The Best Of Russia, Baltic States & Warsaw

( 5 Star )

Visit: Moscow - St. Petersburg - Tallinn - Riga - Vilnius - Warsaw

Itinerary
Inclusion / Exclusion
Dates Pricing

Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Tonight, gather with your traveling companions for a Welcome Dinner. (D)

Moscow, one of the largest cities in the world, is the symbolic heart and soul of the country. Your sightseeing tour begins at Red Square, dominated by colorful St. Basil's Cathedral and by the massive red walls of the Kremlin. Visit the Armory Museum, with its impressive collection of Tsarist, Russian, and foreign jewelry, armor, and other artifacts. Then walk by Moscow University. Continue with a drive along the wide boulevards and a stroll through GUM, Russia’s largest department store. Continue, on the north bank of the River Moskva, passing by baroque Novodevichy convent; ending the tour at the popular Arbat shopping district. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

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. Sergius Lavra, one of the most beautiful of all monasteries. After lunch, return to Moscow, the rest of the day at leisure. This evening take an Optional tour Moscow by night & Subway, to see the metro stations which Stalin called “Palaces for the People.” (B, L)

Time at leisure in Moscow, before transfer to railway station for our four hours high speed Sapsan train ride to St. Petersburg. Upon arrival at the St. Petersburg train station, transfer to your hotel. Dinner at hotel. Join for an optional Russian Folklore evening. (B, D)

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. Spread over 100 islands and linked by over 600 bridges, it is often referred to as the “Venice of the North.” Today the main sites to be visited on the tour are Palace Square with the Winter Palace, Senate Square with the monument to Russian Emperor Peter the Great, the founder of the city, St. Isaac’s Square with St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Smolny Cathedral, Cruiser Aurora, Field of Mars, and Nevsky Prospect. Visit the Peter and Paul Fortress, built in 1703 to protect the city from enemy attacks. Visit Peter and Paul Cathedral, which towers in the center of the fortress served as the burial place for Russian Emperors from Peter I. Your evening is free or join an optional Evening Canal Cruise. (B)

This morning you’ll make a highlight visit to the world-famous Hermitage, housing more than four million works of art. It ranks among one of the largest and oldest museums of the world, founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great. Admire the world-famous masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Titian, Rembrandt, El Greco, Velasquez, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, and French Impressionists. The Hermitage occupies five buildings, the largest is the Winter Palace, the former residence of Russian Emperors. Spend the rest of the day at leisure exploring the city on your own or perhaps you may choose to take an optional tour to Petrodvorets, Peterhof Summer Palace of Peter the Great. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a dinner. (B, D)

Today journey will take us to Estonia, where your first stop is Narva, set just across the border with Russia. Continue to Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. (B, D)

On a walking tour of Tallinn’s Upper and Lower Old Town, visit the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Next, visit Toompea Castle and see the 14th-century gothic Town Hall. This afternoon, travel to Riga, the capital of Latvia. (B, D)

On a morning sightseeing tour, see Riga Castle, the magnificent Dome Cathedral, St. Jacobs Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, the Parliament building, Liberty Monument, and the district of Art Nouveau houses. Your afternoon and evening are free. (B)

Depart this morning for Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The rest of the day is at leisure to begin exploring the city with its interesting architecture. (B, D)

The city of Vilnius is located on the confluence of the Neris and Velnele Rivers. In Old Vilnius, visit St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church and St. Anne’s Church. View Vilnius University, dating back to 1570, Gediminas' Tower in the Upper Town, and Vilnius Castle. The afternoon is free or you may want to join an optional excursion to Trakai, beautifully set on three lakes. (B)

Drive through the landscapes of Lithuania on your way to cross the border into Poland. Then take in the Polish countryside, cities, and towns as you head to Warsaw, arriving at the day's end. (B, L, D)

Warsaw, the 700-year-old capital of Poland. A sightseeing tour here includes a drive along the famous Royal Route from magnificent Castle Square to Lazienki Park and Palace, the summer residence of the last king of Poland. Pass by the Palace of Science and Culture (known as a “wedding cake”), the Saxon Gardens, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Monument to the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto, and the Barbican. Then on a walking tour, see the Old Town, Old Market Square, and St. John’s Cathedral. The rest of the day is free for a stroll through the city, shopping, relaxing, or perhaps attend an optional late afternoon Chopin concert. (B)

