• Cast & crew
  • User reviews

The Muffin Tops

  • Episode aired May 8, 1997

Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Richard Fancy in Seinfeld (1989)

Elaine opens a new bakery that sells only the tops of the muffins. Elaine opens a new bakery that sells only the tops of the muffins. Elaine opens a new bakery that sells only the tops of the muffins.

  • Andy Ackerman
  • Larry David
  • Jerry Seinfeld
  • Spike Feresten
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus
  • Michael Richards
  • 7 User reviews
  • 3 Critic reviews

Jerry Seinfeld in The Muffin Tops (1997)

  • Elaine Benes

Michael Richards

  • Cosmo Kramer

Jason Alexander

  • George Costanza

Wayne Knight

  • J. Peterman

Richard Fancy

  • Jiffy Dump Guy

Sonya Eddy

  • Rebecca DeMornay

Elayn J. Taylor

  • (as Elayn Taylor)

Paige Moss

  • All cast & crew
  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

  • Trivia The "Peterman Reality Tour" is a spoof of Kenny Kramer 's "Kramer Reality Tour", a New York City bus tour that points out actual locations of events or places featured in Seinfeld. Kenny Kramer was the inspiration for Michael Richards ' character.
  • Goofs No garbage dump would refuse to take the muffin stumps and the sanitation department would have no problem picking them up either.

Cosmo Kramer : Well *women do it*. I'll tell you what. I'll pick you up a sundress and a parasol and you can just *sashey* your pretty little self around the town square.

  • Connections Featured in Seinfeld: The Chronicle (1998)
  • Soundtracks Seinfeld Theme Song Written by Jonathan Wolff

User reviews 7

  • Nov 8, 2012
  • May 8, 1997 (United States)
  • United States
  • 279 Amsterdam Avenue, at 73rd Street, Manhattan, New York, USA (Exterior - P & G Bar, now closed)
  • Shapiro/West Productions
  • Castle Rock Entertainment
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

  • Runtime 23 minutes

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Kramer Keeps It Real

Jonathan Zeller 09/20/2016

Photo: Julienne Schaer

Photo: Julienne Schaer

George: Wait a minute. I think I understand this. J. Peterman is real; his biography is not. Now you, Kramer, are real.

Kramer: Talk to me.

George: But your life is Peterman’s. Now the bus tour, which is real, takes you to places that—while they are real—they are not real in the sense that they did not really happen to the real Peterman, which is you.

Kramer: Understand?

Jerry: Yeah, it’s $37.50 for a Three Musketeers.

 — Seinfeld, “ The Muffin Tops”

Photo: Julienne Schaer

Kenny Kramer—a tall, mustachioed man in a Yankees cap and a bright shirt—stands at the front of the Off-Off-Broadway Producers Club  theater in Manhattan. He’s a striking figure, but he’d be unlikely to command the rapt attention of the 60 or so people watching if he hadn’t been the inspiration for Cosmo Kramer, the eccentric neighbor character on Seinfeld . As it stands, his Seinfeld tour has been running since 1996.

Nearly two decades after Jerry and company stopped making new episodes, Seinfeld remains ubiquitous. Jennifer Armstrong’s new book , Seinfeldia , covers the baseball promotional days, Twitter accounts—one that puts modern tech in its characters’ hands ( @ModernSeinfeld ), another that presents them through a hallucinatory postmodern filter ( @Seinfeld2000 )—and other ways the show remains part of pop culture. Hulu made a documentary  about its superfans. The sitcom's on television virtually every day in every market. That might help explain why a tour that Kenny Kramer himself says he expected to run “six or seven weeks” regularly sells out and has survived twice as long as the show itself.

Right now, Kenny—the Real Kramer—holds up a DVD entitled Seinfans Take Kramer’s Reality Tour and tells his admirers about a story therein.

