Tour Details
- Starts in: Moscow / Ends in: Moscow
- Departs: Saturdays - March to October
- No local payment required
- Breakfast:13, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 2
- Hotel Rating: 3 star
- Tour Guide: Yes
Experiences
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Russia All The Way - 14 days
The ultimate Russian experience. More time, more highlights! Join the revolution on a trip that reveals the very best of Russia. Exploring the sights of Moscow, Pskov, St Pete's, Novgorod. Cities, kremlins, country towns, culture and captivation in two weeks!
Day 1: Moscow
Saturday. Welcome to Russia and the start of your holiday! Meet and greet arrival transfer from airport to hotel and check-in. Tonight, our tip-filled Welcome Meeting takes place, afterward head to the bar with your tour leader and fellow passengers. Overnight - Moscow
Day 2: Red Square
Today we journey to Red Square for a guided tour of the Kitay-Gorod and Lubyanka area. In Russian, the famous Red Square is called Krasnaya Ploschad. The word ‘red’ doesn’t refer to the colour of the bricks or Communism. The word ‘krasnaya’ simultaneously means ‘red’ and ‘beautiful’. In Red Square, feast your eyes on the wildly coloured, onion domed St Basil’s Cathedral - an enduring Russian symbol. Along one side of the square 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, where if open, we can pay our respects to the father of Communism. The remainder of the day at leisure. Overnight - Moscow (B)
Russia All The Way - 14 days Go Guide : :Check out the go guide for details of the tour, info on visas, climate, money, what to bring and more!
Day 3: The Mighty Kremlin
Journeying to Red Square via the underground Metro, we enjoy a guided tour of the mighty Kremlin. The fortified stronghold built in the 11th century, was home to the campaigns of Ivan the Terrible, Stalin, Lenin, Napoleon and more recently Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin. Inside the grounds we 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 remainder of the afternoon is free for your explore on your own or why not sign up for our Inside a Soviet Bunker bolt on? Head 65 meters underground to explore a Stalinist-era bunker that up until recently was a top secret symbol of Soviet Power. See the giant tunnels and get a guided tour of the rooms and secret paraphernalia. Overnight - Moscow (B)
Day 4: Explore Moscow
Moscow - Pskov. Free day. Relax and chill out or perhaps visit one or two of the city’s plentiful museums. The Moscow Metro, a gift to the good Soviet people from Joseph Stalin, is a tourist attraction in itself. Many of the central stations are richly adorned with bronzes and chandeliers and clad with marble and mosaic! Bolt-on star city - Join us on an optional adventure to the Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre. The facility has trained every Russian cosmonaut since Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. Tonight, we travel by overnight sleeper train to Pskov.
Overnight - Sleeper Train (B)
Day 5: Pskov
Pskov region. Arrival at Pskov. Just a stone’s throw from Estonia, historical Pskov has played host to a stream of Baltic invaders for 700 years. A tour of Pskov takes in the riverside fortified Kremlin and cathedral. A short drive brings us to the beautiful 14th century Pechory Monastery, where we explore the peaceful grounds and if permitted, we can go underground and view the burial caves of this fascinating and still-working cloister. Steaming up at a local Russian banya (sauna), we work up our appetites for a village lunch and a few vodkas.
Overnight - Pskov and Pechory (B, L, D)
Day 6: St Petersburg
Pskov - St Petersburg. This morning, we drive to St Petersburg, early afternoon arrival and remainder of the day at leisure. Stunningly grandiose St Petersburg, founded by Peter the Great in 1703, is built around a series of bridge-connected canals and rivers. With more than 90 museums, many of which are housed in imperial palaces, flamboyant galleries, churches, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops housed in some of the grandest architectural concoctions, the city is a feast for eyes and a real favourite of visitors. Overnight - St Petersburg (B)
Day 7: The Hermitage
This morning, a city tour takes us to the Church on Spilled Blood and Admiralty End. Later we visit the Hermitage, 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 view the highlights of the collection. The rest of the day is free to do St Pete’s your way. Overnight - St Petersburg (B)
Day 8: Pukka Pass
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 summer. Peter and Paul Fortress was built in 1703, on the orders of Peter the Great, is considered to mark the founding of St Petersburg. It has a gruesome history. Hundreds of forced labourers died while building the fortress and its bastions were used to hold political prisoners. A magnificent cathedral here houses the remains of the Romanov dynasty. 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 (B)
Days 9 - 10: Enjoy St Petes
Bidding goodbye to those on the 9 day ‘Russia Unplugged’ tour, we enjoy 2 free days at leisure. Be sure to spend some time shopping along Nevsky Prospekt, taking a bite at the Pushkin Inn, famous for its Stroganoff and enjoying an evening of ballet or theatre. St Pete’s has plenty to see and do, by day and by night. Overnight - St Petersburg (B:2)
Day 11: Free time
St Petersburg – Novgorod. Today gives the opportunity to shop for souvenirs, maybe some wooden dolls or russian memorabilia found at the canal side market near the striking Church on Spilled Blood. Or take a walk along Nevsky Prospekt. Later we travel by coach or train to Novgorod where we enjoy a steamy Russian banya (sauna). Overnight - Novgorod (B)
Day 12: Novgorod
Novgorod – Moscow. Novgorod is one of Russia’s oldest cities, located within reach of the Volkhov river and Lake Ilmen. It was formed as a town in the middle of the 10th century. A tour of Novgorod takes in the riverside fortified kremlin, cathedral and other sights. The fortress was mentioned in chronicles as early as in 1044, whilst today’s walls and towers, despite being re-built in 15th century, are impressive all the same. Tonight we have dinner before travelling by overnight sleeper train from Novgorod to Moscow. Overnight - Sleeper Train (B, D)
Day 13: Moscow
Early this morning, we arrive into Moscow - the capital that spawned dozens of spy novels! Today we will ride on the capital’s efficient Metro to Red Square. From here, we’ll take in the jewels of Russia’s capital on a guided walk in the Kitay-Gorod and Lubyanka area, taking in sights such as the epitome of Russian power – the Kremlin (guided tour on day 8), Lenin’s Mausoleum and the ritzy GUM department store. At the south end of the square, feast your eyes on the wildly coloured, turban domed St Basil’s Cathedral, an enduring Russian symbol commissioned by Ivan IV (also known as Ivan the terrible) in 1555. Overnight - Moscow (B)
Day 14: Moscow
Friday. Tour ends after breakfast and hotel check out at 12 noon. (B)
Choose from an exciting range of bolt-ons!
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Go the max and sign up for a day of culture and all things grand with our St Petersburg Pukka Pass, visiting Peter and Paul Fortress, St Isaac's Cathedral and either palatial Peterhof (summer) or Catherine Palace. Head for outer space at the Star City Cosmonaut Centre, or check out our Inside a Soviet Bunker bolt-on!
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