1 DAY / ARRIVAL IN ST PETERSBURG
Arrival in St Petersburg. Transfer to your hotel. Free time in the city: although if you arrive in the morning and have energy we can organise an excursion for this day.
Night in St Petersburg.
2 DAY / ST PETERSBURG CITY TOUR - HERMITAGE
Breakfast at the hotel.
City tour of St Petersburg with an excursion to the Peter and Paul Fortress - the highlights of this tour include:
- Admiralty (exterior) – one of the most beautiful and recognisable buildings in the city. It was the first building to be built on the left-bank of the Neva.
- Bronze Horseman – the first monument to Peter the Great to be erected in Russia. It was unveiled as a gift from Catherine the Great to recognise the achievements of Peter the Great and it took over 12 years to finish the project.
- Strelka of Vasilievsky Island – St Petersburg is built on 42 islands and the largest of them is Vasilievsky Island. It was Peter the Great’s idea to have this island serve as the cultural and trade centre. With this aim a trading port was built on the tip of the island, which became known as the Strelka.
- Palace Square – the main square in St Petersburg, which gets its name as the Winter Palace stands here. In the centre of the square is an obelisk dedicated to Emperor Alexander I and his victory over Napoleon.
- St Isaac’s Cathedral (exterior) – one of the most famous and beautiful domed cathedrals in the world. Its scale is impressive: in height and capacity it is only beaten in Russia by Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral. It stands at 101.5 metres tall and has a capacity of 14,000 people.
- Saviour on the Blood Cathedral (exterior) – this cathedral was built on the site where members of the People’s Will terrorist organisation fatally wounded Emperor Alexander II. The cathedral was elaborately decorated in the ancient Rus style, reminiscent of Moscow’s St Basil’s Cathedral, and not the classical style typical for St Petersburg. According to the wishes of Emperor Alexander III, an ornate canopy was erected over the very site where his father fell.
- Field of Mars – in this memorial park victims of the February Revolution of 1917 were buried and an eternal flame was lit.
Guided tour of the Peter and Paul fortress – this fortress marks the very starting point of St Petersburg and the rest of the city grew from this point. At first the fortress had a military role in defending the new city from the Swedes and was the first bastion to be built in Russia. Later on the fortress became a prison for political prisoners. In addition, the fortress’s Ss Peter and Paul's Cathedral serves as the burial place for practically all Russian ruling emperors and empresses, excluding Peter II and Ivan VI.
Guided tour of the State Hermitage – an art gallery located in the Winter Palace which was once the official residence of the Russian emperors. The current version of the palace is in fact the fifth incarnation to be built on the banks of the Neva and undoubtedly the most proportional and exquisite of them all. It was built in the baroque style according to a project by architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Today the building holds one of the most famous art galleries in the world, but even these masterpieces have difficulty in outshining the interiors of the palace itself.
Duration: 8 hours | 
Transportation: by a private car and by metro
Night in St Petersburg.
3 DAY / CATHERINE PALACE IN PUSHKIN
Breakfast at the hotel.
Guided tour of the Catherine Palace in Pushkin - this is of one the largest palaces in the suburbs of St Petersburg. The architectural style of the palace, reminiscent of the Winter Palace with its decorative contrasts of colours, is typical of the baroque style so popular in St Petersburg. The interiors of the palace are decorated in various artistic styles, but are predominantly baroque or classical. Several of the premises that were renovated in the mid-19th century were given a make-over in the style of historicism. Also found here is a full reconstruction of the Amber Room, which, as its name suggests, is a room completely decorated with amber. The original room was looted by the Nazis during the Second World War and to this day its whereabouts are unknown.
Duration: 6h | 
Transportation: by a private car
Night in St Petersburg.
4 DAY / FREE DAY IN ST PETERSBURG / 0km - 650km
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free day in the city. You can spend this day either exploring St Petersburg by yourself or by ordering an additional excursion, including an excursion outside of St Petersburg.
Transfer to Moskovsky Railway Station of St Petersburg.
Sapsan high-speed train to Moscow.
Duration: 3h50
Upon arrival in Moscow a transfer to the hotel.
Night in Moscow.
5 DAY / MOSCOW - THE KREMLIN - MOSCOW METRO
Breakfast at the hotel.
City tour of Moscow by a car - during this tour you will see the Russian capital’s main sights, including:
-
Victory Park - a memorial complex dedicated to the Second World War. The main obelisk here is 141.8 metres symbolising the 1418 days of the Soviet Union’s participation in the Great Patriotic War as WWII is called in Russia.
-
Viewing Platform on Sparrow Hills - this is located opposite the main building of the Moscow State University - one of the buildings known as the Seven Sisters or Stalin’s Skyscrapers - and from here you can get a great view of central Moscow.
-
Ulitsa Tverskaya - this is the main street in Moscow and in Soviet times it was completely renovated (and renamed in honour of Gorky) meaning that many of the buildings here are in the empire architectural style preferred by Stalin.
-
Novodevichy Convent - one of the oldest convents in Russia and it hasn’t changed much in terms of its architectural style over 500 years. It is protected by UNESCO.
