UNESCO Heritage in Russia: Moscow, Novgorod, Kizhi, St. Petersburg (CB-30)

On arrival in Moscow, our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board. Transfer to the hotel.

At first Moscow might seem overwhelming, but our orientation tour will help you see the bigger picture, taking you to the main Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (view from outside), the New Maiden's Convent (view from outside) with its fascinating cemetery and the Moscow State University, from where you can admire panoramic views of the city and spot its major landmarks. You’ll have the opportunity to linger in Red Square, taking a guided tour which encompasses the brightly-domed St. Basil's Cathedral, the world-renowned Lenin Mausoleum, the expansive facade of the GUM department store, Kazan Cathedral and the Kremlin.

The Kremlin is the residence of the Russian president and once was the home of the Tsars. Beautiful Cathedral Square inside the Kremlin, once the place where Moscow’s main streets converged, takes its name from the three golden-domed cathedrals enclosed within its walls: the Cathedral of the Dormition, the Cathedral of the Archangel and the Cathedral of the Annunciation. Nearby you’ll be enthralled at the collections within the Armoury Museum, featuring everything from Faberge eggs to antique weaponry. Later today, we’ll visit the Moscow Underground, no ordinary metro system. Here, lavish decoration in the form of marble, mosaics, stained glass and bronze sculptures will make you think you’re somewhere much grander than a mere public transport system, and then make you wonder why no one’s copied it. Tonight you’ll take an overnight train to Novgorod, so our driver will meet you in the hotel lobby when the time comes to take you to the station. The safe and comfortable train with all mod-cons will pull into Novgorod early the next morning.

As you arrive at Novgorod the Great, our driver will be waiting to meet you with a Go Russia sign board on the platform for your transfer to the hotel. Later you have a guided tour of Novgorod Kremlin. Novgorod the Great (Velikiy Novgorod in Russian) is one of the oldest towns in Russia, founded in the 9th century. The Kremlin in this historic city is traditionally known as the Detinets, a masterpiece of the medieval age with the oldest palace in the country. The Chamber of the Facets, as it’s called, dates back to 1433 and served as the meeting hall of the Russian archbishops. We’ll move on to Yaroslav’s Courtyard, the area around the Trade Mart, the Church of St. Nicholas, the Church of St. Procopius and the Church of the Myrrh-bearing Women. It was named after the Grand Prince of Novgorod and Kiev, Yaroslav the Wise, who managed to unite the two principalities for some time under his rule in the 11th century. Yuriev Monastery is our next stop, a UNESCO world heritage site situated on the left bank of the Volkhov River near the outflow of Lake Ilmen, close to Novgorod. Finally, we will visit the Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture, which contains twenty or so characterful wooden buildings dating from the 14th to 16th centuries, including churches, homes and mills.

Our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the lobby of the hotel to take you to the railway station where you’ll catch a local suburban train to St Petersburg. Your destination is beloved of many visitors, the most European of any Russian city, with a calm and soothing vibe. The city is criss-crossed by a network of canals and waterways which have earnt it the epithet, Venice of the North. Among the many unmissable sights you’ll see today, you’ll enjoy the Peter and Paul’s Fortress, St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Church of Christ's Resurrection (The Saviour of the Blood). Lenin chose the city to signal the start of the Great Social Revolution when he ordered that a cannon on the cruiser Aurora be fired.

Once home to the Tsars, the two hundred meter long Winter Palace stretches along the banks of the Neva River. These days, the building forms the opulent backdrop for the Hermitage Museum’s enormous collection of works of art. There are over three million pieces to admire, with the modern European section one of the most popular, containing paintings by Picasso, Gauguin, Van Gogh and more. As there are pieces dating from the Stone Age, whatever your taste there’ll be something that delights you in this unforgettable place.

Our day begins with a trip out to St Petersburg’s suburbs to visit Petrodvorets, one of the most splendid summer palaces in Russia. Founded in the early 18th century by Peter the Great, as well as the delightful palace you’ll be able to take a stroll around the gardens with their elegant landscaping and ornamental fountains. In the evening you’ll depart for the railway station; our Go Russia driver will meet you in the hotel lobby and see you onto the overnight train to Petrozavodsk.

Our English-speaking guide will meet you at Petrozavodsk railway station when you arrive early this morning. Today you will have a guided city tour around Petrozavodsk, or Peter’s Factory. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703 as part of efforts to win the Great Northern War against Sweden, its picturesque setting on the shore of Lake Onega makes this a favorite with travelers. With its vibrant student life and European ambience you will definitely enjoy the pretty Karelian capital. We’ll pay a visit to the Ethnographic Museum where you will learn about the distinct culture of the Karelian people. After taking a ride in a hydrofoil, we’ll explore Kizhi Island. Its UNESCO-listed open air museum has over eighty fascinating buildings to discover, including the 1714 Church of the Transfiguration which has 22 domes and the oldest wooden church in Russia, the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus. Dating from the 14th century, its whole structure was built without a single nail. Our final stop is at Kinerma village where we’ll have an evening cooking class to find out how to bake kalitki, tiny pasties made with rye flour and a choice of delicious fillings including mushrooms, cheese and berries.

The historic village of Kinerma is the place to go to understand more about Russia’s traditional wooden architecture, a feature of the Karelia region. You’ll have a guided walking tour to explore the open air museum where you’ll encounter homes and other structures including an 18th century wooden chapel. Seven of the seventeen wooden buildings here hold the status of monuments of architecture. After your tour, you’ll transfer back to Petrozavodsk from where you’ll catch a local train back to St Petersburg. On arrival, our driver will meet you on the platform; holding a Go Russia sign he’ll take you to your 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.