10 days / 9 nights - from £ 1,245 per person

Explore the ancient history of the Russian capitals - Moscow and S. Petersburg and the Golden ring towns - Vladimir, Suzdal and Bogolyubovo. This collection of small towns to the Northeast of Moscow played a significant role in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church and preserved the memory of the most important and significant events in Russian history. The towns have been called "open air museums" and feature unique monuments of Russian architecture of the 12th-18th centuries, including kremlins, monasteries, cathedrals, and churches.

Russian Capitals and Golden Ring Tour - 2012 guaranteed departure dates:

Package price is from £1,245 per person based on availability and two people sharing a twin or double room. Single supplement is £330.

Package includes:

• Direct flights from London Heathrow on British Airways
• 9 overnights at centrally located 4 star hotels
• 9 x buffet breakfast
• Welcome meeting with champagne-cocktail or juice
• Personalised welcome package
• Entrances to Peter-Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg and Moscow Metro, the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Sergiev Posad and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl in Bogolyubovo
• Service of English speaking tour escort on all tours
• Service of 1^st class motor coaches or 1^st class minivans throughout the itinerary
• Sapsan high-speed train St. Petersburg-Moscow (2^nd class seats)
• Portage at hotels and railway stations
• Service and VAT
• QUIETVOX audio communication system in use throughout the tour

 Optional tours & dinners:
- 4-hour excursion to Peterhof: £60.00 pp
- Visit to folklore show at Nikolaevsky Palace: £42.00 pp
- 4-hour guided tour to Catherine's Palace: £50.00 pp
- 3-hour visit to the Hermitage Art Museum: £38.00 pp
- Russian dinner at Restaurant Na Zdrorovie: £45.00 pp
- 3-hour guided shopping tour on Nevsky Prospekt: £29.00 pp
- 3-hour excursion to Kremlin and one cathedral: £42.00 pp
- 4-hours excursion to Novodevich Convent: £46.00 pp
- 3-hour excursion and cruise on the Moscow River: £38.00 pp
- Visit to Old Russian Circus: £59.00 pp
- 8-hours tour of Suzdal and visit to Church of the Nativity, Museum of Wooden Architecture, St. Ethymius Monastery, the Transfiguration Cathedral: £ 68.00 pp
- Half board at hotels (9 x 3 course dinner): £220.00 pp

DAY 1 (Tuesday): ARRIVAL IN ST. PETERSBURG
Arrival in St. Petersburg, transfer to Hotel Radisson Sonya**** or similar, check-in, welcome meeting.

DAY 2 (Wednesday): ST. PETERSBURG
St. Petersburg is an amazing city. Its imperial palaces and museums enjoy worldwide fame, while the Neva River and the many canals have deservedly given the city the title “The Venice of the North”. During the morning sightseeing tour we get acquainted with all the splendours of the city: the Peter-Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Church of the Bleeding Savior, the Nevsky Convent and much more. The afternoon offers an optional visit to Peterhof, an uncontested masterpiece of the time of Peter the Great, with the impressive Grand Palace, Grand Cascade and Water Avenue and its wonderful parks. In the evening enjoy an optional visit to the Nikolaevsky Palace with an exciting Russian folklore show and Russian „champagne” and snacks.

DAY 3 (Thursday): ST.PETERSBURG
The morning is reserved for an optional excursion to Tsarskoye Selo with the impressive Catherine’s Palace and the Amber Room, which vanished during World War II and was restored for St. Petersburg’s tri-centennial celebrations. In the afternoon, an optional visit to the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum is offered. In the evening enjoy an optional Russian dinner at Restaurant Na Zdoroviye.

DAY 4 (Friday): ST. PETERSBURG - MOSCOW
The early morning is reserved for an optional guided shopping tour to fashion and souvenir boutiques on the Nevsky Prospect. Around noon we go to the Moscow Railway Station and board the Sapsan high-speed train bound for Moscow. The train ride takes us through endless Russian landscapes along the River Volga. In the evening we arrive to Moscow and check in at Hotel Holiday Inn Lesnaya**** or similar.

DAY 5 (Saturday): MOSCOW
Moscow, The Mother of Russia, is a genuine Russian city with the Kremlin and its onion domed cathedrals. The dramatic changes over the last decade have made the city to one of the most dynamic metropolis in the world. The morning sightseeing tour includes all the highlights of the vast city: the Red Square with Kremlin, the Theatre Square with Bolshoi Theatre, Sparrow Hills with Moscow University and a visit to the famous Moscow Metro. In the afternoon is offered an optional excursion to the Kremlin grounds with a visit to the cathedrals. The evening offers an optional excursion with a cruise on the Moscow River.

DAY 6 (Sunday): MOSCOW
The day offers an optional excursion to Novodevichy Convent, a 16th century cluster of sparkling domes, one of the city’s most beautiful groups of buildings and full of history and treasures. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery is Moscow‘s most prestigious resting place after the Kremlin. The balance of the day is reserved for exploring more of Moscow individually. The evening offers an optional visit to the Old Russian Circus.

DAY 7 (Monday): MOSCOW - VLADIMIR - SUZDAL
Today we start our journey on the Golden Ring of ancient Russian towns. We first go to the town of Sergiev Posad to visit the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual heart of the Russian Orthodox Church. After that we drive through scenic Russian landscapes to Vladimir, one of the ancient capitals of Russia We visit the Assumption Cathedral and the St. Demetrius Cathedral, both world heritage sites and the Golden Gate. In the late afternoon we continue to Suzdal and check-in at the Hotel Nikolaevsky Posad**** or similar.

DAY 8 (Tuesday): SUZDAL
Dating back almost a thousand year Suzdal is a small fairytale town with an unsurpassed collection of ancient Russian architecture. During the optional whole day tour we discover all the treasures of Suzdal including the Kremlin, the Nativity Cathedral, the Museum of Wooden Architecture, St. Ethymius Monastery, the Transfiguration Cathedral and the Pokrovsky Monastery. 

DAY 9 (Wednesday): SUZDAL - BOGOLYBOVO - MOSCOW
This morning we drive to the nearby village of Bogolyubovo to admire the glare white light single-domed Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. The church is built on a small hill, on a river meadow, in all its clarity and beauty it stands like a candle, growing out over the expanse of the meadow. We drive back to Moscow and in the afternoon we check-in at Hotel Holiday Inn Lesnaya**** or similar.

DAY 10 (Thursday): DEPARTURE FROM MOSCOW
Transfer to the airport. Return flight.