Day 1
St. Petersburg
Arrival Transfer to the Hotel
Our driver will be waiting for you in arrivals at St Petersburg’s airport with a Go Russia sign board ready to transfer you to the hotel.
Day 2
St. Petersburg
Catherine Palace & Amber Room. Troika Ride. Folklore Performance
Today’s program takes us 25km south of St Petersburg to Tsarskoe Selo, home to two magnificent palaces set in extensive grounds. Alexander Palace was home to the last family of tsars. Neighbouring Catherine Palace, where we will visit, is a lavish, Italian-designed Baroque masterpiece. Its legendary Amber Room features exquisite mosaic panels which have been painstakingly recreated following the loss of the originals in World War Two. Outside the palace, you’ll enjoy an atmospheric ride in a troika, a traditional Russian horse-drawn sleigh. Later, you’ll head to Nikolaevsky Palace for a performance of the colorful folklore show, “Feel Yourself Russian” where you’ll be able to listen to traditional Russian folk songs, admire the flamboyant costumes and watch engaging dances from the country’s different provinces.
Day 3
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg City Tour. Ballet Performance
Dignified St Petersburg, seemingly frozen in time since the days of the Tsars, is the most European of all Russian cities and the focus today is on exploring the city known as the “Venice of the North”. You’ll take in the Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Church of Christ's Resurrection (The Saviour of the Blood) as well as paying a visit to the Aurora, the ship whose cannon on Lenin’s orders gave the signal to begin the Great Social Revolution. In the afternoon, free time has been set aside for independent sightseeing or shopping. The highlight of your evening will surely be tonight’s ballet performance in one of St Petersburg’s many delightful theaters. Note that schedules are released approximately two months in advance and tickets are subject to availability; transfers to the theater are not included.
Day 4
St. Petersburg
Hermitage Museum. Departure to Moscow
Of the six buildings that form the Hermitage, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, the Winter Palace is perhaps the best known. The Hermitage was once the home of the Tsars. Its buildings house an extensive and unmissable collection of over 3 million works of art from a host of famous names including Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Van Gogh and Monet. Together with the paintings, you’ll be able to see icons, old coins and opulent jewelery, creating a memory you’ll treasure long after you return home. Later, our driver, holding a Go Russia sign, will collect you from the hotel lobby to transfer you to the railway station for your overnight train to Moscow. You’ll have the option of traveling in first or second class, and for the most discerning customer, we recommend the luxurious Grand Express’ compartments. More like a hotel on wheels, carriages feature spacious WiFi equipped sleeping compartments with toilets, showers, air-conditioning, comfortable sofas, an LCD TV and DVD-players.
Day 5
Moscow
Moscow City Tour. Moscow Underground
On your arrival in Moscow, our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the end of the platform. You’ll enjoy a traditional Russian breakfast in a nearby cafe before an early check-in at the hotel. Later you’ll have an included city tour by car, pausing to discover some of Moscow’s most iconic sights: Red Square and the 16th century Cathedral of St. Basil, the Russian Orthodox cathedral of Christ the Saviour with its tragic history and the fascinating cemetery at New Maiden’s Convent. Stopping near the Moscow State University, you’ll have a panoramic view of the city with the Olympic Luzhniki stadium in the foreground and the golden domes of the Kremlin in the distance. Finally, we’ll take you on a guided tour of the Moscow Underground. More than just a public transport network, the Moscow Metro’s stations are resplendent with decadent marble, mosaics, stained glass and sculptures.
Day 6
Moscow
Kremlin, Armoury & Red Square
Today, we return for a closer look at Red Square. It takes its name from the Russian word for red which once meant beautiful, and we’re sure you’ll think it’s aptly named. You’ll recognize the familiar domes of St Basil’s Cathedral, be intrigued by Lenin’s embalmed body at the Mausoleum and be impressed by the scale of the GUM department store which occupies almost the whole of one side of the square. With our included excursion to the Kremlin’s grounds and cathedrals, you’ll have the chance to delve into the interiors of the former residence of the Tsars. In Cathedral Square, you may even sense the spirits of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov, and the early Romanovs. Inside the Armoury Museum, you’ll almost be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the collection of treasures, including such exhibits as the chalice of Yuri Dolgorukiy, the helm and armor of Boris Godunov, over fifty Faberge eggs, priceless antique weaponry and many other works made of precious metals and stones.
