the food, and the way of life” of the destinations on our itinerary.  We were assured that our tour director would be “with us around the clock, handling local transportation, hotels, and meals while also providing their own insight into the local history and culture.”  

We would be spending time in three different countries, seeing some of the most beautiful and historic cities in Europe.

The brochure also claimed that students could earn educational credit while on tour, and that all tours feature “experiential learning activities.”

Our tour left some of these promises unfulfilled, but did give us a glimpse at some fantastic destinations in Europe and some amazing memories.  

Our hotels along the trip started out stellar but seemed to go downhill from there, unfortunately ending in truly unacceptable accommodations.  

Even though this wasn’t guaranteed, all of our accommodations had some sort of air conditioning, with some that functioned better than others, and all of them had WiFi.  

For the first four nights during our stays in London and Paris, we were sent to Hilton Hotels .  They both were on the higher end of what I expected based on the descriptions provided by EF Tours of what our hotels would be like.  

The rooms at these Hiltons were very new, immaculately clean and extremely comfortable.  They were both located about an hour outside of the city center, but that wasn’t too much of a problem.  

When we reached Italy, things changed a bit.  

For a quick overnight in Milan on our way to Florence, we stayed at and AS Hotel in Limbiate.  This hotel was a bit older than the Hiltons we’d stayed in, but it was clean, spacious, and comfortable.  

Between Florence and Rome, we spent the night at the Hotel Villa Ricci (not pictured).  This hotel was significantly older than the other three we had stayed at, but it was still clean and comfortable.  While the room wasn’t much to write home about, some members of our group lucked out and got spectacular balconies. 

Once we arrived in Rome, the Villa Aurelia was our home base for two nights.  We learned that this hotel had once housed men studying to join a monastery, which explained the doritory feel of the place.  Again, we found these rooms to be clean and pretty comfortable.  

On our way to Southern Italy, we spent the night in Sorrento at Sisters Hostel .  This was the only true hostel on our trip.  While they still stuck with four students to a room, several of the student rooms had enough beds to sleep up to 12 people. 

Though not quite as refined as the Hiltons, and a little slap-shot with the furniture, we found this place to be clean and welcoming.  While it wasn’t quite as comfortable as some of the other places we’d stayed, it was completely acceptable and had a spectacular view of the Gulf of Naples from the rooftop terrace. 

Things took a turn for the worse on our last night of the tour, when we stayed at Hotel La Pergola in Rome.  This place was truly one of the worst hotels I’ve ever had the misfortune to stay at (and as a travel blogger, I’ve stayed at a LOT of hotels).  

Things started off badly when we discovered that the lights in all the hallways were not on, and that we had to hunt around with our cell phone flashlights to find our way to our rooms.  I asked the front desk to remedy this, but it was never addressed, and we had to repeat the blind search for our rooms every time we went up.  

Upon arrival in my room, I found it to be extremely dirty.  There was a layer of dusty film all over my bathroom and my pillow had an unidentified crusty stain on it.  My daughter’s room had the same layer of dirt in the bathroom, plus a shoe print from where someone killed a bug on the wall.  I checked our beds for bedbugs and thankfully did not find any. 

The front desk did not seem to care and we were told no one was available to come clean the bathrooms.

But the worst experience in this hotel went to a dad on our trip, who’s single room contained only a sofa.   Not a sleeper sofa, but just a hard couch.  There were no linens or towels available to him whatsoever. 

When he asked for these items at the front desk, he was told that we should have called earlier to request them since they were all locked up in a cabinet by the time we arrived at the hotel.   He ended up sleeping on a towel laid out on the sofa with a travel neck pillow, that had been provided to him by his daughter from her room.

The front desk attendant seemed more than annoyed anytime someone from our group would approach them, and insisted that we all leave our keys at the front desk when leaving the hotel for dinner that night.    

We weren’t left with much recourse, since this was a group trip and we were on our last night, so we decided to just grin and bear it, and did our best to get some sleep.  

Overall, I’d say that the hotels provided were quite good, with the exception of Hotel La Pergola.  For ten of the eleven nights of our trip, we were provided with clean, safe accommodations that lived up to what the EF Tours website told us to expect.  

At the time of this publication, EF Tours has been notified of this unacceptable hotel and has yet to respond.  

Meals on the tour ran the gamut from weird to stellar, but overall were not to bad.  Breakfast and dinner every day were included in what we paid for our tour.  

All breakfasts were served at our hotels.  Sometimes they were just continental breakfasts with cold offerings, and sometimes we were given hot breakfasts with eggs, bacon, and such.  Sometimes it was quite obvious where our group was supposed to go, and sometimes it wasn’t. 

Overall, breakfasts were adequate throughout the trip.  

Lunches were not included in the initial price of our trip and were paid out of pocket each day.   

Lunches were always a gamble.   It all depended on where we were and what was going on whether or not we’d get to select a restaurant on our own or if the group would be directed to eat at somewhere specific, and if we’d have lots of great choices or really limited options.  

For example, on our first full day of the trip, we visited the Tower of London.  We told to make sure we ate lunch after our tour, before rejoining the group to get on the bus.  The only options available to us were food trucks along the river right next to the Tower complex.  

It was the worst during our travel days.  We were frequently told we could just grab a bite to eat at the train station or the airport, only to be left with minimal time and very limited options.  

But some days lunch was great.  During our time in Rome, lunch came with some free time to wander, so we were able to go out and select the restaurant of our choice.  

Some days our tour guide would set up a lunch option for us, having arranged a preset menu and price with a local restaurant.  Those options were usually something like a burger, pizza or a cold sandwich.  

I’m not sure if the lunch situations were like this because of our tour guide or because of EF itself.  Sometimes it seemed inevitable, like when we were stuck in an airport or train station.  Other times it seemed like our guide might be creating these situations by not fully informing us what was available near by.  

All dinners were set up at local restaurants before our arrival.  We did not get to select from a menu and were all served the same thing each night, with the exception of those who had special dietary needs.  Each meal came with water, but we were allowed to order additional drinks at our own expense if we choose to do so.  

The worst dinners EF provided happened during the first few days of our trip.  During our entire time in London, we were not once served any traditional English food.  Our Tour Director said it was because “London is a melting pot of cultures,” but our group didn’t buy that.  

Our first group dinner in London was at a Korean restaurant where the group was served a hot stone bibimbap with chicken.  I’m normally a big fan of Korean food, but this wasn’t great. 

The next group dinner was at a Polish restaurant where the group was served a fried chicken patty and french fries.  

When it became apparent on the second night that we weren’t going to be getting any traditional English food, my daughter and I made arrangements to go get dinner on our own, and pay for it out of pocket.  Four other members of our group chose to join us.  

We simply got information from our Tour Guide when and where to meet up with the group after dinner and selected a nearby local pub so we could have a traditional English dining experience.  

Dinners seemed to improve when we got to France. During our first night there we had a lovely traditional French meal of chicken with mushroom sauce in the back room of a small picturesque cafe with a ton of ambiance.   On the second night we had a traditional Alsatian dish called Flammekueche, which was sort of like a pizza with a creamy sauce.  

In Italy, the dinners were quite good.  Of course we were served a lot of pasta, but we also had braised beef in tomato sauce, gnocchi, and pizza.  

