Itinerary

Day 1 Moscow

The focal point of Moscow is Red Square, on one side of which is the Kremlin surrounded by a thick red fortress wall containing 20 towers altogether. There a several gorgeous buildings in the square including the Uspensky Cathedral, the 14th-century Grand Kremlin Palace, the golden-domed Belfry of Ivan the Great, and the renowned St Basil’s Cathedral, famous for its brightly colored domes. Lenin’s Mausoleum is also located in Red Square and is still open to the public on certain days. Outside Red Square, Tverskaya Street is one of the main shopping streets. Old Arbat Street is a pedestrian zone with crafts and artists’ stalls and street performers. The world-famous Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater at Teatralnaya Square dates from 1824. Novodevichy Convent near Sportivnaya metro station houses a museum of rare and ancient Russian art, and is one of the finest examples of 16th- and 17th-century architecture in the city. The Metro system itself is steeped in history, with many of stations featuring beautiful decoration. Other sites include the superb Tretyakov Gallery, the Annunciation and Our Lady of Kazan Cathedrals, Gorky Park, and the macbre KGB museum.

Enjoy a private airport transfer in Moscow with a private vehicle, Driver and an Assistant.

A welcome package with small wooden doll Matreshka, nice book on Russia, vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.

We will provide you with a letter of Invitation for your Russian Visa. Once payment has been received, the letter along with other important documents will be sent to you.

Take a panoramic tour and get acquainted with the main architectural and historical monuments of Moscow. The famous Red Square starts outside the Kremlin´s walls. View the panorama of the Kremlin from the Sophiiskaya Embankment, Lubyanka Square, Tverskaya Street, The White House of Russia and Victory Park, view of St. Basil Cathedrals, Lenin Mausoleum, Alexandrovsky Garden, Manezh Square and shopping. No entrance fees and visit to Kremlin  included.

Hotel National (5*) is uniquely located just off the Red Square in the very heart of the historical, cultural and business center of Moscow. Its spacious rooms and breathtaking views over the Kremlin has made the National famous worldwide, attracting presidents, royalties and celebrities among the guests. Dine at Moskovsky restaurant, which is considered the best hotel restaurant in Moscow. Its aristocratic Russian and European cuisine, enchanting historical ambience as well as breathtaking panoramic view over the Kremlin make dining truly unforgettable. As an official member of the “Leading Hotels of the World”, The National combines historical ambience, up-to-date convenience and top-notch service with genuine Russian hospitality.

Overnight at Hotel National (5*).

Day 2 Moscow

Tour the Kremlin, the city´s former military fortification, a palace, an armoury, the sovereign treasury and the workplace of the Russian President. The Kremlin is the center of Russia´s political life and State power. The Armoury Palace features weaponry, imperial regalia and unique art. Visit the impressive Diamond Fund, where the exhibits include the great imperial crown of gold, silver, diamonds and pearls made for the coronation of Empress Catherine XI (Entrance fees are included). If accommodation is outside city, meeting with guide will be in front of Kremlin entrance.

The Moscow Metro is one of the largest and most grandly built metro systems in the world. It was meant to be a showcase of the Soviet Union´s achievements both for the Russians and foreign visitors. The stations are all uniquely designed with decorative elements including mosaics, statues, marble floors, walls and staircases to name a few. Each station has a unique decorative motive utilizing semi-precious stones and sculptures. The tour will proceed to bohemian Old Arbat street. Learn about the street´s interesting history and enjoy it's artisan culture and the street´s many craftsman and souvenir stalls. Entrance to the Metro station is included in the price. For hotels outside the city center, guest must meet guide at entrance to Metro.

Overnight at Hotel National (5*).
    
Day 3 St. Petersburg

St Petersburg is known as a cultural center and for its elegant buildings, and is spread over 42 islands in the delta of the River Neva. In comparison to Moscow, which tended to be more Eastern in character, St Petersburg has always retained a European flavor and was intended as a ‘Window to the West’. It was built by Peter the Great in 1703 and remained the capital of Tsarist Russia for 200 years. Wide boulevards, tranquil canals, bridges and some of the best examples of tsarist architecture gave rise to the epithet the ‘Venice of the North’. The Palace Square and the Winter Palace (Hermitage Museum) are among the most popular attractions for enthusiasts of Russian history.

