 GRAND TOURGRAND TOUR
Moscow – Golden Ring – Petrozavodsk – Kizhi – Saint Petersburg –
Novgorod – Irkutsk - Baikal
14 days / 13 nights
Day 1 Moscow
Arrival in Moscow. Meeting a local tour guide in the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in.
We invite you to short-time loop tour for seeing the main sights of Moscow. You’ll pass the historical center of the city, see the Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, approach Lomonosov Moscow State University to enjoy an incredible panoramic view from Vorobyevy Gory. During the excursion you'll learn the history of Moscow, the history of its development, about the way its architectural look has changed throughout various epochs, especially recently, that you can see for yourselves when coming closer to the Moscow City complex, a new business district of Moscow.
Day 2 Moscow
Transfer to the Kremlin. Seeing the sights on the territory of the Kremlin, the most ancient part of Moscow, that is the part of UNESCO World Heritage List, getting acquainted with ancient architecture of Moscow. The Kremlin is the historical centre of the city, the heart of Moscow. This is one of the most famous museums of the world, which continues to attract visitors in great numbers. Kremlin is located on a hill washed from one side by the Moscow–river. On the Kremlin grounds you can see the Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon and visit Annunciation (Blagoveschensky), Archangel (Arkhangelsky) and Assumption (Voznesensky) Cathedrals, the Bell –Tower of Ivan the Great and the Church of the Twelve Apostles – the wonderful monuments of Russian church architecture with unique richly decorated interiors.
Visiting Tretiakov Gallery or The Pushkin Museum, a world famous museum of fine arts; works by impressionists and Fayum portraits collection are of the greatest interest.
Visiting Moscow metro Famous Moscow metro is symbol of glory of constructivism, decorated with chandeliers and tons of marble. Most of its stations have been designated as architectural landmarks. The length of the underground lines exceeds 250 kilometres, it has more than 160 metro stations, new ones are continuously added. The vestibules of the metro stations, which are among the most beautiful in the world, were built about fifty years ago; the first line was opened in 1935. Old Arbat Street is a street with activity at any time of day and night. Arbat Street is a cobbled pedestrian passage and one of the most popular meeting and shopping spots in Moscow. It is here that that artist, musicians, lovers of poetry and amateur songwriters like to get together.
DAY 3 Vladimir
Breakfast.
Morning departure from Moscow.
Arrival in Vladimir founded in the beginning of the 12th century, which had been the capital of the Ancient Russian State for more than 250 years. All great princes were crowned as Moscow sovereigns here until the middle of the 15th century. Lunch at the local restaurant. Sightseeing tour of Vladimir, including Cathedrals of the Assumption and of St. Dmitry, the Golden Gate, and the Museum of lacquered miniature works. Italian architect Aristotle Fiorovanti made a special trip to Vladimir to see Assumption and St. Dmitry’s Cathedrals, so that he could build equal in the Moscow Kremlin. The Assumption Cathedral was not only the main church of the city, but its cultural, political and religious centre. It was also the main church of all Russia. Of exceptional artistic value are the 15th century frescoes by Andrei Rublev, one of the greatest Russian artists. The Cathedral of St. Dmitry used to be part of the buildings of the prince’s court, and was one of the most beautiful and original cathedrals of ancient Russia. The most amazing feature of the cathedral is its white stone carving. The sculptured decoration has about 1500 carved stones. All the carvings communicate the general idea of glorifying the beauty and perfection of the world created by God. The Golden Gate is the only existing monument of military engineering architecture of ancient Russia. It was the main, most spectacular and imposing gate of North-Eastern Russia’s capital. Now it houses the museum of Vladimir history. Near the Golden Gate in the former Old Trinity Church there is the exhibition of Crystal and Miniature Lacquer Works. It was opened in 1974. Objects of decorative and applied art traditional for the Vladimir region are exhibited here: crystal and colored glass, miniature lacquer-work and embroidery.