According to the folks on our trip who had special dietary needs, the dinners were pretty good for the most part.  Although it did seem that everywhere we went in Italy, anyone who was gluten free or dairy free was served watermelon for dessert.  

Before we left on our trip, we were told by our group leader that we shouldn’t need more that $25 US dollars per person per day for lunches and snacks.  We found that that number was not quite accurate for us, especially if we ever wanted to stray from the planned meals that EF Tours had set up for us.  

We also found that we frequently needed to buy water to stay hydrated in the high temperatures of Italy during the summer, and at most of the locations we visited, water was marked up quite a bit.  

Overall, the meals on our trip were pretty good, but could definitely have been better.  

Our Itinerary

We knew going into this tour that our itinerary would be extremely hectic.  With no more than 48 hours in any location, we expected it to be jam packed.  It was kind of like a tasting menu, where you got a little bit of each destination.  

What we didn’t expect was the significant amount of wasted time and changes to our itinerary that happened on our tour.  

Things started off poorly when our tour guide was an hour late to meet us at baggage claim and then our bus was over another hour late to pick us up at the airport.  

While our tour guide was a very sweet, personable woman, she didn’t seem to understand how to manage the timing logistics for a group of 40 travelers.  

Our group was quite good about being on time to meet up locations with a couple of small exceptions that could not be helped.  No one wanted to be the person that made us late.  

Our tour guide didn’t seem to have this mentality.  She was frequently the last person downstairs at our hotels to meet our bus 15 to 20 minutes after the time she told us to meet her, and did not budget in adequate travel time to most of our destinations. 

For example, while we were driving across Italy, she had our driver stop at a large gas station for a bathroom stop.   She told us we only had five minutes to use the restroom and get back on the bus.  It’s completely impossible for 40 people to make use of just a handful of bathroom stalls in five minutes. 

We were late to our tours in London, Florence, and the Vatican.  We were late to our tour of the Colosseum in Rome.  We were late to our appointment at the Louvre.  We were so late to our tour of Pompeii.  This significantly hindered what we were able to see at our destinations, and made the whole tour seemed very rushed every day.  

Things like this happened over and over again throughout the trip.  This resulted in our group being habitually late to most of the tours we went on, and significantly cut into our time at some really important places.

The only times it seemed like we weren’t late was when we had to catch a flight, a train, or a ferry.  

There were also some pretty significant changes to our itinerary. 

Several items listed on our initial brochure were changed before the trip due to pandemic restrictions and travel challenges, which was fine.  We had ample notice and knew what to expect.    

But there were several instances where visits to certain locations were dropped off our itinerary completely, and visits to other non-advertised locations were added.  

Sometimes this was a good thing, but sometimes it was incredibly frustrating.  

In London, a walking tour of Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Leicester Square was replaced with “free time” at the British Museum, which we really didn’t mind. 

But in Florence, visits to San Miniato al Monte and Piazzale Michelangelo were dropped off the itinerary with no explanation.  

On our way to Rome, our guide added a stop in Ovierto, a beautiful small town with picturesque views, wonderful dining and great little shops which we enjoyed immensely. 

But in Paris, a visit to Montmartre was abandoned, even though our dinner restaurant was within a mile of the historic location.  

The best unexpected addition to our trip in my opinion was the opportunity to see a musical in the West End of London.  Our guide was able to secure tickets (for an extra fee) for those who wanted them to a performance of Wicked during our free evening.  It was absolutely fantastic.  

But in the most frustrating example, during our time in Paris a visit to the Frogonard Perfume Museum was added to our itinerary.   No one asked to go there, and most of us seemed annoyed that we were stopping.  We were assured that the stop there would only last 30 minutes, but it ended up taking three times that, leaving us only an hour and a half to visit the Louvre before we had to be back on the bus to catch a flight to Italy.  

These added stops almost always involved additional costs as well, which we were not informed of before leaving for our trip.  This caused problems for a few kids on our trip who weren’t expecting these costs, and they unfortunately had to miss out on some of the better additions. 

There also seemed to be major sites in some of these cities that were not ever even an option to visit or see, due to our limited time in each city.   We didn’t go to Westminster Abbey or St. Paul’s Cathedral while we were in London, and there were too many things to count in Paris that we didn’t even glimpse.  While we were aware of this upfront before the tour, it really did feel like they didn’t allow enough time in any location to really see the cities we were in.  

Despite these frustrations, the itinerary did take us to some fantastic places and we had some absolutely unforgettable experiences.  We had a fantastic time seeing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.  We enjoyed a truly magical and unexpected sunset under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  We got to listen to an orchestra perform in Piazza della Signoria in Florence.  We were able to marvel at the unparalleled artwork inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.  We saw the stunningly beautiful sites of Capri from a private boat tour.  Those memories are truly priceless.  

During our trip there were extra excursions offered in any city we stayed in more than one night. 

In London, the excursion was a visit to the London Eye, a giant ferris wheel type ride that gives riders a birds eye view of the city.  In Paris, it was a trip to Versaille to tour the palace and the gardens.  In Rome, it was a tiramisu cooking class.  

We choose not to participate in the excursion in London because I’m not the biggest fan of heights, and in Paris because my daughter wanted the opportunity to spend some extra free time in the city.  

I’m extremely glad we made those decisions.   

While the London Eye excursion seemed to go well for those who went on it, it was over priced.  EF Tours charged each participant $60.  Tickets can be purchased individually at the ticket booth for just $42 USD or for groups ahead of time for just $24 USD.  I’m not sure what EF added to the experience to warrant that upcharge.  

By skipping the London Eye, we were able to have a bit more time to explore and plenty of time to enjoy our pub dinner that we mentioned earlier since the London Eye excursion was timed to happen right before dinner.  

In Paris, those who went to Versaille told us the experience was underwhelming because of the limited time available inside the palace, and the lack of lunch options available to those who went.  

The Versailles excursion seemed overpriced as well.  EF Tours charged $114 USD to each participant.  Tickets to the entire estate are free for those under 18 years old and cost under $30 USD for anyone else, and that’s without a group discount.  Even if every single person had to buy a ticket,  I can’t imagine that the cost for a group tour and the transportation to get the group there cost an additional $84 USD per person.  

The tiramisu cooking class in Rome was not optional for our group for some reason.  I think our group leader made that choice when she set up our trip.  We paid an extra $85 USD above and beyond the base tour price to experience it.  While I could not find information about individual class pricing, I highly doubt that EF paid that much per person for us to spend an hour making tiramisu. 

I will say that the class was a fun experience at a great location, and we all enjoyed the desserts we made together.  

Overall, unless an excursion is of special interest to you, I wouldn’t recommend participating in them, simply because they seem overpriced.  Having extra free time to see the sites of your choice seemed to be the best option during our tour.  

Education on an EF Tour

EF Tours makes a big deal out of their tours being focused on education.  We were promised “experiential learning activities” during the trip.  They even claim you can earn credit for going on these tour.  

We found that there wasn’t that much education attached to our tour.  

The local tour guides who showed us the sights of each city were the most informative folks on this trip, with extensive knowledge of the history and culture at each stop, but we were forced to use amplifying devices called Whispers in order to hear the guides.  These Whispers often had glitches or were garbled, making it very hard to understand our guides.  

Other than the local tour guides and maybe the tiramisu class, I wouldn’t call just visiting these historic places an “experiential learning activity.”  

