A Tale of Russia
Programme Overview
Duration: 10 days
An itinerary dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the war with Napoleon and the story of Russia's history.
Highlights: Moscow, "Spasskaya Tower" Festival, St Petersburg, Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Peterhof
Arrive Moscow
Upon arrival at Moscow airport you will be welcomed to Russia in the arrivals hall by your English-speaking guide and privately transferred to your hotel. At the hotel you will be assisted with check-in procedures. The remainder of today is at leisure.
Moscow
Begin your acquaintance with Russia from its very heart – Red Square. The square lies on the east wall of the Kremlin surrounded by a thick red fortress wall containing twenty towers all at various intervals. Continue to the Christ the Savior Cathedral that was commissioned by Tsar Alexander I when the last of Napoleon's soldiers left Moscow.
After lunch at leisure delve into the 19th century spirit and lifestyle of noble Moscow and perceive the genius world of one of the outstanding Russian writers – Leo Tolstoy. Visit his city home hidden in the bustling city and laden with original belongings and details that help you reenact the long winters that Leo Tolstoy, his wife, and their 13 kids spent here from 1882 to 1901.
Tonight attend the exclusive festival “Spasskaya Tower” (September 2nd – 8th) that Moscow holds annually. Military bands from all over the world come to Moscow to give majestic performances in the heart of the city - the Kremlin wall on Red Square serves as a splendid theatrical curtain for spectators of the show.
Meal Plan: B
Moscow
This morning you are taken on a visit to the Kremlin grounds, the very place from where the city itself arose one day. For centuries, the Kremlin has been witness to many famous and tragic events in Russia’s past and has become a treasure trove of Russian history. Visit two of the Kremlin’s cathedrals: Assumption, the place of coronations and the burial church of religious leaders, and Archangel, the royal burial church.
The tour will continue with a visit to the State Armoury, the oldest museum in Russia and home to a collection of precious stones, masterpieces of 18th and 19th century jewellery and priceless artefacts dating as far back as the 14th century, as well as an impressive collection of carriages from the best Russian and European masters, precious fabrics, and royal gala clothes. The museum is also famous for its fine collection of Fabergé eggs.
Afterwards see the dazzling exhibition of the State Diamond Fund, a separate collection containing the most valuable gems in Russia. The highlights of the collection include the priceless diamond-encrusted Coronation Crown of Catherine the Great and the 190-carat Orlov Diamond, set into the Imperial Scepter.
Enjoy an afternoon lunch at leisure and continue your day with a visit to Borodino Battle Panorama Museum – a historical-memorial complex dedicated to the glory of Russia in battle. The main theme of the tour is closely connected with Russia's military victories but you will also learn about certain bitter events in our history. On your way to the museum enjoy a beautiful prospect of the historic and memorable Poklonnaya Hill where there is a Victory Park dedicated to reminiscences of two great wars - the Napoleonic War and World War II.
Meal Plan: B
Moscow
Today travel with your private vehicle and guide to the Tretyakov Gallery, housing the world's best collection of Russian icons and an outstanding collection of pre-Revolutionary Russian art. Originally the private collection of a wealthy Russian merchant Pavel Tretyakov, this vast art collection was given to the Russian nation as a gift in 1892.
After the excursion you will have a unique chance to visit the museum cathedral of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, which is part of the Tretyakov Art Gallery. Listen to church hymns sung by the St. Nicholas Choir of the Tretyakov Art Gallery who have won the reputation as one of the best choirs of Russia. Performing church musical pieces, the choir is remarkable for its high vocal culture, perfect performance, convincingness of interpretation.
Enjoy an afternoon at leisure
You may want to conclude your day with a performance at the recently refurbished, famous Bolshoi theatre. The grand theatre in Moscow stands bathed in red Italian fabric and newly gilded mouldings, harking back to its tsarist-era splendour. But the most important changes are those unseen – namely, an overhaul of the theatre's acoustics, which were severely damaged during ill-planned Soviet-era changes.
Meal Plan: B
St Petersburg
This afternoon you will take a high speed train to a cultural capital of Russia – St. Petersburg.
Upon arrival in St. Petersburg you will be met at the train station and privately transferred to your hotel in the city centre. Your secondary Guardian Angel will help you with check-in and answer your questions regarding your stay in St. Petersburg.
Meal Plan: B
St Petersburg
Today you will enjoy a full day's sightseeing with your guide and private vehicle. On a drive through the historical city centre, you will see the main city sights; Nevsky Prospect, Palace Square, the Winter Palace, the Admiralty and Vasilevsky Island. Visit the fascinating Peter & Paul Fortress, which Peter the Great built in 1703 to provide protection from the Swedes. The Fortress Cathedral is the burial place of most of Russia's Tsars and Tsarinas from the 18th century onwards, including Peter the Great himself, the great architect of St Petersburg. Afterwards visit St. Isaac's Cathedral, whose gilded dome dominates the skyline of St. Petersburg. The cathedral's construction began in 1818 and was not completed until 1858. Sculptures and massive red granite columns ornament the façade, while the interior is even more lavishly decorated with mosaics, icons and columns of malachite and lapis lazuli.
