It's been 4 years since
our last Russia trip, so we're due to go back. This time, after
Moscow and St. Petersburg we will visit Estonia, Latvia and Frankfurt.
Russia
is one of the most extraordinary countries in the world, with
an almost matchless depth of cultural and historical riches, and
landscapes that have inspired artists and poets for generations.
From the glittering spires of St Petersburg, the fabulous palaces
of the Tsars or simply the haunting and unique landscape of the
steppes. Until you've actually seen them, it is hard to imagine
the extraordinary glamour of the gilded palaces built for the
Russian emperors. These historic buildings, created by the world's
finest craftsmen with absolutely no expense spared can make you
gasp with the sheer glamour. Palaces like Catherine's Tsarkoe
Selo and the Peterhoff, with its sparkling fountains, can make
even Versailles look second rate.
Just by visiting
the Red square you will
be standing on the place of great historical significance where
Russian sovereigns decided fates of their people for centuries.
This
is the land of great love stories like Doctor Zhivago and Anna
Karenina. It is the birthplace of the world's greatest romantic
ballets, from Swan Lake to Sheherezade. If you have even the remotest
interest in art, you will be blown away by 
Russia's
unique artistic heritage. In St Petersburg's Hermitage museum,
you have what is possibly the world's greatest art collection,
with room after room of masterpieces, from Raphael to Matisse.
And that is just a fraction of the art Russia has to offer, with
an almost inexhaustible array of galleries and museums in St Petersburg
and Moscow housing a gargantuan feast of fine art. But Russia's
artistic attractions lie not just in the paintings hung in the
galleries, but all around you, in the buildings, both large and
small, which have seen the hands of artists at work over the century.
From the Russian circuses
to the ballets, from classical music concerts to jazz festivals;
Russia has perhaps one of the most vibrant entertainment cultures
in t
he
world.
We
will start our journey with 3 days in Moscow. During our 3-days
we’ll visit the must-see sites including the Red Square,
the largest and most famous
square in Russia. Like a magnet it attracts all visitors of Moscow.
Standing on Red Square you see the most significant buildings in the capital – the Kremlin, GUM
department store, the State History museum, the Lenin's Mausoleum.
A real wonder is the elaborate brightly domed Saint Basil's Cathedral.
It's like an 
exotic stone flower planted by the architects of the 16th century. The
first time you see this colorful, Russian masterpiece, it seems
unreal. The cathedral was built in the 16th century by the decree
of Ivan the Terrible. The wonderfully ornate structure was restored
in 2004. Visitors who choose to tour the inside of the cathedral
are treated to a complex interior filled with nooks and crannies
that are painted throughout with Russian Orthodox depictions.
Another must-see
is the Kremlin. The Kremlin is the center of government in Russia.
The term "Kremlin" roughly translates as "fortress"
in English and every major city in Russia had
one. The
Moscow Kremlin is a giant fortress consisting of a brick wall
surrounding the Kremlin grounds on which stand cathedrals, a palace,
an armory, an arsenal and numerous government buildings. The
Kremlin is vast and packed with interesting historical
landmarks, museums and cathedrals.
We will set up a
Moscow River Boat Excursion that takes you through the center of the
city past many of Moscow's greatest buildings and views. In two hours
you can get great views of the Kremlin, Gorky Park, Vorobevy Hills, Luzhniki
Stadium, Moscow State University and more.
Other
sites include, the
Bolshoi Ballet, the
Tretyakov Gallery, the
Pushkin State Museum and the
Conservatory which we will have opportunities to see.
Our next stop will be St. Petersburg. We will get on the fast
train and be in St. Petersburg in just 4-hours. We have added
an extra day to this amazing city for a total of 4 nights. Our
hotel is just a few minutes walk away from the Hermitage Museum
and close to many shops and restaurants.
The
Hermitage Museum is one of the most important sights to see for
any visitor to St. Petersburg. Galleries upon galleries of old
masters 
are
located within the sumptuous interior of the Hermitage. We will
also pay a visit to the one of Russia's most famous historical
prisons, the Peter and Paul Fortress with the Prison Museum and
the
Peter and Paul Cathdral. Then there’s the Catherine
Palace, also known as the Summer Palace at Tsarskoe
Selo, which is part of a gorgeous complex of parks, guest
houses, and the blue-and-gold palace itself. Visitors often feel
breathtaken at how Russia's royalty once lived. Every inch of
the Catherine Palace speaks of luxury.
There
are no shortage of interesting sights in St. Petersburg, another
one being the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg.
The exterior may satisfy your desire for sparkle, but the interior
of the church will wow as well. The interior of the Church on
the Spilt Blood is covered in mosaics that mimic paintings of
famous Russian artists.
