Proposal of services
Moscow – Ekaterinburg – Saint Petersburg
9 nights/10 days
Friday arrivals in Moscow

Itineray in brief

MOSCOW
Day 1/Friday
• PM: Arrival in Moscow, arrival transfer with a tour en route.

Day 2/Saturday
• AM: City tour with Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral (inside), Christ the Savior Church (outside), New Maiden Convent, metro ride, Moscow State University view, Sparrow Hills (the largest viewpoint)
• PM: Museum of Modern History of Russia

Day 3/Sunday
• AM: Lenin Gorki – outside the city former residence of the country leader
• PM: Arbat street

Day 4/Monday
• AM: Kremlin Territory with its Cathedrals, Armory Museum
• Option: Early entrance to Kremlin
• PM: transfer to the airport for flight to Ekaterinburg (2,20 hrs flight)

EKATERINBURG
• EVE: Arrival transfer, check in

Day 5/Tuesday
• AM: City tour Chuirhc on Spilled Blood, Ganina Yama – Romanov family complex
• PM: Europe-Asia border visit

Day 6/Wednesday
• AM: Transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to St. Pet (2,50 hrs flight)

SAINT PETERSBURG
• PM: Arrival transfer, check in

Day 7/Thursday
• AM: Orientation tour of the city with visit to Peter & Paul’s fortress, Decembrists square
• Option: Vodka musem with tasting followed by lunch
• PM: Yusupov Palace, Church on Spilled Blood

Day8/Fridays.
• AM: Smolny Lenin’s rooms, cruise Aurora
• PM: Kshesinskaya mansion – Political history museum

Day9/Saturday
• AM: Early entrance to Hermitage/TBC
• Option: Tour by Curator
• Lunch: “Podvorye” with folklore and unlimited beverages
• PM: Catherine palace and park

Day10/Sunday
• AM/PM: Departure transfer
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Rates are available upon request.

Detailed itinerary

DAY 1 - MOSCOW
Arrive in Moscow – VIP hall is arranged for you on arrival – you will be met by special representative who will escort you to the hall for smooth and easy procedure of passport control. The guide will be waiting for you here. Arrival transfer to the hotel. Check in.

DAY 2 - MOSCOW
After breakfast enjoy Red Square Tour and see St. Basil’s Cathedral.

Originally a commercial centre, Red Square has been at the very centre of Russian history since the 15th century, from Ivan the Terrible’s confession of his misdeeds to the people in 1550, to great demonstrations, executions and the great parades of the Soviet Union’s military might. Ironically, “krasny” originally meant beautiful; it came to mean “red” only in the last century! From the time of Ivan the Great the square was used as a huge gathering place for public events, markets, fairs and festivals. The magnificent square encompasses an area of over $ 70,000 square metres and is bounded by the Kremlin walls, St.Bazil’s cathedral, the Historical museum and GUM departments store, the shopping arcade, that was completed in 1893.
At the southern end of Red Square is the almost fairy-tale like building of St Basil’s cathedral (outside) , commissioned in 1552 by Ivan the Terrible to celebrate his conquering of Kazan; legend has it that the architect was later blinded so that he could never repeat such a building that is so traditionally Russian. It is built of brick and comprises many colourful asymmetrical helmet & onion domes situated over nine chapels; the interior is full of 16th and 17th century icons, frescoes and ceiling paintings of subtle blues and pinks.
Go to the best viewpoint on Sparrow hills, from which you could easily see most of the city.

Sink in the atmosphere of the medieval Russia, when even daughters of tsars were doomed to become nuns (such were the rules, visiting the refined New Maiden Convent. This is one of the most beautiful of the city collection of buildings, located to the south-west of the city centre, with 16 gilded domes, founded in 1524. Many noble women, including Peter the Great’s first wife and his sister took vows and spent the rest of their lives here and are buried here.

Have a metro ride afterwards. Moscow underground is not only the fastest means of transportation in the city but also a unique architectural ensemble. Major stations built in 30s of last century look like palaces richly decorated with marble, mosaic and semi-precious stones.