Accommodation in Vladimir. Dinner at the hotel
round Suzdal - Vladimir’s youngest brother. Suzdal is a small town covering only 9 square kilometers (a hundredth of Moscow). However, it houses more than 200 old buildings. In 1983 the International Federation of Tourism Journalists and writers awarded the town the Golden Apple prize: it is only town in the country to receive such a high honor. The tour to this “City-museum” includes visit to the Kremlin, which is located on a winding bank of the Kamenka River in the heart of the Old Town. The formation of ensemble of the Kremlin had been continued for six centuries. One of constructions of the Kremlin is the Cross-Chamber, which was built in addition to the residential rooms and structures. It was the hall for official receptions of the bishop's quarters where the XVIII century interior has been re-created, where visitors will see tiled stoves, furniture of the period, portraits of tsars and clergymen. Suzdal is the city of monasteries. There used to be fifteen monasteries, but only five of them survived. One of the most interesting monasteries is Spaso-Yevfimiev monastery. Founded in the middle of fourteenth century, the monastery has strong red walls 1200 meters long, twelve towers of XVII century, and buildings of XVI-XVIII centuries. Since XVIII century it was both a monastery and state prison. Three hundred and fifty detainees passed through cells of the prison. The main building of the monastery is the Cathedral of the Transfiguration (1594) built under traditions of the ancient white stone architecture of Suzdal. The interior of the cathedral was decorated with frescoes painted by Guri Nikitin and Sila Savin, well-known artists of the XVII century. At present the monastery is a museum complex that accommodates several museum exhibitions: "The Golden Treasury", "Book Treasures of Six Centuries", "Museum of the Arts of the Peoples of Russia", "Prisoners of the Monastery Jail". Visitors to the monastery can also enjoy the bell ringing performed by one of the best bell-ringers of Russia.
 DAY 4 Suzdal
Breakfast at the hotel.
Sightseeing tour
During the tour round Suzdal tourists visit Museum of Wooden Architecture. It was founded in 1960. The windmills, the church and several wooden houses, barns, bathhouses and other structures brought from different villages in Vladimir Region are exhibited in the Museum.
at the local restaurant. Departure to Moscow.
Transfer to the airport or railway station to take the night train to Ptrozavodsk.
Day 5 Petrozavodsk - Kizhi
Arrival in Petrozavodsk. Meeting at the railway station. Transfer. Breakfast. Transfer to the River Terminal. Hydrofoil tour to Kizhi Island. Arrival to Kizhi Island. Sightseeing. A small Kizhi Island, 8 km long and less than 1.5 km wide, is washed by the Lake Onega.
In the remote past it was a site of pagan practices that’s why it was settled very early. The island’s main architectural landmark is the Transfiguration Church built in 1714, without a single nail. (The few nails you can see today remain from the restoration work done in the 1960s.) This strikingly beautiful structure crowned with 22 cupolas seems to be hovering in the air in any weather, whether the lake is calm and peaceful and its surface smooth or it is rough and waves violently break on the shore.
In 1951 the island became an open - air museum of Old Russian wooden architecture. Best wooden constructions have been transferred here from nearby and distant villages. Noteworthy is St. Lazarus’ Church, which, according to the legend, was built by monk Lazarus, the founder of the Murom monastery. He died in 1391, which means that it is the oldest wooden church extant in Russia. It is very small: the nave is only 3 m long while the porch and altar parts are simply tiny. Other relics of the past located here are two wooden houses, two windmills and traditional Russian Bathhouses, which stand on the shore.
After the excursion the hydrofoil will transfer you back to Petrozavodsk. Lunch. City tour round Petrozavodsk. It is the capital of Karelia. Petrozavodsk stands on the site of the 17th century settlement called Olonets, an administrative center of a region known for its iron forging and smithing. During the years of its existence it has turned from a provincial town into an administrative, industrial and cultural center of Karelia. Embankment of the Onega Lake – the second largest lake in Europe. During the city tour you will see: Monument to Peter I, historical center of the city – the cannon-monument, Theatre square, the cultural centre of the city, Cathedral of the Deposition of the Cross (19th century). Dinner. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.
 Day 6 Petrozavodsk
Breakfast.
