8 Day Moscow To St Petersburg

Arrive in the early evening and transfer to our centrally located hotel in Moscow. The journey takes approximately 1 hour from Domodedovo or Sheremetyevo Airport, during peak season this can be longer due to heavy traffic. The closest subway station to our hotel is Arbatskaya on the blue line (the only station where four lines meet).

After dinner, we recommend an evening walk to Red Square

This morning we enjoy a guided walk across Red Square, past Lenin’s Mausoleum visiting the revolutionary leader’s tomb. After we gain our bearings, there is free time to visit the magnificent St Basil’s Cathedral, which was built by Ivan the Terrible and remains one of the world’s most iconic landmarks. We then hop aboard the efficient Metro system, for a short tour of some of the most beautiful stations.


Later, if time allows, there might be chance to see Moscow’s premier art collection at the Tretyakov Gallery, where the priceless Russian Icon collection is kept along with other highlights. Or you may choose to do some shopping at the souvenir market.

Evening visits to the Bolshoy Theatre are very popular and are available to book online (subject to availability). The circus is also a popular choice - however, live animals are used in some acts so this may not be to everyone’s taste. Please note that Exodus are unable to pre-book these tickets as we are not official ticket agents and tickets can only be booked in advance.

Today we head straight to the highlight for many who visit Moscow, the Kremlin - a city within a city. It is still the seat of much political power and contains many of Russia’s greatest treasures. We visit some of the magnificent cathedrals of St. Michael the Archangel, the Annunciation and the Assumption, and have a look at the Tsar Bell and the golden domes of Ivan the Great Bell Tower from the outside. We visit the famous Armoury, a museum of opulent treasures including fabulous gold coaches and the famous Fabergé eggs. There is some more free time in the afternoon before we meet at the hotel for the short transfer to the train station. There will be time to visit the shops to buy some snacks and drinks for the journey, before boarding our late night sleeper train to Novgorod.

No other Russian city can compete with Novgorod in the variety and age of its historical monuments. We spend a relaxing morning on a gentle walking tour through the riverside Kremlin dating back to the 10th century. We take in the sites of St Sofia’s Cathedral Yaroslav's Court and the Millennium Monument, created to celebrate 1000 years of Russia. The afternoon is free, a chance to experience a less visited city with a truly Russian feel. Most choose to head out into the countryside to enjoy the Yuriev Monastery and the Open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture, to learn more about rural life in Russia

For many Novgorod is a real highlight and a welcome break from hectic Moscow before moving on to St Petersburg.

In the morning we transfer to the small town of Pushkin to see the incredible Catherine Palace and gardens. Every room in this huge palace is as opulent as the last, lined with gold and marble. The highlight, however, is The Amber Room, which was dismantled by the Nazis during the war and its contents lost somewhere in East Prussia. It has recently been restored to its former glory and is a sight to behold. After the tour there is free time to enjoy the gardens, or return to the hotel for a traditional banya - a Russian sauna.

After approximately an hour transfer we arrive in one of the finest and most extravagant cities in Europe - St Petersburg. This is a relatively young city, which only celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2003. It was the vision of Peter the Great and was part of his desire to bring ‘old Russia' into the modern European age. Much of its design and work was contributed to by foreign designers and craftsmen - the result being some of the finest 18th and 19th-century buildings to be found in Europe, but with a distinct Russian influence. Our hotel is located 10 minutes' walk from Nevsky Prospekt, St Petersburg’s most famous street, full of fine mansions, cathedrals and shops, all with a story to tell. We enjoy an orientation tour including a visit inside the Peter and Paul Fortress and the famous cathedral that contains the tombs of the Romanovs. Perhaps make an optional visit inside St Isaac’s Cathedral or the Church of the Spilt Blood. We will meet again in the early evening, for a visit to the new Fabergé Museum housing 4,000 pieces of fine decorative art, the highlight of which is a group of nine imperial Easter eggs created by Fabergé for the last two Tsars.

We make the most of our final full day in Russia, with a guided tour of the Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace. One of the largest and oldest museums in the world, it was founded in 1764. Here every room is a piece of art in its own right, you will marvel at the Pavilion Hall, Peacock Room, and Hanging Gardens and that’s before you’ve even seen any art! The afternoon at leisure to see more of the sights of St Petersburg. Why not take in the sights of the city by boat on a relaxing canal trip?

Please note that this day may operate in reverse due to entrance slots at the Hermitage.

After breakfast, there is some free time before the group flight back to London.