Museum of Modern History of Russia
The State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (the former Museum of the Revolution, renamed in September 1998) is the national museum of federal importance. The Museum is housed in the architecture monument of late classicism (end of the 18th century) right in the heart of Moscow. This building was occupied by the Moscow English Club from 1831 till 1917. Then it was handed over to the Museum.
First steps to establish the Museum were taken right after dethronement of the Tsar. Director of the All-Rissua union of towns' museum well-known journalist V. P. Kranihfeld addressed the Chairman of the Moscow public organizations' Executive Committee N. M. Kishkin on March 21 (March 8 Old Style), 1917 with the proposal: "to convene promptly a meeting of representatives of historical sciences and existing museums of Moscow with the purpose of an equal scientific and practical treatment of a subject to establish the Museum of the revolution in Moscow". At the meeting which took place on April 4th (March 22 Old Style), 1917, The Society of Museum of the Revolution was formed. The Society associated many people of different political persuasion, liberal-minded scientists, cultural workers, writers and publicists, representatives of different tendencies of Russian liberation and revolutionary movements.
Exhibition "Red Moscow"was opened in 1922. Soon this exhibition was transformed into the Moscow historico-revolutionary museum. In 1924 a new name was given to it - the Museum of the Revolution of the USSR.
In the course of time having additions to the collections, extension of chronological scope and elaboration upon the themes of the museum expositions and exhibitions, which reflected comprehensive history of the soviet and post-soviet periods, museum profile had changed. The Museum became the major museum of contemporary history of Russia.

DAY 3 - MOSCOW
The estate “Leninskye Gorki” is located not far from Moscow. The complex includes the estate Gorki with park ensemble, “Cabinet and apartment of Lenin in Kremlin” museum, musuem of peasant every day life.
The history of the places goes back to the 18th century. In 1909 the places goes to the widow of the famous businessman and art lover Savva Morozov – Zinaida Morozova. After October revolution 1917 the estate bacme the residence of Vladimnir Lenin where he spent his last years. The museum has a variety of documents devoted to after Otober revoltuion period of life of the Soviet state. In 1994 the museum aquired the exposition “Cabinet and apartment of Lenin in Kremlin”.

Return to the city in the afternoon.
In the afternoon you have walking tour along Arbat street where you can buy the souvenirs.
Arbat is the most famous and one of the oldest roads in the city.
Originally a suburb where traders from the East would arrive with their caravans, in the 18th Century the Arbat became popular with Moscow’s intelligentsia and artistic community, who enjoyed frequenting the many cafes and taking strolls along the area’s mansion-lined boulevards. Pushkin himself lived here with his wife in house number 53 (the building has since been turned into a museum dedicated to the poet).

DAY 4 - MOSCOW - EKETERINBURG
Check out, Visit the heart of Russia – Kremlin
You might be surprised how many ancient and magnificent structures one can see within its walls: 15th century cathedrals (the coronation, wedding and bury place of Russian rulers), bell-tower, Patriach’s Palace, Grand Kremlin Palace and of course the richest museum - Armoury. The Armoury has a fantastic collection of insignia of Imperial power, precious clothes, ceremonial harness and unique collection of imperial carriages. The 17th century throne of Alexey Romanov covered with a mosaic of turquoises and 900 diamonds, a pheloneon of Metropolitan Platon decorated with 150,000 pearls (it took the embroiderer 2 years to work on the pattern!), the famous Faberge eggs – one help admiring the priceless and luxurious items.. Visit the 15th century cathedrals with fantastic interiors afterwards.
Option – special early entrance can be arranged for the group.
Tranfer to the ariport for flight to Ekaterinburg.
Arrive in Ekaterinburg late in the evening (due to time difference) – transfer to the hotel.
Dinner

DAY 5 - EKETERINBURG
The first part of the day will be devoted to city tour and Romanovs’ family. We start with Cathedral-on-the-Blood, the place where they were killed and then go to Ganina Yama.

