This tour moves at a leisurely pace with two-night stays in Warsaw, Tallinn and Vilnius, plus a couple of three-night stays in Moscow and St Petersburg. This allows ample time for in-depth exploration, as well as leisure time.

Included Premium Highlights

    * Enjoy a fascinating film about the reconstruction of Warsaw after the devastation of WWII
    * Visit the restored red-brick Gothic castle of Trakai, perched atop an island on Lake Galvé.
    * Tour one of the world's greatest museums, the spectacular Hermitage in St Petersburg
    * Visit the gardens & fountains of Peter the Great's summer residence at Petrodvorets

Included Personal Insights

    * Go deep beneath Moscow to see the marble, mosaics, sculptures & chandeliers of one of the most beautiful underground stations in the world

Included Other Excursions & Sights

    * Visit the Chopin Memorial & Ghetto memorial in Warsaw & see the 'Wedding Cake'
    * See the Jesuit University & former K.G.B. headquarters in Vilnius
    * Visit the astonishing 'Votive Hill of Crosses' near Siauliai
    * Visit Riga's Domkirk & see the 'House of Three brothers', the Swedish Gate and The Castle
    * See Tallinn's Weighing House, Pharmacy & Town Hall in the old Market Square
    * See the Hermannsburg fortress in Narva
    * In St Petersburg, see the fortress of St Peter & Paul & St Isaac's Cathedral
    * See the 'Church of Spilled Blood', Nevsky Prospect & cruiser 'Aurora' in St Petersburg
    * Tour Moscow's Red Square, seeing St Basil's Cathedral & Lenin's tomb
    * Visit one of the Cathedrals inside the Kremlin walls
    * See the Soviet-era buildings & Lenin statue in Minsk

Included First Class Services

    * Escorted by a professional Tour Director
    * Headsets for all guided visits & walking tours
    * Luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with extended leg room & on-board restroom
    * One-way train journey from St Petersburg to Moscow
    * Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes & porterage
    * Insight Traveller document wallet, map book journal & information pack
    * Airport arrival & departure transfers at scheduled times on Day 1 & Day 16
    * Should your flights not coincide with these arrival & departure transfers, please make your own way to/from the airport

Included Quality Dining

    * Choose from a selection of restaurants on your St. Petersburg Dine-Around evening (DA)
    * Highlight Dinner in Minsk including champagne & vodka (HD)
    * 15 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 2 Lunches (L) & 6 three-course table d'hôte Dinners, or Buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)
 

Day 1 - WARSAW AT LEISURE

Welcome to Poland! On arrival at Warsaw Airport, your airport transfers depart for the tour hotel at 10:30, 12:30 & 15:30. Relax and settle in before joining your fellow guests and Tour Director for a Welcome Reception with drink and a light meal, followed by time to relax and explore.

Hotel: Sheraton

Meals: Welcome Reception

Day 2 - WARSAW SIGHTSEEING

Your guided tour of the Polish capital reveals just how well the city was restored after almost complete obliteration during World War II - largely due to the amazing detail in Canaletto’s paintings! Pass the ‘wedding cake’ Palace of Culture and stroll through Lazienki Park to the Chopin Memorial. Now some time to reflect at the Memorial of the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto. Finally, walk to the Market Square in the Old Town to watch a fascinating film about the reconstruction of the city. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast

Day 3 - WARSAW – VILNIUS

Pass lakeside Augustow and Suwalki on a scenic drive through Mazuria, a region richly endowed with a plethora of lakes and vast forests. Cross into Lithuania and continue to the capital city of Vilnius.

Hotel: Radisson Blu Astorija

Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Dinner

Day 4 - VILNIUS SIGHTSEEING

Sightseeing starts in the baroque church of St Peter and St Paul before moving on to see the neo-classical cathedral and joining a local guide for a leisurely walking tour of the Old Town. See the Jesuit University, the Gates of Dawn and the former Soviet KGB headquarters, a reminder of grim and relatively recent events. Finally, enjoy a highlight visit to the island castle of Trakai.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast

Day 5 - VILNIUS – SIAULIAI – RIGA

Head north to visit the unusual ‘Votive Hill of Crosses’ near Siauliai, the symbol of resistance against the Soviet occupation. Then it’s on to the Latvian capital of Riga.

