Dreaming of a white Christmas? Increase your chances dramatically by heading to icy Russia for the festive season - don't worry there'll be plenty of good cheer and vodka to keep you warm!
AT A GLANCE
Starts in: St Petersburg Ends In: Moscow
Departs: 24 & 27 December 2011
Meals: Breakfast 5
Tour Leader: Yes - for groups of 6 or more
Accommodation: 3 star hotel
Compulsory Single Supplement: No
Local Payment Required: No
Average Group Size: 15-20
DAY 1: ST PETERSBURG
24th or 27th December. Welcome to Russia and the start of your festive holiday! Airport arrival transfer from St Petersburg Pulkovo Airport to your hotel and check in. Tonight, our Welcome Meeting takes place with an opportunity to meet your tour leader and fellow passengers. The remainder of the evening is free, maybe head to the bar for a few drinks or the hotel coffee lounge. Overnight - St Petersburg
DAY 2: ST PETERSBURG
After breakfast we tour Peter’s city. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, grandiose St Petersburg is designed around an intrinsic network of canals and rivers. Today we take a city tour driving through the museum and university district and along Nevsky Prospekt, stopping to see the facade of the Church on Spilled Blood and the Bronze Horseman. Our city tour also includes a visit to Peter and Paul Fortress, which was built in 1703 and housed many famous political prisoners. The magnificent cathedral within the fortress houses the remains of the Romanov Dynasty. This afternoon we enjoy a guided tour of the Hermitage - which houses one of the biggest and best art and antiquity collections on earth, the bulk of which was amassed by Catherine the Great. Overnight - St Petersburg
DAY 3: ST PETERSBURG
St Petersburg - Moscow. Today there is time for you to independently explore the city or take in a little more culture and history with our optional Pukka Pass bolt-on. Our Pukka Pass includes guided sightseeing, transportation, entrance fees and lunch, with a tour of Pavlovsk Palace or Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo and the Church on Spilled Blood. We’ll also tuck into a hearty meal and sample some of Russia’s finest beers at the famous Tinkoff Brewery! The lavish imperial palace at Tsarskoe Selo was designed for Tsarina Elizabeth, who named it Catherine Palace in honour of her mum, Catherine I. The Amber Room is a stunning drawcard. See page 37 for more info. This evening we board the overnight sleeper train to Moscow. Overnight - Sleeper Train
DAY 4: RED SQUARE!
Arrival into Moscow and hotel check in. This afternoon we ride the capital’s efficient Metro to Red Square, for a walking tour. The Moscow Metro, a gift to the Soviet people from Joseph Stalin. Many of the central stations are richly adorned with bronzes and chandeliers and clad with marble and mosaic! Overnight - Moscow
DAY 5: THE KREMLIN
This morning we return to Red Square for a guided tour of the mighty Kremlin and Armoury. If Lenin’s mausoleum is open we can also pay our respects to the grandfather of Soviet Communism. The remainder of the day is free for you to relax or perhaps visit one or two of the city’s plentiful museums. Overnight - Moscow
DAY 6: MOSCOW
Our Snowball tour ends after breakfast and hotel check out at 12 noon.
Prices shown are per person travelling. 'Twin/Double' prices per person apply when there are 2 people travelling, sharing a room. The 'Single supplement' applies for single travellers who require their own room and needs to be added to the 'Twin/Double' price.
If you are happy to be paired up with another single traveller of the same sex on your tour, this can be arranged, (if another solo traveller of the same sex is already booked upon the tour), thus avoiding the single person supplement.
All our scheduled tour departures are guaranteed subject to a minimum of 2 travellers.
Map
Highlights
St Petersburg - UNESCO-listed city area including Nevsky Prospekt, Museum and University districts, Church on Spilled Blood, The Bronze Horseman and Admiralty End and Peter and Paul Fortress
Other sites of St Petersburg included on the optional pukka pass
St Petersburg Hermitage at the Winter Palace
Moscow - UNESCO-listed Red Square, Kremlin and Lenin’s Mausoleum and St Basil’s Cathedral
Inclusions
Note: In Russia gobus use 3 star accommodation as classified by the Russian Ministry of Tourism. However, please be aware that the 3 star standards throughout Russia vary greatly and cannot be compared to hotels of a similar standard in Western Europe or, and in particular, the United States.
5 breakfasts
1 overnight train St Petersburg - Moscow (open sleeper cabin) including bed linen
4 nights 3 star hotels
Airport arrival transfer on day 1
Moscow Metro travel card - 6 journeys
Specialist Russian guides at local sights
Guided sightseeing of St Petersburg, Petr and Paul Fortress, the Hermitage at Winter Palace, Pskov, Pechory, Moscow city and Kremlin
Escorted by an English speaking Russian tour leader
All relevant transfers and transportation on tour
Exclusions
Tipping your guide - an entirely personal gesture
International flights and visa
Entrance Fees: $50-60 USD
Departure Dates
2012
24
December
27
December
Bolt-ons
Sights of St. Petes! Our ‘St Pete's City Pass’ includes some of the best sights in St Petersburg
GOBUS is a young and dynamic travel company specialising in tours for spirited travellers who want to discover the world, experience different cultures, make new friends and have a lot of fun along the way! Here's a list of all the trips we run:
