► Tours  ► St Petersburg and Moscow tours ► Moscow and St Petersburg in-depth tour

  On this 14-day private tour to Moscow and St Petersburg, you will visit all the essential sights and museums of the two Russian capitals.  You will see outstanding examples of architecture and learn about the history of places such as the Moscow Kremlin, St Basil’s Cathedral, the Kolomenskoe Estate, the Catherine Palace, the Winter Palace and the Peterhof Palace. You will get to admire Russian and Western masterpieces at the Hermitage State Gallery, the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum.

  You will be amazed by the scale and grandeur of Soviet architecture at the VDNKh exhibition centre and the wonderful Moscow Metro. You will also visit the home of one of Stalin’s comrades - Sergey Kirov, whose assassination under mysterious circumstances launched the Red Terror of the 1930s. Finally, you will also have the opportunity to see how more simple St Petersburg citizens lived and live today. After this trip, you can certainly say you have visited and know Moscow and St Petersburg!

  During the tour, you will also get to taste some real Russia cuisine and traditional food of other countries of the former Soviet Union.  In addition to all this, you will also see the spiritual heart of Russia and visit the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra in Sergiev Posad, the main monastery in the country. It was founded by the revered St Sergius of Radonezh and boasts a cathedral decorated by the most famous icon painter of them all - Andrey Rublev.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS TRIP

• You will see ALL of the essential sights in Moscow and St Petersburg.

• Your professional guides will tell you not just about historical events and sights, but also give you a real insight into daily life in modern Russia.

• You will stay in specially selected and verified accommodation in the city centres.

• You will be able to amend this tour as you please and adjust it to your preferences, just write to us and let us know!

1 DAY / ARRIVAL IN MOSCOW

 Arrival in Moscow and transfer to your hotel. Transfer to the hotel. 

Night in Moscow.

2 DAY / TOUR OF MOSCOW

  Breakfast in the hotel.

  City tour of Moscow - during this tour by private car you will see the main sights of the city, including:

• Viewing Platform at Sparrow Hills - located 100 metres above the city on a hill overlooking central Moscow. Therefore you get a great view of the whole centre and its iconic buildings.

• Ulitsa Tverskaya - this is the main parade thoroughfare of the capital It has changed its name and image over the years and today it remains much of its classical Soviet style, with the addition of some modern buildings.

• Novodevichy Convent (exterior) - this is one of the oldest and best surviving ensembles of religious buildings in the whole country. It has witnessed first hand wars and destruction, the Time of Troubles, and the reigns Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great. It also has the second tallest bell tower in Moscow, after the Kremlin’s Ivan the Great Bell Tower. This one stands at 72 metres tall.

• House on the Embankment - one of the most infamous buildings in Moscow and a symbol of Soviet luxury entwined with tragedy. It was built in 1931, especially for the party elite of the time. However, almost every apartment was later affected by the Red Terror with almost 700 inhabitants being arrested and repressed. 

• Christ the Saviour Cathedral  - the main cathedral in Moscow which was rebuilt as a replica of the original that was demolished by Stalin.

• Victory Part - a memorial complex dedicated to the Second World War.

• Krutitskoe Podvorye - this is a small corner of Moscow that has been miraculously preserved as it looked hundreds of years ago. It includes parts of a monastery, ancient tiles, and the original paving stones - you will feel like you have been transported back in time. 

 After the excursion you will continue the tour on foot around the historic centre of Moscow. During this walking tour you will see:

• Alexander Gardens – one of the oldest parks in Moscow, it is located next to the Kremlin wall. Found here is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, an Eternal Flame and an Honorary Guard that march along the park during the changing of the guards - a spectacle popular with tourists.

• Lubyanka Building – once one of the most feared buildings in Moscow as the headquarters of the KGB, now it is home to the FSB. 

• Red Square - the main square of Russia where St Basil’s Cathedral is located and where the annual Victory Parade is held.

• GUM - a historical three-storey shopping centre consisting of three passages housing more than a thousand stores, но также одно из красивейших зданий в Москве.

• Lenin’s Mausoleum - the resting place of the founder of the USSR who lays embalmed in a glass box.

• Bolshoi Theatre - Russia’s world-famous opera and ballet theatre. 

• Zaryadye Park - Moscow’s newest park, built on the site of the enormous Soviet era Hotel Rossia. This landscape part has several zones representing various natural zones of Russia. From the viewing platform in the centre you can enjoy a different view of St Basil’s and the Kremlin.

