Duration: 9/8
Countries: Russia. Route: Moscow – Kazan – St. Petersburg
Type of flight: Extra charge
Visa: Visa Support
Depature data: Regular programs
TOUR PROGRAM
1. Moscow
Arrival to Moscow.
Meeting with a guide. Transfer to the hotel.
Dinner in or near the hotel.
2. Moscow
After breakfast you will visit Lenin Hills – one of the highest points in Moscow and MSU, the oldest and the most famous University in Russian Federation.
Then you will see the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Red Square, Alexander Garden, Tomb to the Unknown Soldier, Lenin’s mausoleum, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Historical museum.
Excursion in the Kremlin. The Moscow Kremlin is considered to be a symbol of the Russian statehood. The Kremlin hill became the main sightseeing of Moscow. The architectural ensemble “The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square” is included into the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.
After lunch visit Zaryadye park. Enjoy Moscow views from river overlook.
Visit the GUM department store – the most famous department store and shopping mall in Moscow. Due to its 19th century architectural style, it looks like a royal palace. Besides the elegant design, the GUM Moscow also welcomes its customers with stores displaying articles of some of the world’s most famous brands, retail outlets, but also with leisure and cultural activities, and numerous restaurants and cafés. The most beautiful Moscow shopping mall, GUM is also considered to be one of the best-looking malls in the world.
Dinner.
Circus show (optional).
3. Moscow
Breakfast in the hotel.
Metro tour – visit one of the most beautiful subways in the world – “Underground palaces”.
A walking tour along Arbat Street, free time.
After lunch visit the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics, dedicated to space exploration, and VDHKh, a permanent general purpose trade show and amusement park in Moscow.
Dinner.
4. Moscow
Breakfast in the hotel.
Excursion “Royal residence-Kolomenskoye” with a visit to the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (inspection of the male half). The Kolomenskoye estate is one of the oldest residences of Russian sovereigns: Grand Duke Vasily III and Tsar Ivan the terrible. The Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich is a unique recreated monument of Russian wooden architecture of the XVII century. The main feature of the Palace’s architecture is the successful combination of the art of traditional, pre-Petrine Russia and Western Europe. The exhibition consists of 24 recreated interiors. Thanks to the high level of performance skills, decorative elements, a variety of techniques and materials used, a fabulous atmosphere and a good mood is created.
After lunch a walking tour along Arbat Street, shopping.
Dinner.
Transfer to the train station. Departure by night train to Kazan.
* It is also possible to reach Kazan by plane.
5. Kazan
Arrival by train to Kazan. Meeting by a guide at the station. Breakfast in a café.
Sightseeing Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan. This city with a population of about 1.2 million people is one of the largest economic, scientific, educational, cultural and sports centers in Russia. In 2005, Kazan celebrated its millennium. A prevailing feature of life in the city is peaceful, creative coexistence of different religions and nationalities. You will see the Tatar State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Musa Jalil, Kazan Federal University, Lake Kaban, The Mardjani Mosque – the first stone mosque of Kazan, the Peter and Paul Cathedral, visit the Virgin Monastery – the place where the Kazan icon of the Mother of God is kept.
And after all you’ll see the Kazan Kremlin, the oldest part of the city. The Kazan Kremlin is one of the oldest Russian kremlins. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Qol Sharif is the main cathedral mosque of Tatarstan. It was opened in 2005. Its exterior replicates the look of the Khanate of Kazan’s main mosque that was destroyed in 1552 by the Army of Ivan the Terrible. The mosque was named after Qol Sharif — a Tatar poet, warrior and prominent thinker who is considered to be a direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad.
Lunch.
Visiting the folklore centre Tugan Avilim. Here you can feel the soul of Tatarstan through stories about national traditions, national music and handcrafts. Workshop clay crafting and Tatar souvenir making.
Transfer to hotel. Free time. Dinner.
6. Kazan
Breakfast in the hotel.
Guided tour to the Temple of all religion and to Sviyazhsk.
Today’s Kazan appears to be equally strongly tied with its unique mixture of religious beliefs. Philanthropist Ildar Khanov began work on his Temple of All Religions in 1992 near the shores of the Volga River, and this unique building is still under construction. The Temple makes use of religious architecture from all over the world, and has an Orthodox church dome, a minaret, synagogue-like fixtures, and other items representing 16 of the world’s many faiths.
Sviyazhsk – the island-town that was built by order of Ivan the Terrible and became the centre of Orthodoxy of the Volga Region. The journey will allow you to feel the breath of history and open some of its pages.
Lunch in Sviyazhsk.
Return to Kazan. Free time.
Dinner.
7. St. Petersburg
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to the airport. Flight to St.Petersburg.
Arrival in St.Petersburg.
Lunch.
City sightseeing tour. Visit the center of St. Petersburg Square – the Palace Square, Alexander Column and Senate Square (for 10 minutes). The Peter and Paul Fortress, Kazan Cathedral, St. Isaac Cathedral, Nevsky Prospect and other interesting places.
Dinner.
8. St. Petersburg, Peterhof
Breakfast in the hotel.
Countryside tour to Peterhof. One of St. Petersburg’s most famous and popular visitor attractions, the palace and park at Peterhof are often referred to as “the Russian Versailles”. Peterhof is perhaps most famous for its remarkable array of decorative fountains, including the incredibly impressive ensemble of the Grand Cascade.
After lunch visit Nevsky prospect.
Free time. Dinner.
9. St. Petersburg
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer from hotel to airport.
Flight directly to your destination of through an interchange in Moscow.
INCLUDED IN COST
- Accommodation in Moscow (3 nights), Kazan (2 nights), St.Petersburg (2 nights);
- Meals according to the program (breakfast, lunch, dinner);
- English / Chinese / Arabic-speaking guides;
- Transportation according to the program, including night-train tickets Moscow-Kazan one way (in 4-persons-compartments) and air tickets Kazan-St.Petersburg economy class;
- Entry tickets to museums
NOT INCLUDED
- International flights; flight from St.Petersburg to Moscow when needed;
- Extra meals;
- Travel insurance;
- Visa costs;
- Extra excursions;
- Tips for guide and driver
