Lev Tolstoy’s War and Peace is perhaps the most famous novel in world literature and the story detailing the years leading up to Russia’s war against Napoleon is considered to be the author’s finest work. Tolstoy originally wanted to write a story about the failed 1825 Decembrist Revolt which was led by representatives of Russian nobility. However Tolstoy decided that to fully explain why nobles with everything to lose were willing to risk everything, he would have to go further back in time to the Napoleonic Wars. The resulting work was War and Peace, and only at the very end of the long novel is it hinted that various characters might go on to become involved in the Decembrist Revolt.

  The story has over 600 characters, including real historical figures such as Napoleon and Kutuzov. The main protagonists though are Countess Natasha Rostova, Count Pierre Bezhukov and Prince Andrey Bolkonsky and their families. We see through these characters differing views on the theory of life, including those of the author himself, while at the same time Tolstoy also explains the run up to war and describes in detail the course of various battles. As such the book is as much a work of philosophy and history, as it is of literature.

  The novel is considered one of the longest and War and Peace has even become a byword for a long book. Many people are put off by its length but luckily there have been several successful adaptations of the story for film and television. The most famous Russian version is Sergey Bondarchuk's critically-acclaimed two part film of 1966 and 1967. In 2016 the BBC also broadcast a six-part television adaption scripted by Andrew Davies, which was also highly praised and once again revived interest in the novel. The series was partly filmed in Russia and so also showcased some of the tourists highlights of St Petersburg and its glittering palaces.

  This special War and Peace tour will take you to some of the locations mentioned in the novel and to some places connected with the great author himself. You will see the places where Tolstoy wrote the novel, learn more about Russia’s war against Napoleon and even visit the site of the bloodiest battle of the war - Borodino Field. And of course you will also visit St Petersburg – the capital of Russia at the time of the novel's events, and the stunning Catherine Palace outside the city, where the ball scenes in the recent BBC adaptation were filmed.

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Moscow ⇔ Yasnaya Poyana → Mozhaisk → Borodino → Smolensk → St Petersburg

 Total distance of the tour: 1,712km -  1,187km |  525km 

  Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to the hotel. A driver with a sign saying  will wait for you in the arrival area of the airport. Free time in Moscow.

 Night in Moscow.

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 Breakfast at the hotel.

  Guided tour of the Lev Tolstoy Memorial-Estate at Khamovniki - Tolstoy bough this Moscow estate in 1882. He spent 19 winters here with his family up until spring 1901 when he moved to his summer estate of Yasnaya Polyana for the last time. In the writing room here, Tolstoy wrote over 100 works, including the novel Resurrection and the novellas The Death of Ivan Ilich, The Kreutzer Sonata and Father Sergius. Tolstoy would spend on average 8-9 hours a day writing and in his study you will see a writing table which he sat at and one at which he stood.

  Guided tour of the War of 1812 Museum – this museum has over 2,000 rarities from the time of the Napoleonic Wars, including weapons, uniforms, document and paintings depicting events and battles of the war, as well as the silver frame of Emperor Alexander I's letter of gratitude to the Moscow nobility, signet rings, tobacco cases and medals of participants the Patriotic War as the conflict in known in Russia. Items of note include personal belongings of commanders of the war: Kutuzov’s samovar, Wittgenstein’s baton, and Napoleon’s sabre which was given to Count Shuvalov.

  Guided tour of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral - the original version of the cathedral was built to commemorate the victory over Napoleon. It took over 40 years to build, only to be subsequently blown up by the Bolsheviks. The current version was built after the fall of the Soviet Union.

 Duration: 7h |  Transportation: by a private car

 Night in Moscow.

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 Breakfast at the hotel.

 Transfer to Yasnaya Polyana Estate.

 Distance: 200km

  Yasnaya Polyana is the main place of pilgrimage for fans of Lev Tolstoy. The unique Russian estate was the family home of the Tolstoys. Tolstoy was born here, spend a great deal of his life here and is now buried here. Yasnaya Polyana was his favourite home and was considered the ‘nest’ of his family. By coming here you can immerse yourself in the world of Tolstoy and his works, as he wrote chapters of both War and Peace and Anna Karenina here.

  Excursion around the estate - the highlights of this tour with a local guide include:

• Tolstoy’s House – Tolstoy moved into this house (which is actually a wing of the original which was sold and dismantled) in 1856 and lived here, mainly just for the summer, until his death. The house has many original artefacts and pieces of furniture which creates the impression that the author could return home at any minute.
• Prishpekt Alley – this is the main alley in the estate and leads from the entrance towers to Tolstoy's house. Tolstoy used to enjoy walking along the alley which is lined with trees.
• Kuzminsky Wing – in 1859 Tolstoy opened a school for local peasant children in this building. Now it holds an exhibition detailing the life, work and era of Tolstoy.
• Tolstoy’s Grave - Tolstoy is buried in a very simple grave in the forest on the estate. Tolstoy believed that somewhere around here there was a green stick on which the secret of happiness was written.

At the end of the excursion you will have free time to walk around the estate.

 Duration: 7h |  Transportation: by a private car

  Transfer to Moscow.

 Night in Moscow.

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 Breakfast at the hotel. 

  City-tour around Smolensk - Smolensk is one of the oldest cities in Russia and was the first Russian city to face Napoleon. The city managed to hold out for two days, as the 200-year old walls of the city’s kremlin bore the brunt of bombs and shot. French attacks were met with strong Russian counter attacks. The Polish troops fighting in Napoleon’s army fought especially hard in the hope of winning back Smolensk, which in previous centuries had been captured and ruled by Poland. As a result of the constant firing, Smolensk went up in flames and its future defence became futile. The Russians retreated across the River Dnieper and blew up the bridge. Local citizens retreated along with the Russian army; a foreboding of the fate soon to be shared by Moscow. The loss of Smolensk as the first Russian city to fall to Napoleon was massively demoralising for the Russians.

 Duration: 4h |  Transportation: by a private car

  Free time in Smolensk.

 Night in Smolensk.

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 Night in St Petersburg.S 

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 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.
• Tickets to museums cannot be sold without an excursion with a guide.
• The price of the tour may be increased during the period of the White Nights (11JUN-10JUL) and when the International Economic Forum (end of May or beggining of June) is being held in St Petersburg. Please check the price when booking.
• The tour is available in     Other languages upon request.
• All excursions/guided tours included in the itinerary are private which means private guides and private transport along 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.

• CANCELLATION POLICY •

DATE OF CANCELLATION	CANCELLATION CHARGES
FROM 60 TO 45 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	10%
FROM 44 TO 15 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	30%
FROM 14 TO 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	50%
LESS THAN 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE	100%

​• COST OF THE TOUR WITH 3* HOTELS •

PRICE PER GROUP	1-2 PAX	3-4 PAX	5-6 PAX	7-8 PAX
RUR	225430	321820	419746	523100

• COST OF THE TOUR WITH 4* HOTELS •

PRICE PER GROUP	1-2 PAX	3-4 PAX	5-6 PAX	7-8 PAX
RUR	256160	383280	511936	646020

• COST OF THE TOUR WITH 5* HOTELS​ •

PRICE PER GROUP	1-2 PAX	3-4 PAX	5-6 PAX	7-8 PAX
RUR	292880	456720	622096	792900