-
Krutitskoe Podvorye - this unique corner of Moscow is like a time capsule taking you back centuries.
Walking tour of the historic centre of Moscow - you will see:
- Red Square - Russia's main square, where you will find Lobnoe Place, St Basil’s Cathedral, the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Lenin’s Mausoleum and the GUM department store.
- Christ the Saviour Cathedral - an eparchial cathedral and the main cathedral of Russia. Services here are led by the patriarch of Moscow and All Rus, the Russian Orthodox equivalent of the pope in Rome. An earlier version of the cathedral was blown up by the Bolsheviks to make way for the grand plans to build a Palace of the Soviets, however this project was never realised and an open-air swimming pool was created instead. The cathedral was rebuilt after the fall of the Soviet Union.
- Lenin’s Mausoleum – since 1924 the embalmed body of the founder of the Soviet Union has been lying here.
- Ulitsa Varvarka – this is one of the oldest streets in Moscow and many of its historical buildings have been preserved.
- GUM department store – one of the oldest surviving shops in Russia and a real architectural masterpiece from the 19th century, with an added Soviet vibe.
- Aleksandrovsky Gardens – the gardens were opened after the fire of 1812 where the river Neglinnaya used to flow before being diverted in underground tunnels. In 1856 the gardens, then known as the Kremlin Gardens, were renamed in honour of Emperor Alexander I. In area they occupy 10 hectares and you can find several interesting monuments here. In addition the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with a guard of honour and an eternal flame is located here.
- Lyubyanskaya Ploschad – standing on this square is the former headquarters of the KGB, now home to the FSB. During its KGB days, prisoners were executed in its cellars.
Duration: 6-7h | Transportation: by a car and a walking tour
Night in Moscow.
6 DAY / MOSCOW KREMLIN AND METRO
Breakfast at the hotel.
Guided tour of the Moscow Kremlin - the Moscow Kremlin is the main sight in the city and situated in the very heart of the capital. Its impressive walls and towers, golden-domed churches, ancient chambers and grand palaces rise up on Borovitsky Hill over the River Moscow and create a uniquely beautiful architectural ensemble.
Guided tour of the Moscow Metro – this underground system of palaces is like no other metro system in the world. The main central stations are decorated with statues, reliefs, monuments, paintings, mosaics and stained glass created by some of the country’s leading artists.
Duration: 4h | Transportation: walking excursion
Night in Moscow.
7 DAY / EUROPEAN RUSSIA
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the railway station.
Overnight train to Yekaterinburg.
8 DAY / THE URALS / YEKATERINBURG
Day on the train.
Evening arrival in Yekaterinburg. Transfer to the hotel.
Night in Yekaterinburg.
9 DAY / THE URALS / YEKATERINBURG
Breakfast in the hotel
Сity tour of Yekaterinburg - the highlights of the tour include:
- Church on the Spilled Blood – one of three churches in Russia which are said to have been built "on blood". At this location the Ipatiev House previously stood, which was the site of the execution of Emperor Nicholas II and his family. Today they have been canonised as saints.
- Ural Stone Museum – minerals and stones are the pride of the Urals and one of its brands. The museum has a collection of unique crystals, minerals and semi-precious stones.
- Ganina Yama – a wooden monastery founded on the site where the remains of the last imperial family were found. The remains themselves are now buried in Ss Peter and Paul's Cathedral in St Petersburg.
- Europe-Asia Border – one of several monuments marking the border where Europe ends and Asia begins. This spot was fixed by German scientists in 1829.
Duration: 5h | 
Transportation: by a private car
Evening transfer to the train station.
Overnight train to Tobolsk.
10 DAY / SIBERIA / TOBOLSK
Morning arrival in Tobolsk. Transfer to the hotel.
City Tour of Tobolsk - the Western Siberian city of Tobolsk has preserved some amazing architectural and historical monuments, the main one being the Tobolsk Kremlin. This is the only stone Kremlin in Siberia and was built in the early 18th century. The tour includes:
-
St Sophia Dormition Cathedral - this is the oldest stone building in the whole of Siberia, It was built in 1686 taking the Ascension Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin as its inspiration. During Soviet times the cathedral was closed and it was used for holding exiled people and arrested kulaks, before being used to store corn.
-
Rentereya - this is the name given to the building which housed the city’s treasury. It was built in the 18th century by Swedish POWs. Today it houses a museum.
-
Tobolsk Prison - this fortified building was built in 1838 and was used to hold and sort prisoners before they were sent further into Siberia. Many famous people passed through here, including the authors Dostoevsky and Chernyshevsky. It was closed in 1989 and turned into a museum.
-
Governor’s House - from August 1917 to April 1918 the house was used as a prison for former emperor Nicholas II and his family. They were housed on the second floor while their helpers lived in the Kornilov House opposite.
-
Catholic Church - this was built between 1900 and 1909 using donations from locals, most of whom were Polish political prisoners who were exiled here for participating in uprisings against Russian rule.
Duration: 4h | Transportation: walking excursion
Night in Tobolsk.