Novodevichy Convent was founded at the beginning of 16th century. The complex consists of 15 buildings, surmounted by golden domes. For 400 years the Novodevichy Convent was part of important historical events, connected with the names of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Sofia and Peter I. For several years, it was even used as a place of imprisonment for disgraced women from noble families. Visit the interesting cemetery, a charming sight, rich in the spirit of the past, hidden behind a wall in the Twentieth century inner city. Visit the Tretyakov Gallery, the largest museum of Russian art in the world. The museum represents the history of Russian art from the ancient periods. Its superb collection consists of numerous icons, paintings, sculptures and graphics. Entrance fees to the Monastery and Gallery are included in the tour price.

Enjoy a train station transfer with private vehicle/driver and guide.

Watch the changing landscapes on your fast speed train ride from Moscow to St. Petersburg, departing in the afternoon.

Enjoy a private train station transfer with vehicle, driver and English speaking guide.

The luxurious Rocco Forte Hotel Astoria (4*) captures the essence of Russia with an authentic experience steeped in comfort and elegance. Rocco Forte's five-star tribute to sophisticated traveling reflects the noble history of St Petersburg, with interiors scrupulously designed to recreate the grandeur synonymous with this historic city. Hotel Astoria occupies an unrivalled setting in St. Isaac's Square at the hub of St Petersburg's vibrant city center. St. Isaac's Cathedral stands opposite Hotel Astoria, and the renowned Hermitage Museum is only a short walk away. Authentic Russian cuisine is at its finest in the hotel's splendid restaurant, while the hotel’s health and beauty experts offer a range of energizing beauty treatments at the Astoria Spa.

Overnight at Rocco Forte Hotel Astoria (5*).

Day 4 St. Petersburg

Take a panoramic tour and get acquainted with the main architectural and historical monuments of St Petersburg, ride along its main streets and prospects. Drive along world famous "Nevsky Prospect" lined with marble palaces of Russian royalty and aristocracy, Monastery of Alexander Nevsky, with its magnificent Trinity Cathedral and its cemetery where Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky and other world celebrities were buried. View the Hermitage Museum, the Chamber of Curiosities, St. Isaac Cathedral with «The Bronze Horseman» unveiled in Senate Square. Drive by Summer GardenStop in the Field of Mars with the eternal flame lit in the centre of the monument to victims of revolutions and wars, at the Resurrection Cathedral on the Spilt Blood at its background, one of the most unusual monuments of Russian Orthodox. Drive through the Square of Arts with the Palace Square with the Alexander Column, the Triumphal Arch of the general Staff building, and the Winter Palace complex. Continue to visit St. Isaac's Cathedral, It is the forth largest domed cathedral in the world, one of the best samples of the world monumental sculpture and one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. The Cathedral is 102 meters high and can hold up to 12,000 people. It took 40 years to construct this fascinating temple. The dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral now dominates the city skyline. Entrance fee to St. Isaac Cathedrals is included in the tour price.

Positioned on Nevsky Prospekt, St Petersburg's most splendid avenue, Grand Hotel Europe (5*) is surrounded by some of the world's greatest cultural treasures, including the Russian Museum and Mussorgsky Theatre Grand Hotel Europe. Discerning travelers are charmed by the hotel's warm Russian hospitality, impressive architecture and exceptional service. The Hotel offers spacious, tastefully decorated accommodations with antique furniture and period touches, but also incorporates all the comforts a modern traveler needs. The hotel has a wide range of dining options, including its own chocolate factory. The Grand Hotel Europe offers its guests gracious elegance and luxurious comfort, such as in the era of the Tsars.

Overnight at Grand Hotel Europe (5*).

