Duration
15 Days
Physical rate
Moderate
Starting city
Stockholm
Available
April 2023 / March 2024
Detailed day by day description
Introduction
Dear Traveler: thank you for choosing us to perform this Tour! We hope you enjoy your trip.
Here we give you a guidance on their tour with the information that we believe may be of your interest. The information is indicative, may exist variations on designated hours.
TRANSFER from the airport, if you have it included or purchasing. Our transfer will be waiting for you with a poster on behalf of Europamundo or its name to the output of the custom (after collecting your luggage)..
Remember to inform us by phone if you lost your connection flight or expected delay of their arrival, in your VOUCHER figure the phone of the transfer.
IMPORTANT: If you had additional nights upon arrival the hotel will have your reservation, but his travel guide normally will not be until the night before the start of the tour.
IMPORTANT - IF YOU REQUESTED ADDITIONAL NIGHTS on arrival at the hotel you will have your booking made but the guide of your trip will normally not arrive until the start of the included activities. YOUR TIME BEFORE THIS MOMENT IS THEREFORE FREE. At your hotel they can help you with all the information you need.
NB: The schedules you will find in this itinerary are approximate. The guide, depending on the situation and in order to improve the development of the circuit, may adjust the schedules.
Free time. We advise taking a walk through the centre and seeing the museum island. In the afternoon, we offer visitors an optional visit to the Town Hall and the Royal Ship Vasa.
Scenery : Very beautiful landscapes from the boat leaving Stockholm.
Notes: Tonight we embark on a night cruise; Carry your documentation (will be required when boarding) and prepare hand luggage (luggage will remain in the coach). Do not forget warm clothing to enjoy on the deck of the boat. In Finland, the currency used is the euro, if you have Swedish Crowns, there are convinient exchange offices on the ship.
Free day in the most beautiful of the Scandinavian capitals. We recommend walking around the historic center and the island of museums.
17.00hrs.- Transfer to the port of Stockholm. We embark on the modern ferry of the Silja Lines company. Restaurants, bars, nightclub, casino, shops, ample rooms ... cruise conditions. Our ship leaves at 19.30 hrs (estimated time at the time of writing this itinerary).- The landscapes you can see at the exit of Stockholm are of great beauty (lots of islands). We recommend to enjoy on the deck. Do not forget your camera !. Night on board, double cabins.
Scenery: Forests, lakes. Pleasant landscapes.
Note: Upon arrival in Finland you will have to change your watch; When in Sweden it is 12 o´clock in Finland it is 13 o´clock.
We recommend you to go on the ship deck at dawn; The arrival in Finland is done by outlining the Aland archipelago. Hundreds of islands covered with forests. Breakfast is included in your trip.
07:30 hrs. - TURKU. Disembark in the second Finnish city with strong Swedish influence. A time for a walk in the center.
08:30 hrs. Turku, departure.
09:20hrs- NAANTALI, very picturesque village of wooden houses by the sea. Lots of tourist life. Time for a stroll.
10:45 hrs. - Naantali-Departure.
13:00 hrs. - HELSINKI. Time for lunch. Afternoon free, you will be able to know this city with, its old market, the Russian influence in its buildings and churches.
(Note: a boat trip to Suomenlina scheduled on Friday morning can be made at this time according to the routes of the participating passengers).
Note: Carry your documentation, it will be required when boarding.
Leaving the hotel about 09.00 hrs, this morning we include a boat trip (regular line water local transport) to Suomenlinna islands , six islands where we highlight a great fortress that used to protect the sea entry to the city and that has been declared World Heritage - Time to stroll around (we will be able to cross island through its small pedestrian bridges). Our guide will accompany you to the islands and will explain how to use your free time; With your return ticket, you will decide the time you wish to remain in this beautiful archipelago.
Later, we shall board a ferry to Estonia ; Ferry trip of around 2h30 duration which departure is expected around 15.30hrs; we suggest to admire the departure from Helsinki and the surrounding islands.
17.45 hrs. - Tallinn - Arrival, disembarkation and accommodation.
09.00hrs- We will participate in a comprehensive tour through the city streets, and admire its walls, churches, squares and mediaeval streets filled with tourist attractions.
Free afternoon.
Note: Schedules of this stage sometimes, depending on traffic, can suffer important delays because of the border procedures.
08.00hrs.- Tallin. Departure. Today we leave Estonia and travel to Russia .
11.00 hrs- NARVA .- Arrival to this city located on the border with Russia. Time for a coffee and to see the impressive fortress by the river, on the border between the two countries.
12.00hrs.- Narva. Departure to Russia. Border procedures (estimated in 2 hours of standby time).
Once in Russia, lunch included . We continue our route.
18.30hrs.- (17.30 in Estonia)- ST PETERSBURG. Arrival at the hotel.
Note: if the number of passengers is small, the journey between Tallinn and St. Petersburg will be by regular bus, without stopping in Narva.