Now
we will take a road trip to our next destination - Estonia, one
of the three Baltic States - three countries on the shores of
the Baltic Sea – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. All three
are united by their common history going back many centuries,
and the joint struggle for independence. We will have 3-nights
in the capital of Tallinn. Estonian history extends across a long
and winding road through time, telling the tales of many nations
from Vikings to the kings, queens and medieval merchants of German,
Swedish, Danish and Russian descent. Estonia's deeply rooted pagan
spirit and European mindset means that the country and its people
bear close ties with nature while being a proudly independent
EU and NATO member state with a growing reputation for innovation.
Estonia offers visitors to experience the spirit of the Medieval
Ages, omnipresent in the cobblestone streets and buildings of
Tallinn.
We
will soak up the history while exploring the medieval old city
but Estonia also features some wonderful natural 
resources.
With close to 1,500 lakes and along the shores of which are situation
Estonia's unique Russian village communities. In addition to its
lakes, Estonia also has over 200 natural spring-fed rivers. The
possiblities for tours are endless but we will be working on narrowing
our choices down. Check
out this website for some of the interesting sites to see
in Tallinn, Estonia. We will also offer a day trip to enjoy some
nature. Check
out this website to get an idea. How about some adventure
on a quad
tour? We'll probably set up a
bike tour. This country is also a great value as you can see.
Everything is really inexpensive. . You can count on us to work
out a wonderful day.
Next
up is the small country of Latvia. Again, we will enjoy a nice
road trip with beautiful scenery on offer from Estonia to Latvia
and enjoy some stops along the way. We will be staying in the
capital of Riga at a beautiful 4-star hotel just steps from the
Old Town. Latvia boasts they are amoung the world's greenest countries.
Thanks to its multiple extraordinarily beautiful art nouveau buildings,
it is considered the European art nouveau metropolis. Latvians
continue to observe the traditions of their ancestors – culture
embedded in Latvian folklore that is best experienced during the
Summer Solstice or "Jani" holiday, and the massive 
Song
and Dance festivals, as well as through traditional crafts and
handiwork, events organised by museums, and a lot of other activities.
Those who enjoy music and performing arts will enjoy major opera
festivals in Riga and Sigulda, and a large number of various concerts
and festivals across the country. We will have just one full day
here so it's likely we will just enjoy our time in Riga.
Lastly,
since our air routed through Frankfurt anyway, we decided it was
worth spending one night there. We get in at 3 pm and depart the
next day at 2 pm so we'll have an evening and part of a morning
to site see and count one more country in our itinerary. Our hotel
is located right at the airport. After we check in we'll take
the train, just 15-minutes, to the city where there may just be
some Pre-Oktoberfest celebrations going on.
And that will conclude this
2-week trip. We are going in prime-time summer months so I expect
the weather to be ideal. Our last Russia trip sold our quickly
with a large wait list so sign up early to secure your spot.
DEPOSIT - $200
Includes:
-
Roundtrip
air
-
13-nights
hotel in 3 & 4-star hotels with daily breakfast
-
3
half day city tours
-
Train
from Moscow St. to Petersburg
- All ground Transportation
Not included:
·
Gratuities:
guides and bus driver are at your discretion.
·
Passport/visas:
Valid passport and Russian visa required. Processing fees are
approximately $250. We will help handle this process.
·
U.S. Departure Taxes/ fuel surcharge - currently
running $367 (subject to change).
SINGLE
SUPPLEMENT: Only if you choose to have your
own room, otherwise we match you up with a roommate - $850
OUR AIR deduct
$950 with your own air and you will not pay the departure tax
FLIGHT:LUFTHANSA
451 DEPARTURE: LOS ANGELES 26AUG/715P ARRIVAL:FRANKFURT 27AUG/300P
FLIGHT: LUFTHANSA 1450 DEPARTURE:FRANKFURT 27AUG/430P ARRIVAL:MOSCOW
DOMODEDOVO 27AUG/840P
FLIGHT: LUFTHANSA
891 DEPARTURE:RIGA 08SEP/155P ARRIVAL:FRANKFURT 08SEP/310P **Stop
over**
FLIGHT: LUFTHANSA
450 DEPARTURE:FRANKFURT 09SEP/205P ARRIVAL:LOS ANGELES 09SEP/440P
OUR HOTELS
Moscow
KATERINA CITY HOTEL - 4-star
Hotel Katerina
City is a modern 4 star business
hotel ideally located in the Moscow city center, just a few minutes'
walk from Paveletskaya metro station and only 3 km away from the Red
Square and Kremlin.
Modern European
architecture and fresh interiors in a Scandinavian style are combined
with the home-like atmosphere that makes Katerina
City hotel the perfect retreat
in a hectic city like Moscow. Each of our 120 hotel rooms & suites is
fully equipped with all necessary amenities always including free
Wi-Fi and complimentary mini-bar.
