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‘Back in the USSR’ Moscow and St Petersburg Tour


This 7-day tour includes visits to the VDNKh and top-secret Bunker 42 in Moscow, a tour of an authentic Soviet “kommunalka”, and a speciality vodka tasting session at the Russian Vodka Museum in St Petersburg.
Overview
Head back in time and discover Russia from the days of the Soviet Union. Starting in Moscow and ending in St Petersburg, you will uncover the secrets of Stalin’s Russia from its early beginnings to its final days. Learn more about the lasting legacy of the Soviet regime first-hand with this unforgettable experience! If you are interested in Soviet history and want to know more about Russia and Stalin, this Moscow and St Petersburg tour is the one for you. This 7-day tour includes visits to the VDNKh and top-secret Bunker 42 in Moscow, a tour of an authentic Soviet “kommunalka”, and a speciality vodka tasting session at the Russian Vodka Museum in St Petersburg.
3-hour guided excursion of the Cold War museum by car
3-hour Kremlin and Seven Sisters excursion by car, no entrances
4-hour Space Race tour and VDNKh by car, including entrance to the Museum of Cosmonautics
Underground tour
2-hour car excursion of the Kommunalka
The State Museum of the Political history of Russia
Tour of Alliluev apartment
Visit to Vodka Museum
Itinerary


Moscow
Russia’s official capital, Moscow, is the political and religious heart of the country. The city has the highest density of billionaires, is the world’s most populated inland city and boasts six out of Europe’s ten tallest buildings. It continues to be a major tourist destination in Europe growing year on year with famous attractions including Red Square, St Basil’s Cathedral, and the Kremlin.
Day 1
Arrival in Moscow
On arrival in Moscow, you will meet your driver who will take you to your hotel ready for check-in.
You will have the rest of the day to relax or explore the city by yourself. If you have some time to spare, why not try one of our exclusive Moscow excursions or activities?
Arrival Transfer
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Day 2
Stalin’s Moscow full day car city tour
After breakfast, your private tour will begin at Red Square. Besides being the official address of the Soviet government, it was renowned as a showcase for military parades from 1919 onward. You will see major historical landmarks, such as the Kremlin, the iconic St Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum and GUM.
Next, you will immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Stalin’s Skyscrapers, known as the Seven Sisters, – a huge construction project designed to convince the Soviet people, and the whole world, of the supremacy of the Soviet power. You will see all seven of the famous buildings, which function as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kudrinskaya Square Building, Red Gates Administrative Building, Moscow State University, and more.
After lunch, you will visit one of the most mysterious places in Moscow – the secret Soviet Bunker 42, also known as the Cold War Museum. This tour will take you through its underground halls and corridors, where you will explore its engineering facilities and learn about its role during the Cold War. At the end of the excursion, you will see a simulation of how the bunker would have worked in the 1960s.
In the evening you can either choose to continue to explore all that Moscow has to offer or relax and unwind at your hotel.
Breakfast & Lunch
Private Tour
Red Square
Military History
Moscow Kremlin
GUM (Main Universal Store)
St Basil’s Cathedral
Soviet Bunker 42
Scenic Surrounds
Day 3
Space race and underground metro tour
Today you will dive into one of the greatest battles between the Soviet Union and the United States, the Space Race. Immerse yourself in the Soviet legacy by going back to the times of the Cold War while visiting the Cosmonautics Museum and VDNKh.
The first part of your day includes a car journey to the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics, where you will see the Monument to the Conquerors of Space, one of the largest monuments in Russia. Here, you will learn more about the universe through the eyes of the Soviets and the legendary space race with the USA. Walk through the halls of the Air Space Museum and see the space suit of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, and travel in time as you learn about the beginning of the space era, successful moon expeditions and the solar system.
Next, you will visit the famous exhibition complex VDNKh built in the 1930s-40s as a commemoration of Soviet and later Russian ingenuity.
After lunch, you will have a guided tour of the Moscow Metro, the “Palaces for People”, as identified by Joseph Stalin. Our professional local guide will show you the Russian capital’s most celebrated stations built during the Soviet period.
Following your busy day, you will return to your hotel where you can relax and enjoy some free time.
Breakfast & Lunch
Military History
Cosmonautics Museum
VDNKh
Moscow Metro
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Day 4
Arrival in St Petersburg
Today, you will leave Moscow behind and head for Russia’s capital of culture, St Petersburg.
After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and meet your driver who will take you to the railway station where you will catch the 4-hour, high-speed Sapsan train to St Petersburg. As one of Russia’s most popular train journeys, it is possible to extend your time in Moscow and catch a later train if you prefer.
Upon arrival in St Petersburg, you will be collected from the railway station by your driver and guide before being taken to the centrally located hotel. Following check-in, you will have free time to relax and unpack or take in some of what St Petersburg has to offer.
Breakfast
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
New Destination by Train
Arrival Transfer
Souvenir Shopping
Travel to


