Russian Capitals and Golden Ring Tour

Arrival in St. Petersburg, optional transfer to Hotel Sokos Vasilievsky**** or similar, check-in, welcome meeting and orientation on your Russian Capitals and Golden Ring tour.
Overnight in St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg is an amazing city. Its imperial palaces and museums enjoy worldwide fame, while the Neva River and the many canals have deservedly given the city the title of Venice of the North. During the morning sightseeing tour we get acquainted with all the splendours of the city: the Peter-Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Church of the Bleeding Savior, the Nevsky Convent and much more. The afternoon offers an optional excursion to Zarskoye Selo with the impressive Catherine’s Palace and the Amber Room, which vanished during World War II and was restored for St. Petersburg’s tri-centennial celebrations. In the evening enjoy an optional visit to the Nikolaevsky Palace with an exciting Russian folklore show
and Russian „champagne” and snacks.

The morning is reserved for an optional visit to Peterhof, an grand masterpiece of Peter the Great era, with the impressive Grand Palace, Grand Cascade and Water Avenue and its wonderful parks. In the afternoon, enjoy an optional visit to the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum. In the evening enjoy an optional Russian dinner at Restaurant Russian Pryanosti & Radosti. Overnight in St. Petersburg (B)

The early morning is reserved for an optional St. Petersburg river cruise. Around noon transfer to the train station and board the Sapsan high-speed train bound for Moscow. The train ride takes us through endless Russian landscapes along the River Volga. In the evening we arrive to Moscow and check in at Hotel Azimut Smolenskaya**** or similar. Overnight in Moscow (B)

Moscow, The Mother of Russia, is a genuine Russian city with the Kremlin and its
onion domed cathedrals. The dramatic changes over the last decade have made the
city to one of the most dynamic metropolis in the world. The morning sightseeing
tour includes the highlights of the vast city: the Red Square with St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Theatre Square with Bolshoi Theatre and Sparrow Hills with Moscow University and we visit the Kremlin grounds and one of the cathedrals. In the afternoon is offered an optional visit to the Moscow Metro including the historical stations on the Ring-Line and a guided stroll along the famous pedestrian Arbat Street. The evening offers an optional Moscow-by-night tour including an unforgettable river cruise with the White Flotilla.

The day offers an optional full day excursion to the quaint town of Sergiev Posad,
where we visit the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual heart of the Russian Orthodox Church. The whole Lavra has been beautifully restored for the 700-years celebrations of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The evening offers an optional visit to the Old Russian Circus.

Today we start our journey on the Golden Ring of ancient Russian towns. We first drive through scenic Russian landscapes to Vladimir, one of the ancient capitals of Russia. During the city sightseeing tour we visit the Assumption Cathedral and see the St. Demetrius Cathedral, both world heritage sites and the Golden Gate. In the late afternoon we continue to Suzdal and check-in at the Hotel Nikolaevsky Posad**** or similar.

Dating almost a thousand years back Suzdal is a small fairytale town with an unsurpassed collection of ancient Russian architecture. During the optional whole day tour we discover all the treasures of Suzdal including the Kremlin, the Nativity Cathedral, the Museum of Wooden Architecture, St. Ethymius Monastery and the Transfiguration Cathedral.

Today we drive to the nearby village of Bogolyubovo to admire the glare white light single-domed Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. The church is built on a small hill, on a river meadow, in all its clarity and beauty it stands like a candle, growing out over the expanse of the meadow. We drive back to Moscow and in the afternoon we check-in at Hotel Azimut Smolenskaya**** or similar. Overnight in Moscow (B)