The Monastery Complex “Ganina Yama” is found at the place of the extermination of the dead bodies. After the murder on the night 16-17 July, 1918 the bodies of the tzar`s family were taken away on the lorry to the remote mine, burned and thrown down to the old pit (Ganina Yama). It is situated at 20 km away from Yekaterinburg. Its Temples are built by the Old Russian technology - without a nail, and most of the Icons are unique and wonder - working. The complex became the place of spiritual attraction for the orthodox Christians of the world, especial on so-called “Sorrow Days” – days devoted to the Romanovs last days.

After lunch continue the tour to see Visit Europe-Asia border
There is a tradition in the Ural: to visit the cultural and historical complex “Europe-Asia” – the symbol of the open space, the synthesis of two civilizations. The complex is situated on the 17 km away from Yekaterinburg. This palace, on the watershed of the rivers Iset and Chusovaya, is the very border line between the two continents. Our tourists will have an opportunity to put one foot in Europe and the other one in Asia.

Visit the the observation platform “Vusotsky”
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DAY 6 - EKATERINBURG - SAINT PETERSBURG
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to catch a domestic flight to St. Petersburg

Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, Saint Petersburg remains one of the most romantic cities in Russia. Among the many poetical names applied to St. Petersburg the most common are “Northern Venice” and “Northern Palmyra”. The fascinating palaces and cathedrals, beautiful bridges over Venice-like canals, spacious squares and wide streets decorated with edifices of flourished baroque and impressive classical styles, monumental sculpture and lacy iron grilles and, of course, the special spirituality of this city infects everyone who visits it. In 1991 the city was placed on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. With numerous palaces and the world famous Hermitage on the banks of the Neva river, the city is Russia’s most popular destination, drawing visitors from all over the world throughout the year.

DAY 7 - SAINT-PETERSBURG
Orientation tour
In the morning drive to Peter and Paul’s fortress.
Standing on a small island at the centre of the Neva delta, the fortress was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great and is the oldest building in St Petersburg. Up to 1917, the fortress was mainly used for holding political prisoners, such as Dostoyevsky, Lenin’s brother Alexander and Peter the Great’s own son Alexei. At the heart of the fortress is the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, with its landmark gold spire, where all of Russia’s pre-Revolutionary leaders were buried, apart from Peter, Ivan IV and Nicholas II.

Option – visit to musuem of Russin vodka with tasting followed by lunch The exhibition tells us about the drink which has been an integral part and essential attribute of Russian life for centuries, The museum gives a fascinating insight into the Russian history, culture and drinking traditions. During the guided tour around museum our guests will hear about the vodka’s origin, Russian dining traditions, Russian vodka Kings, and get to understand close link between the history of the Russian State and the history of this strong drink. The pride of the museum is aspecial equipment for home-made vodka and numerous glasses used by our ancestors.
There are two museum rooms and a restaurant adjoining to them. After a short tour, the guests will be offered vodka tasting with snacks/lunch/dinner. You will taste authentic Russian cuisine as well as there is a selection of Russian dishes of the Soviet Period. Besides, Russian Vodka №1 is a classic Russian restaurant with the widest choice of vodka in the city, carefully chosen hot and cold dishes, traditional vodka accompaniments.

The Yusupov Palace is arguably the most interesting and beautifully preserved palace in the city. Built in the 1740s and then bought by Catherine the Great for one of her ladies in waiting, it was eventually purchased by Prince Nikolai Yusupov in 1830 for 250,000 roubles. A fortune at the time. Subsequently it was here that Prince Felix Yusupov planned and carried out the murder of Rasputin. All the rooms are beautifully restored and full of art, while the highlight must surely be the exquisite private theatre, built for Zineida Yusupov, where such renowned artists as Anna Pavlova and Shaliapin have performed.

Church on Spilled Blood
This landmark church was commissioned by Alexander III in 1882 to honour the memory of his father Alexander who was assassinated the previous year; the altar was built on the very place where his blood stained the cobblestones. It was built to resemble St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow – hence it’s stunning exterior – and was recently completely restored inside. It does not belong to the Orthodox Church, and is open now as a museum of mosaics.

DAY 8 - SAINT-PETERSBURG
Visit the places that were witness to the hostoric events of the 2017! – Smolny Lenin’s rooms, cruiser Aurora that gave a shot to marke the strat of revolution.

