Contemporary, Royal and Communist Russia Tour

Arrival in Moscow. You will be met, greeted, and escorted to your hotel. This evening you can relax and have a welcome drink.

Today we offer you some insights into the rich history of Moscow. Drive around the Kremlin and view the Christ the  Savior Cathedral, a church with a controversial history. Then you’ll visit Poklonnaya Hill (Bow Hill) commemorating the events of World War II from a Russian perspective. See Moscow University and the Sparrow Hills.

Step into Red Square to admire the colorful domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral. View the famous landmarks including the Savior Tower, the Kremlin walls, GUM department store, the State Historical Museum and Lenin’s mausoleum.

After lunch, you’ll take a walk in the oldest neighborhoods of Moscow – Kitay-Gorod. Stroll down Varvarka street. View the XVII century Boyar Romanov residence that preserves the origins of the second Royal dynasty, The Old English Court, and the new urban Zaryadye park.

In the evening, you will enjoy dinner a la Russe, and soak up the unique atmosphere of downtown Moscow.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with wine

After breakfast, take a Metro (Subway) ride with your guide and stop to explore the grandeur of its most impressive  stations. Then visit the Old Tretyakov gallery – the main museum housing a collection of Russian  art from the XII to the XX century, including the world famous Andrey Rublev’s “Holy Trinity.”

We will stop for lunch at the local restaurant and then walk around the ancient streets of Zamoskvorechye – the neighborhood around the Tretyakov gallery. Here you can catch a glimpse of pre-Revolutionary Moscow. It used to be home to craftsmen of all trades. Peter the Great’s reforms brought in merchants with their grand mansions. Later, they were followed by the nobility who built grand palaces. While you explore the many little picturesque lanes, you will forget for a moment that you are in one of the busiest cities in the world. Today, the district is full of pedestrian zones with cozy cafes and restaurants.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, you will enter the Kremlin walls to feel the country’s past and present. The Kremlin is an old fortress and the most important historical and political center of Russia. You will see the Kremlin’s compositional center and look into the three main cathedrals – the Assumption, the Annunciation, and the Archangel’s Michael cathedral.

You will visit the Armory Chamber – the treasury of Russian tsars that houses a collection of unique jewelry, court regalia, armor, coronation dresses, golden carriages, and some of the fabulous and priceless Easter Eggs by Karl Faberge.

Optional: You’ll have time to refresh back at the hotel before the evening program. The most popular ballets in Russia are the Swan Lake, Spartak, Giselle, Romeo & Juliette, Don Quixote, La Bayadere, Onegin and many many more. You will have a chance to enjoy a magnificent performance at one of the theaters or entertain yourself with the Russian National Folklore Show (the schedule is subject to change, tickets and transfers to/from the venue are not included). 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Meet your guide in the lobby of the hotel for the KGB tour. On this tour, you will visit places connected with the time of great repression and fear. You will step on Lubyanka Square to see a memorial to the victims of political repression – Solovetsky Stone. You’ll learn what it was like to live under the KGB’s watchful eye in Russia. Visit the Park of Arts Muzeon. It is one of the largest Russian outdoor museums where the statues of disgraced leaders share their place with diverse creations by contemporary sculptors.

Later you will be transferred to Leningradsky railway station to board the rapid train Sapsan to St. Petersburg. You will be offered meals on board. Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, you will check in to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast join the tour of the northern capital of Russia.

First of all, view the Palace Square and take in the spectacular panorama of the General Staff building, Alexander column, and the Hermitage. Then the city tour will feature the impressive St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Bronze Horseman statue of Peter the Great and splendid view of the city from the Spit of Vasilievsky Island. Follow your guide to the oldest part of the city – Peter and Paul Fortress where the town of Peter started in 1703. Continue past the Field of Mars and the Summer Gardens to the most famous church in the city the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After a leisurely breakfast, go to Dvortsovaya (Palace square). A highlight of your stay is a guided visit to the famous Hermitage Museum with its masterpieces by hundreds of artists including Renoir, Da Vinci, and Matisse. The State Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings and is one of the oldest and largest art galleries in the world. It is estimated that you would need eleven years to view each exhibit on display for just one minute!

After a lunch-break admire the Impressionist Gallery at the restored General Staff building. Then you will have an opportunity to explore the city on your own, visit multiple shops, or visit exhibits.

You’ll have time to refresh back at the hotel before the performance. Enjoy the Gala Reception at the Romanov Dynasty Palace. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, join your fellow travelers for an unforgettable tour to Peterhof Park – the “capital of fountains” – with the most famous Grand Cascade. It is beautiful in the summertime! There are 64 different fountains and numerous bronze statues, bas-reliefs, and other decorations. The architecture and decor of Peterhof reflect all the artistic styles of the past and the personal tastes and preferences of every Russian monarch. Visit the Grand Palace.

After lunch, return to St. Petersburg and enjoy the canal cruise. If you look at the city from the water, you will see an absolutely different St. Petersburg.

After the cruise you will take part in a culinary class followed by Russian style dinner with your fellows.  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with the culinary class

Departure transfer for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast