Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Grand Tour of St. Petersburg. Our tour manager will be waiting for you from 9.45 to 10.00 am in your hotel lobby to inform you about tour itinerary and details. After that enjoy the Grand Tour of St. Petersburg, which offers visitors the opportunity to take in as much as possible of the city in a day's sightseeing from the comfort of a car or mini van and with a knowledgeable and experienced guide. You will take a complete tour of Saint-Petersburg most famous sites - beginning with the neo-classical splendor of St.Isaac's Cathedral, geometry of Palace Square.
Also you will be visiting the oldest construction of Saint-Petersburg - the Peter and Paul's Fortress and the Cathedral - the burial vault of Romanovs' family. Thereafter a rendezvous with Tsarina herself at the waxwork exhibition "The Imperial Family of Romanovs". The tour includes an elegant lunch in the restaurant serving traditional Russian cuisine. In the afternoon a 2-hour guided excursion in the largest museum of Russia and one of the richest museums of the world - The State Hermitage Museum - to finalize your excellent introduction to St.Petersburg.
Visit the Hermitage Museum - Russia's best gallery of world art, one of the most prominent art museums in the world and definitely the main tourist attraction of St.Petersburg. Nowadays, the Hermitage has about 2.7 million exhibits and displays a full range of world art from Ancient Egypt to early 20th century Europe. It includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, unique collections of Rembrandt, Rubens, French Impressionists.
The collection is huge and very exciting. It had been calculated that if you decide to spend only one minute in front of each exhibit, you will have to stay in the Hermitage for 11 years, but on the tour you have the opportunity to see all the great masterpieces of the world's art at a glance in several hours with a comment of a knowledgeable expert-guide.
Day 2: Tour in Peterhof. Come and discover Peterhof - St.Petersburg most famous and spectacular Imperial estate. Located on the sea shore The Grand Palace and park complex of Peterhof with its unique array of fountains is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. The Grand Palace, filled with fascinating and elaborate interiors, sits on top of a high seashore ridge overlooking the vast Lower Park. The palace at Peterhof sits amidst an enormous park, adorned with fountains, statues and pavilions. The estate's Lower Park lies between the Grand Palace and the seashore and boasts the world's largest system of fountains, earning it the title the "Russian Versailles". The park's unique fountain system was designed in the 18th century and doesn't require the use of any pumps to operate the fountains.
There are four major cascades and over 140 fountains in the park. The most impressive is the Great Cascade, located directly below the Grand Palace and featuring an impressive golden statue of Samson grasping the mighty jaws of the lion. The park's other cascades feature black and white chess board designs, Chinese dragons and numerous other features are definitely worth seeing.In the evening enjoy the folk show "Feel yourself Russian" in Nikolaevsky palace. Discover traditional Russian dance and music throughout this wonderful evening. You'll also have the opportunity to savor in a buffet of delicious gourmet food and drink. Experience this for yourself - book your seat today
The evening begins in the Nikolaevsky Palace restaurant where you discover traditional Russian dance and music during an elegant reception. There is no doubt; without the folk show "Feel yourself Russian" your visit to Russia wouldn't be complete! This show is the unique opportunity to experience the history and spirit of Russia throughout one evening. The show consists of two parts. The show starts with the dance group "Reverence", the beautiful ladies in their crinolines and the elegant cavalier, accompanied by the "Classica" string quartet.
It is followed by a folk instruments ensemble "The Souvenir" with their brilliant performance of folk compositions. Then a Cossack song and dance company "Maidan" reproduces on stage Cossack songs and dances in their original form. The skillful musicians of "Naigrysh", a folk instruments quartet, perform versions of the famous Russian tunes and the folk music of various nationalities. The dancers of "Petersburg Stars" have their own repertoire: dancing miniatures of the Urals and Siberia. In the intermission, refreshments will be served. Enjoy a buffet table of fruit, canapés with red and black caviar, ham, smoked sausage, cheeses, soft drinks, Russian vodka, champagne, mineral water, and juice. During the interval, classical music known worldwide is performed by a string quartet.