The incident yielded a plotline on Seinfeld episode “The Tape,” in which George calls a Chinese company that claims to have a revolutionary baldness cure. Kramer says Larry David, his real-life neighbor and the basis for the George character, had a similar experience. He promises viewers will learn the details of David’s mission to cure his baldness, down to before-and-after scalp photos.

The men and women assembled in this room have each paid $37.50 for Kramer’s show and the bus tour that follows. They’re here for behind-the-scenes stories about real-world people who helped shape Seinfeld . And, for the most part, they’re getting that. But right now, they’re getting a tease, a sneak preview of a story that they won’t hear in its entirety this afternoon. Why? “Because,” Kramer says, “I want you to buy the DVD.”

If that life-imitating-art-imitating-life moment sounds entertaining (it was for us), you might want to consider taking Kramer’s Reality Tour.

Levels, Jerry

Following a brief warm-up from another comedian, Kramer—who lived across the hall from Larry David for years in the Manhattan Plaza apartment building on West 43rd Street, coming and going through David’s open door—plays video clips and tells stories from his real life, some of which ended up on Seinfeld .

He also shares a tidbit that might shock many New Yorkers: his subsidized rent back in the ’80s wasn’t much more than $60 per month. “I want to thank you, the American taxpayer,” he says, for the scenario that helped him meet David.

Actually, the crowd is largely international. Visitors hail from Canada, Romania, Sweden, Argentina and Israel, with the largest contingent coming from Australia. Armstrong also noted Kramer’s popularity with Australians in her book; apparently the kavorka  is strong Down Under.

After about an hour of videos and stories, Kramer transitions into the sales portion of the day—he calls it “Kra-Mart”—telling the audience about the deals they can get on T-shirts, mugs, caps and the like. Kramer’s always been a salesman—before his full-time job was being Kramer, he supported himself by selling glow-in-the-dark disco jewelry. He also had gigs as a comedian, a drummer and a band manager, and ran for mayor of New York City in 2001. He got to debate on local television, and you can still buy the campaign T-shirts.

And, yes, Kenny really did briefly believe he was going to put “levels” into his apartment .

Photo: Julienne Schaer

“The Last Thing This Guy’s Qualified to Give a Tour of Is Reality”

Outside the theater, souvenirs in hand, the tour participants pile onto a coach bus. They watch video clips—including an introduction by former New York City mayor and onetime Seinfeld guest star Rudy Giuliani—on their way to the Original Soup Man (formerly Soup Kitchen International), whose Al Yeganeh inspired the Soup Nazi character on Seinfeld .

Yeganeh, who has a reputation as a grumpy guy, was never fond of being called a “Nazi” (to be fair, few would appreciate the label). Kramer shows an amusing video clip he filmed for use as a Seinfeld DVD bonus feature—it ended up on the cutting-room floor—in which the Soup Man insults the show and its fans as our guide interviews him. For an example of how little Yeganeh enjoys his Seinfeld fame, see this interview with Spike Feresten , who wrote “The Soup Nazi.” The story in question begins at the 3:05 mark. Still, this tour brings Yeganeh business, he’s lent his “Soup Man” name to shops and a line of products reaching far outside New York City and he has leveraged his brand to sell T-shirts—a move that suggests, no matter how little he may like his TV counterpart, the Original Soup Man has more in common with the Real Kramer than he’d like to admit.

While they wait for their soups, tour goers pose in photos with Kramer. The man may never have been elected mayor, but he has certainly mastered one of the position’s great ceremonial duties: he smiles like a pro with everyone on the photo line.

Back on the bus, more highlights include a clip of Larry David performing stand-up in the 1980s before he was famous (on Richard Belzer’s Lifetime talk show!) and a glimpse of Tom’s Restaurant , whose facade represented Monk’s Café during the show’s run. Tom’s resisted adding Seinfeld- themed dishes for many years, but has recently succumbed to pop-culture pressure and now sells the likes of Elaine’s Big Salad.