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight. (B)

Inclusion

Centrally located 4-star hotels
Buffet breakfast daily
2 lunches and 7 dinners (coffee or tea included)
Airport transfers
Touring by modern air-conditioned motor-coach
High speed train from Moscow to St. Petersburg
Professional English Speaking Tour Director throughout
Licensed Local Guides
Entrance fees included where indicated in bold letters
Luggage handling at hotels
Complimentary whispers with sightseeing tours
Service charges and hotel taxes

Exclusion

International airfares
Optional activities
Other meals, drinks, tips and other personal expenses or services not specified on the program
Personal equipment
Travel insurance
Gratuities
Voluntary tips for guides or drivers
Travel and medical insurance
Any items not mentioned as included

Note

HOTELS

Moscow: Marriott Grand
St. Petersburg: Ambassador
Tallinn: Park Inn Radisson Meriton
Riga: Radisson Blu Latvija
Vilnius: Novotel
Warsaw: Mercure Grand

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS - Supplement cost is available on request

MOSCOW / METRO & RED SQUARE BY NIGHT

No visit to Moscow is complete without a tour of its elegant Subway Stations! We will show you some of the most beautiful stations decorated with marble, brightly colored stained glass, mosaics, and chandeliers. Later stroll in Red Square, passing the tomb of Lenin and St. Basil’s Cathedral.

PETERSBURG / RUSSIAN FOLKLORE EVENING

A chance to attend one of the best Russian Folklore programs in St. Petersburg. The show includes dances, songs, instruments and costumes from around Russia, during the intermission of canapés, Russian champagne and vodka are sampled. Memorable experience!

PETERSBURG / EVENING CANAL CRUISE

An evening cruise through the canals and River Neva transforms the city into a magical place that has inspired generations of artists. You will be offered champagne, caviar, and vodka on board. Enjoy the sights of this classical city from a different perspective.

PETERSBURG / PETRODVORETS (PETERHOF)

The former summer Residence of Czar Peter the Great was his Russian recreation of Versailles. It is famed for its palaces, extensive gardens, terraces of gilded statues and fountain cascades on the Gulf of Finland. Relax and enjoy the elegant atmosphere of these baroque gardens and palaces on your visit.

RIGA / OPEN AIR ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM

Visit the open-air Ethnographic Museum that depicts 18^th-century farm life. This unique museum is set on 100 hectares of land on the outskirts of Riga, in a pine forest on the banks of the Jugla Lake. The 118 historic structures including farmhouses, windmills, fishing villages, churches, and other historic structures have been rebuilt and preserved here to re-create a proper village preserved from this era.

VILNIUS / KGB MUSEUM

Begin your sightseeing of Vilnius with a visit to the KGB Museum, which was used as a top security prison from 1940 to 1989. Photo exhibits assist in imagining what it was like to be imprisoned in these cold, damp and narrow cells.

VILNIUS / EXCURSION TO TRAKAI CASTLE

This afternoon, visit one of the few reconstructed castles of the Lithuanian ruling dynasty, situated in the old Lithuanian capital of Trakai. Set on an island surrounded with hundreds of lakes, the castle is furnished with excellent collections of armors, furniture, and decorative objects. A guided visit shows you Lithuanian’s most famous and photographed castle.

WARSAW / WILANOW PALACE

This splendid baroque palace, as impressive as Versailles, was built in the late 17th century as a summer residence for King Jan Sobieski III and owned later by most important polish noble families. The main building consisting of 3 wings, housed the oldest museum established in Poland in 1805 to preserve the memory about Sobieski family and spectacular national history moments of that time, including Battle of Vienna in 1683 against the Ottoman Empire. The residence complex extended by a large garden and lakeside promenade, fortunately, avoided deeper destruction in 1939-1945. After detailed renovations in 2010-11, Wilanow Palace presents its valuable collection of royal furniture, portraits, and China.

WARSAW / CHOPIN CONCERT

It was the genius of Frederic Chopin that made Poland’s music world famous. The Mazurkas, Etudes, Polonaises, and Scherzos became a test and measure of any pianist’s talent. Enjoy a Chopin piano recital, performed just for you in a setting fit for a king. A glass of champagne is served during intermission.