russia unplugged - 9 days

Day 1: Moscow Welcome to Russia and the start of your holiday! Meet and greet arrival transfer from the airport to hotel and check in. Tonight, our Welcome Meeting takes place, an opportunity to meet your tour leader and fellow travellers. Remainder of the evening at leisure, maybe go for a drink in the bar or a coffee in the lounge. Overnight - Moscow. Day 2: Red Square & St Basil’s Moscow – breakfast. To legendary Red Square for a guided walk of the Kitay-Gorod and Lubyanka area. In Red Square, feast your eyes on the intensely coloured, onion domed St Basil’s Cathedral, the subject of countless postcards. Along one side runs the elegant façade of the illustrious GUM department store, once the only choice for shopping in the Communist era. Also on Red Square is Lenin’s Mausoleum. If open, we can pay our respects to the father of Communism for free! Rest of day free. Cultured out? Moscow’s restaurants and clubs are open until very late! Overnight - Moscow.

Need more Russia     Join us on an adventure to the Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre. Every Russian cosmonaut since Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space was trained within these walls! For more information, please click here.

Day 3: The Mighty Kremlin
Moscow - breakfast. Today, we journey back to Red Square via the Metro underground, to undertake a guided tour of the mighty Moscow Kremlin. The fortified stronghold, built in the 11th century, still emanates power today. It has been home to the campaigns of Ivan the Terrible, Stalin, Lenin, Napoleon and more recently Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin. Inside the enclave we are able to view the Russian Palaces of Congresses, Senate and Supreme Soviet buildings and make visits to the Assumption Cathedral, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Tsar Bell and Armoury (optional). The reminder of the afternoon is free for you to explore on your own or why not sign up for our KGB Bolt-on? The legendary KGB (now known as the FSB or Federal Security Service), was once one of the largest and most feared secret intelligence organisations in the world. Today, it’s possible to enter the clandestine world of this amazing organisation with exhibits of Cold War memorabilia and deadly weaponry. The tour is led by an existing or ex KGB member (with guide translation) and can only be booked in advance. Even with an advanced booking the FSB may cancel our tour without warning. Check out our KGB bolt-on for further details.
Overnight - Moscow.

Day 4: Explore Moscow
Moscow - Pskov - breakfast. Free day. Pulsating neons and billboard hoardings are proof Moscow has embraced capitalism. However, its plentiful museums, Stalinist-era Metro, stately buildings and traditions ensure Moscow holds onto its rich heritage. The Metro is the easiest way to get around - take a whizz around the circle line, stopping at various stations to view some amazing works of station art. Later this evening, we travel by comfortable overnight sleeper train to Pskov. Overnight - train.

Day 5: Pskov & a Russian Sauna
Pskov region – breakfast. As our train bounds into Pskov, we are just 30km away from the Estonian border. Pskov is historically rich, having played host to a stream of Baltic invaders for 700 years. A tour of Pskov takes in the riverside fortified kremlin, cathedral and other sights. A short drive brings us to the beautiful 14th century Pechory Monastery, where we explore the peaceful grounds and if monastic law permits, an exploration of the burial caves of this fascinating and still-working cloister. Steaming up at a local Russian banya (sauna) will work our appetites up for a vodka and lunch. Tonight at our hotel we’ll tuck into dinner.
Lunch, dinner & overnight - Pskov.

Day 6: Welcome to St Pete’s
Pskov - St Petersburg – breakfast. This morning, we drive to St Petersburg and arrive early afternoon. Founded by Peter the Great, grandiose St Petersburg is designed around an intrinsic network of canals and rivers. Known as the cradle of Revolution, in the 20th century the city underwent three name changes, three revolutions and a 900-day siege. The rest of the day is free. With more than 90 museums, many of which are housed in imperial palaces, plus flamboyant galleries and churches, there’s masses to see! Most of the inner city sights are on and just off the main thoroughfare - Nevsky Prospekt. Overnight - St Petersburg.

Day 7: The Hermitage
St Petersburg – breakfast. This morning, we embark on a city tour driving along Nevsky Prospekt, through the museum and university district and Admiralty End, with stops at the Church on Spilled Blood and The Bronze Horseman. We then enjoy a guided visit of the Hermitage Collection at the Winter Palace. Housing some 2.8 million pieces of art, with collections ranging from Egyptian mummies to Greek vases and a vast and dazzling array of Old Masters, we’ll view the highlights. The rest of the day is free to do St Pete’s your way. The city has a thriving restaurant, bar and club scene if you're keen! Overnight – St Petersburg.

Day 8: Pukka Pass
St Petersburg - breakfast. Free day or Pukka Pass Bolt-on. Our Pukka Pass is inclusive of guiding, transport, entrance fees, lunch and visits to Peter and Paul Fortress on the Petrogradskaya Side, St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Summer Gardens at Peterhof (in summer) or Catherine or Pavlovsk Palace (in winter). Peter and Paul Fortress was built in 1703 on the orders of Peter the Great and is considered to mark the founding of St Petersburg. It has a gruesome history. Hundreds of forced labourers died whilst building the fortress and its bastions were used to hold political prisoners. Peterhof on the Gulf of Finland is Russia’s ‘Versailles’ and popular in summer. The lavish gold fountains, the centre piece of which is the ‘Grand Cascade’, are amazing. Overnight – St Petersburg.

Day 9: St Petersburg
Tour ends after breakfast and hotel check out at 12 noon.

Want a more time to relax?
Our Russia Unplugged tour is fast paced ideal for those with plenty of get up and go! If you’d prefer a holiday with a few more creature comforts, consider our 8 day Treasures of the Tsars - Moscow and St Petersburg with ancient Novgorod in between, offering a relaxed pace, plenty of free time, hotel upgrades and more.