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Itinerary
Day 1
We meet at our designated pick up points and transfer by coach to Heathrow Airport for our direct scheduled mid morning British Airways flight to St Petersburg. On arrival at St Petersburg we are met by our guide who will accompany us on all transfers and day excursions, and continue by coach to the 4* Azimut Hotel for a five night stay. Dinner is included in our hotel this evening, and at a carefully selected local restaurant on our last night. The remaining three nights are on bed and breakfast basis.
Day 2
Today we have a guided tour of St Petersburg taking in sights such as the Church of St Nicholas, St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Smolny Institute and the Strelka from where we are afforded excellent views of the River Neva. We also see the Church of our Saviour on Spilled Blood, the iconic Russian style church with its beautiful multi-coloured domes, built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in March 1881. During our tour we enjoy a cruise on the River Neva to see St Petersburg from a different perspective. This afternoon we visit the Fabergé Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of works by Carl Fabergé, including nine of the famous Imperial Easter Eggs.
Day 3
The Hermitage is our destination today, one of the world’s greatest art galleries located in the Winter Palace founded by Catherine the Great. There are some two million works of art by the great masters and we have a guided tour on arrival to ensure you see some of the many highlights. The rest of the day is free to explore The Hermitage at your leisure.
Day 4
We head for the countryside to visit the 18th century Pavlosk Palace, the imperial residence of Catherine the Great’s son. We then continue on to Pushkin, home of the Imperial family and former summer residence of the aristocracy, where we visit the sumptuous Catherine Palace built in Baroque style and boasting a 300 metre façade. Subject to availability our full day ends with a visit to the Alexander Palace, residence of Nicholas II and his family.
Day 5
Our day begins with a guided tour of the Russian Museum which houses a fine display of artefacts and some of Russia’s greatest works of art that are little known outside the country. We continue to the Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest building in St Petersburg, and the Baroque interior of the St Peter and St Paul Cathedral with its landmark golden needle spire which is the final resting place for many Russian Tsars including Peter the Great. Our day concludes with an included farewell dinner at a carefully selected traditional Russian restaurant.
Day 6
A grand avenue of terraces and pools leads to Peterhof, the magnificent palace built by Peter the Great overlooking the Baltic Sea and adorned with magnificent interiors. We then transfer to the airport for our direct scheduled late afternoon British Airways flight to Heathrow, and onwards coach travel back to our original pick up points.
NB1: Please note we reserve the right to alter the above itinerary if required for operational reasons. Given the historic nature of the places visited, a certain degree of walking will be involved, and this holiday may not be suitable for those with mobility problems. Flight details may be subject to change. Price based on twin share. Minimum numbers required. Normal booking conditions apply. Any air holidays and flights in this brochure are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Tailored Travel’s ATOL number is 5605.
NB2: The Russian Visa needs to be collected in person from the Russian consulate in London, Manchester or Edinburgh.
Featuring
4* central St Petersburg Hotel
All excursions, entrance fees & guided tours included
Two dinners included
Direct scheduled British Airways flights from Heathrow
Return UK airport coach transfers
Professional local guide
Executive coach throughout
Audio headsets included on Days 2 to 5
St Petersburg – full day guided tour
Cruise on the River Neva
Fabergé Museum
The Hermitage – guided tour
Pavlosk Palace
Pushkin – Catherine Palace & Alexander Palace
Russian Museum – guided tour
Peter & Paul Fortress
St Peter and St Paul Cathedral
Peterhof
Hotel
We stay five nights at the 4* Azimut Hotel in St Petersburg (www.azimuthotels.com). Facilities at the hotel include a bar and restaurant, and all rooms are ensuite and feature television, hairdryer, and an in room safe. Dinner is included in our hotel on the first evening, and at a carefully selected local restaurant on our last night. The remaining three nights are on a bed and breakfast basis.
Extras
Insurance £44
Single room supplement £199
Visa fee (approximately £120 per person)
Gratuities
Optional Excursions
All excursions, entrance fees & guided tours included