Day 5 St. Petersburg

Enjoy the excursion to one of the most beautiful summer residences of the Royal family, Peterhof. The world-famous palace, fountain and park is an outstanding landmark of Russian artistic culture of the 18th-19th centuries. Learn from your private guide about the fate of the palace and the parks during the World War II, see the pictures representing the palace and in process of restoration works. Walk through the various fountains of different sizes and shapes in the lower Park, and admire the beautiful gardens. Continue with Yusupov Palace, one of the most mysterious places in St. Petersburg. Yusupov Palace once belonging to princes Yusupovs noble family is one of the most beautiful palaces in St. Petersburg. Princes Yusupovs had always been in the center of high life. The palace retains its genuine interiors of the 19th century. The cellar of the palace became the setting of the murder of one of the most scandalous figures in Russian history -Grigory Rasputin. The legendary favourite of the wife of Emperor Nicolas II, Rasputin convinced the royal family that he possessed supernatural powers and that only he could cure the heir to the throne Alexis, who suffered from haemophilia. Rasputin had strong influence on the decisions of the tsar and tsarina. Nowadays the cellar houses an exhibition about the life of Grigory Rasputin.

Choose between one of the various evening entertainment options St. Petersburg has to offer: performances at the Marinsky theater, folklore show in Nikolaevskey palace, a show at the famous Circus, or a river cruise, combined with a folklore show. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you are interested in adding a show to your itinerary during your time in St. Petersburg.

Overnight at Grand Hotel Europe (5*).

Day 6 St. Petersburg

Enjoy a private guided 5hr tour of the Hermitage and admire the gems of the collection. During the tour you will see the State Rooms of the Winter Palace, a part of the collection of paintings of Old Masters and other exciting exhibits and works of art. Value the splendour of the Gala stair-way, Peter's Memorial Hall, the Armorial Hall, the Gallery of 1812 with its numerous portraits, the Pavilion Hall and its various amusements and other gala rooms. You are sure to enjoy the works of applied arts, precious items and paintings. The collection of Western European art, numbering over 600,000 items, is considered to be one of the finest in the world. It presents all the stages of the development of art from the Middle Ages to the present. Enjoy masterpieces by outstanding Western European artists, as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Giorgione, Titian, Michelangelo, Francisco de Goya, Renoir, Picasso and others. You will have an opportunity to see such world-famous masterpieces as works by Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Van Gogh, Gauguin and others. Admire the richest collection of ancient and early medieval items, works of art from Ancient Greece and Rome, fabulous treasures of oriental culture and wonderful European art. (Entrance fee to Hermitage Museum is included in the tour price).

Overnight at Grand Hotel Europe (5*).

Day 7 St. Petersburg

Take a full day tour to Pushkin, originally named Tsarskoe Selo (Tsar's Village), famous for the marvelous Catherine Palace and park. The town, also known as Pushkin, in honour of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, was the main summer residence of the royal family. The collection of the palace includes a large number of precious works of art, such as furniture, porcelain, statues, canvases, including personal belongings of Russian emperors and members of their families. Visit one of the most remarkable interiors of Catherine Palace, the Amber Room. Your private guide will tell the story of the Catherine Palace's construction, and will get to know about the tragic moments in the palace's history, connected with the Nazi occupation during the World War II. Continue to Pavlovsk, site of the only fully-restored former imperial palace following the Nazi’s ravage. The palace-and-park ensemble was presented by the Russian empress Catherine the Great to her son Paul on the occasion of the birth of his first son, Alexander. The palace's Greek Hall is adorned with green Corinthian columns making the ballroom the most elegant interior of the Palace in Pavlovsk. The park of Pavlovsk is the largest park in Russia with ponds, valleys, waterfalls and various statues laid out at the end of the 18th century. Entrance fees are included in the tour price.

Overnight at Grand Hotel Europe (5*).

Day 8 St. Petersburg

Enjoy a private airport transfer with vehicle, driver and assistance.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Depart from St. Petersburg international airport - end of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart.

More information from Kensington Tours:

• View trip on provider's website
  www.kensingtontours.com/tours/europe/russia/russia-exclusive…
• Company profile, experience, and history
• View all of their trips