Introducing small Group tours:
Moscow - St. Petersburg - Helsinki, 9 Days
Included Tour Features:
Arrival transfer from Moscow airport to the hotel
9-day/8-night guided tour featuring:
Centrally located First class hotels
· 3 nights in Moscow
· 3 nights in St. Petersburg
· 2 nights in Helsinki
Breakfast daily
Welcome reception, in Moscow (heavy hors d’oeuvres, a glass of wine, beer or soft drink)
Lunch at a popular restaurant, in Moscow (coffee or tea included)
Farewell dinner, in Helsinki (coffee or tea included)
Hotel taxes and service charges
Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach
High-speed Sapsan train, Moscow to St. Petersburg
High-speed Allegro train, St. Petersburg to Helsinki
Professional English-speaking tour director
Sightseeing tours with licensed local guides
Admission included as per day-by-day program
Luggage handling at hotels
Whisper technology enhanced touring
Departure transfer from Helsinki to airport or continue on with our Escorted tour through the Baltic capitals
Hotels:
Moscow: Sheraton ****(*) or similar
St. Petersburg: Radisson Sonya **** or similar
Helsinki: Scandic Grand Marina **** / Radisson Blu Seaside ****(*) or similar
Day-By-Day Program:
Day 1 FRI Arrive in Moscow
Upon arrival in Moscow, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free. Tonight, your tour director is hosting a Welcome reception and will introduce you to your fellow travelers and to the fascinating tour that awaits you (WR)
Day 2 SAT in Moscow
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. Visit the stunning Armory Museum, with its impressive collection of Czars treasures, crown jewelry, armor and Faberge Easter eggs. Then we walk by Moscow University and continue by motor coach along the wide boulevards to Russia’s largest GUM department store. After the store’s visit, we motor along the Moskva River, passing the baroque New Maidens Convent and ending the tour at the popular Arbat shopping district. Balance of the day is at leisure.
In the evening, we enjoy a cruise on the Moskva River for the most picturesque sights of Moscow (B)
Day 3 SUN in Moscow, day trip to Sergiev Posad
Today travel 75 km north east of Moscow, to a provincial history-filled town of Sergiev Posad, founded in the 14th century.
It is renowned as a center of Russian Orthodoxy, also known as the Spiritual centre of Russia.
For centuries, it served as a place of pilgrimage and as the religious capital of Russia. Within the old walled city, the fairy tale golden and blue domes of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra beckon. You will visit inside this functioning monastery.
After lunch at a popular restaurant, we return to Moscow. Balance of the day is at leisure (B, L)
Optional tour: Moscow by night & Subway
Day 4 MON Moscow to St. Petersburg
There is time at leisure in Moscow, before boarding the Sapsan train for our four hours high-speed ride to St. Petersburg. Upon arrival at St. Petersburg rail station, we transfer to our hotel (B)
Optional Tour: Russian Folklore evening
Day 5 TUE In 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. Today we visit the Palace Square with the Winter Palace, the Senate Square with the monument of Emperor Peter the Great, St. Isaac’s Square with St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Smolny Cathedral, the Cruiser Aurora, the Field of Mars, and the fashionable Nevsky Prospect. Visit inside the historical Peter and Paul Fortress, built to protect the city from enemy attacks. The Peter and Paul Cathedral, which towers in the center of the fortress is the burial place for Russian Emperors since Peter the Great.
After the tour, we visit the Russian Vodka Museum, where we will learn about the drink’s origin, about Russian dining traditions and we taste a few vodka varietals (B)
Optional Tour: River cruise
Day 6 WED In St. Petersburg
This morning we visit the world-famous 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 Dyck, Goya, and French Impressionists are all on display. Tonight join your fellow travelers and your travel director for dinner (B, D)
Optional tour: Visit of Petrodvorets (Peterhof)
Day 7 THU To Helsinki
The journey today takes us to Helsinki on board the High-speed Allegro train (Finnish railways) in 3 hours and 30 minutes. (Note: Helsinki and St. Petersburg are in different time zones). We transfer to our hotel in Helsinki and then have time at leisure (B)
Day 8 FRI in Helsinki
Our sightseeing tour includes the historical center of Helsinki, the Senate Square, the Cathedral, City Hall, the Presidential Palace, Finlandia Hall and the Opera House. We stop at the Sibelius Monument and at the Temppeliaukio Church. The rest of the day is at leisure. In the evening gather with your fellow travelers for your Farewell dinner. (B,D)
Optional tour: Excursion to Suomenlinna island
Day 9 SAT See You Again, Helsinki
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport.
Alternatively, you can continue your journey by joining our group tour of the Baltic capitals (B)
Dates & Prices:
Tour Dates |
Tour Price |
Single Room Suppl. |
April 02-April 10 |
$ 2,735 |
$ 835 |
June 18-June 26 |
$ 3,325 |
$ 1,075 |
July 16-July 24 |
$ 3,325 |
$ 1,075 |
Aug 06-Aug 14 |
$ 3,025 |
$ 995 |
Sept 10-Sept 18 |
$ 3,025 |
$ 995 |
The above prices are in Canadian dollars, per person, twin/double share