• Ulitsa Varvarka - this street is named after St Barbara and is one of  the oldest in the city. Since the opening of Zaryadye Park it has become more prominent and you can now enjoy better views of its churches, 17th-century chambers of noble families (including the Romanovs) and the first English Embassy in Russia. In total this street has one of the highest concentrations of old buildings in the whole of Moscow.

 Guided tour of St Basil’s Cathedral - the most recognisable church in Russia, which, with its nine colourful domes, is often compared to something out of a fairy tale or a wedding cake. It is one of the most important examples of 16th-century Russian architecture, yet Stalin still had plans to demolish it. Luckily this never happened.

 Duration: 8h |  Transportation: By a car and by metro

Night in Moscow.

3 DAY / MOSCOW KREMLIN

  Guided tour of the Moscow Kremlin – the biggest fortress in Russia and Moscow’s main tourist sight. Today it also serves as the official residence of the Russian president. Located inside are the Tsar Bell and Tsar Cannon and several cathedrals and churches which act as the resting place for 47 pre-Peter the Great Russian rulers (including Ivan the Terrible and Dmitry Donskoy).

  Guided tour of Moscow Kremlin Armoury - this is Russia’s treasure trove of historical relics. In its many halls you will state regalia, crowns, thrones, clothes, weapons, carriages, sledges and hundreds of gifts, including Faberge eggs.  

  Boat trip along the River Moskva - you will sail along Moscow’s main river, after which it gets its name, through the historical centre and you will see Sparrow Hills, Christ the Saviour, the Kremlin and the Peter the Great Monument from another angle.

 Duration: 6-7h |  Transportation: by metro

Night in Moscow.

4 DAY / TRETIAKOV GALLERY

 Breakfast in the hotel.

  Guided tour of the Tretyakov Gallery – home to one of the world's largest collections of Russian art. Since its foundation in 1856, the gallery has collected more than 170,000 exhibits including some of the most famous Russian artworks. It also includes priceless icons which are the works of Andrei Rublev and Dionysius.

  Guided tour around the Zamoskvorechye District – situated south of the River Moskva opposite the Kremlin, this district is considered one of the most atmospheric in Moscow, where over six centuries of history have been preserved. There are many picturesque lanes, small squares with fountains and old mansion houses and churches built in various styles. 

  Moscow food tour - kholodets, vinegret, herring in a fur coat, syrniki, borsch, schi, pelmeni, kvas, kompot  - if have never heard of these dishes, then you cannot have tried Russian cuisine. On this tour you will visit cafes, restaurants, shops and markets where you can try not just Russian food, but also famous dishes from various former republics of the Soviet Union.

 Duration: 7-8 hours |  Transportation: by metro

Night in Moscow.

5 DAY / DAY TOUR TO SERGIEV POSAD

   Excursion to Sergiev Posad - Sergiev Posad is home to Russia’s main monastery, which has been given the status of a lavra (there are just two lavras in the whole of the country). The Troitse-Sergieva Lavra was founded by St Sergius of Radonezh almost seven centuries ago and now it is a massive complex with dozens of architectural masterpieces: churches, towers, walls, residences, monk cells. During the tour you will go inside the magnificent Trinity Cathedral and see its iconostasis created by Andrey Rublev and learn about its history. You will also visit the Dormition Cathedral, which Ivan the Terrible had built as a copy of the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

   Russian Doll Museum and Masterclass - Russia’s most iconic souvenirs are of course sets of nesting dolls and in Russian, they are known as a matryoshka. The first ones to appear in Russia were produced in Sergiev Posad at the end of the 19th century following the creation of a master’s group hereafter Sergey Malyutin showed them an example of a Japanese doll brought to Russia by the wife of the famous patron of the arts Savva Mamontov. These original Japanese dolls though depicted an old bald man, rather than women. On this day trip to Sergiev Posad you will visit the Russian Doll Museum here and even get the chance to decorate your own doll. 

 Duration: 7-8h |  Transportation: by a car

Night in Moscow.

DAY 6 / VDNKH AND SOVIET BUNKER

  Breakfast in the hotel.

  Guided tour of VDNKh – VDNKh is the All-Russia Exhibition Centre and is a must for those interested in Soviet history and the monumental architecture favoured by Stalin. It is an enormous exhibition complex with many pavilions which were once dedicated to the republics of the Soviet Union or various branches of industry or science, although today few of them still retain their original function. Just outside the centre is the Worker and Kolkoz Woman Monument - a 24.5 metre statue by Vera Mukhina which was made from stainless steel for the 1937 World Fair in Paris and depicts a worker holding a hammer and a collective farm worker with a sickle.