09.00.- With a local guide we begin the panoramic visit of this beautiful city crossed by the Neva River and built on 40 islands. Saint Petersburg is the second most important city of Russia and capital of the Russian Empire. This imperial city reveals the history of the Russian tsars through its museums, palaces, and architectural wealth. The visit includes the Peter and Paul Fortress , origin of the city (entrance included) .
The former capital of Tsar Russia is surrounded by numerous impressive palaces, baroque or rococo, with magnificent fountains and gardens that today are World Heritage Site in what is called "St. Petersburg Historic Centre and annexed monumental ensembles". Today, due to access restrictions and depending on the availability of the palaces, we include an excursion (guided visit and entrance fees included) to one of them, Catherine in Pushkin or Peterhof in Peterhof, of similar characteristics. Return to St. Petersburg at the end of the afternoon. Free time.
After the visit, free afternoon or return to the hotel.
Russian plain, woodlands and lakes.
Note: At Valday Monastery visitors should wear formal attire; women must not wear trousers or shorts and their shoulders must be covered. Plan your attire before leaving. During this stage, there may be delays due to heavy traffic on some stretches.
08:00 h. – St. Petersburg –Departure-
11:00 h. - Novgorod –Arrival-. Guided tour and admission included. This is an exciting city which was one of the most important cultural and political centres in Russia. During the Middle Ages it was one of the most important cities in Eastern Europe. Its monuments have led it to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will visit the Kremlin, the old market quarter and Yaroslav’s court. Lunch included after the visit.
14:00 h . - Novgorod –Departure-
16:00 h. - Valday –Arrival in this pretty area with rivers and woodlands. Visit to an old monastery on the island in the lake.
17:00 h. - Valday –Departure-
20:00 h. - Tver –Arrival-. This city, on the banks of the VOLGA, was the centre of a small state which was Moscow’s main rival. We will make a brief visit to the city (on the same day or the next day, depending on the light). Then we will go to the hotel. Accommodation and supper are included.
We travel along tiny roads that allow us to see the rural areas of Russia, passing many pretty villages on our way.
08:30 h. - Tver –Departure-. On the way we will cross several lakes. Do you remember the music from the magical Swan Lake? We will go there and make a short stop at KLIN where Tchaikowsky’shouse is. Then we continue our route through the interior, to the Golden Ring.
12:30 h. - Sergiev Posad - Arrival-. In this city we will visit the Holy Trinity Monastery, considered the most important spiritural centre of Russia. After this exciting visit, we have lunch (included).
14:00 h. - Sergiev Posad –Departure-. We continue along tiny roads that pass through famous Golden Ring cities: ALEXANDROV (with its Kremlin of Ivan the Terrible) and YURYEV POLSKIY, a small provincial city with its historical Kremlin. Then we will make some short stops to take photos of these cities.
17.45 h. - SUZDAL . Arrival- We include admission to the Museum of Wooden Architecture which shows how peasants used to live, in their wooden huts and mills, and we will also visit the Church of the Transfiguration. We sill also learn how the famous “ Matryoshka ” nesting dolls are made and painted, and we will learn to paint them! (this activity can be done on Friday before leaving to Vladimir).
Supper included and accommodation.- During supper a folklore group will liven up the evening with their balalaikas (not included if there are fewer than 15 people in the group).
In the morning, at about 08.30 h. we visit SUZDAL, which many consider the most attractive of the Golden Ring cities. With its domes standing out against the horizon, it looks like a fairy tale city. Visit to the city, including a local guide and admission to the Kremlin and the cathedral. At the Saviour Monastery of St. Euthymius we listen to a bells concert.
13.00 h. - Suzdal –Departure-
13.45 h. - Vladimir –Arrival-. Lunch included in a typical restaurant with traditional architecture located on the outskirts of the city. In this interesting Golden Ring city we will visit the majestic Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption.
15.30 h. - Vladimir –Departure-. We then enter the huge capital of Russia.
18.45 h . - Moscow –Arrival-.
Note : Visitors must wear formal attire in the cathedral. Please bear this in mind before the visit.
09:00 h . We start out on an exciting tour of the Russian capita l lasting approximately three and a half hours. This city has a past, present and future like no other. We will see its enormous avenues, elegant shopping districts, the Red Square and the Lenin Mausoleum, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (open for worship, visitors wearing shorts are not allowed to enter). Visit to the Kremlin and to the two main cathedrals included . We will try to make our visit coincide with the military parade held in Sobornaya Square, but we cannot guarantee it. At the end of the visit, visitors can stay in the city centre or return to the hotel.
Free afternoon.-Our guide will offer you the following optional outings: visit to Moscow Metro, the "Kostroma" Folklore Shore or Moscow Circus.
09.00 hrs.- We will learn more about the history of Russia and its capital. We will pass by the university viewpoint , with its fantastic view over the city where newly married couples leave flowers (we could go to the viewpoint after Saturday’s visit instead of Sunday) and we will get to know ( including entry) the Great Patriotic War Museum (World War II) that also shows us many aspects of the Soviet period. Free afternoon.