City Day Trip Options
Moscow
CU-42″ (“Griff snyat & office Stalin”) (Bunker & Stalin’s room)
This tour is dedicated to the history of the nuclear stand-off. You will learn how bunker protected from all injury factors nuclear weapons, see exclusive film about the nuclear arms race and realize how close the danger of World War III. You feel part of this object, learn how the staff worked and lived, see the amazing architecture of the legendary Museum.
Briefly about the tour: at a depth of 65 meters, you will be shown a film about the period of the Cold War, then you will be taken to ekspozal where told in detail about the means of communication at the time, the appointment of an object; you will have the opportunity to spend a little photo shoot, try chemical protection suits and shape signalers .
Note that the object of impressive size – about 7000 m2 , so the tour will take more than an hour. Well, of course, our special effect – an imitation of the explosion of a nuclear bomb – just do not leave you indifferent. Tour includes Stalin’s Office and courtroom, restored according to original designs.
price £460 up to 5 passengers
Duration 3hrs. Includes travelling time. No transportation costs included.
Hop on hop off Bus Tour
Explore Moscow from the top deck of an open top bus! Moscow, Russia’s capital city, is steeped in history and home to 20 million inhabitants. Hop on and off at key locations and explore Moscow at your leisure. The bus tour starts at Moscow’s renowned Red Square which is home to the 16th century St. Basil’s Cathedral, one of the most famous pieces of architecture in the world, plus the constructivist pyramid of Lenin’s Mausoleum. Travel over Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, a concrete arch structure which spans the Moscow River and connects the Red Square and Bolshaya Ordynka Street of Zamoskvorechye. The bridge’s architect, Alexey Shchusev, chose pink granite as the facade to make the bridge look as if built by real rock. Absorb the history of Balchug street, one of the oldest Moscow streets outside of the Kremlin walls. Admire the unmistakable red brick factory of Red October which is situated on Bolotny Island in the middle of the Moscow River and has become an architectural icon.
With your ticket you can also take advantage of the “Moscow Never Sleeps” night tour and see the City and the famous buildings wonderfully lit under a night sky!
Stops; Red Square, Big Moskvoretsky bridge, Balchug St. at Bolotnaya St, Red October,Urdarnik movie theatre at Sofiyskaya emb, Balchug St. at Sofiyskaya emb, Bolotnaya St, Urdarnik cinema at Serfimovich St, Big Stone Bridge, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Kropotkinskaya metro station, Sivtsev Vrazhek lane, Arbatskaya Sq, Alexander Garden at Mokhovaya St, Okhotny Ryad, Theatre Square, New Square
Excludes; Meals and drinks, Personal expenses, Tips and gratuities, Optional activity costs
Price includes; – 24-hour hop on hop off ticket -Admission to “Moscow Never Sleeps” night tour
Price guide £15pp
The Moscow Kremlin (Grounds, Cathedrals) and visit to the Armory Chamber
A world-wide known treasure-house showing Russian regalia, ceremonial tsar’s dresses, church hierarchs’ vestments, gold and silverware by Russian, European and Eastern masters, arms and armors, royal carriages and ceremonial horse harnesses. Also depending on when you visit you will be able to see all or some of the famous Faberge Eggs.
The famous museum’s exhibits are of special interest because of their precious materials, high artistic level and their special historical and cultural value to the Russian State.
One of the most remarkable exhibits of the Kremlin museums linked to the genealogy of Russian princes is the Cap of Monomakh, the Russian Tsars’ inherited crown. It even had its own proverbial saying: “How heavy you are, the Cap of Monomakh!”, referring to the heavy burden of responsibility accompanying it.
The Diamond Fund (as a part of the Kremlin tour) is a world-famous collection of precious stones, masterpieces of 18th and 19th century Jewelry, Royal Regalia and platinum and gold nuggets. The treasures of the Diamond Fund are part of the national state heritage.
1 person price £165pp • 2 people or more £110pp
Duration 4hrs. Includes travelling time. No transportation costs included.
The Moscow Kremlin
The small city in the centre of Moscow, once the residence of Czars and Patriarchs, contains Russia’s main cathedrals, Assumption Cathedral, Archangel’s Cathedral and Resurrection Cathedral. The Patriarch’s Palace is a Museum of Seventeenth-century Life and Applied Art, displaying ecclesiastical regalia, period furniture, gold and silver ware from Russia and Western Europe. The palace was begun in 1640 and it incorporates the Church of the Twelve Apostles,
Includes; Guide, Entrance fee to Kremlin
Excludes; Meals and drinks, Tips and gratuities, Personal expenses, Optional activity costs
Please note; Reservations are required at least 4 days prior to tour date, Any cancellations made will incur a 100% penalty fee, This tour does not include transportation. Public transportation will be used during the tour.
