Route of the Romanovs

Welcome to Russia! You will be met upon arrival at St Petersburg Pulkovo Airport and transferred to your hotel for check-in. This evening you'll be treated to dinner with the rest of your group at the hotel, followed by an informative welcome meeting. Remainder of the evening at leisure - your tour guide can recommend some local bars for you to try out. (D)

St Petersburg is known as the 'City of Tsars' and today we head out of the city to explore one of the tsars' lavish palaces. We visit Peterhof Palace and its beautiful gardens on the Gulf of Finland in the summer (May to mid October) and in the winter we visit Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo (or Pavlosk Palace if Catherine Palace is closed). Often referred to as the 'Russian Versailles', Peterhof is famous for its beautiful gardens which are a wonderland of greenery and flowers, sweeping vistas and ornate architectural decorations, with spectacular gold fountains. At Catherine's Palace it's the exterior and lavishly decorated interior that is the highlight and the famous Amber room is simply spectacular, bedecked in gold and amber.

This evening you have the opportunity to join in on some optional excursions including a night at the ballet or a Cossack show. All optional excursions are subject to availability, and are booked and payable locally. (B)

St Petersburg – Moscow. Today we take in the highlights of the beautiful city of St Petersburg. Travelling by bus we make our way along the famed Nevsky Prospekt, past the museum and university districts and a few stops will be made along the way to see the magnificent St Isaac's Cathedral and The Bronze Horseman. We then visit the Peter and Paul Fortress and the ornate Peter and Paul Cathedral which houses the tombs of the Romanov monarchs. We also pay a visit to the spectacular Church on Spilled Blood. After a hearty lunch weenjoy a guided tour of the Hermitage Museum in the beautiful Winter Palace - which houses one of the biggest and best art collections on earth.

This evening we board our overnight sleeper train bound for Moscow. (B/L)

This morning we arrive into Russia's capital. Taking the metro, we will make our way to the legendary Red Square for the start of our walking tour. Here we will take in sights such as the epitome of Russian power – the Kremlin, Lenin's Mausoleum and the ritzy GUM department store. At the south end of the square, feast your eyes on the iconic St Basil's Cathedral. We also tour the mighty Kremlin, with a guided walk through the grounds to see numerous government buildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the Tsar Bell - which is the largest bell that never rang! If open, you can pay your respects to the grandfather of Communism at Lenin's mausoleum. Remainder of the day is at leisure.

During our stay in Moscow there will be the chance to join some of our optional evening excursions, such as a traditional Cossack Show or a Moscow by Night coach tour. Optional excursions are subject to availability and can be booked and paid for locally. (B/L)

This morning those who have booked our optional Inside a Soviet Bunker Tour Add On will head 65 metres underground and explore the Underground Cold War Museum - a Stalinist-era Soviet Bunker that up until recently was a top secret symbol of Soviet Power. The rest of the day is free to explore the capital. There are plenty of great galleries, museums, cafes, shops and bars all within walking distance in the city centre. (B)

Moscow – Yekaterinburg. As your last day in Moscow, now is the time to see any last minute sights or stock up on Soviet souvenirs before you begin our journey to Yekaterinburg. As this tour runs in conjunction with other tours, today you will also bid farewell to those ending their tour in Moscow, and to your tour leader who has escorted you thus far. Later in the afternoon you will start your independent journey east bound on the Trans-Siberian line. (B)

Travelling on the Trans-Siberian you will continue your journey east bound across the Ural Mountains. Pulling in this evening, you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your hotel for dinner and relaxation. (D)

This morning we explore the historical centre of Yekaterinburg on a walking tour. Although founded in 1723 to exploit the mineral riches of the surrounding Ural Mountains and Siberia, what really put Yekaterinburg on the map in the western world was the tragic event that occurred here in 1918. For it was in the cellar of a house, where now the beautiful Church on the Blood stands, that Tsar Nicholas Romanov II and his family were executed. Our walking tour takes us to this very church where you'll see a sculpture dedicated to the Tsar and his family, the area of their execution and a modest exhibition on their lives.

Our walking tour also takes in 1905 Revolution Square, the beautiful views from the embankment side and the Hill of Ascension, and the sorrowful Afghanistan memorial at the Red Army Square. We'll see the gorgeous villas of the “gold merchants” of the 19th century, monumental buildings in “Stalin's neoclassicism” style and statues of the founders of the city and communist leaders.

After lunch we drive out of town to visit the famous obelisk Europe/Asia border marker where you can stand with a foot in each continent! Crossing the border- line we get a Certificate and a glass of sparkling wine! Then we head to the Ganina Yama Monastery dedicated to the Romanov's family and built on the site of the former mine where the corpses of the Royal family were originally unceremoniously dumped by the Bolsheviks in 1918. From the monastery we travel a few kilometres to the former secret grave, now a memorial, where the royal remains were moved to. The remains were discovered here in 1978 and moved to the SS Peter and Paul Cathedral at Peter and Paul Fortress in St Petersburg. (B/L)

Today is free for you to take advantage of all that Yekaterinburg has to offer as a wonderful outdoors destination. You will be able to choose from a range of exciting options that can be booked and paid for locally. In the summer you can try your hand at rafting, work up a sweat hiking or visit a Koptelova - a traditional Siberian village). While in the winter, you can take full advantage of the sub-zero temperatures with a thrilling dog-sledding ride or ice-fishing! Please contact us for further details. (B)

ur tour comes to an end today after breakfast. After hotel check-out a departure transfer will take you to the railway station or airport for your onward travel. (B)