What's included ?

• Airport transfers
• 4 - star hotels, rooms with private facilities
• Breakfast daily
• A welcome reception in Moscow (hors d'oeuvres, a glass of wine, beer or soft drink
• Lunch in popular local restaurant in Moscow (coffee or tea included)
  
• A farewell dinner in Helsinki (coffee or tea included)
  
• Inter-city travel by modern air-conditioned motor-coach
• Professional English-speaking Tour Director throughout
• Local Guides
• Sightseeing tours, as per itinerary
• Admission included where indicated in bold letters
• Whisper technology enhanced touring
• Luggage handling at the hotel
• Hotel taxes and service charges

TOUR SPOTLIGHTS:

• Moscow's history, architecture and artistry
• Sergiev Posad and the Trinity St. Sergius Lavra
• St. Petersburg, city of palaces and museums
• Helsinki's imposing landmarks
  

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Moskva river cruise in Moscow
• Vodka tasting in St. Petersug
  

What's not included ?

Day 1, USA - MOSCOW

Leave tonight on an overnight jet flight for Moscow (flight not included).

Day 2, MOSCOW (Welcome reception)

Upon arrival, we will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure. Tonight, your Tour Director  is hosting a welcome reception and will introduce you to your fellow travelers. 

Day 3, MOSCOW (Breakfast)

Our sightseeing tour begins at the Red Square, dominated by the colorful St. Basil's Cathedral and by the massive red walls of the Kremlin. We visit the Armory Museum, with its impressive collection of Tsarist, Russian, and foreign jewelry, armor, and other artifacts. Then we walk by Moscow University and continue by motor coach along the wide boulevards to Russia’s largest department store GUM. After the store’s visit, we motor along the Moskva River, passing the baroque Novodevichy Convent and ending the tour at the popular Arbat shopping district. The rest of the day is at leisure. In the evening, we enjoy a cruise on the Moskva River for the most picturesque sights of Moscow.

Day 4, MOSCOW (Breakfast, Lunch)

Today we travel 75 km north of Moscow, to a small town of Sergiev Posad, former Zagorsk - founded in the 14th century and renowned as a center of ancient Russian art and architecture. For centuries it served as a place of pilgrimage and the religious capital of Russia. Within the old walled city admire the fairy-tale golden and blue domes of the Holy Trinity St. Serguis Lavra, one of the most beautiful of all monasteries. After lunch, return to Moscow. The rest of the day at leisure. 

Optional: Moscow by night and Subway.

Day 5, MOSCOW - ST. PETERSBURG (Breakfast)

Enjoy time at leisure, before we transfer to the railway station for a four hours high speed Sapsan train ride to St. Petersburg. Upon arrival at the St. Petersburg train station, you will be transferred to your hotel. 

Optional tour: Russian Folklore evening.

Day 6, ST. PETERSBURG (Breakfast)

There are not many cities in the world that can match the grace of St. Petersburg. When Peter the Great founded the city in 1703, he hired Europe’s best architects, craftsmen and artists to build and decorate it. The morning sightseeing tour will feature Palace Square, Senate Square with the monument to Russian Emperor Peter the Great, the founder of the city, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Smolny Cathedral, Cruiser Aurora, Field of Mars, and Nevsky Prospect. Visit to Peter and Paul Fortress, built on a small island in 1703. After the tour, we visit the Russian Vodka Museum to taste a few vodka varietals.

Optional tour: River cruise.

Day 7, ST. PETERSBURG (Breakfast, Dinner)

This morning we’ll visit the world-famous State Hermitage Museum, housing more than four million works of art. It ranks among one of the largest and oldest museums of the world and was founded by Catherine the Great in 1764. Masterpieces by  Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Titian, Rembrandt, El Greco, Velasquez, Rubens, Van Dyke, Goya, and French Impressionists are all on display. Tonight, join your fellow travelers and your travel director for dinner.

Optional tour: Visit to Petrodvorets (Peterhof)

Day 8, ST. PETERSBURG - HELSINKI (Breakfast)

The journey today takes us to Helsinki on board the Allegro high-speed train (Finnish railways) in 3 hours and 30 minutes. (Note: Helsinki and St. Petersburg are in different time zones). Upon arrival in Helsinki you will be transferred to your hoteli. The balance of the day is at leisure. 

Day 9, HELSINKI ( Breakfast, Dinner)

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, lies in the far south of the country, on a peninsula that is home to the busiest passenger port in the world. Our comprehensive sightseeing covers its most important and interesting areas such as the historical center, the Senate Square, the Cathedral, City Hall, the Presidential Palace, Finlandia Hall, and the Opera House. We stop at the Sibelius Monument and whenever possible at the Temppeliaukio church. The rest of the day is free at leisure. In the evening gather with your fellow travelers and your tour director for our farewell dinner.

Optional tour: Excursion to Suomenlinna Island.

Day 10, USA - HELSINKI (Breakfast)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board your home-bound flight.

Alternatively, you can continue your journey and join our "Helsinki and the Baltic Dominions" tour.

• MOSCOW - Sheraton or similar
• ST. PETERSBURG - Radisson Sonya or similar
• HELSINKI - Scandic Grand Marina / Radisson Blu Marina or similar