DAY 1 ISTANBUL AIRPORT – MOSCOW
We will meet our valued guests at the Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal at 04:15. After baggage drop-off and check-in procedures, we will depart for Moscow on Turkish Airlines flight TK413 at 07:15. Upon arrival in Moscow at 11:05 and being met at the airport, we will proceed with our private vehicle for the Panoramic City Tour of Moscow. Our panoramic city tour includes historical sites such as Red Square, which has witnessed political and social turmoil; St. Basil's Cathedral with its colorful onion-shaped domes; the Kremlin Palace; Bolshoi Theatre; Tverskaya Street; Gorky Park; Novodevichy Convent; Swan Lake; Luzhniki Stadium; Lenin Hills; and Moscow State University. After the tour, we will transfer to our hotel and have free time.
DAY 2 MOSCOW
After breakfast at our hotel, you will have free time. Guests who wish may join an optional extra tour of the Kremlin Palace, Moscow Metro, Arbat, and the Tomb of Nazim Hikmet. The Kremlin, where Russian President Vladimir Putin also has his working office, houses the Assumption Cathedral, considered Moscow's most important church since the 14th century, and contains the world's largest bell. We will continue our tour with a visit to the Moscow Metro. Construction of the Moscow Metro began in 1931 under Stalin. While today it is comparable in size to the metros of New York, Paris, or London, its interior design and decoration are considered the most beautiful in the world. Arbat Street runs through the heart of Moscow; it is a pedestrian-only street that everyone visiting the city walks along with pleasure from one end to the other. Here you can browse the colorful shop windows, taste some of the finest examples of Russian and world cuisine, sit in stylish cafes that rival those in Paris, and watch Russians sitting on benches lost in the flow of life. If you want to buy souvenirs from Moscow, this is the perfect place. Afterwards, we will continue our tour with the Novodevichy Convent and the tomb of Nazim Hikmet. Novodevichy, one of Russia's most important monasteries, was founded in 1524 and became the place where many tsarina candidates' stars faded. Although Napoleon ordered its destruction in 1812, the nuns managed to prevent this. As part of the tour, we will visit the tomb of Nazim Hikmet. After the tour, we will transfer back to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
DAY 3 MOSCOW – ST. PETERSBURG (TRAIN JOURNEY)
After breakfast at our hotel, we will check out and transfer to the train station. Following our train journey between Moscow and St. Petersburg, we will be met and proceed with our private vehicle for the Panoramic City Tour of St. Petersburg. During the panoramic city tour, we will have the opportunity to see streets showcasing works by world-famous architects and artists, as well as the city's historical and tourist sites. Places to be visited include Nevsky Prospect, featured in books by famous writers; Old Harbor Lighthouses; the Mint; the Clock Tower; the Statue of Peter the Great; the Winter Palace; Palace Square; the Admiralty Building; and the Aurora Cruiser. After the city tour, we will transfer to our hotel and have free time. In the evening, guests who wish may join an optional extra tour organized by our guide called "Russian Night Tour." You should not miss the chance to enjoy magnificent dance shows while having dinner in St. Petersburg. (The Russian Night Tour may be organized on different days depending on the restaurant's availability.) After the tour, we will transfer back to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
DAY 4 ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, you will have free time. Guests who wish may join an optional extra tour of the Hermitage Museum, Peter and Paul Fortress, and Canal Tours. Located on the banks of the Neva River and housing approximately 4 million artifacts from the Tsarist era, the Hermitage Museum is one of the largest museums in the world and in Russia. Due to having one of the largest painting collections, it is also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Afterwards, accompanied by our guide, we will begin our canal tour, which will take us through the canals of St. Petersburg up to the Neva River. The tour will continue with the Peter and Paul Fortress. Built by Peter the Great in the early 1700s, this fortress is the first structure constructed in St. Petersburg and is located on the Neva River. Inside the fortress cathedral are the tombs of the Romanov dynasty. After the tour, we will transfer back to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
DAY 5 ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, you will have free time. Guests who wish may optionally join tours to Peterhof and Pushkin Town. On this tour, we will have the opportunity to see the summer palace built by Italian architect Rastrelli according to Peter the Great's own plans on the Gulf of Finland. This palace, a rival to Versailles in Paris, is a magnificent palace complex adorned with 150 monumental fountains and four waterfalls. Although heavily damaged during World War II, it was restored faithfully to its original architecture. Afterwards, we will see the complex consisting of parks, palaces, and buildings known as Tsarskoye Selo, built by Catherine in the 18th century. Covering an area of 600 hectares, the main building of this town is the Catherine Palace. The Amber Room here is extremely interesting, but due to heavy crowds especially in summer months, it cannot be visited by many tourists. In this famous town where the aristocracy of the Tsarist era met the royal family, there is also the school where the famous poet Pushkin studied. After the tour, we will transfer back to our hotel.
DAY 6 ST. PETERSBURG – ISTANBUL AIRPORT
After breakfast, you will have free time. At the time determined by our guide, we will transfer to the airport. After completing passport control and check-in procedures upon arrival, we will depart for Istanbul on Turkish Airlines scheduled flight TK402 at 13:55. We will arrive in Istanbul at 18:05 local time. We look forward to meeting you on our next tour.