If you wish to get to know Russians better this is the very visit for you. Yuri Petrochenko and his wife Neli live in a flat at the 18th century mention. Their house is a small museum where you can see old portraits, icons, antique furniture and numerous pieces of Russian Art. Uryi himself is a great Russian artist famous abroad for his painting on ceramics, and especially his collection of ceramic painted Eggs. Neli will cook a delicious Russian pasty and tell many interesting stories about this intriguing country and its people.
Later this afternoon, experience a unique perspective of St. Petersburg with a one-hour private journey on a canal boat which allows you to see unusual parts of the city not seen when driving along the city streets. The city is built on 42 islands, being washed by more than 90 rivers: Neva’s arms and channels. The granite embankments with slopes and piers have become peculiar pedestals for the magnificent palaces.
Meal Plan: B
St Petersburg
Your driver and guide will take you to visit one of the most famous museums in the world, the awe-inspiring Hermitage in the lavishly decorated Winter Palace.
The Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings and houses 3 million pieces of artwork from the Stone Age to modern times. The main building and largest part of the museum is the rococo-style Winter Palace, residence of the Czars from 1762 to 1917. The museum was commissioned by Catherine the Great and she and her successors built the Hermitage collection in large part with purchases of the private collections of the Western European aristocracy and monarchy. By the time Nicholas II ascended the throne in 1894, he was heir to the greatest collection of art in Europe. The whole museum complex was bombarded during the siege of Leningrad in WWII but re-opened to the public in 1945.
One exhibition of note is the heroes of 1812 gallery displaying portraits of kings, military leaders and diplomats.
Following lunch at leisure let your artistic abilities and imagination run free while either painting your own traditional matryoshka doll at the matryoshka painting master class or learning to dance traditional folk dance such as Khorovods or Kadrils
Meal Plan: B
Pushkin - Pavlovsk
Today travel with your private vehicle and guide outside the city to visit Tsarskoe Selo (renamed Pushkin in 1937 to commemorate the centenary of famous Russian poet’s death). You may visit the summer palace, created for Catherine I, expanded and redesigned for Empress Elizabeth and remodeled again for Catherine the Great. The baroque Catherine Palace, whose exterior features golden domes and blue and white facade mouldings, suffered extensive wartime damage, but is today a masterpiece of restoration thanks to the reinstatement of the world-famous amber room enhancing the interior that gleams and glitters with mirrors, chandeliers and gilded woodcarvings.
Afterwards Enjoy a traditional hearty Russian lunch at Podvorie Dacha which resembles a Russian terem (wooden palace): pickles, cold cuts, salads, borsch, and pancakes with ice cream). The restaurant is housed in a typical Russian log house and its interior is filled with wooden panels and bear skins hanging on the walls of the restaurant. The restaurant offers a relaxed, informal atmosphere. This restaurant in recent years has hosted President Putin’s birthday celebrations and is also renowned for its excellent and lively folklore performances.
Travel to Pavlovsk and have a unique chance to participate in an Old Russian entertainment – riding on a Russian Troika. Three horses will take you for a ride on a big carriage painted in traditionally Russian style. The fervent ring of the bells tied to a bridle will be your accompanying music.
Meal Plan: B
Petrodvorets - St Petersburg
Today travel with your private vehicle and guide outside the city to Petrodvorets (also known as Peterhof), the great summer estate and artistic gem of Peter the Great, nestled on the shore of the Gulf of Finland (part of the Baltic Sea). After his victory over the Swedes at Poltava in 1709, Peter decided to build a palace “befitting to the very highest of monarchs” and a visit to Versailles in 1717 furthered these ambitions. This magnificent estate was officially opened in 1723. A prominent highlight is the Grand Cascade, a delightful sequence of 37 gilded bronze sculptures, 64 fountains and 142 water jets descending from the terraces of the Great Palace to the Marine Canal and the sea. The park features numerous palaces, summer houses and pavilions.
Take hydrofoil to travel back to the city.
After lunch at leisure a private backstage tour of the Mariinsky theatre will be provided for you. One of the city’s attractions is the Imperial Opera Theatre called Mariinsky in honour of Maria Fedorovna, the wife of Emperor Alexander II. Built by architect Cavos in 1859-1860, it was inaugurated in 1860. Today the Mariinsky Theatre is one of the most beautiful in the world, famous for its renowned performers such as Marius Petipa, Matilda Kshesinskaya, Anna Pavlova, Rudolf Nyreev, Michael Barishnikov, Fyodor Shalyapin and others. The theatre has witnessed the triumphs of several generations of opera and ballet stars. You will visit usually unseen areas of the theatre including backstage, wardrobe and the roof where the decorations are made before being transferred back to your hotel.
Meal Plan: B
Depart St Petersburg
You journey has come to an end. Today you will be privately transferred to the airport to take your flight.
Farewell Russia!
Meal Plan: B