| Russia, Warsaw & The Baltic States - Itinerary
|
DAY 1
- THU – UK – WARSAW
After your scheduled
flight to Warsaw there are complimentary transfers to the
tour hotel at 10.30, 12.30 & 15.30 hours. Relax and settle
in before enjoing a Welcome Drink with your fellow travellers.
Hotel: Westin. |
DAY 9
– FRI – ST PETERSBURG SIGHTSEEING
On a sightseeing tour, see the fortress
of St Peter and Paul, St Isaac’s Cathedral and the cruiser, ‘Aurora’. See the splendid cathedral of Kazan,
then tour one of the world’s greatest museums, the spectacular Hermitage. (BB) |
DAY 2
– FRI – WARSAW SIGHTSEEING
Join a guided tour to take in the highlights of
Warsaw, which was faithfully rebuilt after the devastation of World War Two.
Pass the 'wedding-cake' Palace of Culture to the Chopin Memorial in Lazienki
Park, before stopping at the imposing Ghetto Memorial and continuing to the
reconstructed Old Town. Walk to the Market Square to watch a fascinating film
about the reconstruction of the city. Then spend time at leisure.
(BB) |
DAY
10 – SAT – ST PETERSBURG
See the memorial to World War Two’s siege of
Leningrad en route to visit the fabulous gardens and fountains of Peter the
Great’s summer residence at Petrodvorets. (BB) |
DAY 3
– SAT – WARSAW – VILNIUS
Pass lakeside Augustow
and Suwalki on a scenic drive through Mazuria, a region of
lakes and vast forests. Cross into Lithuania and continue
to the capital city of Vilnius. Hotel: Reval Lietuva. (BB,D) |
DAY
11 – SUN – ST PETERSBURG - MOSCOW
The day is at leisure to relax or shop along bustling
Nevsky Prospekt. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, allowing time for
last-minute sightseeing. Early evening, transfer to the station for a five-hour
train journey to Moscow - a city which has captivated the imagination of
travellers for centuries. Hotel: Sovietsky. (BB,L) |
DAY 4
– SUN – VILNIUS SIGHTSEEING
Sightseeing starts in the baroque church of St Peter
and St Paul before moving on to see the neo-classical catherdral and joining a
local guide for a leisurely walking tour of the Old Town. See the Jesuit
University and the Gates of Dawn, and the former Soviet KGB headquarters, a
reminder of grim and relatively recent events. Finally, enjoy a highlight visit
to the island castle of Trakai. (BB) |
DAY
12 – MON – MOSCOW SIGHTSEEING
A sightseeing tour takes in Red Square, seeing St
Basil’s Cathedral and Lenin’s Tomb. Walk inside the walls of the
Kremlin Fortress to visit one of the cathedrals before exploring the Metro
stations. There is free time afterwards to shop for souvenirs.
(BB,D) |
DAY 5
– MON – VILNIUS - RIGA
Head north to visit
the 'Voltive Hill of Crosses' near Siauliai, the symbol of
resistance against the Soviet occupation. Then it's on to
Riga in Latvia. Hotel Reval Latvija. (BB,D) |
Day
13 – TUE – MOSCOW AT LEISURE
A full day is set aside for you to explore Moscow at
your own pace. Visit the Gum department store or the Kremlin museum to gaze at
the treasury of the Tsars. (BB) |
DAY 6
– TUE – RIGA - TALLINN
A tour of Riga's Old
Town includes a visit to the Domkirk and shows you the city
walls. See the House of the Three Brothers, the oldest in
Latvia, as well as the nearby Swedish Gate and the castle
of the Livonian Knights. Now drive along the shores of the
Gulf of Riga and cross the Estonian border. Continue through
Parnu, famous for its mud baths, to reach Tallinn. Hotel Reval
Park. (BB,D) |
Day
14 – WED – MOSCOW - MINSK
Drive towards Smolensk and the Belarus border.
Continue to Minsk, rebuilt in supreme Soviet style after the war. An
orientation tour takes you along wide avenues and past gargantuan concrete
buildings – a legacy of Minsk’s Soviet past (Lenin still stands in
front of the Government headquarters). Tonight enjoy a Highlight Dinner,
complete with champagne and vodka. Hotel: Planeta.
(BB,L,HD) |
DAY 7
– WED – TALLINN SIGHTSEEING
Tour the Old Town, including the market square with
its old German Weighing House, Pharmacy and Town Hall. The energetic among the
group can walk up Toompea Hill to the castle and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
Don’t forget to also visit Tallinn’s shops for fine amber and silver
jewellery. (BB) |
Day
15 – THU – MINSK – WARSAW
Head south-west to Brest, one of the USSR’s ‘Hero
Cities’ during World War Two. After lunch, cross the border to return to Warsaw. Hotel: Sheraton. (BB,L,D) |
DAY 8
– THU – TALLINN - ST PETERSBURG
Head east to the town of Narva, dominated by the
mighty Hermannsburg fortress. The river Narva at this point forms the border
with Russia, which you cross on your way to St Petersburg – a city of
architectural, historic and artistic interest. Hotel: Pribaltiskaya.
(BB,D) |
Day
16 – FRI – WARSAW – UK
The tour ends with transfers to the airport at 07.30
& 10.00 hours. (BB) |