Price guide £40pp Duration; 1.5 hours Available: daily except Thursday
The Tretyakov Art Gallery tour
Visit to the Tretyakov Art Gallery, officially opened in 1892 as a public state museum thanks to a successful young Moscow industrialist Pavel Tretyakov, who purchased paintings, drawings, and sculpture showing an artists. A visitor to the museum today will find works spanning from 11th to the 20th centuries, from sacred icons to stunning portraits and landscapes of the famous Russian Realists’ showing the splendid creations of Russian Symbolism, Russian Impressionism, and Art Nouveau.
1 person price £115pp • 2 people or more £70pp
Duration 3hrs. Includes travelling time. No transportation costs included.
Novodeivichy Convent and Cemetery
This convent is a jewel in the crown of Moscow’s convents and monasteries. Its white walls, towers topped by festive coronas, the magnificent Smolensky Cathedral and a beautiful bell-tower attract the eye of both Muscovites and tourists. Tranquil and charming today, the convent was more than once the eye of turbulent storms of the events of Russian history. It recalls Boris Godunov, Ivan the Terrible, Nicholas II, Napoleon and of course many Russian princesses and tsarinas who were imprisoned or took the veil here. We also go to Novodevitchy Cemetery, which is famous not only for its distinguished inhabitants, but for the monuments of exceptional beauty and pleasing variety.
1 person price £115pp • 2 people or more £70pp Duration 3hrs. Includes travelling time. No transportation costs included.
Metro tour, includes Arbat Street
This one is special. Miss it and you have missed Moscow, because over the last 60 years the Moscow metro has become an integral part of the city. This, one of the most efficient underground systems in the world, is at the same time one of the most astonishing. And no wonder, as it was designed by the best Soviet architects and artists. Their work was highly appreciated throughout the world. Two stations are protected as heritage monuments by UNESCO, and two others were the winners of World Fairs in New-York in the 1930s and 1950s. And we will not be just idly looking! We will be talking about people who created this metro, their fate, historical events (often tragic) which are associated with some stations, we will raise the shroud of mystery covering the so-called “special-purpose-metro”, and we’ll trace how changes in the life of the country reflected on the design of the metro stations. In short, welcome to the world of mosaics, marble, hundreds of statues, thousands of trains and 8 million passengers. We promise not to stick to the older stations which are no doubt the most ornate, but we will show you that modern stations are also designed in an interesting and attractive manner. They are light, airy, and graceful and each has its own little nuance.
1 person price £95pp • 2 people or more £75pp Duration 3hrs. No transportation costs included.
St. Petersburg
Learn Russian Cookery
This lovely option gives you the chance to spend a morning or afternoon in a local host`s home. During this time you are taught to cook a traditional Russian meal with instruction from the host and then you all sit down together to enjoy (we hope) what has been prepared . The excursion time is 4 hrs starting in the morning and ending with lunch or the same in the afternoon ending with supper. The tour duration includes travelling time (using public transport) and the services of one of our guides the entire time.
1 person price £155pp • 2 or more people £85pp
Duration 4hrs. Includes travelling time. No transportation costs included.
Museum Of The Political History
Russia’s secret police are legendary, but they weren’t merely a soviet-era invention… they date back to the oprichniks (the deadly secret agents of the Russian Tsars from the C17th onwards) and beyond. Even famous Russian authors like Dostoyevsky (who wrote “Crime and Punishment” here in St Petersburg) fell foul of the terrifying “midnight doorknock”. This museum offers an un-glossed history.
1 person price £155pp • 2 people or more £85pp
Duration 2.5hrs. Includes travelling time. No transportation costs included.
Imperial Residences Tour – Pushkin and Pavlovsk
All Russian monarchs lived, worked, granted audiences, arranged diplomatic receptions for foreign ambassadors, gala balls and masquerades in the gorgeous halls of Pushkin and Pavlovsk. A comfortable chauffeured drive will take you to the town of Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo), where you will find a jewel of the Russian baroque – the Catherine Palace. See the Amber Room inside it, which is considered to be one of the world’s wonders. The Catherine Palace enchants and delights everyone. Its grandeur amazes people and reflects the unique feature of the Russian national character – emotionality of perception. Just a few miles from Pushkin lies the superb palace and park complex of Pavlovsk – this Imperial Estate was the residence of Emperor Paul I, the son of Catherine the Great, and his family. The estate’s magnificent palace sits on a hill overlooking an English-style landscaped park, with a beautiful river running through it. A magic, huge landscape park was laid around the Palace of Paul I, who was looking for solitude in this quiet picturesque place. Johann Strauss performed with an orchestra in the building of the Musical Station in the park.
Excludes; Meals and drinks, Optional activity costs, Tips and gratuities, Personal expenses
Includes; Hotel pick-up and drop-off, Transportation by car or mini van, Assistance of an English-speaking local guide, Entrance fees
Available: Monday Wednesday Saturday at 10:00
Price guide
1 person £175pp • 2 people or more £120pp Duration: 5 hours
Peterhof Tour – Petrodvorets
Located on the seashore, the Grand Palace and park complex of Peterhof with its unique array of fountains is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Peterhof is perhaps St. Petersburg’s most famous and luxurious imperial estate. The Grand Palace, with its fascinating and elaborate interiors, sits on top of a high seashore ridge overlooking the vast Lower Park. The palace at Peterhof sits amidst an enormous park, adorned with fountains, statues and pavilions.