Day 7
Moscow
Free Time in the Morning. Moscow by Night City Tour
Our night tour showcases the best of the city’s unique cultural and historical sites, many of which are illuminated after sunset. Together with your guide, you’ll explore Moscow’s tourist highlights by car, making frequent stops to continue sightseeing on foot.
Day 8
Moscow
Departure Transfer from the Hotel
Our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the hotel lobby ready to transfer you to the airport for your flight home.
Tour Dates & Prices
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All our hotels have been carefully selected and personally tested by Go Russia product development team. They have been chosen for their central location, available facilities, tastefully designed interiors, and friendly service and customers’ feedbacks. Please note all our hotels are recommended on Tripadvisor and have above average ratings. On all our city-break tours we also offer
evening meals and
early-check / late check-out option in hotels as well as extra nights.
Hotel Petro Palace St. Petersburg 4*
Petro Palace is a brand new, superior 4* hotel in St. Petersburg, established in 2005 which offers the best location and superb amenities. It occupies a building of historical and cultural significance, the former residence of Baron Von Schtaal. The hotel is renowned for its central location, just steps away from the major landmarks of the city: Hermitage and St. Isaac’s Cathedral. All standard rooms are designed in modern style and feature queen size, king-size or twin beds. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, internet, telephone, interactive and satellite TV, a safe and a mini bar. Swimming pool is free of charge: 07:00 – 11:00, outside these hours a fee applies.Learn more
Hotel Marriott Courtyard 4*
The Courtyard by the Marriott Moscow City Centre is a brand new full service property yet safe, tranquil and residential, located right in the heart of town between Tverskaya and Nikitskaya streets, surrounded by residential buildings and the Tchaikovsky Music Conservatory. It is an ideal place to stay, whether you are on business or leisure, since the hotel is only 10 minutes walk from Kremlin, Red Square, City Hall, and the Old Arbat; all major Moscow business centers and several embassies are within easy reach.Learn more
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We booked our holiday very late, leaving staff little time to organise visas etc but they did this with speed and efficiency. Lovely being able to travel with such a small group.
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Julie Peters
Everything about the trip was excellent. We enjoyed everything. The hotels were terrific and the planned activities in St. Petersburg especially were wonderful. Trains, guides, hotels were as described and tours were excellent. Service from Go Russia was outstanding and available at all times.
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Delphia Lightfoot
The guides were excellent, especially Natasha who had a huge depth of knowledge. Sergei was equally knowledgeable but less compelling. The amount we covered was great. The ballet and folk shows were very good fun
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Elena Ingram
The guide in St. Petersburg was exceptional. The guide in Moscow was also good. The group of 13 English speakers was a joy. No one was rude or pushy or obnoxious. We felt blessed!
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Leona Walker
I loved every detail on our trip it was truly magical!
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Sina Mosby
Sergei the tour guide in Moscow was excellent, knowledgable, clearly passionate about his country and keen to share this with us. He went out of his way to assist ie ordering food for us, making recommendations taking us to extra sites he really made our stay in Moscow and we would be very grateful if this could be recognised/ passed onto him thank you The hotels were in excellent locations.
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Jovita Renfro
We were MORE THAN pleased with our tour. Thank you very much. We don't hold GoRussia responsible for there not being enough snow for the St Petersburg sleigh ride. A most acceptable alternative was arranged.
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Dixie Vega
The trip was unforgettable, to actually be standing in Red Square was quite something and so many beautiful buildings to see in both cities. The organised excursions were great, The Nutcracker was wonderful as was the visit to the Summer Palace at Puskin, the Moscow Metro is quite unbelievable! Its just a shame that we didnt have more free time to see other sites. The hotels were both very good, and the whole organisation of the trip is to be applauded.
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Marie Stewart
Overall it was a good trip and the people on the trip were all nice although a complete mixture. The company no doubt made it a great holiday.
Helen was a great guide in St Petersburg. Especially at The Hermitage she excelled although we felt we would have liked a longer time there.
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Joyce Phillips
We had a fantastic time in Russia and we thank Go Russia for the superb organisation - everything ran like clock-work. Our fellow group members were all very friendly and we had a lot of fun... The experience of visiting these two cultural cities is unforgettable and we will certainly be recommending Just Go Russia to our friends.
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Andrew Alexander