9 days / 8 nights, from £1,165 pp

This tour starts in Helsinki, takes you to St. Petersburg and its glorious palaces and countless canals and culminates in the Russian capital of Moscow.

Price per person, based on sharing a twin or double room is £1,165, single supplement is £390.

Package includes:

• Direct flights with British Airways from London Heathrow to Helsinki and return from Moscow to London Heathrow (we can arrange flights from other airports upon request.)
• 8 overnights at centrally located 4 star hotels 
• 8 x buffet breakfast 
• Welcome meeting with champagne-cocktail or juice 
• Entrances to Church-in-the-Rock in Helsinki, Vyborg Castle, Peter-Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg and Moscow Metro 
• Service of English speaking tour escort from arrival in Helsinki to departure from St. Petersburg and local English speaking guide in Moscow on all tours 
• Service of 1st class motor coaches or 1st class minivans from arrival in Helsinki to departure from St. Petersburg and in Moscow 
• Train ticket St. Petersburg-Moscow OW (2. class 6-persons compartments) 
• Portage at hotels and railway stations 
• Service and VAT

Optional: 

• 3-hour excursion with waterbuses to Suonemlinna Fortress: GBP 44.00 pp (English speaking local guide and multimedia show in various languages) 
• 3-hour visit to the Hermitage Art Museum: GBP 36.00 pp 
• Visit to folklore show at the Nikolaevsky Palace: GBP 36.00 pp 
• 4-hour excursion to Peterhof and visit to the Grand Palace: GBP 56.00 pp 
• 4-hour guided tour to Catherine's Palace: GBP 45,00 pp 
• Russian dinner at Restaurant Na Zdrorovie: GBP 48.00 pp 
• 3-hour guided shopping tour on Nevsky Prospekt - GBP 32 pp
• 3-hour excursion to Kremlin and visit to one cathedral: GBP 52.00 pp 
• 4-hours excursion to Novodevich Convent: GBP 44.00 
• Visit to Old Russian Circus: GBP 55.00 
• Half board at hotels (8 x 3 course dinner with coffee/tea): GBP 180.00 pp

The Tsar Route - 2010 Guaranteed Departure Dates

The Tsar Route Itinerary

DAY 1 (SUNDAY) Arrival in Helsinki, transfer to Hotel Sokos Vaakuna **** or similar, check-in, welcome meeting.

DAY 2 (MONDAY) Helsinki is truly located at the crossroads of Western and Eastern culture and it is reflected everywhere in the green and lively
Finnish capital. The sightseeing tour takes us around the harbours, up central Mannerheim Street and by the Parliament Building, the Finlandia Hall, and the Sibelius Monument and for a visit at the famous Church-in the-Rock. In the afternoon an optional excursion by waterbus is offered to the historic Suomenlinna Fortress.

DAY 3 (TUESDAY) Continue eastbound to St. Petersburg. Shortly after crossing the border into Russia we arrive in Vyborg, where we take time for a short sightseeing tour and a visit to Vyborg
Castle. In the late afternoon we arrive in St. Petersburg and check-in at Hotel Sokos Olympic Garden **** or similar.

DAY 4 (WEDNESDAY) 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 splendors of the city: the Peter and 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 the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum. In the evening an optional visit to the Nikolaevsky Palace with an exiting Russian folklore show is on the program.

DAY 5 (THURSDAY) An optional excursion in the morning offers a visit to Peterhof with the impressive Grand Palace, Grand Cascade and Water Avenue and its wonderful parks.  The afternoon is reserved for an optional guided tour to Catherine's Palace and the Amber Room, which mysteriously vanished during WWII.  In the evening enjoy an optional Russian dinner at Restaurant Na Zdoroviye.

DAY 6 (FRIDAY) The morning is reserved for an optional guided shopping tour on Nevsky Prospect.   In the afternoon we go to the Moscow Railway
Station and board the Aurora train bound for Moscow. The train ride takes us along 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 7 (SATURDAY) 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 has made the city to one of the most dynamic metropolis of the world. The morning sightseeing tour include all the highlights of the
vast city including the Red Square with Kremlin, the Theater Square with Bolshoi Theater, Sparrow Hills with Moscow University and a visit to the famous Moscow Metro. In the afternoon there is an optional excursion to the Kremlin grounds with a visit to a cathedral.

DAY 8 (SUNDAY) The day offers an optional excursion to Novidevichy Convent, a cluster of sparkling domes, one of the city’s most beautiful group 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 on own hand. The evening offers an optional visit to the Old Russian Circus

DAY 9 (MONDAY) Transfer to the airport