Hotel: Radisson Blu Riga

Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Dinner

Day 6 - RIGA – TALLINN

A tour of Riga’s Old Town includes a visit to the Domkirk and shows you the city walls. See the House of the Three Brothers as well as the Swedish Gate and the castle of the Livonian Knights. Now drive along the shores of the Gulf of Riga and cross the Estonian border to reach Tallinn, hailed by travel aficionados as the ‘New Prague’. For your dining pleasure this evening, you are invited to choose from a selection of local restaurants.

Hotel: Radisson Blu Olumpia

Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Dine Around

Day 7 - TALLINN SIGHTSEEING

Drift back through 800 years of history as you amble through the cobbled streets of the Old Town. Visit the market square with its old German Weighing House, Pharmacy and Town Hall. The energetic can walk up Toompea Hill to the castle and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Then enjoy some time to browse Tallinn’s shops which are famous for fine amber and silver jewelry.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast

Day 8 - TALLINN – NARVA – ST PETERSBURG

Head east to the town of Narva, dominated by the mighty Hermannsburg fortress. The river Narva at this point forms the border with Russia, which you cross on your way to St Petersburg, founded by Peter the Great in 1703. Enjoy a champagne dinner in the evening.

Hotel: Courtyard Marriott Pushkin

Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Dinner

Day 9 - ST PETERSBURG SIGHTSEEING

On your sightseeing tour, see the fortress of St Peter and Paul, the gilded dome of St Isaac’s Cathedral, and the cruiser, ‘Aurora’, now a memorial of the Russian Revolution. Travel down St. Petersburg’s main avenue, Nevsky Prospekt, for views of the great Cathedral of Kazan, then tour the Hermitage, one of the world’s greatest museums, housing a superb collection of priceless art.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast

Day 10 - ST PETERSBURG

Visit the fabulous gardens and fountains of Peter the Great’s summer residence at Petrodvorets. Back in St Petersburg this afternoon there’s time to shop along the bustling Nevsky Prospekt.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast

Day 11 - ST PETERSBURG – MOSCOW

A city of incomparable architectural, historic and artistic interest, St Petersburg is all yours this morning to enjoy as you wish. This afternoon, discover the unique adventure of train travel ‘soviet style’ as you head for the capital. Transfer to your hotel for dinner and a leisurely three night stay.

Hotel: Crowne Plaza

Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Dinner

Day 12 - MOSCOW SIGHTSEEING

Moscow is a city which has captivated the imagination of travellers for centuries. A sightseeing tour takes in Red Square, seeing St Basil’s Cathedral and Lenin’s Tomb. Walk inside the walls of the Kremlin Fortress to visit one of the cathedrals before exploring the opulent Metro stations. Then you are at leisure.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast

Day 13 - MOSCOW AT LEISURE

A full day has been set aside for you to explore Moscow at your own pace. Perhaps visit the Gum department store or the Kremlin museum to gaze at the treasury of the Tsars. This evening enjoy good food, good wine and good company at an end-of-tour Celebration Dinner in a Russian restaurant.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Celebration Dinner

Day 14 - MOSCOW

Departure transfers will arrive at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport at 05.00 and 11.00 and at Moscow’s Domodedevo airport at 05.00 and 13.00.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast
 

Your Insight tour already includes a host of bonus highlights and comprehensive sightseeing. However, there is an exciting array of optional excursions which will turn an already amazing experience into the trip of a lifetime! These are entirely optional and can be booked through your Tour Director/Local Representative at the commencement of your tour. All prices are quoted in local currency. Payment can be made in cash or by Visa, Mastercard or American Express. To help your pre-tour budgeting we suggest you allow approximately EURO 45 per person per day for optional excursions.