Then you will have an excursion to the First Russian Spa "Martial Waters”.The route greatly favored by tourists, crosses spectacular land of woods and lakes, small Karelian villages with traditional wooden houses, agricultural farms, picturesque suburbs of Petrozavodsk and typical Karelian landscapes. Tsarevichi village is located in a very picturesque place on a narrow isthmus between two lakes, visiting houses of local people and the chapel of the 18th century. Sampo rock. Unforgettable scenery and acquaintance with the world-famous Karelian-Finnish epos "Kalevala". The Martial Waters museum. The exhibition of the museum is related with the greatest events of Russian history during the first quarter of the 18th century. The "Martial Waters" spa with sources of the unique mineral water is rich in iron and effective to cure cardio-vascular diseases. Tourists will taste mineral water and visit the Church of Apostle Peter, built in 1721. The tour gives a wonderful opportunity to see life of the inhabitants of the North-Western part of Russia, learn about their rich culture, customs and traditions. The State Nature Preserve Kivach was organized in 1931. Its territory is approximately 10,000 hectares. A large part of the territory is occupied by forests (pine, fir, birch, aspen, grey and black alder, linden, elm trees). The gem of the preserve is the Kivach waterfall on the Suna River. The Kivach waterfall is the second largest flat waterfall in Europe (10.7 m). After the excursion you will have a barbecue dinner with traditional Karelian meals and alcohol.
Transfer
Day 7
Arrival. Transfer to the hotel. Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we invite you to the city tour. While touring through the city you will get acquainted with architecture, history and present day life of the former capital of Imperial Russia, the history of the Romanov dynasty. During sightseeing you will visit the Peter and Paul Fortress. It is the first structure in St. Petersburg. The first day of the construction of the Fortress became the Birthday of the city – May 27, 1703. Built as a military fort the fortress never participated in any military action and soon was transferred into political prison. Rising high above the Neva the golden slim spire of Peter and Paul Cathedral with an angel on its top dominates the city. The cathedral is a burial place of Russian Emperors from the time of Peter I. In 1998 remains of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, and his family were buried in Peter and Paul Cathedral. Lunch at the local restaurant. Accommodation. Free time.
 Day 8 Saint Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel.
Day 9 Saint Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel.
Lunch is served not far from Pushkin in restaurant “Podvorye” - the most Russian out of all restaurants in Russia. It is well known in many countries all over the world; even such famous gourmets as Charles, Prince of Wales and president of France Jacques Chirac have admired the restaurant cuisine. The restaurant looks like an old Russian village, where every detail makes you feel yourself Russian.
After the lunch we will visit Peterhof, a jewel of the Russian art, a town of parks, palaces and fountains. It was built by the order of Peter the Great to commemorate the victory of Russia over Sweden in the Northern War. The architectural ensemble of Peterhof is rivalling the summer residence of the French kings – Versailles. In the past Peterhof used to be an exquisite summer residence of the Russian tsars. The centre of the ensemble is the Grand Palace with the brilliant interiors, which were badly damaged during the time of the Second World War. The restoration works were made after the photos and descriptions of the palace of the beginning of the XX century. Three monumental cascading fountains lead from the Grand Palace to the Low Park, which is the real masterpiece in itself, 173 fountains of different kinds are on its grounds.
 Day 10 Novgorod
Breakfast.
After it you will enjoy a visit to unique open-air Museum of wooden architecture "Vitoslavlitsi" of incomparable beauty, which preserves flavor of the 16th century village with genuine wooden churches and peasant homes from around the region. Not far from the museum there is the Yuriev Monastery. It is situated on the bank of the Ilmen Lake and provides unique opportunities to glimpse frescoes of antiquity. The Yuriev Monastery – working man's monastery. It was founded by Novgorod prince Jaroslav in the beginning of XI century. It is located 4 km away Novgorod on the bank of the Ilmen Lake. Since 1989 it is a part of Novgorod diocese and has been working more than 10 years. There is Georgievski cathedral on the territory of the monastery - the most unique monument of XII century architecture, a princely tomb. Transfer to St. Petersburg.
Day 11 Saint Petersburg – Irkutsk
Breakfast.
 Day 12 Irkutsk – Listvyanka
Breakfast.
Moving to Listvyanka village. Water cruise across Baikal. Dinner in a local restaurant where one can enjoy pelmeni, piroshki and other national Siberian meals. . Walking across the village, visiting Limnology museum. Return to the hotel. Dinner.
DAY 13 Irkutsk
Breakfast.
