ISTANBUL - MOSCOW
Meeting with our valued guests at the Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal at least three hours prior to departure. After completing ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we will depart for Moscow on Turkish Airlines' scheduled flight TK 413 at 07:15. Arrival in Moscow is at 11:05 local time, followed by a panoramic city tour via our private bus. The tour includes iconic landmarks such as Red Square, the historic center that has witnessed numerous political and social upheavals; St. Basil's Cathedral, famous for its colorful onion-shaped domes; the Kremlin Palace; Bolshoi Theatre; Tverskaya Street; Gorky Park; Novodevichy Convent; Swan Lake; Luzhniki Stadium; Sparrow Hills; and finally, Moscow State University. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel and enjoy free time to rest. Overnight stay at our hotel.
MOSCOW
After breakfast, we depart from our hotel to begin our tour of the Moscow Metro, Arbat Street, and Nazım Hikmet's Grave. During the metro tour, you can visit stations adorned with paintings, motifs, and mosaics that rival art galleries, enjoy exquisite examples of Russian and world cuisine in stylish cafés that would not be outshone by Paris, and observe locals completely absorbed in the rhythm of daily life. Launched by Stalin in 1931, the Moscow Metro is today considered by all to be the most beautiful metro system in the world in terms of interior design and decoration, even when compared in size to those of New York, Paris, or London. Arbat Street, running through the heart of Moscow, is a pedestrian-only thoroughfare visited by everyone who comes to this city at least once; it offers a delightful walk from one end to the other. Here, you can browse the colorful shop windows and savor some of the finest dishes from Russian and international cuisines. Next, we will visit the grave of the great poet Nazım Hikmet. At the end of the tour, you will have free time for lunch, after which we will begin our Kremlin tour. Dating back to the 12th century, the Kremlin has become not only a symbol of Moscow but also of Russia itself. Highlights of our visit include nine churches in the palace gardens, the Bell Tower with its 156 bells, the Tsar Bell weighing 201,924 kg—crafted using two tons of silver and 25 kg of gold—the 15-ton cannon cast in 1586 but never used, and one-ton cannonballs. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel and have free time. Overnight stay at our hotel.
MOSCOW - ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we complete our hotel check-out procedures and transfer to the train station for our journey to St. Petersburg. We depart by high-speed train for St. Petersburg, known as the Venice of the North and the former Imperial Capital of Russia. Upon arrival, we begin our city tour, visiting key landmarks including Nevsky Prospect, often referred to as Petersburg's Champs-Élysées; Palace Square, site of the Winter Palace and where the first Russian Revolution began in 1905; the Hermitage Museum, home to one of the world's largest art collections; the Aurora Cruiser, a symbol of the revolution; the Old Port lighthouses; the Peter and Paul Fortress Cathedral; Kazan Cathedral and St. Isaac's Cathedral; Arts Square; and the Bronze Horseman monument dedicated to Peter the Great, all viewed panoramically. After the tour concludes, we transfer back to our hotel and enjoy free time to rest. Overnight stay at our hotel.
ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we depart with our guests for a tour of the Hermitage Palace and Museum. The Hermitage Museum, one of the world's largest art museums and Russia's premier cultural institution, is located on the banks of the Neva River and houses approximately four million artifacts from the Tsarist era. It holds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records due to its extensive painting collection. We will have free time for lunch before departing for a visit to Peter and Paul Fortress. This star-shaped fortress, situated in St. Petersburg, Russia, was constructed between 1703 and 1740 based on plans by Domenico Trezzini to defend against Swedish attacks. During the Russian Civil War, it served as a prison under the Bolshevik government. Inside the fortress lies the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which contains the tombs of the Romanov dynasty. Upon completion of the tour, we will transfer back to our hotel and enjoy free time. Overnight stay at our hotel.
ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we will check out of our rooms, take our luggage, and depart for the Pushkin Town & Catherine Palace tour. This complex of parks, palaces, and buildings was commissioned by Empress Catherine the Great in the 18th century and is known as Tsarskoye Selo (the Tsar's Town). Covering an area of 600 hectares, the town's main building is the Catherine Palace. While the Amber Room here is extremely fascinating, it often remains inaccessible to many tourists due to heavy crowds during the summer months. In this famous town, where the aristocracy of the imperial era met the Tsar's family, you will also find the school where the renowned poet Alexander Pushkin received his education. After the tour, we will transfer to the city center and have free time for shopping. At a time set by our guide, we will be transferred to the airport and depart for Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight TK400 at 00:15 local time, arriving at 04:15.