treasures of the tsars - 8 days

Tour Information
Starts: Moscow
Ends: St Petersburg
Local Payment: No
Prices and departures: Click here
Breakfast: 7, Lunch: 1
Hotel Rating: 3 - 4
Tour Leader: Yes (on groups of 6 or more)

Day 1: Moscow Welcome to Moscow and the start of your holiday! Arrival transfer from the airport to hotel and check in. This evening our Welcome Meeting takes place. Remainder of the evening at leisure, maybe go for a drink in the bar or coffee in the lounge. Overnight - Moscow. Day 2: Red Square & St Basil’s Moscow – breakfast. This morning we visit legendary Red Square and enjoy a guided tour of the Moscow Kremlin. The fortified stronghold, built in the 11th century, was home to the campaigns of Ivan IV, Stalin, Lenin, Napoleon and more recently Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin. Inside the enclave we view the Russian Palaces of Congresses and tour Assumption Cathedral, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, Tsar Bell and The Armoury (optional). Later, visit St Basil’s Cathedral, the subject of countless postcards or spend some time inside the illustrious GUM department store - once the only choice for shopping in the Communist era. The remainder of the afternoon is free. Consider joining us for a visit to KGB Headquarters. See KGB bolt-on box. Overnight - Moscow.

Legendary KGB Bolton     Take a tour of the fascinating world of the legendary KGB (now known as the Federal Security service or FSB) exhibiting Cold War memorabilia, spy paraphernalia and deadly weaponry. For more information, please click here.

Day 3: The Mighty Kremlin
Moscow - breakfast. Today, we can return to Red Square where, if open, we can pay our respects to Lenin’s Mausoleum or consider taking a journey on the Stalinist-era Metro, to view some of the gold gilded frescoes that adorn many of the circle line stations. Alternatively, join us on an optional adventure to the Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre, by undertaking our star city bolt-on. Tonight, we travel by comfortable overnight sleeper train to Novgorod. Overnight - train.

Day 4: Novgorod & Banya
Novgorod – breakfast. 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  1044; whilst today’s walls and towers, despite having been re-built in 15th century, are impressive all the same. Steaming up at a local Russian banya we enjoy a sauna, lunch and a sip of vodka. Later, we travel to St Petersburg by coach arriving late evening. Overnight – St Petersburg.

Days 5 & 6: St Petersburg
St Petersburg – breakfast. This morning, we drive to St Petersburg. Arriving early afternoon we embark on a coach tour of the city, driving along Nevsky Prospekt and Admiralty End, with stops at the Church on Spilled Blood and The Bronze Horseman. On day 6, a day at leisure or Pukka Pass Bolt-on. Our Pukka Pass is inclusive of guiding, transport, entrance fees, lunch and visits to Peter and Paul Fortress, St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Summer Gardens at Peterhof or Catherine or Pavlovsk Palace in winter. Overnight (2) – St Petersburg.

Day 7: Pukka Pass
St Petersburg - breakfast. Today, we enjoy a guided tour 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. Overnight – St Petersburg.

Day 8: St Petersburg 
Our tour ends after breakfast and onward departure transfer to the airport.