Short-time loop tour across the city including visiting House-museum of decembrist Volkonsky, where one can listen to Russian romances and drink a glass of champagne. Lunch at the local restaurant. Visiting Taltsy Museum of wooden architecture. The open-air museum presents a great collection of wooden houses, furniture and housewares, collected in nearby villages. The museum exhibits culture of Russian villages and yurts of XVI-XIX centuries. One can view interior of Russian fortress and tower constructed in the XV century and huts and churches, shaman’s yurts and many other remarkable structures. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner.
DAY 14
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
This amazing adventure can be prolonged by visiting Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.
Irkutsk Transfer to the airport. Flight to Irkutsk. Arrival in Irkutsk. Hotel accommodation. Transfer to the Novgorod from Saint-Petersburg. Arrival in Novgorod. City tour. During the city sightseeing tour you will get acquainted with history of the city and visit the main places of interest. Novgorod was founded in 9th century and became a birthplace of Russia. It is a city-museum with splendid monuments of ecclesiastic and defense architecture of 12th - 14th cc. Novgorod’s architecture and painting are unquestionably the best examples of world culture. The Novgorod Kremlin is the 11th century citadel with unassailable walls and tall towers. Its oldest structure, St.Sofia’s Cathedral, amazes one with its great height (nearly 40 metres), its strength, spacious interior and acoustic qualities. The entire Kremlin grounds with all its structures, which have been restored, are the museum area. You will see Faceted Palace and "The Millenium of Russia" Monument. Lunch.Full-day suburban excursion to Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo, Tsar’s Village). It is a fascinating example of the world’s architecture and gardening. The compositional center of the whole ensemble is the Catherine Palace. The grandeur of artistic décor of the façades, whimsical molded decoration, gilding of architectural and sculptural details, all echoes majesty and elegance of the interior decoration. Halls and rooms of the palace embellished with gilded caryatids, allegorical sculptures, elaborate stuccowork, monumental ceiling paintings and skillfully executed inlaid parquet floors never fail to fascinate visitors to the palace. The famous Amber Room used to be in this Palace. Now it is restored and you can enjoy it during the tour. The park of Tsarskoye Selo was a favorite recreation place of the Russian Tsars. The paths around the Catherine Palace invite you for a walk to see park pavilions erected by famous architects and sculptors of Russia.We invite our guests to visit one of the largest and oldest museums in the world – the Hermitage. The collections of the museum are arranged and displayed in 5 historical buildings in St. Petersburg, including The Winter Palace – former residence of the Russian tsars. The buildings of the museum are valuable architectural monuments, chef-d’oeuvres of Western – European architects. The collection of the museum numbers over 3 million items from prehistoric to modern times. The Hermitage acquired authentic masterpieces by the greatest painters, notably the first-rate works of the Dutch and Flemish school of painting, including many canvases by such outstanding masters as Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck and Jordaens. Now the museum can boast itself by superb collections of paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, El Greco, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Lunch at the local restaurant. After the lunch we proceed to one of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals, St. Isaac’s Cathedral. It was constructed in the first half of the 19th century and was named in honor of St. Isaac of Dalmatia, on whose day Peter I was born. This Cathedral is the third in the world among the largest one-dome cathedrals after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. It is the former principle cathedral of the Russian capital, the largest cathedral in the city. In this cathedral ceremonial weddings of Russian tsars were held. The cathedral is decorated with mosaics, painted ceiling murals, bronze gilt statues. Religious services are held here on Major Orthodox holidays. We continue our excursion with the boat trip “Along The Rivers and Canals”. A relaxing cruise by boat along the Neva River and other numerous rivers and canals of the “Venice of the North”, as St. Petersburg used to be called, is one of the unique ways to discover city. The magnificent architectural ensembles, churches, cathedrals and monuments seem to exist in astonishing harmony with the water body. All St. Petersburg embankments have their own distinctive character. Some are formal and grand. Others, twisting together with rivers and canals, have quiet, romantic air. On calm, windless days mirror surfaces of the rivers reflect embankments, facades of buildings, arches of the bridges, patterns of cast-iron railings and trees. Saint Petersburg to the railway station. Departure to Saint Petersburg by train.
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