27 DECEMBER. Day 1. Arrival in the dazzling cultural capital of Russia – St. Petersburg. Our English-speaking representative will meet you at the airport. Transfer to the 4* hotel Dostoevsky and check-in. Free time in the evening to take your first stroll along the frozen canals.
28 DECEMBER. Day 2. Breakfast at the hotel. Guided visit to one of the major architectural treasures of the Royal St. Petersburg - settlement of Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin) located 25km south of the city. This small town has two gigantic palaces, set amidst huge and beautiful parkland: the glorious Catherine Palace, a Baroque masterpiece by the Italian architecture Bartolomeo Rastrelli, and the Alexander Palace, where the last tsar family dwelt. We will visit the Catherine’s Palace with the Amber Room. Lunch in a restaurant. Troika ride around Pushkin Palace. Return to the city in the afternoon. You will spend this evening at the stunning
Nikolaevsky Palace, where you will enjoy a farewell buffet and a bright folklore show held in the former ballroom of the Palace.
29 DECEMBER. Day 3. A sightseeing tour will take you around the stunning “Venice of the North”. You will see the major sights of St. Petersburg, including St. Isaac’s Cathedral - one of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals, the Church of Christ’s Resurrection (The Saviour of the Blood), which revives the traditions of 17th century Russian church-building and other major highlights of this legendary city. You will also see the Peter and Paul Fortress – the historic kernel of St. Petersburg dating from 1703. The fortress was used as a political prison before 1917. Nowadays this doughty fortress-cum-prison has had many of its buildings converted into museums and features a splendid cathedral containing the tombs of the Romanov monarchs. You will also visit the famous cruiser Aurora; the legendary ship whose canon gave the signal, on the order of Lenin, for the beginning of the Great Social Revolution more than 90 years ago.
Free time in the afternoon for rest and shopping. In the evening you will attend a magnificent ballet performance in one of St. Petersburg’s dazzling theatres! (Please note that the availability of the tickets to a particular performance is subject to the theatre’s performance schedule which is only finalised two months in advance. Transfer to the theatre is not included)
30 JANUARY. Day 4. Breakfast in the hotel. Guided visit to one of the world famous museums, the Hermitage, housed in the former Winter Palace. The museum contains an enormous collection of Western Art, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Picasso and many other great masters. There are also Historical, Russian and Oriental sections which are definitely worth visiting. From the 1760s, the Winter Palace was the main residence of the Russian Tsars. Magnificently located on the bank of the Neva River, this baroque-style palace is perhaps the major attraction of St. Petersburg. In the afternoon departure to Moscow by a fast day-time train. Arrival in Moscow in the evening. Transfer to hotel through amazing Night Moscow.
31 JANUARY. Day 5. Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will discover some of the finest treasures of Moscow on a guided city tour. Enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the Sparrow Hills observation platform, visit Poklonnaya Hills a monument in honour of a Russian victory in the Great War (World War II), see the famous Red Square and the Bolshoi (Big) theatre or explore modern Moscow’s busy streets and discover the rich history of this magnificent city. Russian cuisine lunch in a restaurant.
In the afternoon you will have a guided visit to the Kremlin (former residence of Tsars and Russian Orthodox Patriarchs) and its beautiful unique Orthodox cathedrals, St. Basil's cathedral, Red Square and the world-renowned Lenin Mausoleum. On your request we can arrange a visit to the Armoury, a unique collection of gold, silver, jewellery, Faberge eggs, carriages and Tsarist thrones.
In the evening you will enjoy your own private New Year’s celebration in Moscow. You are welcome to join the public celebration at the Red Square – hotel is located within a short walking distance to the Kremlin!
Optional at your request: celebration of the New Year with a Gala Dinner accompanied by music, champagne, vodka and Russian caviar! After the festive dinner you can continue the celebration by joining the public New Year Party at the Red Square. Please enquire regarding the options.
1 JANUARY. Day 6. Late breakfast at the hotel. Free time in the first half of the day. In the afternoon guided tour of the Moscow Underground – explore one of the masterpieces of the Soviet era created in the style Socialist Realism.
2 JANUARY. Day 7. A day excursion to one of the Moscow’s suburbs to enjoy real Russian winter. Kolomenskoe - is a former old royal estate located on the bank of Moscow river, 10 km from the Kremlin. Though its legendary wooden palace no longer exists, Kolomenskoe still has one of the finest churches in the whole of Russia and vintage wooden structures. Kolomenskoe is open for the public and is currently a huge park with options for sightseeing and entertainment. The availability of excursion in Kolomenskoe depends on the park’s schedule over the festive period which can be changed at a short-term notice by the local administration. In the unlikely event of such cancellation, we will substitute it with an equivalent guided tour in Moscow suburbs. Free time in the evening.
3 JANUARY. Day 8. Breakfast at the hotel. Free time in the morning for your last souvenir shopping or visit to a Museum of your wish (a guided tour can be arranged at your request). In the afternoon transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
Major Highlights of this Tour:
Some places you visit in this journey are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Please click here to view the UNESCO review page:
Optional excursions:
At your request we can organise for you various activities, please click here for a detailed list of options.
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