6 nights at comfortable 3 star hotels and 1 night sleeper train
Group normally 6‐16, plus leader. Min age 16 yrs
Travel by minibus, train and metro
All breakfasts included
This trip reveals the best of Russia’s three most fascinating cities and includes entrance fees to the key monuments and museums. Free time is also essential to absorb the atmosphere and make the most of other optional visits, such as the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, or a hydrofoil ride out to the stunning Peterhof Palace in St Petersburg. A short stop in Novgorod, the birthplace of Russia, completes this cultural experience and offers a respite in a busy itinerary.
6 breakfasts
All accommodation including sleeper train
Transfers for group flights
Letter of inviation (required for visa)
Travel insurance
Single supplement
Visas or vaccinations
Visa Information
All nationalities require a visa for Russia. These requirements will vary depending on your nationality. For British nationals visa applications must now be made in person at a visa processing centre, located in London and Edinburgh. At the time of application, fingerprints will be taken. We will be providing a new type of service to assist with the application process; however we will no longer be able to submit the application on your behalf. It is your responsibility to arrange a visa prior to travel, but we will provide you with more information after booking to help and advice with this. The cost of the visa is currently GBP108.40.
Please note: The visa application takes approximently 5 working days. You can arrange for your passport to be posted back to you or returned to the visa processing centre to collect it in person.
Vaccines and Health
There are no specific health risks.
Weather and Seasonality
This part of Russia is in northern Europe and has a continental climate, with extreme highs in the summer and lows in the winter. Through the summer months, rain can be experienced at any time. Spring starts about a month later than in the UK and autumn finishes about a month earlier. Trips at this time should be warm and sunny, in the high summer, it can be hot, with temperatures of about 30°C or more. Winter departures are very different. Expect snow from early Dec through to April with temperatures between +10 and –5 in Nov, Dec, March and April dropping to between –10 and –20 in Jan and Feb. Russia is magical in winter and if you take good quality clothing for when you are out and about you will be fine. The hotels and restaurants are generally well heated and a sauna is a great way to end a day’s sightseeing.
Eating and Drinking
There are not many restaurants and cafes in these cities where you can try pure Russian cuisine. Nowadays Russian food is a mixture of cuisine from neighbouring countries such as Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and those of Central Asia. You can try pancakes and pies with different fillings, delicious khachapuri (traditional Georgian pie with home-made cheese suluguni), caucas kebabs, Uzbekistani plov (rice dish with meat and vegetables) and soups (traditional Russian schi with solty cabbage or Ukrainian borsch with beetroot).
Your leader will arrange group dinners in different restaurants to get the most out of this gastronomic mix throughout your journey. Restaurant Chekhov in St Petersburg and Cafe Chekhov in Moscow can be considered as places to try Russian cuisine (fish soups, solty black milk mushrooms, aspics, poultry, jellies). Vegetarians are well catered for in Moscow and St Petersburg but lesser so outside of these main cities. Expect to pay £20-30 per person for dinner and between £8-10 for a lunch snack.