On this Russian expedition, you travel to three imperial cities of Russia, that have played a crucial role in Russian history. The journey traces ancient cities and capitals beginning in the capital city Moscow from where you reach Suzdal after a couple of days. As a religious heart of the nation, Suzdal is filled with rolling green fields, gentle river breeze and the sound of church bells in the air. From here you swiftly cross the curvy roads through a modern high-speed train to reach St. Petersburg, once a thriving capital, now one of the most important cities.
Moscow: Stary Arbat, Sparrow Hill, Novodevichy Convent, Izmailovo flea market, Sergiev Posad, Trinity Monastery, Red Square, St. Basil Cathedral, Kremlin Grounds, Armory Chamber, Cathedral Square, Lenin’s mausoleum, GUM Mall in Moscow.
Suzdal: Kremlin Cathedral, Spaso Efimiev Monastery, Pokrovsky Monastery, Assumption Cathedral, Russian Circus.
St.Petersburg: Peter and Paul Fortress, Ballet show at the Mariinsky Theatre, Grand Palace and the Peterhof, State Hermitage Museum.
Arrive in Moscow. Transfer to hotel with your tour leader. Overnight stay at hotel in Moscow. An amalgamation of the ancient culture and modern lifestyle, Moscow used to be the capital of the former Soviet Union, now the capital of Russia. The city is famous for its heritage sites which make it a great tourist destination. Even though its visited by tourists in summers, the city looks really beautiful during winters as well.
Start the day with a walking tour of Stary Arbat. Old Arbat street is very nice place to go for a walk as it is very long pedestrian street with many shops and cafes and locals selling souvenirs and paintings. The street is one of the oldest surviving streets of the Russian Capital existing from the 15th century. The Walking Tour features Alexander Pushkin and Leo Tolstoy, the best of Moscow architecture, Kremlin Hospital, spy games between the USSR and the USA. In the afternoon, go on a city tour of Moscow visiting the highlights like Sparrows Hill and Novodevichy Convent. Take the evening to shop at the Izmailovo flea market. Overnight stay at Moscow.
Depart Moscow in the morning. Visit Sergiev Posad Monastery en route. Sergiev Posad is a picturesque town 75km to the northeast of Moscow. The town is famous for the 14th century Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius one of the most important centers of the Orthodox religion and a major destination of pilgrims. The Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius was founded in the early 14th century by one of the most venerated saints of Russia St. Sergius. For centuries, Russian czars and common people set out on a pilgrimage to the monastery. It remains one of the most sacred places in Russia today. Arrive Suzdal in the evening. Have the evening at leisure. Have dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay at Suzdal.
This morning, visit the Kremlin, the cathedral which is considered the oldest preserved structure in Suzdal. and the Spaso Efimiev Monastery, Pokrovsky Monastery. Next on the list is the Assumption Cathedral in the ancient city of Vladmir. Drive back to Moscow and enjoy the famous Russian Circus. Overnight in Moscow.
This morning tour starts with the iconic Red Square. The national heritage and a UNESCO Listed site — Red Square — is very well known far beyond Russian borders. The country’s main square, it is one of the most recognized Russian symbols, along with the Kremlin and St. Basil Cathedral . It is also one of Moscow’s most vibrant open spaces whatever the weather or time of day. Visit the Kremlin Grounds. The highlights are Armory Chamber, Cathedral Square, Red Square, Lenin’s mausoleum. Take time to visit the GUM Mall in Moscow. Later you are up for the Metro Tour. Metro Tour: visit five of the Russian capital’s celebrated stations built during the Soviet period as you learn how the lavish, subway Moscow architecture was designed to express a bright, bold new Soviet future. Admire the extravagant décor, chandeliers and sculptures at the stations, including Mayakovskaya, with its iconic mosaics, and hear tales of the sinister Metro-2, a supposed, secret tunnel network parallel to the main system. Overnight in Moscow.
Board SAPSAN high speed train to St.Petersburg. On arrival check into hotel. This afternoon, visit the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Peter and Paul Fortress includes several buildings constructed in a wide range of architectural styles and for a huge variety of different purposes, ranging from the grim prisons of the Trubetskoy Bastion to the Grand Ducal Mausoleum, built to house the remains of the Romanov family. In the evening catch a Russian Ballet show “Swan Lake” in the world famous Mariinsky Theatre.
Visit the Grand Palace and the Peterhof in the morning. Peterhof is the ensemble of palaces and parks which is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. This amazing summer residence was founded at the beginning of the 18th century by the order of Peter the Great who always dreamt of turning Saint Petersburg into the European capital. In the afternoon, proceed to the State Hermitage Museum. The collection of the State Hermitage includes over 3 million works of art and world culture artefacts. It contains paintings, graphic works, and sculptures, work of applied art, archaeological artefacts and numismatic objects. See the pearls of Egyptian antiquities, Prehistoric art, Italian, Spanish, German, Swiss, British, and French and, of course, Russian art, marvellous pieces of jewellery and decorative art. In the evening , take the much exciting canal cruise along the Neva River. Overnight in St.Petersburg.
Visit Faberge Museum. The private Museum named after Carl Gustav Faberge is dedicated to the collection of Russian Jewellery and decorative art of the XIX and XX centuries. Next, visit Catherine’s Palace at Pushkin. Time free to shop at the Nevsky Prospect. In the evening, transfer to the Airport to board flight back home.
Moscow:
With more historic buildings from the imperial period and Soviet periods of Russian history than anywhere else in Russia, many of the ancient monuments and buildings have been preserved. Moscow has top-notch art museums, cultural offerings, interesting shopping avenues, award-winning restaurants, and outdoor art, and it is home to the Kremlin, the world’s largest medieval fortress. Arbat street is 520 years making it one of the oldest streets in Moscow.
Suzdal:
Kremlin Cathedral, a World Heritage Site, is one of the eight White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal, and complex monuments of Russian medieval architecture. Nearby is Spaso Efimiev Monastery, largest museum ensemble of the city. Pokrovsky Monastery is a female monastery in Suzdal. And the Russian Circus, which is a must-do while in Suzdal.
St. Petersburg:
Traverse Peter and Paul Fortress, the most important part of the State Museum of Saint Petersburg History. Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, visit and witness a ballet show. Visit the Grand Palace and the Peterhof, series of palaces and gardens located in Peterhof, commissioned by Peter the Great as a direct response to the Palace of Versailles by Louis XIV of France.
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