WAW01 - CHOPIN CONCERT
The spirit of Warsaw and the music of Chopin go hand in hand. This exclusive private recital of his music will be performed for you by a celebrated Polish pianist in a concert venue located in the centre of Warsaw. Champagne will be served during the intermission. EURO 42

WAW04 - VILANOV PALACE & GARDENS
A guided visit to the 17th century baroque summer residence of the Polish King John III Sobieski. Within the palace you will find a collection of royal furniture, portraits and china which forms part of the National Museum. An interesting and informative visit. EURO 31

VNO01 - FOLKLORE DINNER
Experience a traditional Lithuanian meal of local specialties and enjoy a folklore show. Drinks included. EURO 58

VNO02 - KGB MUSEUM VISIT
Our guided tour includes the most important part of the museum which was the KGB prison that was established in the autumn of 1940 after Lithuania's occupation by the Soviet Union. Only at the beginning of the 1960s, when anti-Soviet resistance was broken; were most of the cells changed to house archives. However, some were still being used for the imprisonment of dissidents and fighters for human rights until the departure of the KGB in August 1991. EURO 28

RIG01 - LATVIAN OPEN AIR MUSEUM AND LUNCH
The museum is situated in beautiful woodland beside a lake. There are over one hundred buildings from the 17th to 19th century showing the way people used to live. We carry on to enjoy a traditional Latvian lunch withdrinks included.
EURO 46

SPB01 - PETER & PAUL FORTRESS
A visit to the island where the foundation stone of St. Petersburg was laid in 1703. A guided tour around the fortress, then a visit to the church which is the burial place of Peter the Great and his descendants. Thisis also the final resting place for the remains of the last Tsar, Nicholas II and his family. EURO 23

SPB02 - NEVA RIVER CRUISE
Soak up the atmosphere, romance and lights of this unique and beautiful city known as 'the Venice of the North'. A cruise through the canals and along River Neva transforms the city into a magical place that has inspired generations of artists - a photographer's dream. Sip champagne as the city drifts by! A wonderful introduction to the former imperial capital.
EURO 42

SPB03 - YUSUPOV PALACE
A chance to visit this beautifully restored baroque palace, the former residence of the Yusupov family and the scene of Rasputin's murder. Here we will tour the palace including the room where the murder took place and hear the fascinating story of this Siberian monk and his influence on the Imperial Family.EURO 44

SPB04 FOLKLORE CONCERT
A spectacular evening concert, held in one of the most beautiful palaces in St. Petersburg, where some 80 musicians, singers and dancers will thrill us with their superb performance.EURO 45

SPB05 - CATHERINE PALACE
In the little town of Tsarskoe Selo, now called Pushkin, is the most beautiful palace in all of Russia. It was the favourite palace of Catherine the Great, and our guided tour shows us this restored palace at its most glittering and golden best.EURO 45

SPB06 - RUSSIAN BALLET PERFORMANCE
There may be an opportunity to attend a ballet performance. Subject to availability of tickets and performance. The price will vary, depending on the venue & the Ballet Company, starting from: EURO 65

MOW01 - MOSCOW BY NIGHT
A tour of this bustling city by night with an opportunity to admire the evening magic of the famous Red Square and the Kremlin as well as many other sights. EURO 26

MOW02 - IMPERIAL SPLENDOUR
A visit to the treasure chest of the Imperial Russian family to see their crown jewels, jewel-studded thrones and costumes as well as the famous Faberge Egg collection. EURO 45

MOW03 - ZAGORSK
Our excursion takes us to Zagorsk - renowned as a centre of ancient Russian art and architecture. For centuries it has served as the religious capital of Russia and place of pilgrimage for the faithful of the Russian Orthodox creed. Within the old walled city we see the Troitse Sergiyevo Lavra, a working monastery, where the Orthodox faith was tolerated by the State and kept alive even during the 'years of atheism'. You will also have a chance to browse for some locally made Russian handicrafts, wooden toys and Matryoshka dolls on sale at the local market. EURO 47

MOW04 - RUSSIAN STATE CIRCUS
A chance to enjoy the Russian State Circus. Tickets subject to availability. Full transportation will be provided.EURO 47

MOW06 - RUSSIAN MOSAIC
The complex history of Russia is fixed in the soul of the people and this tour will cover recent and past historical events which have shaped this nation. We visit the Borodino Panorama exhibition which brings to life the decisive events of 1812, in a painting 115m long, accompanied by special sound effects reproducing the battle sounds of the 19th C. Pass the awe inspiring Memorial Park complex inaugurated for the 50th anniversary of World War II before we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Novodevichy Cemetery were we see memorials to such great names as Kruschev, Chekhov, Einstein, Raisa Gorbachev and Yeltsin. (On occasions when Borodino is closed we will visit the Memorial Park complex instead).
EURO 40