Moscow and St Petersberg

On arrival meet with your professional tour guide for the journey direct to central Moscow and experience an introductory tour of some famous landmarks. Overnight stay in Moscow.

After breakfast, our English-speaking tour guide will meet you at reception for an orientation tour of the city using private transportation. You will see some of the famous landmarks and places to which you may return at your leisure. The tour sights include Red Square, the Kremlin, Sparrow Hills, Bolshoi Theatre, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Victory Park, Novodevichy Convent, the White House and the famous Moscow streets.  In the city centre, you may see the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and queue to see Lenin’s Mausoleum if not in use by the state.
You will also visit the Muzeon Park of Arts (formerly Fallen Monuments Park), filled with iconic monument relics from the Soviet era. Our tour concludes at around 15.00hrs at the hotel or you may stay in the city and make your own way back to the hotel. 
 Overnight stay in Moscow.

After breakfast, your guide will meet you in reception to take you to the most famous landmark of the city, the magnificent Kremlin. Within the territory is the fascinating Armoury Chamber – your guide will include a visit to this spectacular collection of costumes, silver and arms amongst a vast treasure trove of exhibits. Our tour continues to the Danilovsky food market, the oldest trading place in Moscow, where a vast range of food products are available. It is also a great spot for lunch, with a diverse range of regional dishes available.  The tour concludes with a visit to some of the spectacular underground metro stations of Moscow, known as the ‘Palaces of the People’ when they were first built. You will be amazed at the beautiful sculptures, bronzes, mosaics and crystal chandeliers. We return to the hotel (by metro) at around 16.00, or you may stay in the city for further exploration and make your own way back to the hotel. Overnight stay in Moscow.

08.30 hrs: Check-out, leave your luggage in the left-luggage room, and depart the hotel for the famous historic Metropol Hotel where you will enjoy a sumptuous buffet breakfast, including champagne and caviar in the beautiful Metropol Restaurant. If you haven’t read it yet, you must read ‘A gentleman in Moscow’!
After breakfast, a short walk to the Bolshoi Theatre for a one-hour guided tour, including the recently restored 19th century interiors and a view of the main stage from the royal box. If you are lucky there may be scenery installation or even a rehearsal in progress.  After some free time in the city centre depart for the Leningradsky station for the 4 hour train journey to St Petersburg. Overnight stay in St Petersburg

 After breakfast, your panoramic orientation tour of the city will commence. You will see all the major sights of the beautiful city of St Petersburg. You will see the world-renowned Hermitage Museum, located in the Winter Palace, Peter and Paul Fortress and pass along the famous Nevsky Prospect. St Isaac’s cathedral is also on our route, as well as the Church on the Spilled Blood.  Included today is a visit to Peter and Paul Fortress, which guards the city of St Petersburg, located on the island facing the Hermitage and dominating the Neva River. Built as a fortification during the Russian-Swedish war, it was never used as a fortress and its bastions were turned into political prison cells. There, Prince Alexei, a son of Peter the Great and a famous pretender to the throne, Princess Tarakanova, writer Radischev, Decembrists and revolutionaries were all held as prisoners. Peter and Paul Cathedral, designed by Tresini, contains the remains of Russian rulers since 1725.
You will also visit the Church on the Spilled Blood. With five domes, it is St Petersburg’s most elaborate church with a classic Russian Orthodox exterior and with an interior containing 7000 sq m of mosaics. Its colloquial name refers to the assassination of Tsar Alexander II at the same location in 1881.
During the tour there will be a break for coffee and doughnuts in the oldest doughnut shop in St Petersburg, still a favourite with locals.  We end the tour with a visit to the Vodka Museum, where we have arranged a tasting of a selection of traditional Russian vodkas with snacks. Overnight stay St. Petersburg

After breakfast, your guide will take you to the world-famous Hermitage Museum – the magnificent collection of art in the winter palace of Catherine the Great. Enjoy a guided tour in the largest museum in the World, founded in 1764; with a collection of more than 2.7 million items, including masterpieces of Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Rodin, Rembrandt and Rubens. We also include a visit to the new General Staff building, home to the French impressionist collection – a feast for art lovers.
Free time will be allowed for a short lunch break at the Hermitage café (lunch not included). Return to the hotel or you may stay on at the Hermitage and return to the hotel on your own at your leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be taken by your guide to visit one of St Petersburg’s most prized palaces. In the town of Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo) 29km south of St. Petersburg, is Catherine’s Summer Palace. The construction of the palace for the Empress Catherine started in 1717. A park in the French style was laid out around the palace and, in the middle of 18th century, Tsarskoye Selo became the official royal residence. This palace is famous for the ‘Amber Room’, now completely restored to its former glory. Not far from the Catherine’s Palace there is the Lyceum where the great poet Alexander Pushkin studied. Return to your hotel early/mid-afternoon.Overnight stay in St. Petersburg.

An executive motor coach is provided for the transfer to St Petersburg airport.