We also learned that our high school would not give any credit to students who participated in these trips, even though much was made of the educational credit during the pitch to get us to join the tour.  

This isn’t to say that we didn’t learn anything on our trip.  We did have some great cultural experiences while we traveled.  But learning seemed to take a back seat to just being in another country in most circumstances.  

Safety with EF Tours

As a parent considering an EF Tour for my teenager, I know safety was a big concern for me.  

When my husband and I decided to send our daughter, we felt like one of us should go with her since she was only 15 at the time we went on the trip, and had not traveled internationally like this before.  

For the most part, I felt quite safe during our trip.  

Before our trip, our group leader did make sure to advise us about pickpocketing and theft at major tourist sites in Europe, and advised us to be prepared.  She did make sure we were always wary of our passports and where we were keeping them during our travels.  

While on tour, there was only one time that I felt like our group was taken to an unsafe area.  That was during our terrible last night in Rome when we had to walk from our hotel to our dinner restaurant through some pretty sketchy areas of the city.  

Although student were allowed to go out on their own during our free time, they were asked to go in groups of three or four and were left in pretty safe areas to spend their free time.  

The biggest problem I saw with safety was when our Tour Guide would take off walking at a breakneck speed, frequently leaving half our group stuck at crosswalks or a few turns behind.  She usually did a count to make sure everyone was there when we were ready to leave, but she did leave people behind at least twice during our trip and have to go back and get them.  

Most of the time we had no idea where we were headed when we were walking to different locations.  We were never given the names of the restaurants or addresses of where they would be unless we specifically asked for them.  I think communicating with the group more about where we’re going could have avoided some sticky situations that a few of our travelers found themselves in when they were left behind.  

We also didn’t have a way to contact our Tour Guide directly.  Only a couple of people were given her contact information, which made communication confusing and difficult during our free time, especially when she got delayed during our free evening in Paris and our meeting time had to be pushed back significantly.

Curfews and group rules were left up to our group leader, who didn’t set many boundaries for our students.  

Since the legal drinking age in the areas we visited was 18, student who met this requirement were allowed to drink alcohol on our trip, but were asked to limit it to one drink with dinner.  By and large, our students respected this request and did not take advantage of the lowered drinking age to go and party it up.  

Trips like this EF Tour require students to be pretty mature when it comes to safety.  We had a wonderful group of kids who took their personal safety pretty seriously, and didn’t take unnecessary risks that would put them in jeopardy.  Had it been a different group of personalities, I’m not sure how it would have gone.  

EF Tours:  Our Final Verdict

Would I travel with EF Tours again?  That seems to be the question at hand here.  

My EF Tours experience definitely taught me a lot about group travel.  As someone who travels pretty frequently , I usually make most of my own travel arrangements, from flights to hotel reservations to activities.  It was quite nice not to have to worry about any of that.  It really did take a lot of pressure off to just let someone else do all that work. 

But relinquishing that control does require a certain amount of trust.  There were some areas that I would definitely trust EF to arrange again, and other areas where I really think they could do better.  

For this trip it really came down to adjusting expectations once we were traveling.  I really did expect there to be more education involved in what we did while on our tour.  I really did expect to spend some quality time at these major historic sites. 

Once I realized that time would be much more limited at every destination than I expected it to be, the trip went much more smoothly.  

I think our experience would have been better with a more seasoned Tour Guide.  Ours just didn’t seem quite ready to handle all the pressures and logistics that are required for managing a group of 40 people for 12 days.  

EF Tours is definitely a budget tour company, and for the price, you do get a good experience.  

Did EF Tours create the trip of my dreams?  Not by a long shot. 

Did they create a good experience for students who haven’t done a lot of international traveling?  I’d say yes.  

Do I regret going on an EF Tour?  Absolutely not.  I had some incredible experiences in some amazing locations with my only daughter, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.  

Would I go on another EF Tour?  I think I would, but I would definitely choose a slower paced itinerary with more time in each destination.  

Do you have any questions about EF Tours that I didn’t answer?  Feel free to ask me in the comments!!

EF Tours Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Friday 12th of April 2024

I have gone on 4 EF tours (England and Scotland), (London and Paris), Rome, and one called Bell'Italia, which was basically a road trip through Italy. The meals are always meh, and the hotels were usually ok to good. I'm surprised at your lackluster tour guide. We have ALWAYS fallen in love with all 4 tour guides!!! They are all friends for life now. I wish you could have had that experience. The kids just adored them all. I did find the more jam packed the itinerary is, the more stressful the trip can be, but on the other hand, you get to see it all.

Thursday 14th of March 2024

Thank you so much for your insightful review! My daughter is headed to S. Korea in a few weeks and reading all these comments & your review...I'm just hoping for the best at this point. I wanted to ask about the tipping. Our group leader has requested $145 paid to her in cash, which I was completely caught off guard, considering the financial commitment of the trip itself, but reading this, it seems that it is quite normal. I contacted EF and the representative said that according to the tour itinerary, the total suggested guideline should be significantly less. Do you know what happens if there is a surplus or shortage with the tipping amount? I'm just wary about giving someone I don't even know (group leader) cash.

Saturday 13th of April 2024

@Louise Emery, I can't thank you enough for you review. My school is planning a trip to Rome, London, and Paris in June 2025. I've been honestly on the fence, and I still have time to cancel. I'm a teacher at the school, but not actually a chaperone. I have to pay the full cost for the trip, but I know I will likely still need to supervise the students during the day. I don't necessarily mind this, but I wonder if I'd be able to explore at night. What time did you typically get back to your hotel? I really hope we are not an hour away from the Rome, London, or Paris city centers. I would love to be able to go out for drinks on my own at night time once the students are in the hotels. Louise, do you think it might be better to plan my own trip to Rome, London, and/or Paris? I'm a single man with no kids hahah.

Louise Emery

Tuesday 2nd of April 2024

I really am not sure what would be done with a surplus. I would definitely ask the group leader about the discrepancy between their request and the recommendation of EF.

Melissa Levy

The parent in charge of the tour I’m about to go on is asking for $200 for tips from each parent going on the trip and $120 for each kid. Based on what I’ve read, this seems like a lot. What do you think?

I think it depends on where you're going and what you're doing. We paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 per person. We had a LOT of tours and there were many people to tip. My only concern is the different amount for parent vs student. I wonder why they are breaking it down that way.

Wednesday 21st of February 2024

Expectations make a difference!

Thanks for taking the time to go through all these details. My son did go on one of these trips in his junior year of HS and loved it. I can understand the concerns you mentioned and makes those points something to think about when scheduling a group tour. As an adult, I have been to Europe twice with groups (travel award from workd) I know EF Tours has groups for that as well, and have been apprehensive to just 'jump in". Trying to analyze what is the best option to finally get to the Grand Canyon. Thanks for your perspectives

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EF Educational Tours   Reviews

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Reviews 4.4.

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Our tour guide

Our tour guide, Washington, was fantastic! He was thorough and explained the itinerary for each day. He was extremely knowledgeable, about the people, region, culture, terrain, and history. The travel was made easy with clean and comfortable transportation. The hotels were clean, safe and welcoming. The group was never bored! We explored everything and made the most out of every second of the trip.

