From Saint Petersburg to Moscow in 4 seasons

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Saint Petersburg, the Venice of the North.

  Your driver will meet you at the airport and accompany you to the hotel.

• day 2

  Palace of Saint Petersburg.

  Departure by transport with your guide for a day excursion to Pavlovsk and Tsarskoïe Selo (Pushkin). Free lunch between the two excursions: Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pavlovsk is renowned for the splendor of its interiors, housing numerous pieces of furniture, sculptures, and paintings from the 18th century, as well as for the beauty of its English-style park. The town of "Tsarskoïe Selo" (Imperial Village) was founded in the 18th century to host the summer residence of the tsars. Renamed "Pushkin" after the Revolution, it is home to the splendid Catherine Palace, built by Rastrelli on the orders of Elizabeth I, as well as the Alexander Palace, constructed by Catherine II on the occasion of her grandson's wedding, the future Alexander I.

• day 3

  Peterhof.

  Meeting with the guide at the hotel and transfer to Peterhof, then visit of the Grand Palace and the Gardens: The Peterhof Palace was intended to be the "Russian Versailles." The long canal connecting it to the Gulf of Finland allowed guests to reach the palace by boat, admiring the Grand Cascade and the entire magnificent ensemble of fountains, water jets, and sculptures that operate from mid-May to September. Return to Saint Petersburg. Free afternoon for personal exploration of the city. Dinner on your own, then transfer to the station. Overnight on the train in 2nd class, 4-person compartment.

• day 4

  Discovery of Moscow.

  Arrival in Moscow and welcome by your French-speaking guide at the station. Panoramic city tour by transport with a French-speaking guide: Discover Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral, the GUM, the Kremlin, the Bolshoi, Manege Square, Tverskaya Street, then "Vorobievi" Hill (or Sparrow Hills) with its superb panorama, and finally the view of the Novodevichy Convent and its pond, so popular with Muscovites. Lunch at your leisure and free afternoon for personal discovery of the city of Moscow.

• day 5

  Classic and modern Moscow.

  Visit to the Tretyakov Gallery: Located in the mansion of the collector Pavel Tretyakov, in the heart of the picturesque "Zamoskvorechye" district, the "Tretyakovka" houses the most important collection of Russian art and icons in the world. It covers the pictorial history of Russia from the 11th to the 20th century. Free lunch, then guided tour of the metro and visit to the Arbat district: The Moscow metro is world-famous for its rich decorations in various styles, ranging from classicism to Soviet realism. Some stations are true "underground palaces." The visit is pleasantly combined with a stroll through old Arbat, a pedestrian street lined with shops where street portraitists, musicians, and booksellers create a lively atmosphere. Not far away is the impressive Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, destroyed by Stalin, turned into a swimming pool, then rebuilt identically and reopened for worship in the 2000s.

• day 6

  Kremlin – the heart of Moscow.

  Meeting with your guide, visit of the Kremlin grounds and its cathedrals as well as the Armoury Palace: Former residence of the tsars, the largest and most famous fortress in the country, the Kremlin is a complex of palaces and cathedrals, the oldest of which date back to the 15th century. The Armoury Palace houses a rich museum where treasures accumulated by princes and tsars are kept: carriages, thrones, costumes, sceptres and crowns, as well as a beautiful collection of the famous Fabergé eggs. Lunch at your leisure and free afternoon for personal discovery of the city of Moscow.

• day 7

  Departure from Russia.

  Free time depending on flight schedules. Transfer to the airport. Return flight.