The Upper Garden is a typical French-style formal garden with five fountains, including one depicting Neptune, the God of the Sea. The estate’s Lower Park lies between the Grand Palace and the seashore and boasts the world’s largest system of fountains, earning it the title the “Russian Versailles.” The park’s unique fountain system was designed in the 18th century and doesn’t require the use of pumps to operate the fountains.
There are three major cascades and over 140 fountains in the park. The most impressive is the Grand Cascade, located directly below the Grand Palace and featuring an impressive golden statue of Samson grasping the mighty jaws of the lion. The park’s other cascades feature black and white chess board designs, Chinese dragons and numerous other features definitely worth seeing!
Includes; Hotel pick-up and drop-off, Transportation by car or mini van, Assistance of an English-speaking local guide, Entrance fees
Excludes; Meals and drinks, Optional activity costs, Tips and gratuities, Personal expenses
Available: Tuesday Thursday Friday Sunday at 09:00
Price guide
1 person £160pp • 2 people or more £110pp Duration: 5 hours
Yusupov Palace & Rasputin Chambers
During the tour you will see the beautiful Gala-rooms & halls of this palace; you will get acquaint with the destiny of the owner – Prince Yusupov. A guide will tell you the amazing story about the architects who created the Palace in XVII-XIX centuries, arts treasures which are placed here, complicated and many-sided life of the Palace in XX century. A guide will take you to the heart of Palace – wonderful chamber theatre. Its name is connected with Fedor Shalyapin & Anna Pavlova, Franz Liszt, Polina Viardo. The special place of the Palace is the room where the favourite of the Romanovs’ family, Rasputin, was killed. The historical interior, documents & pictures will help you to feel the tragedy of the situation. A guide will also tell you the different opinions regarding this weird murder.
1 person price £125pp 2 people or more £80pp
Duration 2.5hrs. Includes travelling time. No transportation costs included.
Listvyanka Village and Irkutsk
Circum Baikal Railway Journey
Why not consider taking a 12 hour train journey along the Old Circum Baikal Rail Line. The Circum-Baikal Railway was part of the main Trans-Siberian route until the middle of the 20th century. The main service ceased operations in the late 1950s once the main station was opened in Irkutsk in 1956. You will be transferred from your hotel in Listvyanka Village to the ferry. After a short ferry ride to Port Baikal, you will board the train. The Circum-Baikal line runs along the North shore of the Southern part of the lake, from Port Baikal to the village of Slyudyanka. The train travels at a slow speed, stopping at major architectural locations and at popular viewpoints, where you will have the opportunity to take photographs. On arrival to Irkutsk our driver be waiting at the end of the platform and will be holding a meeting-board with your name on. Transfer directly to your 3★ Hotel. (Includes boxed lunch and light snack)
1 person price £125pp • 2 people or more £115pp
Departs Irkutsk:
May-Sep Wednesday, Saturday
Departs Listvyanka Village:
July & August Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
May & September Thursday, Sunday
Vladivostok
City Sightseeing Tour (Panoramic)
Three hours, transport & English-speaking guide included
Get the inside track on the “Ruler Of The East” – which is what “Vladivostok” means in Russian. Russia’s principal city on the Pacific Coast has a long maritime history going well back into the Tsarist years, and seafaring and exploration are constant themes as we tour the city! We’ll visit the Arseniev Museum (small admission fee payable locally) to see the rich vegetation and wildlife of the Russian Pacific, along with the city’s rich history as a defensive, fishing and trading port – and the easternmost terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. A more recent example of Vladivostok’s naval history is the Red Navy S-56 submarine, now standing ashore on Marine Embankment (small optional admission charge if you want to glance inside). The excursion also tours many of the city’s architectural landmarks and attractive panoramic views.
1 person price £95pp • 2 people or more £55pp
Visit to a Russian Dacha
Three hours; lunch, transport & English-speaking guide included
Simple wooden summerhouses – called dachas – are a deeply-embedded element in Russian culture. Most Russians live in pokey high-rise city housing, and the chance to escape the city, plant carrots and beetroots, take a country walk or just read a book in the garden is something few can resist during the warm summer weather. Many who don’t have full-time jobs in summer (pensioners, mothers with young children, etc) might spend the whole summer there. Russian authors such as Gogol and Chekhov have often set their stories at the dacha – for example Chekhov’s famous play “The Seagull” – it’s an essential element of Russian life. Our trip includes round-trip transfers, guiding throughout, and a traditional Russian lunch with your dacha hosts.
1 person price £245pp • 2 people or more £130pp
