Moscow and Saint Petersburg

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Welcome

  Arrive in Moscow, the capital of Russia, and meet your ExploRussia representative. Go to the hotel and check in. Depending on your arrival time and personal interests, we can take you to the city center for a walking tour to discover Moscow by night, visit bars, or attend a folk show (optional activities).

• day 2

  Introduction to Moscow

  Start your introduction to Moscow, the capital of Russia, with its most important tourist attraction and the center of Russian power and politics: the Kremlin. The Kremlin is a famous fortified historical complex located in the heart of Moscow. Once, it was the home of the grand dukes and tsars; today, it is the official residence of the President. Visit the impressive Armoury Palace and the cathedrals inside its imposing walls. In the Armoury Palace are ancient state regalia, ceremonial clothing of the tsar, a coronation robe, and the world's largest collection of ceremonial gold and silver weapons made in Russia. For lunch, try traditional Russian cuisine with a Soviet twist, an excellent start to discovering the local food. In the afternoon, set out on foot for an interactive tour of the city center. During our walking tour, you will see the main sights of the city, while avoiding many tourist crowds. Enjoy Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral, the GOUM shopping galleries, Lenin's Mausoleum, and the State History Museum. Walk down Tverskaya Street, pass through secret courtyards invisible from the main street, and visit a hidden church that escaped demolition during the Soviet period only thanks to its discreet location. Discover fascinating stories and legends about Moscow and its city center. Next, take a tour of Red Square and discover Moscow's most remarkable tourist sites: the colorful Saint Basil's Cathedral, the famous Lenin's Mausoleum, and the magnificent State History Museum. Stroll along Nikolskaya Street to admire the impressive Bolshoi Theatre with its famous quadriga above, as well as the largest ballet company in the world. Still not tired? There are a few optional activities waiting for you! For culture lovers, we can arrange a visit to theater and ballet performances, and for sports enthusiasts: tickets to see figure skating in one of Moscow's parks or tickets for an ice hockey match.

• day 3

  Tour Return to the USSR in Moscow with the optional modern arts afternoon

  Today, we invite you to take a tour entitled "Back to the USSR." Go back in time and discover Russia from the Soviet point of view! Visit the most spectacular monuments of Soviet architecture. First, go to Vorobievi Gori (Sparrow Hills), which is the best panoramic viewpoint over all of Moscow. Walk a little further to see a huge breathtaking building: Moscow State University, one of Stalin's skyscrapers (the so-called "Seven Sisters"). Continue the tour by visiting Victory Park (Poklonnaya Gora), an ideal place with spectacular monuments to the heroes of what Russians call the "Great Patriotic War" (known to the rest of the world as World War II). Next, visit VDNKh: built in the Soviet era as the "All-Russian Exhibition Center," today it is a huge park and entertainment area, where locals spend their afternoons and weekends. At VDNKh, there are many beautiful monumental buildings and fountains from the Soviet era (the "Friendship of Nations" fountain is one of the most famous). VDNKh also hosts a space pavilion and, right next to its main entrance, you can see a monument to the conquerors of space, with a Museum of Cosmonauts located in its basement. Optionally for the second part of the day, visit Garage – a contemporary art museum. It is the museum of a new wave in Moscow, where modern arts, technologies, and the museum's organizational approach come together. It is a must-visit not only for contemporary art lovers, but also for those who want to breathe the air of the new modern Russia. The museum always has something new to offer. As it does not have its own permanent exhibition, several times a year, they organize absolutely new exhibitions of modern artists from all over the world.

• day 4

  Welcome to Saint Petersburg

  In the morning, take the fast train to Saint Petersburg. After lunch, start discovering Saint Petersburg with our guide during a walking tour. Walk down Nevsky Avenue, the main street of the city, where you can find many shops, restaurants, and hotels with a long history. Thanks to our guide, you will learn interesting facts that even many locals do not know. Visit the Kazan Cathedral, whose picturesque building is located on Nevsky Avenue. Take a photo near the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

• day 5

  A private tour at the Hermitage

  The Hermitage is one of the largest and oldest museums of art and culture in the world. Its collections include more than 3 million masterpieces that represent the development of world culture and art, from the Stone Age to the 20th century. The main building of the museum is the Winter Palace, a former residence of the Russian emperor. You won't miss it, as all excursions to the Hermitage start exactly from this point. (Optional activity) In the evening, you will have the opportunity to see Saint Petersburg from another perspective, by exploring its many rivers and canals during a boat tour. Admire the beautiful architecture of the city and the magnificent buildings located on their banks. Alternatively, you can choose an evening walk around the city to witness the opening of the bridges, which takes place every day and is so impressive that locals and tourists gather every evening to admire it. An evening on the banks of the Neva is an opportunity to relax, meet new people, and listen to street music performed by local artists.

• day 6

  A private tour to Peterhof

  In the morning, you go to the Peterhof Palace, known as the "Russian Versailles", a UNESCO World Heritage site. Peterhof is a series of majestic palaces and colorful gardens located near Saint Petersburg. For 200 years, it served as the summer residence of Russian monarchs. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was a place for majestic receptions, grand festivities, balls, concerts, and masquerades. Visit the Grand Palace, the Mon Plaisir Palace, admire about 150 beautiful fountains as well as the upper and lower parks, and discover the shoreline.

• day 7

  Goodbye

  It is time to finish your Essential Moscow and Saint Petersburg tour and say goodbye to the ExploRussia team. Check out of the hotel and go to the airport to return home. Depending on your departure time, you can enjoy your last day by walking around your favorite places in Saint Petersburg and having a farewell lunch in one of the unique restaurants in the city center. The ExploRussia guide will advise you on what else to visit in Saint Petersburg.