Ffestiniog Travel

Tuesday 22 May to Thursday 31 May 2012

An evocative tour of three capitals by rail. Our leisurely tour takes us from Kiev the capital of the Ukraine with its historic heritage to the iconic images of Moscow and the cultural delights of the old capital, St. Petersburg. We travel between each capital by train allowing time to savour the delights of these remarkable countries.

Day 1   Flight to Kiev

Depart London on a scheduled flight to Kiev for a stay of 2 nights. Dinner is included this evening in our hotel.

Day 2   City Tour

This morning we take an escorted tour of Kiev. This atmospheric and historical city has many outstanding highlights for you to visit, including the Golden Gate and St Michael’s and St Sophia Cathedrals. We visit the old town and Andriyivsky Slope, with a break for memorable photos at St Andrew’s church. Our afternoon excursion takes us out of the city to the ‘Open Air Rural Life Museum’ in Pirogovo, where traditional village life from the 17th -20th century is recreated in this gentle and rural area.

Day 3   Excursion and Rail to Moscow

A further day exploring this fascinating and age-old city. We visit the Gold Treasury and the Pechersk Lavra with its awe inspiring caves. A walk along Khreschatik Street and Bessarabka market gives an insight into Ukrainian life and we enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. This evening we transfer to the railway station for our overnight train to Moscow. Accomodation is in four berth compartments (upgrade to 2 berth available).

Day 4   Moscow

Moscow needs no introduction, and after breakfast in a local restaurant, we visit the iconic Red Square with its breathtakingly familiar 16th century architecture. A tour of the Kremlin and Armory is followed by a river cruise on the Moskva river with lunch on board (included). Afternoon check in at our hotel for a stay of two nights.

An opportunity exists tonight to take an additional excursion to see a performance at the world famous Bolshoi Theatre (details to be provided two months prior to departure).

Day 5   City Tour and Underground

A further day exploring Russia’s capital city with an escorted tour of Moscow’s famous metro stations and underground, which are renowned for their remarkable statuesque 1920’s modernist architecture, frescos and mosaics. Dinner tonight in a local restaurant.

Day 6   Rail to St. Petersburg

Relax in Moscow before taking an afternoon train to St. Petersburg for a stay of 4 nights. Our visit is timed to experience the magical ‘white nights’ which the area is famed for.

Day 7   St. Petersburg City Tour

St. Petersburg was once known as the Venice of the North and this exquisite city has so much to experience. We take a morning excursion to view the main highlights including a visit to the legendary cruiser Aurora, famous for firing the signal to storm the Winter Palace which signalled the start of the Russian revolution.

Day 8   Hermitage Museum, Peter & Paul Fortress

A truly memorable excursion this morning visiting one of the largest museums in the world, the State Hermitage, part of which is housed in the Winter Palace, former residence of the Russian Tsars and now home to an enviable collection of some of the world’s most recognizable artwork. We follow up with a visit to Peter and Paul Fortress now transformed from a prison to a museum featuring a cathedral housing the tombs of the Romanov monarchs.

Day 9   Pushkin and Pavlovsk

Today we take a full day exploring Russian history with a visit to Catherine Palace, the baroque masterpiece at Pushkin and the Imperial Estate of Pavlovsk situated nearby. Here at Pavlovsk we can enjoy the outstanding beauty of a palace nestled amongst landscaped parks and a flowing river. Afterwards, we will enjoy a traditional Russian taster lunch at the famous Podvorie restaurant.

Day 10   Homeward Bound

Transfer to the airport for our flight home.