THE STATE HISTORIC MEMORIAL MUSEUM “SMOLNY”
The building of Smolny created in 1806-1808 by the Italian architect Kvarengi's project is a valuable architectural monument and is a part of the most beautiful architectual complex of St/Petersburg. It was built for Smolny Institute for noble girls and it was one of the high-prestige schools for more than 100 years. After the Revolution in 1917 it became the heart of exciting political life in Petrograd and Russia.
On the 4th of August 1917 the Temporary Government made a decision to locate Ispolkom Petrogradskogo Soveta in its room. Since the autumn of 1917, when the Military Revolutionary Committee settled there, Smolny became the staff of the Great October Social Revolution. After the October Revolution Smolny became the residence of the first Soviet Government, which worked in this building till the 10th of March, 1918, while the capital was moved to Moscow. During World War II the Smolny was the heart of the sieged Leningrad. There were the headquarters of the city defence and the War Council of Leningrad Front.
Now The City Government and Administration works there and it means that this building is still important in the city's life.The Ball Room of Smolny, that served as a room for the most solemn acts and ceremonies, in October of 1917 became the residence of the 2nd Soviet Councils Session.
The Memorial Lenin's Complex in the Smolny includes first Lenin's study and the living-room where Lenin and his wife lived for 4 months (from the 10th of November, 1917 till the 10th of March, 1918). The Memorial Lenin's Museum in the Smolny was opened on the 5th of November, 1927. It is one of the oldest Lenin's museum. Visiting these rooms the visitors can see 80-years old exhibits and look back to 1917, the most cruel and dramatic year in Russian history. The memorial complex is completed with the documental exhibits which can demonstrates Lenin's activity as well as the activities of Soviet Government in historical contest. There are Sovnarkom's documents and Lenin's assignments, unique documents about the Brest Peace Contract signing.

The “Aurora” (6700 tons) built in St.Petersburg and completed in 1903. Aurora was a light, armour-plated cruiser equipped with six-inch long-range guns, torpedo tubes and eight 37mm guns, designed to escort large battleships.
She took part in the ill-fated voyage of the Baltic Fleet to the Far East in 1904-05, but unlike most of the squadron, she escaped destruction at Tsu-Shima. By 1917 the ship was obsolete, but she happened to be refitting in the capital. The Bolsheviks won over the crew and deployed the old cruiser just downstream from what is now the Most Leytenanta Schmidta (Leutenant Shmidt bridge) on the night of 24-25 October. The following evening her forward 6-in.gun fired a blank shot to intimidate the last defenders of the Kerensky government in the Winter Palace.
The ship was sunk in shallow water at Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov) in 1941. The original cruiser Aurora was deliberately sunk somewhere between Oranienbaum and Krostadt, in order to protect it from ceaseless bombing in the Second World War. In 1948 the cruiser was raised and moored opposite the Nakhimov Navy School. It is now a replica due to the dteriotation of the original craft. Seven years later (in 1947) she was raised and moved to her present position. In 1956 the “Aurora” was opened as a museum.

In the afternon visit the Political history museum/Kshesinskaya mansion.

A political history museum has existed in St. Petersburg since 1919. It was first housed in the Winter Palace. In 1957 it moved to its current premises, where, until 1991, it was called the Museum of the Great October Socialist Revolution. It is now known as the Museum of Russian Political History, a title that reflects the recent changes that have been made to its profile.
The mansion of the celebrated ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya, in which the museum is housed, is a marvellous example of Art Nouveau architecture (built in 1904-06 by Alexander von Gogen and Alexander Dmitriyev). It is characterized by its asymmetrical appearance, rich decor and unique design.
Before the reorganization of the museum in the early 1990s, more than 1,600 exhibits were kept in its 12 halls. These included documents, leaflets, photographs, revolutionary banners from 1917, and various personal belongings of eminent figures of the Communist Party and members of the revolutionary movement
. Now the museum has a lot of exhibitions dedicated to stages of political life in Russia including post-Soviet time.
The museum also holds temporary exhibitions and concerts, and houses the country's first history museum for children.