  Guided tour of the Museum of Modern History of Russia - one of the most interesting museums in Moscow, dedicated to the last 150 years of Russian history. It was previously dedicated to just the Russian Revolution but now includes exhibits on the abolition of serfdom, collectivisation, the Second World War, Yury Gagarin’s historic space trip, Perestroika and the first presidents of the Russian Federation.

  Guided tour of a Soviet Bunker -  this fascinating museum is located in a relatively modern fortification situated 43 metres underground. It was built under Stalin to provide a liveable space in a system of cast-iron tunnels, although its primary function was as a protected state archive for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Until recently it held thousands of classified documents containing state secrets, but now the documents have been moved so that tourists can visit this interesting and rather spooky place, reminiscent of something out of a post-apocalypse film.

  Guided tour of the Moscow metro - generally recognised as the most beautiful metro system in the world, with many stations that look more like palaces or museums. During the tour, you will visit the best stations, learn about their history and have lots of photo opportunities.

 Duration: 7-8 hours |  Transportation: by metro

DAY 8 / TOUR OF ST PETERSBURG

  Breakfast in the hotel.

 City tour of St Petersburg to see the main sights of the city. The highlights of the tour are:

• Nevsky Prospekt – St Petersburg’s main thoroughfare.

• Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral – Russia’s equivalent of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, complete with a large colonnade.

• The Field of Mars – a memorial established following the Russian Revolution.

• Saviour on the Spilled Blood Cathedral (exterior) – a beautiful cathedral somewhat reminiscent of Moscow’s St Basil’s Cathedral, built on the site of the assassination of Emperor Alexander II.

• St Michael’s Castle (exterior) – a residence built for Emperor Paul, where he was subsequently assassinated.

• Anichkov Bridge – one of St Petersburg’s most beautiful bridges decorated with four statues of youths taming wild horses.

• Bronze Horseman – an equestrian statue of Peter the Great that has become a symbol of the city.

• St Isaac’s Cathedral (exterior)– the largest cathedral in St Petersburg, the current version dates from 1818 and features a huge dome.

The city tour also includes:

  Guided tour of the Peter and Paul Fortress – the original point of foundation of St Petersburg which later served as a prison for political prisoners. Its cathedral is the resting place for almost all Russian monarchs after Peter the Great. 

  Boat trip along St Petersburg’s rivers and canals - there are more than 80 rivers, canals and streams in St Petersburg, leading to the city being called the Venice of the North. All of the city’s palaces, theatres and cathedrals were built taking into consideration how they would look from the river, meaning that a boat trip around St Petersburg is an absolute must!

 Duration: 5-6h |  Transportation: By private car

Night in St Petersburg.

DAY 9 / HERMITAGE (WINTER PALACE)

 Breakfast in the hotel.

 Duration: 5-6h |  Transportation: by metro

DAY 10 / CATHERINE PALACE

   Guided tour of the Catherine Palace – an architectural masterpiece of the style known as Russian baroque, which was popular in the mid-18th century. It is one of the most stunning imperial palaces located outside St Petersburg (over 100kg of gold were used to decorate its interiors). It is widely known for its Amber Room which is decorated entirely in amber, although the current version is a replica, since the original was lost in the Second World War.

  Guided tour of the Pavlovsk Palace - the Pavlovsk Palace is closely connected with Emperor Paul and his family and was one of the last imperial palaces to be built. Its interiors are decorated with white marble, French tapestries, valuable paintings, antique sculptures and a sea of gilding. The palace is surrounded by one of the most picturesque landscaped gardens in Russia.

 Duration: 8h |  Transportation: By private car

Night in St Petersburg.

DAY 11 / RUSSIAN MUSEUM AND CATHEDRALS

  Guided tour of the Russian Museum – often overlooked by tourists who only visit the Hermitage, the Russian Museum is the largest depository of Russian art. It is located in the Mikhailovsky Palace and although this palace pales in comparison to the Winter Palace, the paintings and sculptures displayed here represent some of the finest and most famous examples of Russian art. This includes original paintings by Ivan Aivazovsky, Boris Kustodiev, Ilya Repin, Nicholas Roerich, Vasilу Surikov, Viktor Vasnetsov and many more, as well as various ancient Russian icons.