St Petersburg
The pinnacle of art and culture in Russia, St Petersburg, is one of the country’s most visited destinations and former capital city. Nicknamed the ‘Venice of the North’ due to its elaborate system of canals, the city lies on the Neva River. It is popular with tourists and includes several of Russia’s most famous attractions including the Hermitage Museum, Catherine Palace and the Peterhof.
Day 5
Full day tour of Soviet Leningrad by car
In 1917 St Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire, became the witness of an event which forever changed the face of not only Russia as a country, but the entire world: the October Revolution. Soon, the capital was moved to Moscow, but Leningrad (the Soviet-era name of St Petersburg) remained the second most important city of the Soviet Union.
During your guided tour you will see many important sights of the Soviet era and learn about the most important events of the revolutionary past of St Petersburg. You will go to the Smolny district – a Palladian building used as Lenin’s Bolshevik HQ during the 1917 revolution.
You will also visit the Museum of the Political history of Russia, mostly devoted to the Soviet period, to see the balcony where Lenin gave a revolutionary speech in 1917; see the battleship Aurora from where a shot triggered 1917’s October Revolution; visit the secret flat of Vladimir Lenin; and witness the former KGB building.
Finally, we will stop for lunch before paying a visit to the Russian Vodka Museum where you will learn about the fascinating history of vodka and, of course, get to try your own at a tasting session!
At the end of the day, you will return to your hotel where the evening is yours to spend how you see fit.
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour by car
Museums
Cruiser Aurora
Cultural Immersive Experience
Vodka Museum
Food & Drink Experience
Souvenir Shopping
Day 6
Visit to an authentic Soviet “Kommunalka”
Today, you will get to experience the Soviet legacy first-hand with a visit to a traditional “kommunalka”.
Kommunalka is a traditional communal apartment, divided into 5-8 rooms (sometimes even more!) with one shared bathroom, one kitchen and hall as a common area. The largest distribution of common apartments were allotted after the revolution in 1917 and thus became one of the main symbols of Soviet Russia.
During this tour, you will have the chance to see the way of life of the common people – a truly eye-opening and unique experience! You will meet the residents and learn more about their lives before embarking on an excursion through the most secluded places.
When unavailable, this will be substituted by an excursion to the Kirov’s Museum, named after Sergey Kirov, a top-ranking communist leader, was a great supporter and a close friend of Stalin.
At the centre of the museum’s collection are the eight rooms of Kirov’s apartment, fully preserved or restored using contemporary photographs. This elegant residence bears witness to the relative comfort enjoyed by the higher echelons of the Party, to Kirov’s passion for hunting, and to the plentiful but rather peculiar range of gifts presented to Party leaders by factories and Communist organizations.
In the afternoon, you have free time to do as you please and see more of St Petersburg at your leisure.
Breakfast
Kommunalka visit
Cultural Immersive Experience
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Day 7
Departure from St Petersburg
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, followed by more free time before checking out at 12 noon. At a prearranged time, your private transfer will collect you from your hotel and take you to your point of departure.
If leaving is just too difficult for you, why not extend your stay with one of our optional St Petersburg excursions?
Breakfast
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Departure Transfer
Where you can stay
A hotel can be the make or break of any experience, and we understand that choosing the right hotel is important to our travellers. Check out our range of hotels ahead of time, and learn more about our standard 3-star options and the luxury 5-star upgrades that are available in the destinations you will be visiting.
Please note that the selection of hotels included here are examples of where you may stay on your tour, we will pick the best option for you based on your travel requirements.
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Dates & Rates
Please select the amount of travellers in your group and language requirement of your guide.
Please select a date
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*This tour’s total cost is an estimate, based on travel costs prior to tickets being released. The price is subject to fluctation of up to 10%.† Based on 2 people sharing a twin room.
More information
What’s included
24/7 hotline support while you are travelling
Accommodation as part of the tour
All tours are COVID-19 secure and offer flexible booking options. Visit our Covid-19 information page to find out more
Breakfasts at the hotels, 3 lunches
Private professional English-speaking guide (other languages are available)
Private transfers on arrival and departure in each city; all transportation according to the itinerary
Russian Tourist Visa Invitation
Standard Class tickets for the Sapsan high-speed train between Moscow and St Petersburg
TravelSim card (exclusive to tours starting in Moscow)
What’s not included
Flights or other travel arrangements prior to tour joining point
Gratuities
Meals, unless specified in the itinerary
Personal costs (souvenirs, additional snacks etc)
Photo / video charges
Visa processing and service costs
Travel Tips
All travellers are asked to check the vaccination requirements before travel. Visit our Vaccines and Health page to find out more
Any dietary or allergy requirements will need to be disclosed before the start of the tour
Carrying a water bottle with you is recommended
Medication should always be taken with you and kept on your person
Please ensure that you keep any personal documents and valuables on your person at all times
WIFI will be available at most of the hotels, although mobile coverage may vary in rural areas
Your local guides will recommend stops where you can go souvenir shopping during your tour
Special notes
There are no special notes for this tour
Suggested reading
Enrich your travel experience with our list of top recommended books from specialist travel guides to compelling novels. Whether you are looking for something to pass the time on the train, or want to get to grips with the local history, reading is essential to turning your trip into a fully-fledged experience.
Russia: Lonely Planet
The ultimate guidebook to Russia that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s Russia is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to this vast country from how to get around, the best places to eat in its most popular cities, what you need to see while you are there, cultural highlights, currency and more. In addition to its noteworthy insider tips about key attractions such as the Moscow Kremlin, Lake Baikal and the Romanov sites, this guide includes detailed maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
Moscow
The ultimate guidebook to Moscow that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s Moscow is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to any destination from how to get around the city, the best places to eat, what you need to see while you are there, cultural highlights and more. In addition to its noteworthy insider tips, this guide includes detailed maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
St Petersburg
The ultimate guidebook to St Petersburg that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s St Petersburg is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to any destination from how to get around the city, the best places to eat, what you need to see while you are there, cultural highlights and more. In addition to its noteworthy insider tips, this guide includes detailed maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
Extras & Upgrades
Extras
Customise your experience with our spectacular range of tailor-made tour extras. If you have some free time during your tour and are unsure how to spend it, then our extras may be just what you are looking for, with various activities ranging from an hour long to a full day. Simply, let us know when booking your tour and we can arrange this for you.
Upgrades
Enhance your travel experience with one of our available tour upgrades. Whether you are looking to go first class on the train or swap your standard hotel for a luxury 5-star option, our Sales team are on-hand to help. Simply, let us know when booking your tour and we can arrange this for you.
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