WEBSITE:
http://www.katerinahotels.com/en/moscow/city/welcome_page/
TRIPADVISOR: Ranked 34 out of 293!
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g298484-d299830-Reviews-Katerina_City_Hotel-Moscow_Central_Russia.html
St. Petersburg
HOTEL VERA - 3-Star
All rooms have private bathrooms, AC (central or individual), TV, direct
dial telephones, hairdryers, refrigerators.
Hotel Vera occupies a historical 1903 Art
Nouveau building in the center of St. Petersburg, Russia and offers 70
unique rooms with exceptional service for tourists and business
travelers. The hotel has been renovated to offer accommodations with
all modern conveniences while retaining the charm of an architectural
masterpiece which has been entered into the St. Petersburg Registry of
Architectural Treasures as the house of a wealthy merchant Stepnov.
Hotel Vera is within walking distance of Nevsky
Prospect and the Moscow Railway Station, offering visitors to St.
Petersburg easy access to all major tourist attractions such as the
Hermitage, Russian Museum, Peter & Paul Fortress, Smolny and St.
Isaac’s Cathedrals.
WEBSITE:
http://hotelvera.ru/
TRIPADVISOR: 41 out of 315 hotels in
St. Petersburg!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298507-d578275-Reviews-Hotel_Vera-St_Petersburg_Northwestern_District.html
Estonia
HOTEL PALACE - 4-1/2 Star
Hotel
Palace is located in the city centre of Tallinn next to the Freedom
Square, at Vabaduse väljak 3.
The Hotel, constructed
in 1937 and designed by Elmar Lohk, is one of the most exciting,
glamorous and spectacular buildings of its time; it has been a
true calling card for Estonia throughout the decades.
The Four Star Superior
Hotel Palace has during its 80 years of history earned certain
status in Tallinn – its location by the main square of the
city and the high quality of service have earned it the reputation
of the most legendary hotel in Tallinn for several decades running.
The Old Town of Tallinn,
a modern business quarter, shopping centres and multifaceted cultural
establishments are only a few minutes’ walk away.
Hotel Palace reopened
its doors after a total makeover on June 26th, 2014.
WEBSITE
- TRIPADVISOR: #2
out of 82 hotels in Tallin!
Latvia
HOTEL NEIBURGS- 4-1/2 Star
In
a monument of Art Nouveau architecture at the very heart of Old
Riga, on a quiet, picturesque little street next to the Dome Cathedral
and within a five-minute walk of the Riga Opera House, several
concert halls and museums, Hotel NEIBURGS awaits you: an exquisite
combination of historical heritage and contemporary design, spacious
and light suites ideal for both work and rest, wonderful views
of the Old Town, comfort, hospitality and warm welcome, as well
as one of the city’s best-loved restaurants.
The building has won
significant Latvian architecture and building prizes: All of our
spacious suites are equipped with comfortable furniture, plenty
of light fixtures to allow you to adapt the lighting to suit your
mood, and well-appointed bathrooms, and have stunning views of
the rooftops and church spires of Old Riga, and, from the upper
storeys, even the Daugava and its bridges. The kitchenette and
separate living area or even living room in each suite allow our
guests to host their travelling companions or friends for dinner,
or treat their family to a breakfast made of fresh produce from
the Riga Central Market. Should you choose to eat out, our restaurant
offers wonderful meals, from sumptuous breakfast to sophisticated
dinner.
All suites are equipped
with television and DVD, a comfortable desk, both wired and wireless
broadband internet access, and an MP3 dock.
The hotel has a small
gym and both sauna and Turkish bath; massage services are also
available
WEBSITE
- TRIPADVISOR: #2
out of 108 hotels in Riga!
Frankfurt
SHERATON - 5 Star
Where
to stay in Frankfurt? Land and you've arrived! Whether you are
checking in for a while or just waiting for your connecting flight;
whether you are in Frankfurt for business or pleasure: Our 1008
generously appointed and comfortable rooms at Frankfurt Airport
let you enjoy a sense of peace and security – the ideal place
to relax, take a breather and work efficiently.
Discover your home
in Frankfurt! Individual, versatile, flexible: Choose from one
of eleven room categories at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel,
from day rooms to grand suites.
The modern rooms at
the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Center feature
a flat-screen TV and maple-wood furniture.
German specialities
are served in the Frankfurt Airport Sheraton’s Taverne restaurant.
The Flavors restaurant prepares European and Asian dishes. The
Lemon & Limes bar shows live sports events.
Drivers are 15 minutes
from central Frankfurt. Trains run from Frankfurt Flughafen Train
Station to Frankfurt Main Station in 20 minutes.
WEBSITE
- TRIPADVISOR: #26
OF 276 hotels
