The Two Capitals of Russia: Moscow - St. Petersburg

The Two Capitals of Russia 12 days / 11 nights

Day 1. Moscow
Arrival in Moscow.
Meeting with the driver at the airport (the driver will be holding the sign Russia Travel Group). Transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation for 5 nights at the hotel, 3* (breakfast is included).
Free time.

Day 2. Moscow
8.00-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10.00am Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Departure to City tour.

The tour of Moscow City will present you one of the most beautiful sights of the capital of Russia. We will start at your hotel and will organize this tour depending on its location, but it certainly will include the Red Square with the Mausoleum, St. Basil's Cathedral and GUM Department Store.

Return to the hotel.
 
Day 3. Moscow
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10.00am Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Departure to excursion.

Kremlin tour with visit to Cathedrals. The Kremlin has always been perceived as a symbol of power and might of the Russian land. Within the Kremlin walls you will see many architectural monuments, churches, cathedrals, museums, etc.

12.00pm Optional lunch at the Russian restaurant “Godunov”. You will taste traditional Russian cuisine.

1.00pm Second part of excursion: walking tour along Arbat Street.
The Arbat is a true symbol of old Moscow. Along with its shops, cafes, art galleries, concert and theatre halls and a museum tracing the history of the area, are portrait painters, performance artists and even demonstrators. It is also a frequent site for festivals and carnivals.

Return to the hotel by metro.

Day 4. Moscow
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10.00am Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Departure to excursion.

Excursion to Kolomenskoye. Kolomenskoye features vintage wooden structures built by many of the country's Tsars, one of the most beautiful churches and examples of Russian tent-roofed architecture in the country, and is a beautiful site for a spot of summer sunbathing or a snowy walk in the winter. Today, it is a museum-reserve, a monument of 16th and 17th century Russian architecture, and a favorite venue for popular festivities and theatrical shows featuring episodes from Russian history. Free time for shopping, picture taking.

Second part of excursion: you will see the legendary Moscow Metro with its mosaics and frescos.

Return to the hotel by metro.

Day 5. Moscow – Sergiev Posad
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10.00am Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Departure to excursion.

Excursion to Sergiev Posad. The monastery houses the Russian Patriarch's temporary residence. In the monastery you will visit St. Trinity Cathedral where the shrine with St. Sergey's relics is stored, and the Assumption Cathedral that repeats its form after the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin. The most beautiful part of the monastery is represented by two similar constructions one of which is the Ecclesiastical Academy and Seminary and the other the Refectory with the Church of St. Sergiy.

Return to the hotel. 
 
Day 6. Suzdal`
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
Check-out.
10.00am Meeting with a driver at the hotel lobby. Transfer to Suzdal by car.

01.00pm Arrival in Suzdal. Transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation for 1 night at the hotel, 3* (breakfast is included).

01.30pm Meeting with a guide and a driver at the hotel lobby.

02.00pm Lunch in the local restaurant (vegetarian cuisine).

03.00pm Tour of Suzdal - the unique open-air museum with magnificent monuments of the Russian stone and wooden architecture of XIII - XVIII centuries, with rich icon and applied art collection, bell music concerts. You will see Suzdal Kremlin, the Cross Chambers, Spaso - Ephimievsky Monastery, Saviour's Transfiguration cathedral.
Free time for the rest and picture taking.

Return to the hotel.

Optional – Russian Banya in Pokrovsky Monastery.

Day 7. Vladimir – Bogolubovo
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10.00am Meeting with a guide and a driver at the hotel lobby. Departure for Vladimir by car.

Tour of Vladimir. You will see the masterpieces of the Russian architecture of XII century - the Golden Gates, the Assumption and St. Demetrius Cathedrals, expositions "Nobility", "the Russian House”.

12.00pm Lunch in "Trapeznaya Kremlya" restaurant (vegetarian cuisine).

01.00pm Excursion to Bogolyubovo - ex-residence of Vladimir princes, world famous Church of the Intercession on the Nerl.

04.00pm Transfer to Kostroma by car.
05.00pm Arrival in Kostroma.
Accommodation for 1 night at the hotel, 3* (breakfast is included). 
Free time.

Day 8. Kostroma – Yaroslavl`
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10.00am Meeting with a guide and a driver at the hotel lobby. Departure for excursion.

Sightseeing Kostroma tour round the town with visiting the local Kremlin, the Ipatiev monastery (this monastery was once housed the first tzar of Romanov dynasty).

12.00pm Lunch in the local restaurant (vegetarian cuisine).

01.00pm Transfer to Yaroslavl by car.
02.00pm Arrival in Yaroslavl.  Meeting with a guide. Departure for excursion.

Panoramic tour of the city with visit to the Monastery of the Savior and churches, dating back to the 17 century, adorned with delicate stone carvings, tiles and frescoes.

Transfer to the railway station. Departure for St. Petersburg by overnight train (2nd class).
 
Day 9. St. Petersburg
Arrival in St. Petersburg.
Meeting at the railway station (the driver will be holding the sign Russia Travel Group).

09.00am St. Petersburg city tour – all major city attractions. You will see the magnificent St. Isaac’s cathedral, Vasilyevsky island, The University, The Winter Palace, the Palace square, Church of the Savior on the Blood, Peter and Paul Fortress, the square of Arts and other famous places and monuments.

Transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation for 3 nights at the hotel, 3* (breakfast is included).
Free time.

Day 10. St. Petersburg
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10am Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Transfer to Peterhof palace.

The world-famous palace, fountain, and park ensemble of Peterhof is an outstanding landmark of Russian artistic culture of the 18-19th centuries.

Return to St. Petersburg.
Free time.

Day 11. St. Petersburg
8.00am-9.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
10am Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Transfer to the excursion.

Excursion to Hermitage Museum - one of the major museums in the world. Its collection consists of nearly three million art treasures.
Free time for shopping, picture taking.

Return to the hotel.

Day 12. St. Petersburg
8.00am-10.30am Breakfast at the hotel.
12.00pm Check-out.

Meeting with a driver at the hotel lobby. Transfer to the international airport.
Departure.

Price is starting from 1 217 USD
Included:
- Accommodation in a double room in Moscow (3* hotel, breakfasts are included)
- Accommodation in a double room in Kostroma (3* hotel, breakfast is included)
- Accommodation in a double room in Suzdal` (3*hotel, breakfast is included)
- Accommodation in a double room in St. Petersburg (3* hotel, breakfasts are included)
- Meals as per itinerary
- All excursions as per itinerary (individual licensed English speaking guide, foreign car, professional driver)
- All transfers according to the program with arrival/departure transfers
- Entrance tickets
- Train tickets from Yaroslavl to St. Petersburg (2nd class)
- Visa support application documents for the whole period of staying in Russia