Tourism in Russia has seen rapid growth since the late Soviet times, first domestic tourism and then international tourism as well. Rich cultural heritage and natural variety place Russia among the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The country contains 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, while many more are on UNESCO’s tentative lists.
Major tourist routes in Russia include a travel around the Golden Ring of ancient cities, cruises on the big rivers including the Volga, and long journeys on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Diverse regions and ethnic cultures of Russia offer different foods and souvenirs, and show a great variety of traditions. The world’s largest country offers it all, from historic cities and idyllic countryside to artistic riches, epic train rides and vodka-fuelled nightlife.
Accommodation : Moscow 3 Nights – St.Petersburg 3 nights
Attractions :
Moscow: City tour by night, Sparrow Hills, Metro Tour, Arbat Street, Kremlin, Red square walking tour, Cruse by Moskva river ,
St.Petersburg : City tour by night, Peterhof – palace and park, City tour, Hermitage winter palace, Art square walking tour
On arrival at the airport our English speaking guide will meet you at the airport. From the airport transfer to hotel.
CITY TOUR BY NIGHT: During this excursion, you will soak up a wonderful and dynamic atmosphere of the city that never sleeps. Explore Moscow with all its beauties magically lit up at night! You will be amazed by the greatness of the Red Square with the illuminated Kremlin, the floodlit colors of St. Basil Cathedral, the GUM lighted up with small bulbs and thousands of lights reflecting in the Moskva river. Your journey will be accompanied by the fascinating stories of a guide. This experience will shed a new light on the way you see Moscow! Overnight at Moscow.
After the breakfast at hotel our tour guide will take you to the city tour.
SPARROW HILLS : The soul of Moscow and the main observation platform of the city. It has always been the favorite place to spend time for the residents of the capital. Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Bulgakov and other great Russian writers, poets and artists loved to get the inspiration for their masterpieces here. Today you can admire the panorama of beautiful domes, skyscrapers, MSU – the main University of Russia, a picturesque bend of the Moskva river, gardens and parks, inhabited by animals and birds. Or become a witness of some event, as Sparrow hills is a permanent place for city’s festivities, concerts and sport competitions
METRO TOUR: If you wonder why Moscow metro is considered one the most beautiful in the world, this tour is for you! It constitutes a vast museum of underground palaces with impressive interiors, statues and reliefs, monumental and decorative compositions (paintings, mosaics, stained glass and painting) and numerous labyrinths. During the tour you will visit the most remarkable stations like Komsomolskaya, Kurskaya, Kievskaya and others, with the experienced guide who will bring you a full insight into their fascinating history.
ARBAT STREET:Arbat Street is one of the oldest streets in Moscow. Originally it was a part of an important trade route and was home to a large number of craftsmen. In the 18th century Arbat became one of the most prestigious living areas in Moscow and then a place for the intelligentsia and artists to live. In soviet times young people used to held their meetings and protests here. The street nowadays reflects these eventful periods with its elegant buildings, a museum in the house of great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, a lot of nice shops, cafés and restaurants, an entire wall dedicated to the pioneers of Russian rock and the impressive building of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
After the breakfast with our tour guide proceed –
KREMLIN (TERRITORY AND CATHEDRALS) :Visit one of the most well-known sights of Moscow – the Kremlin with its red brick walls and 20 towers holding their own unique history. Since its first construction in 1156 as a wooden fortress by the order of Grand Duke Yuri Dolgoruky, it has been rebuilt several times. The current appearance was formed in 1495 by the best architects of Russia and Italy. Today Kremlin is the residence of Russian President and the main symbol of the country, revered by all of its citizens.
RED SQUARE WALKING TOUR:
Even if you have seen this place and its landmarks dozens of times, it will be a breathtaking experience to see it in real life. During the walking tour, you will have the time to take pictures of this 73,000 square meters brick-paved square surrounded by the Kremlin Walls, Lenin’s Tomb, St Basil’s Cathedral, Resurrection gate, GUM superstore and the Russian State Historical Museum. Turn to the left, and find yourself in one of the oldest urban public parks in Moscow – Alexander Garden. It keeps a lot of valuable architectural monuments: Kutafia tower of the Kremlin, Italian grotto, an obelisk to the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, as well as sculptures, fountains and mosaics based on popular fairytales. The guide will tell you about the numerous of important historical events, which took place on the Red square and bring you all around it to discover from different points of view.
