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Essential Moscow and St Petersburg Tour


This 5-day experience includes a visit to Red Square and the magical St Basil’s Cathedral as well as private tours of the Church of Spilled Blood and a visit to the Peters and Paul fortress in St Petersburg.
Overview
Discover two of the world’s most enigmatic cities in one tour! Experience the rich Soviet and Tsarist history of Moscow alongside St Petersburg’s beautiful bridges, opulent palaces, parks and canals. See the highlights of Moscow and St Petersburg for yourself with this essential 5-day tour. This experience includes a visit to Red Square and the magical St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow as well as private tours of the Church of Spilled Blood and a visit to the Peters and Paul fortress in St Petersburg.
City tour of Moscow and St Petersburg
Kremlin and Red Square tour
Lenin’s Mausoleum
Visit to Peter and Paul Fortress
Private tour for Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
St Basil’s Cathedral
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
Upon arrival at the Moscow airport, you will be greeted by a local guide who will accompany you on a private transfer to your hotel, located in the historical centre of the Russian capital. Following check-in, you will have free time to unpack and relax or to start to explore magical Moscow and get a taste of what you are about to experience.
Expert Guide
Arrival Transfer
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Day 2
City Tour of Moscow
After breakfast, you will be met at your hotel by a local guide, who will accompany you on a fascinating walking tour of central Moscow, before taking you by car to see some of the best historical sights spread across the city in the afternoon.
Your first excursion will be The Moscow Kremlin. Within its walls are stunning buildings boasting the sublime palaces and sumptuous Russian Orthodox cathedrals and churches.
Built in 1482, The Kremlin used to be home to Russian Tsars and Communist leaders.
After lunch, the day’s tour continues from the heart of the city, at Red Square where you will see the iconic St Basil’s Cathedral and Lenin’s Mausoleum, amongst other remarkable buildings and statues.
The day’s tour ends at Manezhnaya Square, a pedestrianised area in Moscow built by Stalin in the 1930’s and famed for its communistic style architecture from that period.
The rest of the evening is free for you to do as you please.
Breakfast & Lunch
Expert Guide
Walking Tour
City Tour by car
Moscow Kremlin
Red Square
St Basil’s Cathedral
Manezhnaya Square
Scenic Surrounds
Day 3
Free Time in Moscow
Today your private transfer with a guide will collect you from the hotel and take you to the railway station to hop aboard the high-speed Sapsan train in the direction of St Petersburg.
The travel time from Moscow to St Petersburg on the Sapsan train is approximately 4 hours. You can be flexible to leave early in the afternoon and spend the evening in St Petersburg or extend your afternoon in Moscow and leave either early, or mid, evening.
Should you wish to spend your afternoon in Moscow, why not taking an additional excursion in the Russian capital? We recommend the State Tretyakov Gallery private tour or the River Cruise on Radisson boat.
Upon arrival in St Petersburg, you will be collected from the railway station and taken by private transfer to your 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
Expert Guide
Transfer to Train
New Destination by Train
Arrival Transfer
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
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 4
City Tour of St Petersburg
Today will see the following masterpieces of St Petersburg – Nevsky Prospekt, the Admiralty, Moscow Railway Station, Alexander Nevsky Monastery, Kazanskiy Cathedral, St Isaac’s Cathedral, Palace Square, the Hermitage, and even more.
Your private tour will take you to the Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood – a fascinating structure built in memory of the Tsar Alexander II who was assassinated on this spot in 1881. It features five onion-shaped domes decorated elaborately in jeweller’s enamel.
After lunch, your tour will continue with a visit inside the Peter and Paul Fortress, the first ever structure built in St Petersburg and originally designed to be a defence fortress.
Later on, you will be transported back to your hotel and you can enjoy relaxing or take in some more of St Petersburg at your leisure.
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour
Nevsky Prospect
Religious Buildings & Monuments
St Isaac’s Cathedral
Hermitage Museum
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
Guided Museum Tour
Peter and Paul Fortress
Day 5
Departure from St Petersburg
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, followed by more free time. At a prearranged time, your private transfer with a guide will collect you from your hotel and take you to your point of departure.
Breakfast
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Departure Transfer
Expert Guide
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, 2 lunches
Entrance fees
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
Russian visa processing and service costs for UK residents only.
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.
Moscow, St Petersburg & the Golden Ring
The ultimate guidebook to the Golden Ring that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s Moscow, St Petersburg and the Golden Ring is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to these three spectacular regions including 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 about key attractions such as the Moscow Kremlin, the Peterhof and the many monasteries and cathedrals of the Golden Ring cities, this guide includes regional maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
Moscow: A Traveller’s Reader
A masterful anthology documenting Moscow’s turbulent growth through the lives of its people from the bloody reprisals of Peter the Great to the literary greats of the 19th century. The city spent much of its early life in turmoil from being the subject to much greater empires including the Tatars, to being burnt down numerous times, yet rising from the ashes twice as magnificent each time. Kelly’s compelling narrative covers all of Moscow’s major milestones over 700 years in engaging detail. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of Russia.
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.
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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Visa Information
