13 days/ 12 nights � Moscow, Sergiev Posad, Suzdal, Vladimir, St. Petersburg

Transfer to the hotel.

Day 2 Moscow

In the morning a 3-hour city driving tour will take you to the most famous historical and architectural landmarks such as the Red Square with it's famous St. Basil Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, the Place of Skulls, the elegant arcades of the GUM department store and the National Historical Museum, Church of the Trinity in Nikitinki, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Novodevichiy Convent, Luzhniki and the White House. You will stop at the Sparrow Hills located 6 km south-west of the Kremlin, topped by the Moscow University skyscraper, it offers the best panoramic view of the city.
In the afternoon enjoy the tour of Kremlin and the Armory. The main landmarks are three Cathedrals of the Assumption, Annunciation and Archangel , dated back to the 15-16th centuries. Other landmarks are Ivan the Great Bell Tower , Tsar Bell, Tsar Cannon, Hall of Facets and Terem Place . Armory is famous for its stunning collection of treasures accumulated over the centuries by the Russian State and Church. The collection is famous for its royal regalia, Faberge Easter eggs of precious metals and jewels, the 800-diamond throne of Tsar Alexey, the jewel-studded and sable-trimmed gold Cap of Monomakh worn for coronations for two centuries, the coronation dresses of the 18th century empresses, the sleigh in which Elizabeth rode from St. Petersburg to Moscow for her coronation pulled by 23 horses at a time. Between the Armory and the Annunciation Cathedral is the Great Kremlin Palace � the official residence of Russian president.

Day 3 Moscow

Moscow Metro tour, followed by the visit to the Tretyakov Gallery, one of the most celebrated and extensive collections of Russian art and artifacts in the world.The State Tretyakov Gallery is the national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the greatest museums in the world. It is located in one of the oldest directs of Moscow � Zamoskvorechye, not far from the Kremlin. The Gallery's collection consists entirely of Russian art and artists who have made а contribution to the history of Russian art or been closely connected with it. The collection contains more than 130 000 works of painting, sculpture and graphics, created throughout the centuries by successive generations of Russian artists. Russian art works, ranging in date from the 11th to the early 20th century, are on the show in Gallery's historic building on Lavrushinskiy Pereulok. New building of the Tretyakov Gallery at Krymskiy Val houses a unique museum exhibition of national 20th century art. Shopping at Arbat with a private tour guide in the afternoon.

Day 4 Sergiev Posad

Today after breakfast you will begin your 3-day trip to the Golden Ring. Transfer by private car to Sergiev Posad. Sergiev Posad is located about 70 km from the capital. The town was built around the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius, and is one of Russia's most important religious and historic landmarks, a place of pilgrimage of the Russian Orthodox Church and one of the most interesting museums where one may find the icons of Andrei Rublev and other famous masters of the 15th-18th centuries. The architectural ensemble of the monastery is a unique combination of different architectural styles forming the most impressive and harmonious composition. You will enjoy a tour of the city and Lavra with its famous cathedrals. After the tour lunch in the local restaurant. Continue on to Suzdal � another small town of the Golden Ring dating back to 1024. You will spend the next two nights at the local hotel.

Day 5 Suzdal

After breakfast � city tour of Suzdal. After a decline in political importance, the town rose in prominence as a religious center with numerous monasteries and a remarkable ratio of churches to citizens: at one point, forty churches for four hundred families. Today, the town operates as an important tourist center, featuring many fine examples of old Russian architecture, most of them churches and monasteries. Walking through the town one might get the feeling that every third building is a church. Although having over ten thousand residents, Suzdal still retains the look and feel of a small village with streams and meadows everywhere nearby, and chicken and livestock a common site on the city streets, some of which are unpaved. This juxtaposition of stunning medieval architecture with its pastoral setting lends Suzdal a picturesque charm, and in the summer, artists and easels are a common sight. You will visit the Kremlin with Krestovaya Chamber and the Wooden Architecture Museum. Afternoon -you will enjoy free time for shopping or optional tour to Kideksha (Boris and Gleb Church).

Day 6 Bogolyubovo, Vladimir

After breakfast excursion to Bogolyubovo (Pokrov-on-Nerli Church) � an urban settlement located 10 km outside Vladimir. Bogolyubovo was built between 1158 and 1165 by the order of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky at the mouth of the Nerl River where it flows into the Klyazma River).The Russian clergy believed that Bogolyubovo had been founded on the spot where Andrei Bogolyubsky saw the ghost of Virgin Mary. After his death in 1177, Bogolyubovo was ravaged and ransacked by Prince Gleb of Ryazan. In 1230s, the Mongols destroyed its fortifications.
After the tour transfer to Vladimir. Afternoon� city tour of Vladimir . Vladimir was one of the medieval capitals of Russia, and two of its cathedrals are a World Heritage Site. The tour will include Uspensky Cathedral with interiors, Dmitrievsky Cathedral, Golden Gates, the Museum of Crystal and Lacquer Miniature. n the evening, transfer to Moscow train station for overnight train to St. Petersburg.

Day 7 St. Petersburg

Transfer to the hotel and check-in. In the morning you will be taken on a private sightseeing tour of St. Petersburg . You will see the elegant buildings on the Nevsky Prospect along the Neva River, charming canals and narrow streets remind you of the best European traditions. The tour will take you to Nevsky Prospect, Kazan Cathedral, Admiralty, Fontanka, Canal Griboyedova, the Palace Square , Winter Palace , Summer Gardens and other remarkable buildings. The tour includes St. Isaac�s Cathedral and Peter and Paul Fortress.

