Start with a special welcome dinner with your traveling companions that features caviar, blinis, pickled cucumber, and vodka, and enjoy guided sightseeing including visits to the world-famous Hermitage Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and the magnificent Catharine Palace (if closed, visit Pavlovsk Palace instead). Travel by high-speed Sapsan train to Moscow, where sightseeing includes Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, and the Armory Museum. Then, fly south to Simferopol, capital of Crimea, and continue to Yalta, with visits to Livadia Palace, the summer residence of the last czar, and the Palace of Count Vorontsov, as well as an exciting excursion to Svastopol and Balaklava to visit the former Soviet submarine base in the caves. Continue to Kherson for a lunch with local specialties, and arrive in splendid Odessa, Ukraine’s main harbor. Enjoy guided sightseeing and a special visit to the Museum of Partisan Glory and see the caves, used by smugglers and during WWII as a hiding place for Soviet partisans. Next, fly to Kiev, capital of Ukraine, where a visit to the Cave Monastery has been included. A special farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates the success of your vacation.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in St. Petersburg, Russia. Welcome to St. Petersburg! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a [LF] special welcome dinner at your hotel with traditional Russian delicatessen like caviar, blinis, pickled cucumber, and vodka. (D)
Day #2 St. Petersburg. Founded by Peter the Great, construction began in 1703 and the city eventually spread over 100 islands linked by 700 bridges. It suffered severe damage during World War II, when a cruel 900-day siege claimed more than a million victims. Start with the Winter Palace complex. Formerly the residence of the czars, it is now home of the world-famous HERMITAGE MUSEUM, with celebrated works by Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, and the major French impressionists. Next, drive along elegant Nevsky Prospect and admire ST. ISAAC’S CATHEDRAL with its gilded dome and marble columns. (B)
Day #3 St. Petersburg. Travel to Pushkin, home of Russia’s last czar, and visit magnificent CATHERINE PALACE (if closed, visit PAVLOVSK PALACE instead). Balance of the day is at leisure, and exciting optional activities are available. (B)
Day #4 St. Petersburg–Moscow. Transfer to the railway station and board the high-speed SAPSAN TRAIN to Moscow. (B)
Day #5 Moscow. Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes RED SQUARE, the center of this 865-year-old city. At its core are the Lenin Mausoleum and opulent St. Basil’s Cathedral. Inside the KREMLIN, a city-within-a-city, admire the medieval towers, cathedrals, and palaces. At the ARMORY MUSEUM, see treasures such as Ivan the Terrible’s throne. Of course, you will also see the Bolshoi Theater. (B)
Day #6 At Leisure in Moscow. Another day to further explore this fascinating city. This evening, enjoy dinner with your traveling companions to celebrate the success of your vacation. (B,D)
Day #7 Moscow–Simferopol–Yalta. Transfer to the airport and fly to Simferopol, the capital of Crimea. On arrival, enjoy a beautiful drive to the famous Crimean coast, where a guided visit to LIVADIA PALACE, the summer residence of the last czar, Nicholas II, awaits you. Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met here in 1945 to discuss the dividing of East and West after the war, usually referred to as the “Yalta Conference.” Arrive in Yalta, a beautiful resort favored by the nobility in the 19th century and still today by the rich and famous. (B,D)
Day #8 Yalta. Start today with a guided sightseeing tour of Yalta. The afternoon is reserved for a visit to the PALACE OF COUNT VORONTSOV in Alupka, unique for its location but also for the combination of various styles of architecture. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. (B,D)
Day #9 Yalta. Excursion to Sevastopol & Balaklava. A scenic drive along the Crimean coast will bring you to Sevastopol, the harbor city that still houses the Russian Black Sea fleet. During the city tour we will visit the stunning PANORAMA PAINTING, a reminder of the heroic defense of Sevastopol in 1855. Next, stop in Balaklava to visit the former SOVIET SUBMARINE BASE in the caves, now turned into a museum. On our way back to Yalta we will make a picture stop at the “Swallow’s Nest,” the picturesque castle that was built on the edge of a cliff. (B,D)
Day #10 Yalta–Kherson–Odessa. After breakfast, leave the peninsula and drive to Kherson, on the mouth of the Dnepr River, for an orientation drive and lunch with local specialties. Afterwards, drive through the famous farm fields of the Ukraine to Odessa. (B,L,D)
Day #11 Odessa. Odessa is the Ukraine’s biggest harbor and known for its beautiful architecture and great atmosphere. Morning sightseeing features the harbor, the Potemkin Stairs, Primorsky Boulevard, the Opera House, and more. The afternoon is at leisure. Tonight is your chance to join an optional dinner to try out the specialties of the region. (B)
Day #12 Odessa. Drive to nearby Nerubayske and visit the MUSEUM OF PARTISAN GLORY, and see the caves, created by limestone mining. This network of about 2,500 miles of tunnels was later used by the smugglers and during World War II as a hiding place for the Soviet partisans. (B)
Day #13 Odessa–Kiev. Transfer to the airport and fly to Kiev, capital of the Ukraine on the mighty Dnepr River. This afternoon, visit the CAVE MONASTERY, the 1,000-year-old orthodox Christian complex, listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (B)
Day #14 Kiev. Kiev is one of Eastern Europe’s oldest cities. Guided sightseeing features the Golden Gates, the St. Sophia Cathedral, the remains of the city wall and Vladimir Hill, and a stroll along Andrew’s Descent in the OLD DISTRICT. Later, an interesting optional excursion is available to see more of this fascinating city, and tonight a special farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant has been prepared to celebrate the success of your Ukraine vacation with your traveling companions. (B,D)
Day #15 Kiev. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