Day 3: Tour in royal town of Pushkin. Unlock the secrets of the world wonder - the Amber Room on a half-day tour to the magnificent baroque - style Palace of Catherine the Great in the town of Pushkin. Feel the spirit of the eras of the powerful empresses- Elizabeth and Catherine walking though the gilded amphelade of the numerous ballrooms and imperial halls, amazing with the luxury of their decoration. All Russian monarchs lived, worked, granted audiences, arranged diplomatic receptions for foreign ambassadors, gala balls and masquerades in the gorgeous halls of the palace.
The Catherine Palace enchants and delights everyone. Its azure facades amaze by grandiose sizes, they reflect the unique feature of the Russian national character - emotionality of perception. Both in the winter gray daylight and in the rays of infrequent Petersburg sun, the palace walls, full of expression and internal tension, as though emanate vivacious energy, charging the surroundings with it. Depart on an overnight train to Moscow.
Day 4: Moscow Tour "Dedication to Moscovites". Arrive in magnificent Moscow early in the morning. Today the capital of Russia is one of the biggest cities of Europe with the population over 13 million people. Moscow is a political, scientific, historical, architectural and business center, from which power and might of the Russian state developed.
Enjoy an orientation City Tour "Dedication to Moscovites". The main streets and squares of the city, world known sights of the capital. During this tour you will see old and modern Moscow, center of the city including Red Square and Alexander Garden, Moscow Kremlin. Church of Christ the Savior, Novodevichy Convent, Arbat street, KGB. Splendid architectural ensembles and historical monuments, beautiful streets and embankments and will enjoy the panorama of Moscow from the Sparrow Hills.
Take a walking excursion "Red Square, the Kremlin & Cathedrals" Moscow Kremlin will charm you with the beauty of its architectural ensemble and Kremlin cathedrals and churches will impress with richness of their interiors. Inextricably linked to all the most important historical and political events in Russia since the 13th century, the Kremlin was the residence of the Great Prince and also a religious center. At the foot of its ramparts, on Red Square, St Basil's Basilica is one of the most beautiful Russian Orthodox monuments. Visit the Armory Chamber.
Day 5: Tour to the historic town of Sergiev Posad. Enjoy town of Sergiev Posad - home to the stunningly-beautiful Trinity Monastery of St Sergiev, Sergiev Posad is one of the oldest seats of the Russian Orthodox Church and is one of the most important pilgrimage towns in the country. The monastery was a formidable fortress in the 16th Century and today is a working monastery and clerical school. The crowning glory of its celebrated architecture is the five-domed Assumption Cathedral, considered by many to be the most beautiful in Russia. Among the treasures of the Lavra is the famous icon, The Trinity, by Andrei Rublev. Sergiev Posad is also synonymous with the "matryoshka" nesting doll and is where some of the first were made.
Day 6: Tour in south western Moscow and Tretyakov Gallery. Visit Novodevichy Convent (New Maidens), in south western Moscow, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, was part of a chain of monastic ensembles that were integrated into the defense system of the city. The Convent was directly associated with the political, cultural and religious history of Russia, and closely linked to the Moscow Kremlin. It was used by women of the Tsar's family and of the aristocracy. Members of the Tsar's family and entourage were also buried in its cemetery. The Convent provides an example of the highest accomplishments of Russian architecture with rich interiors and an important collection of paintings and artifacts.
Excursion to the Tretyakov Gallery - wonderful museum of Russian fine art. You see the masterpieces of State Tretyakov Art Gallery from ancient Russian icons up to Russian painting of the 20th century. The State Tretyakov gallery is a national museum of Russian art of X-XX centuries. Russian factory owner Pavel Tretyakov founded it in XIX century, and now the Gallery is one of the largest museums in Russia.
Available tour start dates: all year round on Saturdays.
Inclusions
12 excursions (2 on foot); 1 show;
Transportati (on 1st day 4 hours, 2nd day – 5 hours, 3rd day – 5 hours, 4th day – 5 hours, 5th day – 6 hours); lunches;2nd class train fare from St. Petersburg to Moscow: (1st class upon request);English-speaking guide assistance: during all the tour activities;Entrance fees: all the visits according to the tour itinerary.
Member discount:
10% discount for InfoHub customer. Request a free gift certificate.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Russia
Archeology/History
Cultural Journey
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