11 DAY / WESTERN SIBERIA / ABALAK
Breakfast in the hotel
Excursion to Abalak and the Znamensky Monastery - the village of Abalak was founded long before Russians came to Siberia and was home to Tatars. It bears the name of Tatar prince Abalak.
The oldest building in Abalak is the Our Lady of the Sign Cathedral, which dates from almost the same time as Tobolsk’s St Sophia Dormition Cathedral. The cathedral was consecrated in 1691. It is a unique monument of the Russian Baroque style, and often regarded as one of the most original works of Siberian architecture.
You will also visit the Abalak complex, which is filled with characters and the architectural structures from Russian fairy tales. You can also enjoy magnificent views of the River Irtysh River and the vast Siberian forests from here.
Duration: 3-4h | Transportation: by a private car
Transfer to the train station.
Overnight train to Omsk.
12 DAY / WESTERN SIBERIA / OMSK
Arrival in Omsk. Transfer to the hotel.
Tour of Omsk. The main attraction included in the tour are:
- Dostoevsky Literary Museum - the museum is located in the former commandant's house of the Omsk Prison, built in 1799. Dostoevsky lived in this building during his exile.
- Dormition Cathedral - construction of the cathedral was started in 1891. The first stone in the foundation of the cathedral was laid by Tsarevich Nikolay Aleksandrovich, future Russian emperor Nicholas II when he travelling across the country. In 1935 the cathedral was blown up and only rebuilt in 2007.
- Tobolsk Gates - the historical core of Omsk was a fortress which served as part of a defensive line to protect Russia’s southern borders in the 18th century. Today the fortress no longer exists and the Tobolsk Gates, dating from 1794, are the only part preserved in the original form.
- Batyushkin Mansion (House of Kolchak) - this is one of the most beautiful buildings of the city and was once owned by an important merchant family from Omsk. During the Russian Civil War in 1918-1919 it served as the residence of the leader of the Whites, Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak.
Duration: 3h | Transportation: by a private car
Night in Omsk.
13 DAY / TRAIN TO IRKUTSK
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to the train station.
Overnight train to Irkutsk.
14 DAY / SIBERIA / ON THE TRAIN
Day and Night on the train.
While travelling through Eastern Siberian your train will make a stop at:
- Krasnoyarsk – a major city located on the banks of the great Siberian river of the Yenisey. It is the centre of the one of the largest federal subjects in Russia, whose northern border is washed by the Arctic Ocean.
- In the evening the train will stop at the small station of Taishet, where the Baikal-Amur Railway, another great railway line of Russia, starts.
15 DAY / SIBERIA / IRKUTSK
Arrival in Irkutsk.
Breakfast in the cafe.
City tour of Irkutsk - the highlights of this tour include:
- 130th quarter - a historical part of Irkutsk with a concentration of old wooden buildings and houses dating from the 18th century. It is a unique place where you can walk around and take in the cultural heritage: estates, mansions and other houses over 100 years old.
- Angara Embankment – the embankment runs for several kilometres. It is a favourite place for locals and visitors to stroll and has a viewing platform from where you can enjoy great views of the river and surrounding area.
- Lace House - one of the most beautiful 19th century wooden houses, which is decorated with delicate carved wooden window frames and tiles.
- Sukachev Estate – a lovely 19th century wooden estate once owned by Vladimir Sukachev, a local patron of the arts and the founder of the Irkutsk Art Gallery. On the territory of the estate you will also find a stable, a coach house, a house for guests and servants, a pavilion and an art gallery.
- Exaltation of the Cross Church – this church dates from 1760 and is one of the brightest and picturesque churches in the city. Its pear-shaped domes are an example of Ukrainian baroque but its décor is more reminiscent of Buddhist temples. One theory says the Buddhist motives are due to the Chinese merchants who funded the construction. Another theory is that it was a deliberate attempt to convert Buryats to Orthodoxy.
- Emperor Alexander III Monument – this monument was unveiled here in 1903 to mark the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway - a project of the emperor. Its site was selected as the midpoint of the Siberian section of the railway. In 1920 the monument was removed and in 2003 it was returned as part of the centenary of the Trans-Siberian. Guided tour of Taltsy Transfer to Listvyanka.
- Our Lady of Kazan Church - one of the most beautiful churches in the city. It was built in 1892 out of red brick in the Byzantine Revival architectural style.
- Triumphal Arch of the Moskovskie Gates - this arch was built on the site of the original arch which was erected to mark the 10th anniversary of Alexander I becoming emperor.
Duration: 3h | Transportation: by a private car
Transfer to Listvyanka village.
Distance: 77km
Night in Listvyanka.
16 DAY / SIBERIA / CIRCUM-BAIKAL RAILWAY
Breakfast in the hotel.
Tour of Circum-Baikal railway.
After the tour a transfer to the hotel in Irkutsk.
Night in Irkutsk.
17 DAY / SIBERIA / DEPARTURE
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport or Irkutsk Railway Station or airport.
Intro
Itinerary
Cost
Notes
17 Days
5 Nights on the train
Eastbound
UNESCO
All year
