Moscow and St. Petersburg

Welcome to Shoestring!
Shoestring is looking forward to welcoming you on one of our unforgettable journeys. Be well prepared, get informed about your destination and make sure you know which vaccinations or other medication you require. During the trip, be flexible and don’t feel obliged to always stay with the group. Your guide will advise and assist you, but remember that he or she will have a lot on their mind to ensure that everything runs smoothly. We hope you have a fantastic time in this beautiful destination.

Before you travel
If your trip is unexpectedly cancelled, we will let you know at least three weeks prior to departure. Cancellations are very rare though, so go ahead and prepare yourself for your trip.

Day 1: Moscow

Welcome to Russia!

Your tour starts in Moscow, where you can use your hotel room from check in time (12.00 hrs at noon) on day 1. Most of your travel companions will arrive later this first day, the exact time will be depending on their flight schedule. You will meet your English speaking tour leader at 8.00 hrs A.M. on day 2 in the lobby of your hotel.

The first 3 nights of our tour are spent in Moscow, where your ideal starting point is a visit to Krasnaya Plosyad (Red Square), which is towered over by the Kremlin from its position on the banks of the River Moskva. The Kremlin is not just the home of the President but is also the oldest historical monument in the city and houses some great museums and beautiful cathedrals. The most famous of these is the Virgin Mary Cathedral, where the Russian tsars were crowned. You should also visit the Cathedral of St. Basil, built by order of Ivan the Terrible, the beautiful Christ the Saviour Cathedral with its golden domes, and the Novodevici Monastery with a stunning golden dome-church, magnificent towers and famous graveyard where Anton Chekhov is buried. A visit to one of the former stately homes which have been converted into open air museums is also a must see along with a visit to the Pushkin Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery and The Bolshoi Theatre.

Day 2: Moscow

One of the easiest ways to get around Moscow is the widespread metro network, which is also the most efficient and the cheapest metro network in the world. A trip on the ‘river tram’ is also a great way to see the city and you must take time to wander the narrow alleys that branch off the main boulevards.

Today you may choose the optional trip out to Sergiev Posad, the jewel in the crown known as the Golden Ring of Russia. This city (about 70km outside of Moscow) is an important religious center for Russia. It was founded in the middle of the 14th century by Sergius of Radonezh and in 1993 declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has more than 50 wonderful buildings and constructions and the gold topped Trinity Cathedral especially, makes for a splendid photograph.

Day 3: Moscow

The Old Arbat is one of the oldest and probably most famous streets in Moscow. If you go through the street it appears as if you have gone back in time. Out of the side streets, old mansions and villas have survived. Many of them are connected with the names of famous figures in Russian culture. At number 53 for example, lived in 1831 the great Alexander Pushkin.

The beautiful and monumental Tverskaya street is an attraction in itself with many fashion shops, cafes and fountains. Beautiful Russian souvenirs are for sale on the Izmailovsky Rinok Soevenirov (opposite the Izmailovo hotel complex, underground Partizanskaja), all built of wood along the lines of the old Moscow Kremlin.

Day 4: Moscow - St. Petersburg

At the end of day 4, the comfortable night train takes us to St. Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia.
 

Day 5: St. Petersburg

We will then travel to St. Petersburg, a city founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and built on a series of islands, all linked to each other by no less than 550 bridges. The city centre is full of historical buildings, and a trip to the Hermitage, which houses a large collection of paintings, sketches, sculpture and other unique works of art is not to be missed. Alternatively you may choose to visit the Russian Museum, The Mariinsky Theatre or the St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress. Throughout the city you will come across many more fairytale cathedrals including the golden dome at the majestic Isaac Cathedral, where you can get a spectacular panoramic view of the city. The Kazan Cathedral is equally magnificent, with a gallery of granite pillars. A visit to a Russian Orthodox service leaves a lasting impression. Rare minerals were used in the creation of the stunning mosaics, floors and canopies. The front wall of the church is decorated with glazed enamel tiles, and the church itself is built in the spot where Alexander II was murdered.
Your visit to St. Petersburg is incomplete without admiring the tsars’ summer residences, such as the Peterhof (Peter’s Court), the Tsarskoye Selo (Tsar’s Village) and Pavlovsk. Peterhof, known in Russian as Petrodvorets, and nicknamed the Versailles of the North. The neo-classically designed Palace of Catherine the Great in Tsarskoye Selo is another highlight of St. Petersburg, surrounded by beautiful French gardens.

Day 6: St. Petersburg

You can take a cruise on the Neva River and numerous canals, it is well worth it. Walk through the busy main artery of St. Petersburg: the Nevski Prospect. There are beautiful palaces, churches and beautiful buildings ranging from baroque to neoclassical style to be found. Here on Nevski Prospect are the largest department stores, such as Gostiny Dvor passage, numerous shops, cafes and restaurants.

Day 7: St. Petersburg

Enjoy our last full day in St. Petersburg.

Day 8: St. Petersburg

The last day of your tour. You can use your hotel room in St. Petersburg until check out time (most times at 12.00 hrs noon). We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Russia.

Your personal ‘my.shoestring’ page on our website is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today.

When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any post-tour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (day 8) is not included.

This holiday is classified as Category A

The difficulty of our travels varies greatly. Added to this is the fact that difficulty is a very personal perception. To give an impression of the difficulty of a particular holiday we have developed a classification system.

Category A: Light travel for everyone to do. Short distances, good hotels, travel at a slow pace.
Category B: For everyone to do as well. Sometimes long distances. Good hotels and camping facilities, sometimes an adventurous overnight experience, travel at a normal pace.
Category C: Good to do for anyone who prepares themself well and is flexible. There are tougher parts of the journey, such as longer distances or walking tours. Several nights can be spent in basic accommodation.
Category D: A relatively difficult journey, travelling long distances, often primitive accommodation or tents, and challenging walking tours.

This tour of Russia falls under category A. This trip is therefore feasible for everyone with reasonable health and a flexible attitude.

Nature of the trip
Shoestring offers an original holiday through Russia, an immense country with a rich culture and traditions, famous for Anna Karenina, Dostoyevsky, churches and caviar. We will first visit the capital city, Moscow, with its monumental buildings. We then continue to St. Petersburg, the dream city of Tsar Peter.