Date of experience : April 25, 2024

EF never disappoints

EF never disappoints! This brand new tour is a near perfect itinerary, and while there are a few TINY links to work out, they are 100% doing what they need to to work through them. Apart from that, a few hiccups for us, including a behavior issue, a minor car accident and a tooth that got knocked out, were handled immediately and fully. Their support was EVERYTHING!

Date of experience : April 19, 2024

Thank you for an amazing experience for…

Thank you for an amazing experience for my son. He had a great trip and saw so many things in London, Paris, and Madrid. He said his tour guide was fabulous and I appreciated how organized everything was. I would highly recommend this for other HS students.

The Grand Tour of Italy lives up to its name!

Our trip to Italy was well planned with room for adjustments in real time as we traveled about the country. Our tour director was top-notch. He was able to make recommendations that were very helpful. The food at the hotels was delicious. Our group dinners were also well coordinated. The student travelers were engaged and appreciated the sites we went to. They also learned a great deal from the local guides at each location.

Date of experience : April 23, 2024

reassured and comfortable…

I felt reassured and comfortable sending my daughter to South America to learn about Ecuador. I didn’t worry once about anything happening to her or the group she was on. I had the app and could follow along the itinerary the whole time.

Date of experience : April 11, 2024

Unbelievable experience!

This was an unbelievable experience for my daughter. It was worth every penny! They saw and did so much. Her safety which was my biggest concern was never in question. The process was smooth and easy. Every detail was addressed. Communication every day was fantastic with messages and pictures. I'd definitely go with EF Tours again!

Date of experience : April 10, 2024

Reply from EF Educational Tours

Thank you for your fantastic review! We take immense pride in our professionalism, organization, and friendliness. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students is our utmost priority, and we’re thrilled to hear that it contributed to a great tour experience. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you and your students back for more memorable adventures!

A First and Memorable Experience

The touring site choices was great. Having a tour guide from arrival to departure was magnificent. I was blown away with the careful planning and all of the knowledge shared by each tour guides throughout my stay. The transportation provided from start to finish was brilliant a arrangement which made our safety concerns zero to none. We had a small group of 10 however, we were paired with another group of 40 which became difficult at times during the tour. The restaurant choices was not any of my favorites. Well, at least their meal choices was not favorable. Overall, I plan to travel abroad again with EF Tours . I've shared my experiences with numerous family members and friends and I look forward to the next tour.

Date of experience : April 12, 2024

Very disappointed by how my son's…

Very disappointed by how my son's severe nut allergy was managed. I called to ask what I thought was a simple question and was met with a very hostile and unhelpful associate, who hung up on me. My son basically didn't eat for days while in France, except for the snacks I packed for him, because no one would help him find a safe place to eat.

Hi Eileen, we are so sorry to hear your sons experience on tour. We do our absolute best to accommodate an allergy but we do always recommend meal supplements and snacks in the event the request cannot be accommodated. We can never guarantee accommodation but we do our due diligence and note the allergy with all restaurants and hotels. I will note your feedback for the tour and tour director so it gets to the right folks. Thank you again for your feedback and we are so sorry we fell short of your expectations.

The guide Jean-Claude was phenomenal

The guide Jean-Claude was phenomenal. He was calm under pressure and adjusted plans seamlessly so that we always had something fun to do. The tour was planned well so that we visited interesting places as well as had free time. Most of the places selected for tour meals were good except a couple. I recommend that EF actually eats at them before recommending them. The hotels selected were away from the city center but nice and safe. That was important. Overall it was wonderful and I would go again.

Date of experience : April 14, 2024

Trip was amazing

Trip was amazing. There were parts of the trip that felt rushed and could have used more time or better planning. We visited the Vatican, had to break up the group due to size and there just wasn’t enough time to explore. It was very busy, potentially scheduling that tour in the morning vs the afternoon. Hotels were far, leaving less time at each location due to travel times. Meal options at dinner would be nice, kids often did not eat as there was only one choice. Overall good experience and I would recommend EF for anyone looking to take a trip.

Overall, still a worthwhile experience

I was disappointed that EF cancelled two sightseeing points within a few weeks of departure. I fail to see how a trip planned two years in advance could not acquire the correct tickets to those tour points. The cancelled events were replaced with other worthwhile sights, however, less exciting and less known. The replaced events were also not updated in the EF app-- and while I did know ahead of time about the change, I hadn't realized entire days would be flip flopped to accommodate that switch. Therefore for two days I could not follow on the app to know what my child was experiencing on that day. Overall, this was still a worthwhile travel experience for my daughter. I just also feel there were some pretty large details that were overlooked for her particular tour.

Date of experience : April 24, 2024

Not just a Vacation

Instead of “Just taking a vacation “ I learned so many new facts. Made new friends and took home endless stories about the trip. I found that EF was accommodated for any inconvenience we encountered which made me feel safe. Their security policy even better. I would definitely enroll again with EF.

I was able to accompany my daughter and…

I was able to accompany my daughter and we had an amazing experience! We loved all of our tour guides and Sarah, our guide from beginning to end was phenomenal. It was truly a wonderful, unforgettable time that I will treasure.

Excellent tour director - wonderful experience

The tour was packed with many activities and tours of many sights. The tour guides were very informative and entertaining. Overall the tour was a very positive experience. They also accommodated requests by some of us to attend activities outside the planned tour.

Date of experience : April 06, 2024

Great experience!

My daughter has done two EF Tours with her school and she has loved the experience both times. Both times the trips have been packed with learning as well as recreational activities for the students to do. The accommodations are good and the food is great as per my picky kid. As long as she continues to enjoy these trips and the school continues to make them available my kid will be going!

Date of experience : April 08, 2024

Amazing! We're glad your student enjoyed their tour abroad with their classmates. We are thrilled your daughter had comfortable food options available to her. To accommodate both adventurous and less adventurous travelers, we aim to offer a blend of local cuisine and familiar dishes. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and for being part of the EF Tours family!

Wonderful trip and amazing sights

Wonderful trip and amazing sights. Some things I think could be improved: students enjoyed free time, but maybe fee time during the day with some events in the evening as well, especially in Tokyo. I’m sure there was a reason, but the travel from Osaka to Hiroshima and back to Osaka seemed unnecessary. We needed more explanation of history and facts about some of the shrines and temples we visited. Overall, the trip was amazing and the students enjoyed it very much.

Date of experience : April 04, 2024

She loved Paris and the tour guide!

She loved Paris and the tour guide!! She was very disappointed in the meals, as she was hoping for an authentic experience and was given quite basic food. The Amsterdam hotel was not clean and “not worth what parents spent”.

The tour director made our trip great!

The tour director made our trip special. He knew a lot and researched what he didn't. A great tour director makes such a difference! This trip covers many cities so bus time is expected. We did miss the inside of the Colosseum and Sistene Chapel because of ticket issues which should have been resolved ahead of time and that was disappointing. There is a lot packed into this trip but a few things we moved through a little to quickly. The group food was generally good but repetitive so we found other things on our own during the day.

Date of experience : March 21, 2024

Great Experience!

Our daughter had an incredible time with her friends on her trip this year. EF Tours did a great job with organizing. The tour guide was incredible and our daughter had only wonderful things to say about her. Highly recommend!

Date of experience : April 18, 2024

This was the third time I have sent one…

This was the third time I have sent one of my kids to Europe on an EF Tour. Trustworthy, fully planned and thought out, exceptional. They give the kids the opportunity of a lifetime. And, most importantly, their trips instill confidence as citizens of the world. Do not hesitate to go on an EF Tour, they are the best at what they do.