Kramer also points out lesser-known Seinfeld landmarks, including 2067 Broadway, once home to a law firm whose tenant engaged in a legal battle  with a Kenny Rogers Roasters; the smells, sounds and light that rose into the office led the attorney to place a “Bad Food” sign in his window and inspired the episode “The Chicken Roaster.” The lawyer prevailed when the restaurant sued, though both the law office and the Kenny Rogers Roasters are now closed.

In another moment when reality folds over onto itself, the Real Kramer shows the Seinfeld clip (quoted at the start of this article) inspired by his own tour, in which TV Kramer offers a bus tour based on his experiences as the “Real Peterman.”

Indeed, Kramer explains that he used to invite all tour goers up to his apartment for a candy bar (a Snickers rather than a Three Musketeers)—but the dessert break made the tour too long.

Photo: Julienne Schaer

People Want to Know the Stories Behind the Stories

Before we get out of here, it’s a safe bet that Kramer would want you to know some other topics he touches on during the tour:

Larry David’s breakup with a friend, which helped inspire

“Male Unbonding”

David’s attempt to reconnect with a woman he’d met at a party, which formed the basis for

“The Stakeout”

characters named after real people Larry David knew

“real” contest

, of which Kramer says he “wasn’t in it” and “couldn’t win it”

… and much, much more!

For more info and tickets to Kramer’s Reality Tour, visit kennykramer.com ,  which looks like it hasn’t been redesigned since 1996 (Kramer says he’s had plenty of offers to do it for free but doesn’t want to be bothered).

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Kramer's Reality Tour

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Kramer's Reality Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Kramer's Reality Tour

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Kramer's Reality Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Kramer's Reality Tour

the kramer reality tour

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the kramer reality tour

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

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Ryan G

KRAMER'S REALITY TOUR (New York City) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Screen Rant

Seinfeld: kramer’s inspiration explained (& why his name changed).

Beloved Seinfeld character Kramer has real-life origins based on Larry David's old neighbor, which initially caused him to have a different name.

Here's the inspiration behind Kramer on  Seinfeld and why his name initially changed. One of the four main characters on the classic sitcom, Kramer was Jerry's eccentric neighbor for the show's entire run. Kramer quickly became a fan-favorite, and Michael Richards earned much acclaim for his portrayal. During his time on  Seinfeld , Richards took home three Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, among many other accolades.

It's no secret that when making  Seinfeld , co-creator Larry David and the team drew from their own experiences to serve as inspiration for episodes and characters. For instance, David based George Costanza on himself. Kramer also had real-world influences, which actually caused a bit of commotion behind-the-scenes and (briefly) caused Kramer to go by a different name on the show.

Related: Netflix: Every Movie & TV Show Releasing In October 2021

When  Seinfeld launched, David based Kramer on his one-time neighbor Kenny Kramer. However, at first, David wasn't allowed to use the name Kramer, because Kenny wouldn't let him. He only wanted a Kramer to be on the sitcom if he could play Kramer (which obviously did not happen). As a result, Kramer's name was changed to Kessler for  Seinfeld's pilot episode, "The Seinfeld Chronicles." It wasn't until Kenny was paid $1,000 for the use of his name that Kessler became Kramer. The Kessler inconsistency was addressed in the season 9 episode "The Betrayal," which showed Jerry and Kramer's first meeting.

David actually worked this conflict into  Seinfeld season 4, as part of the show-within-a-show arc that saw Jerry and George create a sitcom for NBC. On  Seinfeld , Jerry wanted to base a character on his neighbor, but Kramer would only allow it if he got to play Kramer. He even auditioned for the role. The bit is an amusing illustration of  Seinfeld's brand of humor and how the creative team constantly looked to their reality to fuel fiction on TV. In the wrong hands, the  Jerry storyline could have become too meta for its own good, but it all works regardless if viewers are familiar with  Seinfeld's origins or not. Those who know the behind-the-scenes trivia get a little more out of it.

