Moscow & St.Petersburg

8 Days – 7 Nights / Private Luxury Tour

Day 1
Arrive in Moscow
Welcome to Moscow – we’ll greet you at the airport and get you checked in to your hotel.(B)

Day 2
Full Day Moscow Orientation Tour
Your adventure begins with a visit to Red Square. Lenin’s Tomb, St. Basil’s Cathedral – anchors of one of the world’s most influential cities. You’ll visit the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, destroyed under Stalin and restored in 1990’s, and visit the Novodevichy Convent, setting of War and Peace, Anna Karennina and the resting place of both leaders and thinkers. No visit to Moscow would be complete without exploring the Kremlin. You’ll explore the extraordinary State Armoury, treasure-house of the Tsars. Your guide will bring to life a world of fine carriages, sumptuous clothing and the jewels of Faberge. Across the square you’ll take in two of the Kremlin’s cathedrals, now museums: Assumption, once the cathedral of coronations and the burial place of religious leaders, and Archangel, the royal burial church.(B)

Day 3
Tretyakov Gallery
Today you’ll visit the Tretyakov Gallery and with the help of your expert guide, immerse yourself in this stunning collection of Russian masterpieces, now one of Moscow’s greatest treasures.(B)

Day 4
Moscow to St Petersburg
Today you’ll Russia by rail. Our train will leave Moscow at 1:30, bringing us to St. Petersburg at 6 pm – as always, we’ll get you to the station, take care of your luggage and get you into the hotel.(B)

Day 5
St Petersburg Orientation Tour & The Hermitage
You’ll begin the day with an expertly guided visit to one of the most famous museums in the world, the awe-inspiring Hermitage. The Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings and houses 3 million pieces of artwork. Begun by Catherine the Great, by the time Nicholas II ascended the throne in 1894, he was heir to the greatest collection of art in Europe. After lunch, we’ll drive through the historical centre of St Petersburg and take in the city’s main sights: Nevsky Prospect, Palace Square, the Admiralty and Vasilevsky Island. Our exploration will end with a visit to the fascinating 18th century Peter & Paul Fortress, resting place of Peter the Great, architect of this great city.(B)

Day 6
Pushkin & Pavlovsk
Today you’ll leave St. Petersburg and head south. Your guided journey will begin in Tsarskoe Selo (‘the Tsar’s village’), more commonly known as Pushkin and the beautiful Catherine’s Palace, home to the fabled Amber Room. We’ll also marvel at the richness of the Hermitage Pavilion and the neoclassical Alexander Palace, favourite residence of Tsar Nicholas II. We’ll enjoy a traditional hearty Russian lunch at the Podvorie Dacha and continue on to Pavlovsk Palace, a gift from Catherine the Great to her son Paul. Beautifully restored, this remarkable residence is set amidst a park which, when created, was the largest landscaped area in the world.(B,L)

Day 7
Peterhof
This morning we’ll drive to Peterhof, the summer estate of Peter the Great. After his victory over the Swedes in 1709, Peter decided to build a palace “befitting of the very highest of monarchs” — over 5000 labourers, serfs and soldiers were employed in its creation. To avoid the crowds, the Grand Palace is opened for you before official opening hours. Afterwards you’ll be whisked back to St. Petersburg by hydrofoil. The afternoon is yours – explore, relax, shop – we’re here for the night.(B)

Day 8
St. Petersburg to airport
This morning, relax over breakfast with your fellow travelers – we’ll get you to Moscow airport in plenty of time for your flight. (B)

Tour Highlights