EF HOST FAMILY PROGRAM

Become a host family in the usa with ef, open your home to an international student in the usa.

Becoming an EF host to an international language student offers a unique chance to engage with students from 100+ countries. Learn about different cultures, traditions and perspectives, and foster a meaningful cultural exchange at home. With EF, you will receive round-the-clock support and weekly rates to acknowledge the time, effort, and resources you invest in providing a homely environment for the student. Perhaps the most valuable benefit is the opportunity to build relationships and form bonds that span across borders, generations and time.

Why host a student with EF US?

Exchange with students from over 100 nationalities

Access 24/7 support from your EF Team

Receive weekly secure payments to cover hosting costs

Benefit from an engaged local EF community

Flexibly schedule hosting periods to match your needs, short- or long-term

Our host family locations in US

We are looking for hosts for our international students across various locations in the USA, within an hour from Boston, Honolulu, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Seattle. Whether you live in the heart of the city or on the outskirts, you can provide an enriching homestay experience for our students.

San Francisco

Santa barbara, how does hosting with ef work.

Becoming a host with EF Education First is a rewarding and enriching experience that allows you to welcome international students into your home and share your culture. Explore your responsibilities as a host family, the support you'll receive from EF, how we match students with the right families, and details about remuneration. Discover how you can create lasting memories and connections as an EF host family.

Responsibilities

Infomeetings & events.

Come and meet us in person or join an online infomeetings. Click here for upcoming event schedule.

Meet our host families

At the heart of our host family program in the USA, we have dedicated families who have opened their homes and hearts to international students from all corners of the globe. Each interaction is a unique story of shared experiences, cultural exchange, and lasting memories. Explore our community and get a firsthand perspective from those who have walked this rewarding path before you.

Meet our students

Bringing the world together is part of our mission. At any given time of year, you can find up to 100 different nationalities at our International Language Campuses. We boast students from places like France, Italy, Germany, Japan and Brazil – just to name a few.

Learn more about hosting in the USA

What does a host family do.

As a host family, you provide a welcoming home environment for an international or exchange student. This typically includes:

• Accommodation : Offering a comfortable living space, which usually includes a bedroom and access to common areas like the kitchen, bathroom, and living room.
• Meals : Providing meals, like breakfast and dinner.
• Support and Guidance : Helping the student navigate local customs and traditions, assisting them in understanding and using local transportation, and advising them on day-to-day activities.
• Cultural Exchange : Engaging in cultural exchange by sharing your own customs and traditions, while learning from the student about their culture.

In summary, a host family plays a crucial role in making the student's overseas learning experience safe, productive, and enjoyable.

What are the requirements to host a student?

As a host family for a foreign exchange student, you must provide a bed, breakfast, packed lunch (for younger students only) and evening meals Monday through Friday, and all meals on the weekends.

There should also be easy access to local transportation to and from the students course centre and a stable, caring environment.

Host parents must submit an application, references, and are subject to a home visit by one of our experienced staff. Students bring their own spending money for personal needs, souvenirs, entertainment, and other incidentals.

How can I become a host family?

We’re delighted you want to host a foreign exchange student with EF USA. Host parents must submit an application, references, and are subject to a home visit by one of our experienced staff. Click here to sign up today !

Where will our international student study?

EF students attend classes at our EF campus during the weekdays. Courses include daily English and cultural lessons, combined with a full activities programme every day and during some evenings.

Host family tips and stories from our blog

6 reasons to share your home with an international student.

As our lives become increasingly international so too does the desire to have real cultural exchange. Here are the top-6 reasons to share your home with an international student.

Go-to meals for host families

Sharing your culture with your international students at meal times is an easy way to welcome them into your home. We’ve rustled up some recipe ideas and fun ways to make your evening meals memorable for the whole table.

EF Talks: Ms Gordon

We were lucky enough to spend an hour getting to know one of our star hosts, and to hear how she makes her house a home for the international students she hosts.

EF has been setting the standard for language learning abroad since 1965. Innovation, quality and safety are the focus of our activity. As a result, EF has gained the trust of globally recognized organizations.

Years of experience with international educational programs

Memberships in international industry organizations

Schools and offices around the world

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What the New Overtime Rule Means for Workers

One of the basic principles of the American workplace is that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. Simply put, every worker’s time has value. A cornerstone of that promise is the  Fair Labor Standards Act ’s (FLSA) requirement that when most workers work more than 40 hours in a week, they get paid more. The  Department of Labor ’s new overtime regulation is restoring and extending this promise for millions more lower-paid salaried workers in the U.S.

Overtime protections have been a critical part of the FLSA since 1938 and were established to protect workers from exploitation and to benefit workers, their families and our communities. Strong overtime protections help build America’s middle class and ensure that workers are not overworked and underpaid.

Some workers are specifically exempt from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime protections, including bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees. This exemption, typically referred to as the “EAP” exemption, applies when: 

1. An employee is paid a salary,  

2. The salary is not less than a minimum salary threshold amount, and 

3. The employee primarily performs executive, administrative or professional duties.

While the department increased the minimum salary required for the EAP exemption from overtime pay every 5 to 9 years between 1938 and 1975, long periods between increases to the salary requirement after 1975 have caused an erosion of the real value of the salary threshold, lessening its effectiveness in helping to identify exempt EAP employees.

The department’s new overtime rule was developed based on almost 30 listening sessions across the country and the final rule was issued after reviewing over 33,000 written comments. We heard from a wide variety of members of the public who shared valuable insights to help us develop this Administration’s overtime rule, including from workers who told us: “I would love the opportunity to...be compensated for time worked beyond 40 hours, or alternately be given a raise,” and “I make around $40,000 a year and most week[s] work well over 40 hours (likely in the 45-50 range). This rule change would benefit me greatly and ensure that my time is paid for!” and “Please, I would love to be paid for the extra hours I work!”

The department’s final rule, which will go into effect on July 1, 2024, will increase the standard salary level that helps define and delimit which salaried workers are entitled to overtime pay protections under the FLSA. 

Starting July 1, most salaried workers who earn less than $844 per week will become eligible for overtime pay under the final rule. And on Jan. 1, 2025, most salaried workers who make less than $1,128 per week will become eligible for overtime pay. As these changes occur, job duties will continue to determine overtime exemption status for most salaried employees.

The rule will also increase the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (who are not entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA if certain requirements are met) from $107,432 per year to $132,964 per year on July 1, 2024, and then set it equal to $151,164 per year on Jan. 1, 2025.

Starting July 1, 2027, these earnings thresholds will be updated every three years so they keep pace with changes in worker salaries, ensuring that employers can adapt more easily because they’ll know when salary updates will happen and how they’ll be calculated.

The final rule will restore and extend the right to overtime pay to many salaried workers, including workers who historically were entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA because of their lower pay or the type of work they performed. 

We urge workers and employers to visit  our website to learn more about the final rule.

Jessica Looman is the administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. Follow the Wage and Hour Division on Twitter at  @WHD_DOL  and  LinkedIn .  Editor's note: This blog was edited to correct a typo (changing "administrator" to "administrative.")

• Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• overtime rule

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WA teachers join strike over pay and conditions, with schools impacted as thousands walk off job

Thousands of WA public school teachers have walked off the job for the first time in more than a decade in a bid for better pay and working conditions.

It's affected many of the state's 832 public schools in some way, with the Department of Education saying at least 22 have closed fully and 62 are only partially open for the morning.

Many schools have told parents their children will be supervised but won't be taught normal lessons.

The State School Teachers Union WA (SSTUWA) said it was taking the action as a "last resort" after the government's most recent offer fell short of its demands on pay and restrictions on class sizes.

The union was looking for a 12 per cent pay rise over two years, but the government's offer is 11 per cent over three years.

"We've got members who can't afford fresh fruit and vegetables, who are under-insuring their properties and their belongings," union president Matt Jarman said on Monday.

"Some of our teachers are moving back home with their parents."

Speaking at a rally at Gloucester Park in Perth on Tuesday morning, he told the crowd teachers were struggling with the largest class sizes in the country, on top of pressures from students with additional needs and violence and aggression.

"The state government needs to fix public education and it needs to fix it now," Mr Jarman said.

Members closed the rally by agreeing to four motions, including authorising further industrial action if no agreement is reached by May 10.

Mr Jarman said the decision to disrupt classes was not taken lightly, but he believed parents were on the union's side.

"We will continue to say to West Australian parents that we don't want the disruption and we don't want to interrupt your student learning, but at the end of the day, what price is a poor public education system? And we need to address that," he said.

The union will consider a range of options for further industrial action if no agreement is reached, including a potential full-day strike.

Government not budging on pay offer

Premier Roger Cook said he felt the strike was unnecessary, but respected the right of teachers to take industrial action.

"They want more support, particularly for dealing with kids with special needs. That might be behavioural, educational or whatever," he told ABC Radio Perth.

"We've heard that very clearly and we're working with the union to reach agreement on that package.

"Their work is more complex today than it has ever been in the life of a teacher."

Mr Cook would not confirm if the government would increase its wages offer.

Treasurer Rita Saffioti said the government had tried to avoid the action and had a "very generous package on the table" which balanced the union's needs with the need to balance the state budget.

"We don't want to be in a situation of other states where they basically bankrupted their state, losing AAA credit ratings and then having to cut the workforce," she said.

Working conditions at the heart of action

Speaking before the Perth rally, which the union estimated about 8,000 people attended, teacher Harmony Britton said union members were asking the government to value their work and support them in jobs they love.

"Pay is the minimum, it's the conditions, it's having less than 32 kids in a Year 8 classroom where ... at least half of them have got diagnosed conditions and no support," she said.

"How can you possibly give quality education if one person is with 32 kids? It's not possible."

Workloads were also the biggest issue for head of technology and enterprise at Ashfield High School, Mark Pearce, who said teachers were spending dozens of hours each week on marking and administrative tasks.

"So there's just a whole stack of different things that have been chucked on teachers of the last 20 to 30 years. We can't teach," he said.

About 20 schools across regional WA have been affected by the action, with teachers in Broome rallying with signs reading "give us a raise, not praise".

Karratha Senior High School teacher Gina Clifford was among the hundreds who rallied in Pilbara town, saying reducing class sizes must be a priority.

"Having overly inflated numbers of students in the class makes it unsafe for teachers and students," she said.

About 100 people attended the Kalgoorlie-Boulder rally in WA's Goldfields, with teacher Joanne Talbot saying reports of violence in schools made it difficult to attract staff.

“I have seen junior primary students hit teachers and education students because they are not getting their way," she said.

“We need to make our workplace safe for everyone, teachers and students."

Outside Bunbury Primary School, a number of parents expressed their support for the action. 

"Give them whatever they want," one parent said.

Strike a blow for some parents

But local mother Lucy Ramm said the strike had affected some more than others.

"There have been a lot of people who have not been able to have today off, straight off the back of two weeks of school holidays, [when] a lot of us had to take annual leave to look after the kids," she said.

Ms Ramm said she had been able to drop off her two youngest kids at pre-school, but her eldest was not permitted to return to school until 12:30pm.

"For me, that's not really doable, so she'll have to have the whole day off today," she said.

School leaders plan action

Public school leaders will also take industrial action from next week, after their union – the Principals Federation of WA – also rejected the government's second pay offer.

In a letter to members, president Bevan Ripp said from Monday they should not undertake a range of administrative tasks, including attending Education Department briefings and completing performance reviews.

They were also asked to not attend school board or P&C meetings out of hours, and to only complete incident reports where it involved emergency services or a mandatory report of suspected sexual abuse.

Other unions show support

UnionsWA secretary Owen Whittle, who leads an alliance of unions collectively pushing for higher public sector wages, said stop-work actions like today's were crucial to put pressure on the government.

"What you're doing is going to increase wages and conditions across the public sector," he told the crowd in Perth.

A range of other unions are expected to ramp up similar campaigns as their members' pay and conditions agreements expire.

The state government last year announced it would move away from blanket public sector pay policies, creating the opportunity for each union to negotiate their own pay rises.

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Everything about public transport in Moscow

Working hours are from 5:30 AM to 1:00 AM. The bus-stop is a plate with A sign, trolleybus-stop with a T and tram-stops are marked with Tp . Marshrutkas use all those stops too.

Yandex has public transport app ( iOS , Android ) that shows live location of buses, trolleybuses and trams and predict in what time the transport arrives at the stop.

1. Types of transport in Moscow

Bus is the most popular and most commonly used type of transport after the underground. First buses appeared in the city before the Revolution of 1917; nowadays 18 bus fleets operate over a thousand various routes. Buses can carry you within the city and to the Moscow suburbs.

Trolleybuses

Moscow has the largest trolleybus network in the world. A trolleybus is an quiet and environmentally friendly type of transport. However, it’s less reliable than a bus due to high risk of temporary stops because of illegally parked cars and car crashes.

Only few tramway routes remained until now in the center of Moscow. It is nice to make a weekend sightseeing trip through the old city in the tram No. 39 or in the famous «Annushka», from Bulgakov’s «The Master and Margarita». Tram routes are being renovated now. New high-speed trains appear on the streets, replacing old yellow ones.

Marshrutkas (minibuses)

Marshrutka is a small bus that serves the same routes as public transport but much faster. The foreigners should know that only  blue with pattern on top  minibuses are preferable. They are officially admitted, accept public transport ticket there and you can take this minibus only at a bus stop. You can get to other marshrutkas not only at bus or trolleybus stops, but wave down your hand (like calling a taxi) whenever you see it. Coming across your destination point, you are just to ask a driver to stop (in a loud voice and better say it in Russian – «Ostanovite pozhaluista» – as most of the drivers do not understand foreign languages). The cost of a single ride is about 50 rubles (€0.50) and you should pay directly to a driver when entering the minibus.

2. Tickets in Moscow transport

1 or 2 trips.

You can buy tickets for 1 or 2 trips only in ticket offices. They are located at some bus stops throughout the city. Tickets cost 55 and 110 rubles (€0.55 and €1.10) respectively. Ticket offices sell all kind of tickets; ones for bigger amount of trips are more profitable.

Buying ticket at a driver

You can buy a single ticket at a driver when you enter a bus, trolleybus or tram. Drivers sell only single tickets, they cost 55 rubles (€0.55).