Interestingly enough, Richards made a point to not base his performance on the real Kramer. The two didn't even meet, perhaps out of Richards' desire to not subconsciously bring any of Kenny into the show. It's hard to argue with the results, since Richards' Kramer went on to become one of the most beloved comedy characters of all-time. Kenny used  Seinfeld's popularity to his advantage and launched the "Kramer Reality Tour" in New York that took people to locations seen in  Seinfeld . In an amusing meta twist, the "Kramer Reality Tour" spawned  Seinfeld's "Peterman Reality Tour" for the season 8 episode "The Muffin Tops," where Kramer's memoirs were used in the J. Peterman catalog.

Next: Every TV Show Coming In Fall 2021 (And Where to Watch Them)

Seinfeld is now streaming on Netflix.

Kramer's Reality Tour

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358 West 44 Street

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Photo of Cathy S.

Seinfeld remains one of my all time favorite shows of all time so how could I resist going on the Seinfeld Reality Tour? In my mind I thought that we were going to get a pizza bagel and bite-sized Three Musketeers while on a bus that had a bag full of muffin stumps at the back, but that is not exactly what happened. We actually met at the Producer's Club Theater and Kenny Kramer made an hour+ long multimedia presentation. He spoke about his relationships with Larry David and later Jerry Seinfeld, the genesis of the show and essentially what was fact vs. what was fiction. Kenny is very funny and engaging so the hour flew by. The next portion of the tour might not have been as well received by other tour guests - a visit to "kra-mart" to look at all of the Seinfeld/Kramer merchandise, but Christmas is coming and I have a lot of friends that love Seinfeld so the Vandelay Industries bumper stickers were a hit with me. The motor coach was nice and modern. Our first stop was to the Soup Nazi's where I partaked in a cup of Lobster Bisque and Kenny gave the opportunity to have your picture taken with him. The coach then drove up the Upper West Side with Kenny showing us various sites that were referred to or used in the show. Because quite a few years have passed since the show concluded, a lot of the sites, like Kenny Rogers Roasters, are no longer in business. The less than $40 price tag, Kenny's funny and well thought out presentation and the opportunity to re-visit one of the greatest tv shows ever made makes this the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Kenny Kramer

Kenny Kramer

Photo of James P.

We enjoyed a 3-plus hour multimedia tour of Manhattan, led by the Real Kramer. Kenny Kramer is witty and charming. He takes you through pictures, video, in-person stand up comedy, and a city bus tour. We learned a lot about Larry David and his real-world inspiration for many of the characters and events in Seinfeld. There's an opportunity to purchase souvenirs from Kra-Mart, which Kenny will gladly autograph. The bus tour included a stop for soup at the site of the sidewalk restaurant that inspired the character of the "Soup Nazi". The lobster bisque and New England clam chowder were stellar. Kramer answered a lot of questions and had a huge amount of knowledge. At the end, he gave us all a 10% coupon for two local restaurants. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. If you're a fan of the Seinfeld TV show and have 3-1/2 to 4 hours to spend on a tour, then this is the ticket for you.

the kramer reality tour

See all photos from James P. for Kramer's Reality Tour

Photo of Lucas A.

I loved it! It was interesting getting to hear insight from Kenny about his life and how everything got started. There were some bumps here and there with technology, but just being there was awesome. Kenny is an incredibly nice guy and seemed to really enjoy interacting with everyone. I'm grateful to have gotten to do this. If you're a Seinfeld fan this is a must-do!

the kramer reality tour

Creepy guy, made inappropriate jokes. You don't see much of the city and the first hour made me fall asleep and the bus was dirty. If you're a huge fan of Seinfeld just go to the places yourself.

Photo of Jami H.