CRUISE BY MOSKVA RIVER ON THE RADISSON ICE-BREAKER:
This trip is a great opportunity to admire the panoramic view of Moscow from the spacious open air observation deck of luxurious Radisson boat. During this 2,5 hours’ journey down the Moskva river you will discover all the main attractions of the city: Kremlin, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Church of Christ the Savior, Novodevichy Convent, Novospassky Monastery, monument to Peter the Great, and much more! Due to constructional features, speed performance and equipment the yachts provide comfortable walking all year round, even during the cold snowy winter. Over night at Moscow.
After the breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed to board railway station to board Sapsan train Moscow to Saint Petersburg. Upon arrival to St.Petersburg check inn to the hotel with the help of our guide. After lunch –
CITY TOUR BY NIGHT:Saint Petersburg’s incredibly rich cultural heritage is even more magical at night. During this tour, an expert guide will lead you to the wonderfully floodlit landmarks of the city, among which are St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood, surrounding streets, bridges, embankments of the Neva River and of course the beautifully intimidating Palace Square with the Hermitage. This walk is a way to discover fascinating symbols of St Petersburg: from April to November, the drawbridges on the river open after midnight, and at the time of the White Nights in June and July, the night never comes, twilight replaces darkness, and the atmosphere is exceptional. Nevertheless, any time of the year is appropriate to discover the amazing illuminated city.
After the break fast our guide will meet to at the hotel lobby to assist for the local trip –
PETERHOF (PALACE AND PARK): Located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, 34 kilometers from St.Petersburg, spectacular Peterhof attracts thousands of tourists with its parks, palaces and, mainly, fountains. Among the suburban parks, Peterhof is probably the most famous for its fountains and is thus frequently compared to Versailles. ‘The Samson’ of the Grand Cascade is the most powerful and magnificent one and thus has been made a symbol of the park. As a former residence of the Emperors, Peterhof is also the home of several palaces with the Grand Palace as its main landmark. It had been destroyed by the Nazis and then carefully restored as to exhibit the splendor of the Royal way of life. You will see the halls, brightly decorated with gold, marble and numerous mirrors. The beauty of Peterhof, its marvelous fountains and palaces has left nobody indifferent, and you will probably be no exception.
CITY TOUR: During the tour, you will be taken to the most precious monuments of the city’s rich history and original architecture carefully preserved as the world cultural heritage. You will be able to hear amazing stories and to take fine pictures of the main architectural and historical sites like Nevsky prospect, the Kazan Cathedral, the Winter Palace, Vasilievsky Island, St. Isaac Cathedral, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Senate Square and the Palace Square. The 3-hour sightseeing tour will allow you to get a brief but bright impression of Saint Petersburg. Over night at hotel.
After the breakfast visit :-
HERMITAGE. WINTER PALACE (MAIN COLLECTION): It is hard to imagine a trip to Saint Petersburg without visiting one of the most famous museums worldwide – the State Hermitage. Its priceless collection occupies 5 historical buildings of which the Winter Palace – the former residence of the Russian Royal family – is the most remarkable. Its rooms, decorated with marble and gold provide a fine background for the treasures of the Hermitage. You might be surprised to know that the collection of this unique museum contains over 3 million exhibits including the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael and other famous artists; however the collections of the Egyptian, Oriental and Ancient Greek art should not be missed as well. You will be literally overwhelmed by the beauty of the museum and will never forget this magnificent and legendary place.
ART SQUARE WALKING TOUR: Art square is an architectural ensemble of XIX century, located in the very center of Saint Petersburg and one of the most magnificent parts of the city.During the tour you will see the Mikhailovskiy palace – an outstanding architectural monument of 1825, built in style of high classicism. Former Grand Duke palace, today it exhibits the largest collection of Russian art in the world. Another pearl of the Art square is the Museum of Ethnography – an impressive building in style of neoclassicism. It was built in 1913 with the purpose to become a museum, and today it is one of the largest in the world. The excursion will be accompanied by a fascinating story about the creation of the place from the beginning till the present days.
FREE TIME: Saint Petersburg is very surprising city and very beautiful for many reasons! During your free time, you can discover its splendid palaces, cathedrals and churches, enjoy your evening at the worldwide famous theatres. Take one of our options to have fun and enjoy your time in the Northern capital of Russia!
Check-out from Hotel after breakfast , transfer to International Airport to take your departure flight.