«Troyka» card

You can also use a card called «Troyka» – refillable card to pay for travelling on all kinds of public transport – metro, buses, trolley-buses, trams, monorail and green minibuses. Every trip becomes much cheaper with it.

Moscow Metro tickets

All metro tickets can be used at the surface transport, and vise versa.

3. Moscow night-time public transport

Night busses, trolleybuses and trams work from 1:00 AM until 5:45 AM, when all the day transport and the metro stops working. Some of the routes coincide with the day ones, some – work only at night. The traffic interval is 15 or 30 minutes.

Ozernaya St. – Ugo-Zapadnaya metro station – Universitet metro station – Leninsky Prospect metro station – Oktjabrskaya metro station – Aleksandrovsky Sad metro station – Tverskaya St. – Leningradsky Ave. – Sheremetyevo airport. 56.4-km-long route works from 01 am until 5.30 am within every 30 minutes.

Lubyanskaya Square – Ostashkovskaya Street. The route works from 1 am until 5.30 am within every 30 minutes.

Belovezhskaya St. – Slavyansky Boulevard metro station – Park Pobedy (Victory Park) metro station – Kutuzovskaya metro station – Noviy Arbat St. – Lubyanskaya Square. 19.1-km-long route works from midnight until 5.30 am within every 30 minutes.

Trolleybus №15

Desjatiletiya Oktjabrya St. – Prechistenka St. – Kropotkinskaya metro station – Strastnoj Boulevard – Petrovka St. – Novoslobodskaya metro station – Sheremetievskaya St. – Akademika Koroleva St –VDNH metro station. 14.9-km-long route works day and night within every 30 minutes.

Ussuriiskaya St. – Shchyolkovskaya metro station – Pervomaiskaya metro station – Izmailovskaya metro station – Partizanskaya metro station – Semyonovskaya metro station – Elektrozavodskaya metro station – Baumanskaya metro station – Lubyanskaya Square. 18-km-long route works from midnight until 5.30 am within every 30 minutes.

Trolleybus №63

City Block No. 138 of the Vykhino District – Ryazansky Prospekt metro station – Abelmanovskaya Zastava Square – Marksistskaya metro station – Taganskaya metro station – Lubyanskaya Square. 16.5-km-long trolleybus route works day and night within every 30 minutes.

Lubyanskaya Square – Novokosino. The route works from 1 am until 5.30 am within every 30 minutes.

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Palm Springs is first district in the Coachella Valley to pay student school board members

Palm Springs Unified School District has become the first district in the Coachella Valley to pay its five student board members a stipend of about $296 per month for attending meetings, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024 . 

Lota Uyanwune, a senior at Cathedral City High School who has committed to UCLA, said the compensation will alleviate the financial stress of attending college in the fall. “I have a lot of expenses that I need to pay for,” she said, “Having that little bit of extra pocket money is going to be so helpful and will be a nice little cushion.” 

Earlier in the year, board member Sergio Espericueta proposed the idea during a meeting, prompted by the adoption of a new state law amending California’s education code. The law permits school districts to provide financial compensation, course credit or both to elected student board members. At the time, San Diego Unified School District made history as the first in the state to provide payment to its student board members. (PSUSD also announced its board policies are now available in Spanish .)

The new law, Assembly Bill 275, also seeks to level the playing field by ensuring that every student board member, regardless of their income status, has the opportunity to participate as board members even if they need to work. 

“This year, we gave a lot more voice to the student board members and everything came together quickly,” Espericueta said. “They deserve it. This group pushed us to a lot to more things related to student board member issues. We think it will motivate more students to participate.” 

To Philip Gonzalez, a junior at Rancho Mirage High School, the experience of letting their voices be heard, particularly from a student’s point of view, has been profoundly impactful. “Other students don’t get the same perspective as we do,” he said. “I’m just super grateful for being able to work with the board and especially these student board members.” 

Espericueta shared that the school district is currently working towards enabling student board members to vote at the board meetings. At Coachella Valley Unified and Desert Sands Unified school districts, student board members have the opportunity to share their perspectives through preferential voting — a process that allows them the right to vote on motions before the other board members, although their votes do not ultimately decide the outcome of a motion. 

“I really never thought I would be able to be a part of this,” said Julianna Ledezma, a senior at Desert Hot Springs High School, who is set to attend UC Santa Barbara. "Having the opportunity to have our voices heard and sitting up there with the members and seeing parents’ perspectives and then putting in our point of view, I feel greatly impacts how our schools function and how everyone works around it.” 

The next school board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14 at Richards Center for the Arts at Palm Springs High School. The lobby of the performing arts theater will soon be named The Coffey Lobby after Nancy Coffey, an alumna of the high school, who donated $500,000 to the school district's nonprofit foundation.

Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at [email protected] .

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The epicenter of modern Russia, Moscow booms with shiny new skyscrapers, the bulbous onion domes of the tsars and politically-rich Red Square. Explore the metropolis with a tourHQ guide.

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The sprawling, mind-boggling metropolis of Russian Moscow has long been one of the theatrical stages on which the great dramas of Europe and Asia have been played out in grand style. Burned by Napoleon in 1812, immortalised by Tolstoy, utilised by the Bolsheviks and championed as a bastion of heroic defiance by the post-war communists, it’s almost hard to believe just how defining the historical events that found their home on Moscow’s streets have been. Moscow tour guides will easily be able to mark the major must-see landmarks on the map, from the onion-domed orthodox Saint Basil's Cathedral, to the political powerhouse of Red Square just next door, while others will be quick to recommend a ride on Moscow’s famous subterranean metro system, or a visit to the UNESCO-attested Novodevichy Convent on the city’s southern side. But Moscow is a city also in the throes of a cultural wrangling between the old and the new. Creative energies abound here: Boho bars and pumping super clubs now occupy the iconic mega structures of the old USSR; high-fashion outlets, trendy shopping malls and luxurious residential districts stand as testimony to a city that’s now the undisputed playground of the world’s super-rich, while sprawling modern art museums dominate the cultural offering of the downtown districts north of the Moskva River.  

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Watch CBS News

Biden administration expands overtime pay to cover 4.3 million more workers. Here's who qualifies.

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Alain Sherter

April 24, 2024 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News

About 4.3 million U.S. workers who previously didn't qualify for overtime pay could soon receive time-and-a-half for working more than 40 hours a week thanks to a new rule from the Biden administration.

The U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday  unveiled a new rule that will extend overtime pay to salaried workers who earn less than $1,128 per week, or $58,656 annually. Previously, only workers who made $684 or less each week, or $35,568 annually, were eligible for OT.

Businesses are required to pay workers 1.5 times their pay if they work more than 40 hours a week, but that protection has been limited to hourly workers and lower-earning salaried employees. Because of the salary cutoff, many salaried workers were performing the same duties as their hourly coworkers, but weren't able to qualify for overtime, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a statement.

"This rule will restore the promise to workers that if you work more than 40 hours in a week, you should be paid more for that time," she said. 

The new rule could result in an additional $1.5 billion in pay for employees, according to an estimate from the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank.  

"Employers will be more than able to adjust to the rule without negatively impacting the overall economy," wrote EPI director of government affairs and advocacy Samantha Sanders and President Heidi Shierholz.

Here's what to know about the new OT rule. 

Why is overtime pay getting overhauled?