Day 8 St. Petersburg

In the morning - private tour of the Hermitage Art Museum - one of the nation's main glories.The State Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva, right in the heart of St Petersburg. The leading role in this unique architectural ensemble is played by the Winter Palace, the residence of the Russian tsars that was built to the design of Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli in 1754-62. This ensemble, formed in the 18th and 19th centuries, is extended by the eastern wing of the General Staff building, the Menshikov Palace and the recently constructed Repository. Put together throughout two centuries and a half, the Hermitage collections of works of art (over 3,000,000 items) present the development of the world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century. Free afternoon

Day 9 St. Petersburg

Morning tour of the Yusupov Palace. The Yusupov Palace is located on a quiet stretch of the Moika River. This long yellow building, once was a residence of the wealthy and respected Yusupov family, saw one of Russian history's moments of high drama - the murder of Grigory Rasputin, a peasant who had gained control over the tsar's family through his alleged supernatural powers. Optional performance in the evening.

Day 10 St. Petersburg

After breakfast - all day tour to Pushkin and Pavlovsk. Both towns are located 25-30 km from St. Petersburg . Pushkin's palaces and parks were created under Empresses Elizabeth and Catherine the Great between 1744 and 1796. The main landmark is the Catherine Palace designed by Rastrelli and named after Elizabeth 's mother, Peter the Great's second wife. Pushkin's original name is Tsarskoye Selo (Tsar's Village). It was renamed in 1937 after Russia 's famous poet who used to study here. Pavlovsk 's park of woods, lakes and rivers, valleys and avenues, classical statues and temples is one of the most exquisite. The Great Palace is the centerpiece of Pavlovsk. It was designed by Charles Cameron between 1781 and 1786 on Catherine the Great's orders for her son Pavel, the future Paul I.

Day 11 St. Petersburg

After breakfast � tour to the Petrodvorets (also known as Peterhoff), located on the southern shore of the Finnish Gulf 14 miles (29 kilometers) away from St.Petersburg. Petrodvorets' history began in 1704 when Peter I built a wooden house on the Gulf while overseeing the construction of the nearby Kronstadt Fortress. In 1713 he began transforming the area into an imperial residence. The palace was inaugurated in 1723 and later expanded by Empress Elizabeth . The Grand Palace with its lavish interiors, gilded decorations, mirrors and paintings dominates the estate. The estate includes several other mini-museums of interest. The outwardly-modest Monplaisir Palace , which Peter I preferred to the Grand Palace , has a nice sea view and several interesting rooms, such as the State Hall where Peter would force his guests to drink huge quantities of wine until they passed out. The nearby Hermitage Pavilion, which also has nice views and artwork, is a two-storey dining room where guests sitting on the upper floor ate and drank in peace, occasionally lowering the table to the ground floor where servants did their thing (refilled wine glasses, replaced dirty plates, and spat in the beef stroganoff). Peterhof is the kingdom of fountains. There are 144 fountains, all operating without the use of pumps by a combination of naturally generated water pressure and magic. Each fountain is unique and once you step in the area of the kingdom of fountains you will be surprised by this splendid beauty created by a man.

Day 12 St. Petersburg

Morning visit to the State Russian Museum - the world's largest collection of Russian art. The museum is housed in the former Mikhailovsky Palace designed by famous Carlo Rossi. The Palace was built for Grand Duke Mikhail, brother of Tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I as a compensation for not being able to have his time on the throne. The collection numbers some 400,000 works and covers the entire history of Russian fine art from the tenth century to the present day. It reflects virtually every form and genre of art in Russia , including a unique collection of Old Russian icons, works of painting, graphic art and sculpture, decorative and applied art, folk art and numismatics, as well as the world's finest collection of Russian avant-garde. Free afternoon.

Day 13 St. Petersburg

Transfer to the airport.

Includes:

• 3 nights in Moscow
• 2 nights in Suzdal
• 6 nights in St. Petersburg
• Overnight train Moscow � St. Petersburg
• Daily Breakfast
• Optional lunches, dinners and performances
• Private Sightseeing Tours with an English speaking guide
• Transportation by private car
• Arrival and Departure transfers by private car
• All admission and Entrance fees
• Tax and Service Charges

Highlights:

• Moscow City Tour
• Red Square, Kremlin and Armory Tour
• Metro Tour
• Tretyakov Gallery
• Arbat shopping
• City Tour in Vladimir (including museum entrances)
• City Tour in Suzdal (including museum entrances)
• City Tour in Sergiev Posad (Lavra and Cathedrals)
• City Tour of St. Petersburg (including St. Isaac Cathedral and Peter and Paul Fortress)
• Private Hermitage Tour
• Yusupov Palace with Rasputin Exposition
• Russian Museum in St. Petersburg
• Tour to Pushkin and Pavlovsk (including St. Catherine Palace and Amber Room)
• Tour to Petrodvorets
• State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

Rates:

Per person based on double occupancy from:

• $2499 - $2999 *** [Tourist Category]
• $3099 - $3599 **** [Deluxe Category]
• $3299 - $4599 ***** [Superior Deluxe Category]

Dates:

• Daily all-year-round