Booked this on a whim as we're both Seinfeld fans. We weren't sure what to expect, but boy are we glad we went. Kenny Kramer begins with a 45 minute talk detailing the rise of Seinfeld and the friendship between Kenny and Larry David. We learned more in that time than in years of sharing trivia. Then there's a brief break to buy merch (ASSMAN license plate, anyone?) before boarding the bus. The bus itself is a nice coach, very comfortable. The tour visits many of the sites featured in the show (though a few have undergone some changes.) A highlight was the Soup Man...the lobster bisque is seriously that good. FYI - a few people hopped off the bus before returning to the theater, so if you end up in a time crunch, that shouldn't be a problem.

Photo of Nancy S.

Kenny ( the real ) Kramer is a wealth of information and fun facts about Seinfeld. His tour is a lot of fun and a great activity- see Seinfeld sites, learn interesting inside scoops!!

Photo of Corinne H.

If you are a Seinfeld fan, this is a must! Kenny Kramer was so welcoming, personable, and Seinfeld-behind-the-scenes-knowledgeable. It feels like you get to be a part of the Seinfeld episode with the Reality Peterman tour (except you're on the real tour that inspired that episode!!). It's low maintenance, low budget, and nonchalant, in a way that let's you know that Cosmo Kramer really was inspired by this real life personality. He's a real character! As a bonus, he will autograph anything, take pictures with each person, and answer each person's Seinfeld questions. He even let me videotape him saying hi to one of my family members that couldn't make it to the tour, so it's a real personal experience with him. Go now!

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Jerrod Carmichael stands against a wall with one hand on his head and the other over his chest.

Opinion Charles M. Blow

The Necessary Discomfort of Jerrod Carmichael’s ‘Reality’

Credit... Ryan McGinley

Supported by

Charles M. Blow

By Charles M. Blow

Opinion Columnist

  • April 3, 2024

The comedian Jerrod Carmichael spends a remarkable amount of time in his new HBO series, “ Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show ,” with his head in his hands like Henri Vidal’s 19th-century statue of Cain after he has killed his brother Abel.

Maybe that’s fitting, since the series focuses on Carmichael’s tortured process of coming out, and like many people who bravely take that step, arriving at the realization that, in a sense, the old you must die so that the new you can live. More pointedly, you must kill the you who is false.

Coming out isn’t always followed by congratulations and celebrations, even today. And for people like Carmichael — and me — who come from religious families and have family members who struggle to reconcile their religious beliefs with our insistence on being free and being seen, it can also be wrenching.

Exposing that dilemma to the world is one of the great services Carmichael performs with his series.

But, of course, the show isn’t really “reality.” It can’t be. Carmichael says that he’s trying to “self-‘Truman Show’” himself, but that’s almost impossible. The cameras aren’t livestreaming his life; they’re collecting footage that is edited — curated — into the moments we see.

The series seeks to address this point in its first episode, when an anonymous friend of Carmichael’s — who is masked when he’s onscreen — says of the presence of cameras, “This is not truth,” and what Carmichael is doing is being “masturbatorially public.”

There’s truth, certainly, to that observation. Carmichael seems to find something exquisite in anguish, not just in his own discomfort, but also in the discomfort of his audience. His stock in trade is the exploitation of the awkward, in forcing his audiences to squirm in the pregnant pause; recall his clever and insightful, but somewhat uncomfortable, monologue at last year’s Golden Globe Awards.

He’s committed to the idea that one can tickle the belly of every trauma, that nervous laughter is still laughter.

This style of comedy has brought him success and accolades. In 2022, he won an outstanding writing Emmy for his HBO stand-up special “Rothaniel,” during which he came out as gay.

The new series is an exploration of his life as a newly out gay man, but it is in his exploration of humanness that Carmichael’s project truly shines. As the ancient playwright Terence wrote, “I am a human: I regard nothing human as foreign to me” — it’s a testament to the universality of the human condition.

