Palaces, Ballet and Fine Food

On arrival, be met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of the ‘Golden Triangle’ in St Petersburg.  Once unpacked and freshened up, leave in a private vehicle for a tour of the city in the evening lights.  Visit the fascinating Faberge Museum which not only display the world famous eggs, but also exquisite trinkets made for diplomatic gifts.  Dinner at local Russian restaurant with traditional live music.

Today you will have a full day out and about.  Drive south of St Petersburg to the impressive Catherine Palace.  A vast rococo summer palace built for Catherine I who reigned as Empress for two years after her husband Peter the Great died in 1725.  To give an idea of its size, its circumference is a full kilometre.  Drive half an hour to Podvorje where you will take a ride in a classic troika sleigh in the park of the Neo-Classical Pavlovsk Palace.   This palace, was gifted by Catherine The Great to her son Paul I.   Next stop lunch at a popular woods cabin where you will have a taster menu of Russia’s favourite dishes and home-grown wine.  Return back to the hotel and have an hour to rest and change for dinner.  You will be transferred to a restaurant serving contemporary twists on Russian classics.  Then off to the ballet in the old Mariinsky Theatre.  Perhaps the seasonal Nutcracker performance?

Today you will visit the Hermitage, a highlight of St Petersburg.  Vast beyond belief, it is said to look at everything it would take one person eight years.  The interiors are fascinating, extremely opulent and a beautiful display of craftsmanship.  Depending on your interests, your guide will do a 3hr tour of the interiors or the artwork.  Next you will transfer to Peter and Paul Fortress, the first capital of St Petersburg.  You will find a beautiful Cathedral with the tombs of the Romanov dynasty.  Return to the hotel for dinner.

You will have the morning to explore further St Petersburg.  A visit to Kazan Cathedral, The Chuch of Spilt Blood and Isaac’s Cathedral.  Not to be missed is Yusupov’s Palace.  One of the few palaces with original interiors that was not stripped during the revolution.  Here you will see some extraordinary sites as well a take a tour of the conspiracy and murder of Rasputin.  In the afternoon, board a 4hr train to Moscow.  Transfer to your hotel over looking the Red Square.

Meet your private guide at the hotel lobby who will accompany you for the whole day, taking you on a tour of Moscow.  Visit the Kremlin, Red Square, the Moscow Metro, the university, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Church of Nicholas in Khamovniki, Novodevichy Monastery and graveyard, Triumphal Arch, White House, Arbat Square, Boulevard Ring, Tverskaya street and Manezh square.  Dinner at the famous Pushkin restaurant.

After check out, privately transfer to Moscow Airport for in time for your flight to London.