DAY 9 - SAINT-PETERSBURG
Hermitage - is undoubtedly the largest museum of the world, possessing over 3 million exhibits within its four buildings and attracting around 3 million visitors a year. The exhibitions are diverse with works by Da Vinchy, Raphael, Rembrandt, an impressive collection of impressionists and largest collection of Titians in existence.
The main building of the Hermitage Museum ideally located on the bank of the river Neva is the Winter Palace built in 1754 – 1762, which was once the main residence of the Russian Tsars. The Hermitage is one of the most prominent art museums in the world, Russia's best gallery and one of the main tourist attractions of St. Petersburg. The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great purchased a collection of 255 paintings from Berlin. All the exhibits of the Hermitage exposed in 350 halls are originals and their number goes up to 2 million 800 thousand items. The collection is constantly filled up by new exhibits.
Special early entrance is provide dfor the group.

Option - ALEXEY LEPORC is a Curator in the Department of Western European Art at the State Hermitage Museum.
Studied art history at Leningrad University, after graduation was Ass. Prof. at Department of Cultural Studies at St. Petersburg Techinical University -1989-1999, then Ass. Prof. at the Faculty of Art History at the European University at St. Petersburg, 2000-2006, since 2002 - Curator of XIX-XX cent. prints at the Department of Western European Art , State Hermitage museum, continues lecturing at the Educational centres of Russian museum and city museum of St. Petersburg. Lectured at Vienna’s Insititute of Art History, in Munich’s Central Institute of Art History and the Berlin Kulturstifung der Laender, universities and scientific societies of Kiev, Washington, Michigan, at the Courtauld Institute in London, V&A, Bangor, and many other places in UK and in Russia. Fields of interests: history of art history, contemporary architecture, garden history XVIII-XIX cent, Austrian expressionism; publications on A. Riegl, O, Kokoschka, F. Bacon, G. Minne, A.et P. Poirier etc, permanent architectural criticism in Petersburg magazines and newspapers, was moderator of weekly cultural programme on visual arts and architecture and design on 5th (Petersburg) Russian channel.

He has accompanied several high level visits to Russia over the years for The World Monuments Fund, The Guggenheim Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Courtauld Institute, National Arts Collections Fund and the Hermitage Museum Foundation (USA), Inc.

Continue to Tzar Village
Lunch in “Podvorye” Restaurant.
Enjoy lunch in “Podvorie” restaurant is located nearby Pushkin (Catherine palace) and Pavlovsk. “Podvorye” has a traditional wooden Russian décor and national cuisine. The restaurant is known to have been visited by top level officials – Vladimir Putin, Jaques Chirac, etc. It is a very cosy restaurant, the interior resembles traditional Russian terem (wooden palace), a lot of woodcarving. Meal is accompanied by folklore group singing.
Russian vodka, wine are served unlimited as well as there is entertainment during the meal (Russian folklore).

In the afternoon drive to visit the sumptuous Tsar Village (Pushkin) – summer residence of Russian Emperors. It is located not far from the city – 27 km In the direction of international airport). Situated in the suburbs of Saint Petersburg The Tsar Village is a unique ensemble comprising several pavilions, beautiful lakes and gardens and a wonderful Catherine Palace. The summer palace was originally given by Peter the Great to his wife Catherine, and was rebuilt by Italian architect Rastrelli in 1756. The palace is a huge, elegant building with white and hold Baroque mouldings set against a blue background, set in a beautiful park with elaborate gardens, canals and pavilions. Catherine the Great loved living here. Some of the more beautiful rooms include the Great Hall, the State Dining Room, the Blue Drawing Room, the bedroom of Alexander I’s wife Elisabeth and the Palace Churcр and of corse famous Amber Room, major part of which disappeared after the WWII. In 1979 it was decided to reconstruct the Amber Room. It took about a quarter of a century to create new amber panels that would precisely depict the lost ones. The official ceremony of opening of the restored Amber room took place on May, 31, 2003, in honour of 300th anniversary of Saint Petersburg.

DAY 9 - SAINT-PETERSBURG
Departure transfer

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