And above all else, Carmichael dwells on troubled human relationships: being spurned by a love interest (he confesses his romantic feelings for his friend, the hip-hop artist and producer Tyler, the Creator, only to have those feelings dismissed), being unfaithful to a partner, being a bad friend and longing for parents’ acceptance.

The show is also about how hard emotional maturity can be to attain, about how emotional vulnerability and moral accountability require a courage that many strain to reach. As Carmichael says, “It’s easier to say ‘I’m gay’ than ‘I’m sorry.’”

But perhaps one of the most poignant and important themes in the series deals with the discordant, disorienting feeling of someone who comes out later in life and brazenly centers sex in his gay identity and journey.

“I came out late in life. I was like, basically, 30,” he says, adding wryly, “in gay years, I’m 17.” That’s one reason, he says, he wants sex all the time. But he wrestles with his voracious sexual appetite, trying to understand whether it’s a sign of liberation or disorder.

While talking to a therapist, he says that he was a “very sexual” child “with older kids,” and that he has had at least 1,000 sexual partners.

He repeatedly cheats on his boyfriend, and the two eventually agree to an open relationship, which comes with its own hazards. This doesn’t come across as purely prurient but rather as an honest expression of the complicated relationship many people have with sex, sometimes using it as a distraction from pain and injury.

As Carmichael says, he uses sex to escape.

And then there’s his continuous effort to heal his uneasy relationship with his parents, who have both caused him pain — his father by being unfaithful to his mother and avoidant toward him when he was younger; his mother by not extending her unconditional love to him after he came out. Carmichael doesn’t come across as a saint in this, however. He can’t seem to grant grace to his parents for their flaws, even as he desperately seeks — and expects — grace from them. If Carmichael is the hero of this series, he is of the X-Men variety: complicated and working through trauma.

But, as is evident in the series, the love between parent and child can be irrepressible. It can reassert itself even after the worst, the way sprigs emerge from the ashes of a forest fire.

Carmichael’s show adds to the body of important works that look at life through a queer lens, particularly through a somewhat unconventional Black gay lens, but it’s not just for a gay audience. It is ultimately about the universal themes of brokenness and healing, of a quest for personal liberty, of what it means to love and be loved.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Charles M. Blow is an Opinion columnist for The New York Times, writing about national politics, public opinion and social justice, with a focus on racial equality and L.G.B.T.Q. rights. @ CharlesMBlow • Facebook

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Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

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

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

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

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

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

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Culture Shock Rating

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

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

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

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

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

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

Physical Rating

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

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

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

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

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

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

Luxury Rating

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

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

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

  • 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
  • Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

  • Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
  • Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
  • Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
  • Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
  • Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
  • Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
  • Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
  • Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
  • If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
  • Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
  • Have fun time with a very friendly local;
  • + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

  • Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
  • + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

  • Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
  • Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
  • The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

  • + A friend in Moscow.
  • + Private & customized Moscow tour.
  • + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
  • + An authentic experience of local life.
  • + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
  • + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
  • + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
  • + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
  • + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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COMMENTS

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  11. reservation1.html

    The tour will end some time between 3 and 3:30PM (depending on traffic) Tickets cost $47.50 plus a $2 per ticket service charge. We waive the service charge for groups of 10 or more. Our Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel your reservation, our policy requires a 72 hour advance notice for a refund (less the $2/ticket service charge ...

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    There are many TV tours in New York City that will take you to areas where the hit show Seinfeld was filmed, but this Kramer's reality tour is unlike any other experience out there. You'll spend a few hours with the man who inspired Cosmo Kramer, the stylish oddball, and hear some of Kenny Kramer's real-life tales that became Seinfeld story lines before seeing the show's most iconic spots.

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  23. Moscow Metro Tour with Friendly Local Guides

    Description Moscow Metro private tours. 2-hour tour $87: 10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off 3-hour tour $137: 20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. Metro pass is included in the price of both tours. Highlight of Metro Tour