  Guided tour of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood Cathedral – this cathedral is one of the most striking in the city, it gets its unusual name from the fact that Emperor Alexander II was fatally wounded on the spot where the cathedral was later built in commemoration. Inside the church boasts a rich collection of mosaics created by famous Russian artists including Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Nesterov and Mikhail Vrubel. Even the iconostasis is made out of mosaics.

  Guided tour of the St Isaac’s Cathedral – this grand cathedral with its enormous dome is another of St Petersburg’s most recognisable symbols. At 101.5 metres tall it is also one of the largest in the world and from the viewing platform at the top, you can enjoy great views of the city.

  Guided tour of the Faberge Museum - the main collection of this museum consists of the largest collection of the exquisite decorative eggs created by Karl Faberge. It includes nine priceless Easter eggs made for the imperial family. These are not just masterpieces of fine jewellery, but unique historical items. In addition, the museum also displays Russian items of decorative applied art from the 19th and early 20th century.  It is located in the Shuvalov Palace on the banks of the River Fontanka, which was previously home at different times to the Vorontsov, Naryshkin and Shuvalov families.

 Duration: 8h |  Transportation: By private car

Night in St Petersburg.

DAY 12 / PETERHOF PALACE 

 Breakfast in the hotel.

  Guided tour of the Peterhof Palace and the park- this estate was thought up by Peter the Great in an attempt to recreate the luxury and scale of Versailles in Russia. The park included hundreds of fountains, which were state of the art for the time, and in many various forms, including statues, cascades and disguised fountains so unexpecting visitors would get wet. In addition to the Grand Peterhof Palace, which has been restored since its almost destruction at the hands of the Nazis, there are also several smaller palaces in the estate. 

 Duration: 6h |  Transportation: by a car

Night in St Petersburg.

DAY 13 / XX CENTURY

 Breakfast in the hotel.

  Tour of your choice: 

1. Guided tour of the Museum of Political History of Russia - this excellent and modern museum is dedicated to the historical events that occurred in Russia in the 20th century.  You will see rare archive materials, posters and photos detailing the three Russian revolutions, the Civil War and the Second World War.  In addition, you will visit the rooms where Lenin set up his office during the Revolution, where he made an important speech from the balcony to the crowds below. 

2. Guided tour of the Yusupov Palace - another of St Petersburg’s beautiful palaces, this one was owned by the immensely rich Yusupov family. The most famous Yusupov is perhaps Felix Yusupov who played a role in the murder of the “Mad Monk” Grigory Rasputin. The murder took place in the basement of this palace and there is now a special display detailing the strange, some might say unbelievable,  events of the evening.

  Guided tour of the Sergey Kirov Memorial Flat - once home to Sergey Kirov, a revolutionary and politician close to Stalin whose assassination unleashed Stalin’s terror. The flat provides a wonderful time capsule showing how members of the Bolshevik government lived just after the Revolution.

  Guided tour of a Leningrad Communal Flat - communal flats, where families lived together in separate rooms but a shared kitchen and bathroom, were more or less the norm during the early Soviet period and some still exist to this day. People from all sorts of backgrounds found themselves living together, which of course led to all sorts of disputes and scandals, but also new friendships.  This visit to a real communal flat with real families living there will give you a glimpse into this defining phenomenon of the Soviet Union.

  Tea with Locals - in addition to the visit to the communal flat you will also have the opportunity to drink some tea and get to know a real local St Petersburg family and find out more about daily life in St Petersburg. This is not a touristy gimmick but a real family who are always happy to meet and speak with guests to St Petersburg.

 Duration: 7-8h |  Transportation: By a metro

Night in St Petersburg.

DAY 14 / DEPARTURE

 Breakfast in the hotel.

 Transfer from the hotel to the airport.

• The tour is available the whole year round starting on any day, but please take into account that the museum’s working hours and days-off vary so we reserve the right to change the itinerary while trying to save the excursion programme.
• Optional excursions should be booked before the start of the tour to schedule the itinerary.
• Transportation in Moscow, where travel by metro is designated, can be changed to a car upon request, but please note that the transport situation in Moscow is not very good, so you could get stuck in a traffic jam.
• Tickets to museums cannot be sold without an excursion with a guide.
• During state holidays and celebrations, Red Square may be closed (either partially blocked off or completely closed).
• The price of the tour may be increased during the period of the White Nights (11JUN-10JUL) and when the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (end of May or beginning of June) is being held in St Petersburg. Please check the price when booking.
• All excursions/guided tours included in the itinerary are private which means private guides and private transport along with the programme - unless otherwise stated.
• Best time to travel on this route: from the end of April to mid-October and from December to mid-March.

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