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires that most workers who spend more than 40 hours a week on the job receive 1.5 times their regular pay for each hour they work beyond that amount. 

While the law covers nearly all hourly workers, salaried employees only qualify for OT if they earn below a specific salary. Currently, that threshold is $684 per week, or $35,568 annually.

That means a salaried worker earning less than that cutoff "can be forced to work 60-70 hours a week for no more pay than if they worked 40 hours," Sanders and Shierholz wrote. "The extra 20-30 hours are completely free to the employer, allowing employers to exploit workers with no consequences."

Who is covered by the new overtime rule?

The law covers salaried workers who earn below certain thresholds, and it will kick in through two phases.

Starting July 1, salaried workers who earn less than $844 per week, or $43,888 per year, will be covered by the new rule. On January 1, 2025, the salary threshold will jump to $1,128 per week, or $58,656 per year, the Labor Department said.

Most of the additional workers who will now qualify for OT are in professional and business services, health care, and social services as well as financial activities, EPI said. About 2.4 million of the 4.3 million workers are women, while 1 million of color, it said.

Who won't qualify for OT?

First, overtime pay isn't available to salaried workers who are considered "executive, administrative or professional" employees.

Some researchers have pointed out that corporations give  fake titles to low-ranking workers like "grooming manager" for a barber in order to make them appear like managers. 

The new rule stipulates that only "bona fide" executive, administrative or professional employees are exempt from the expanded OT rule. 

What are businesses saying about the new rule?

Some industry groups are pushing back against the overtime rule, saying that it will harm their operations and lead to job cuts. Some are also threatening legal action. 

"We fear many hoteliers will have no option other than to eliminate managerial jobs that are long-established paths to advancement," American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) interim President Kevin Carey in a statement. "AHLA is reviewing all available options, including litigation, for defeating this ill-advised regulation."

• United States Department of Labor

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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ISSA certification: Who its for, what it costs, and whether it’s worth it

Aspiring personal trainers hoping to flex their muscles to potential clients or employers may look at earning a training certification from a select few reputable organizations, such as NASM, ACE, or ISSA. The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is one of the largest and most popular of those organizations and has been offering a variety of fitness certifications—including the Personal Trainer Certificate (CPT)—for decades.

That certificate allows personal trainers to flex their muscles—literally, or in a more figurative sense—to potential clients and employers. While ISSA offers dozens of certifications in various facets of the fitness world (including nutrition, health, and even DNA-based fitness coaching), the CPT is typically a prospective trainer’s first step into the broader fitness ecosystem.

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The ISSA has a long-standing reputation in the industry, as it dates back to the late 1980s, and has certified hundreds of thousands of trainers in the years since. For trainers interested in enrolling in the ISSA CPT course, here’s what you should know.

What is the ISSA certification?  

Generally, when discussing an “ISSA certification,” it is in reference to the Certified Personal Trainer Certification, or often simplified as “CPT.” The CPT certification is a broad, baseline personal training credential that works much like a diploma or degree in showcasing that a trainer successfully completed ISSA’s program.

Holding the CPT certificate “says you’ve passed the barrier to entry into the field,” says John Bauer, a Content Developer at ISSA. “For those seeking work in a health club, it means that not only have you passed the barrier but also, that you have the prerequisite knowledge to get in there and do the job,” he says.

Bauer says that ISSA’s CPT certificate also focuses on an aspect that may make it particularly useful to some trainers: Practicality. The ISSA program “is more practical and relevant” than competing certifications,” he says, and “a lot of what we built into it are tried-and-true pieces that a bunch of us [trainers] have learned over the years.”

In that sense, earning the ISSA CPT certification is a first step for many trainers although there are numerous other areas in which they can specialize and earn more certifications as well. That’s a path many trainers recommend.

“You can get more specific certifications, but start with the basics” says Peter Marino, CEO and founder of Posh Fitness , an online and in-home personal training company operating in New York and Connecticut. Marino earned a DNA-Based Fitness Coach certificate from ISSA, which taught him to use genetic tests when creating fitness plans for clients. But again, Marino recommends that trainers get their start with a basic certificate, like the ISSA CPT. “If you’re in it to be a trainer, go with the simplest certificate to get started,” he adds.

The ISSA CPT Exam

To earn the certificate, students will need to pass a final exam, of which there are a couple of versions. 

First, there’s “the accredited one, with a proctor at the test, a time limit, and no notes,” says Bauer. The exam comprises 140 multiple-choice questions, and has a two-hour time limit—it must also be taken through a third-party proctoring company, called Prometric. This version is certified by the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers Certified Personal Trainer (NCCPT-CPT), and accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA). 

The other version is an online test offered directly through ISSA. While this will earn you a certificate—which will be helpful for trainers who plan to strike out on their own—it may not be a good choice for trainers hoping to land a job at a gym. 

“Most employers, like the big-box gyms, are looking for the accredited certification,” says Bauer.

How much does ISSA certification cost?  

The costs for an ISSA CPT certificate vary, but for most students, the cost of the course will likely be somewhere around $1,000. Prospective students may be able to take advantage of certain promotions, or they can sign up for payment plans. 

If you choose to pay through a payment plan, the costs are higher. ISSA offers 12 or six-month payment plans, with payments of around $94 per month for the 12-month plan. But again, these prices are subject to change, so it may be best to keep a ballpark figure in mind.

The cost of the course also includes the online textbook, access to practice quizzes, and other tools. Students who need more time to take their certification exam can also pay for extensions, which cost around $10 per month.

How long does it take to get ISSA certification?  

Aside from financial costs, it’s important to keep time commitments in mind, too. And the time it takes to get an ISSA certification can, again, vary wildly.

Bauer says that facets of the course are designed to have students complete the course within a few months, assuming they’re studying at least some of the time five days per week. “I would argue that you could do it much faster than that,” he says, “but three months is a reasonable amount of time to get through 18 chapters and a 700-page book.” 

However, perhaps the biggest factor that will affect the time required to earn the certification is how much background knowledge a student already has. For example, someone with a college degree in exercise science or kinesiology might be able to get through the whole course in a matter of weeks—those coming to the material without such a background might take much longer.

Is it worth getting ISSA certification?  

Whether earning an ISSA certification is ultimately worth it will depend on an individual’s circumstances. 

If you’re a new trainer, looking to break into the industry and get a job at a gym, then yes, earning an ISSA certification may be worth the time and effort. But if you’re an experienced trainer—one who might have other certifications or a college degree related to exercise science—it may not. Further, if you’re unsure of how serious you are about a career in personal training, that may also be a signal that you should perhaps wait until your goals crystalize.

“A lot of people are just trying to be fitness influencers now,” says Marino. For those people, certifications may not be worth it. But at the end of the day, “it depends on what your goals are” when trying to gauge if the ISSA certification is worth the expense.

The takeaway  

The ISSA CPT certification is potentially a good entry-level certification for personal trainers, especially those looking to land a training job at a gym. It can be pricey and requires some time and energy to complete, but it’ll showcase to employers, and clients, that you know the basics. For more experienced trainers, however, it may not be worth it.

Those who are interested in taking the course, then the exam, and earning the certification should take it seriously, and think about their next steps, too. Again, the CPT cert is likely only the first step in a longer journey—a signal that you know the basics.

“I think we’ve done a good job of giving them a course they need to be prepared to start doing the job,” says Bauer.

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Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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