Itinerary
Arrive in St Petersburg. Arrive m transfer to your hotel. Rest of the evening free. St. Petersburg is a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea. It was the imperial capital for 2 centuries, having been founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, subject of the city’s iconic “Bronze Horseman” statue. It remains Russia’s cultural center, with venues such as the Mariinsky Theatre hosting opera and ballet, and the State Russian Museum showcasing Russian art, from Orthodox icon paintings to Kandinsky works.
For the ultimate in sightseeing flexibility, purchase a one- or two-day hop on hop off bus ticket and travel by double-decker bus among St. Petersburg’s key attractions. You get on and get off at any of the 18 stops along the bus route. You may also choose to sightsee via boat on the city’s canals. Buses and boats are equipped with onboard audio commentary to enhance your sightseeing.
Hermitage Museum: The State Hermitage Museum is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The second-largest art museum in the world, it was founded in 1764 when Empress Catherine the Great acquired an impressive collection of paintings from the Berlin merchant Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky.
Combine a private tour of the Peterhof Grand Palace with a high-speed boat ride back to central St. Petersburg. This combo tour checks all the sightseeing boxes, ensuring you’ll discover the highlights of both St. Petersburg and its most elaborate palace. Stroll around the palace and its fountain-filled gardens, then cruise back to the city by hydrofoil boat.
This tour combines a standard city tour to Veliky Novgorod with a visit to its suburbs and gives you an opportunity to see everything in one day. The tour starts in the city with visiting its heart – The Kremlin, the main Cathedral of St.Sophia (the monument of XI century) with its miracle-making icon, Yaroslav’s Court (Yaroslavovo Dvorische), and the old Marketplace. Then you will be taken to the Yuriev Monastery (the oldest active men monastery in Russia, founded in 1030) and an open-air museum of wooden architecture “Vitoslavlitsi”. You can also choose a tour with the dinner in the restaurant near the monastery (“Yurievskoe Polyvore”) or in the restaurant “Detinets” with a traditional Russian atmosphere.
Arrive in Moscow by train. Transfer to hotel. The evening takes a walking tour. Learn about the history and hardships of the Soviet Union on this walking tour of Moscow. Led by a knowledgeable guide, stroll around the buildings and squares that testify to Moscow’s time under Soviet rule during the 20th century. See a memorial to Soviet labor camp prisoners; visit Revolution Square, a scene of the 1917 Russian Revolution; and view the former KGB building and other key sites as your guide describes life under Soviet rule.
During this tour of Moscow, you will discover the masterpieces of Russian architecture. Go deep underground to discover the beauty of the famous Moscow Metro. Known to be as beautiful as palaces, these stations represent different architectural aspects not only of Russian culture but also those of the former republics of the USSR. Your guide will tell you about its stories and secrets. Then, take a leisurely stroll on Arbat street. This charming and picturesque pedestrian street in the heart of the old section of Moscow. From there, see one of the best-preserved areas of Moscow. Arrive at the imposing Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Overnight at the hotel.
Explore the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square with an expert guide on a private tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn the stories behind the remarkable complex of landmarks, from the Kremlin’s founding as a 12th-century fortress to the modern-day Presidential Regiment. This Moscow Kremlin and Red Square tour include all entrance fees, as well as pickup and drop-off at your Moscow accommodations.
Take a flight to Kazan. Arrive & check-in at the hotel. Kazan is a city in southwest Russia, on the banks of the Volga and Kazanka rivers. The capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, a semi-autonomous region, it’s known for the centuries-old Kazan Kremlin, a fortified citadel containing museums and sacred sites. Kremlin landmarks include the tiered Tower of Soyembika, the blue-and-gold domed Annunciation Cathedral, and the vast, colorful Kul Sharif Mosque. Overnight at the hotel.
During this private tour, you will visit one of the largest Orthodox monasteries in the Tatarstan Republic as well as a “Universal Temple” – the most unusual tourist attractions of Kazan, combining various styles of buildings of different cultures and religions into one. Roundtrip transportation to and from your central hotel (Comfortable car/minivan with A/C) Skip-the-line access. Evening back to the hotel.
Today take a flight to Sochi. Arrive & transfer to hotel. Sochi, a Russian city on the Black Sea, is known as a summer beach resort and was the host of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Its parks include the palm-filled Arboretum. It’s also notable for 20th-century neoclassical buildings such as the columned Winter Theatre. Forested Sochi National Park is a 1,937-sq.-km protected area in the nearby Caucasus Mountains. Some 70 km inland, Krasnaya Polyana is a prominent ski resort. Overnight at the hotel.
The guide will meet you at the hotel, from where, depending on the location of the hotel, you will go by public transport or by car straight to the mountain peaks, in the direction of Krasnaya Polyana. The road will run along the valley of the mountain river Mzymta, the longest and deepest river in Russia flowing into the Black Sea. On the way to the first stop, you will enjoy impressive views of mountain gorges and a variety of local flora and fauna. Introduction to the village of Krasnaya Polyana will start with visiting the apiary “Experienced beekeeping” and tasting different kinds of mountain honey, which you can buy and take away as a souvenir. Next, you will go to explore one of the most popular ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana – Rosa Khutor. Last visit Olympic Park of Sochi. The illumination and music show of the fountain “The Bowl of the Olympic Flame” will conclude your tour. Evening back to the hotel
Transfer to the airport for your return journey.