Classic RussiaMoscow and St Petersburg are must-sees for anyfirst time visitor to Russia. Moscow has a real buzzand swagger about it, while St Petersburg is a littlemore refined and aristocratic. Taking the trainbetween the two cities is a good option, withovernight or day trains available.Day 1Fly from the UK to Moscow.Day 2See Red Square and the Kremlin,travelling by Moscow's ornate metro system.Day 3Continue to explore Moscow, taking in Novodevichy convent. Day 4Have more time in Moscow,exploring some of the many worldclass museums, before taking a trainto St Petersburg - day trains orovernight trains are available.Day 5Start exploring St Petersburg, with a guided tour of the Hermitage in the afternoon.Day 6A day at leisure to continue exploringthe city, perhaps visiting the Russianmuseum, or take a stroll along thecity's beautiful canals.Day 7A further day to either see the palaceof Peterhof, or drink in more of thebeautiful city centre.Day 8Visit the Summer Palace of Catherine the Great, before flyingback to London.Stay longerYou can easily spend a day or two more in St Petersburg. Alternatively, the Baltic capitals of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius can be visited as part of a trip to the region. When to go??The best time to travel.?A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of.~Travel is possible, but this is not the best time of year.?Travel is not recommended.Summer, with its long, light evenings and balmytemperatures, is the classic time to visit thesenortherly climes. However, we would suggest theautumn months of September and early Octoberas being a great time to visit - the weather is notyet cold, and sites less busy. Winter is also amuch underrated time. If you can bear thefreezing temperatures, you will be rewarded withwonderful snowy vistas, reduced prices, and farfewer visitors. Time difference:GMT+3 hoursFlight time from UK:4 hoursPricesWe offer trips to cater for a wide range ofbudgets. You can find up-to-date guideline prices for your trip to Russia on our website,alternatively please call our specialists to discussyour plans.78JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec??~~?????????????Tailoring your tripThe itineraries shown are designed to give you aflavour of what is possible, and are routes thatwork particularly well. We can use these as abasis to plan your trip or can design a completelydifferent itinerary to suit your tastes and interests.Please call one of our Russia specialists to startplanning your itinerary.Telephone: 01993 838 230Getting aroundWith regular scheduled flights linking the UK with Moscow and St Petersburg in less than fourhours, getting to Russia is simplicity itself. Once onthe ground we can provide guidance to help youexplore under your own steam, or alternatively we can arrange walking tours within the cities orprivate cars for journeys into the countryside. Theefficient rail network is best for longer journeys -and certainly between St Petersburg and Moscow,this is a better option than flying. For thoseheading out east the great Trans-Siberian railwaycan be undertaken in its entirety, or alternativelyexperienced in sections, with domestic flights usedto cover the great distances quickly and efficiently. Wooden House, IrkutskKremlin and Moscow skylineBoarding a train, SiberiaFountains, Peterhof Summer PalaceSt PetersburgMoscowRUSSIABELARUS

Suggested itinerariesHistoric RussiaThis itinerary is perfect for those looking to delve alittle deeper into Russia's history. Starting inMoscow, you'll then move on to the Golden Ringtowns that surround the capital - historic, prettyplaces, many of which predate Moscow. Day 1Fly from the UK to Moscow.Day 2Take a walking tour of the Kremlinand Novodevichy Convent.Day 3Day at leisure to continue exploringMoscow, perhaps taking in some ofMoscow's world-class museums. Day 4Leave Moscow and head to Suzdal,stopping at the historic city ofVladimir enroute.Day 5A half day tour of Suzdal, with theafternoon at leisure.Day 6Drive on to Yaroslavl, passingthrough Kostroma on the way.Day 7See the highlights of Yaroslavl,including the Church of Elijah theProphet with its beautifully preserved frescoes.Day 8Return to Moscow via the town ofRostov and the monastery of SergievPosad. In the evening fly back to the UK.Stay longerAn additional night in Moscow at the end wouldmake for a more relaxing itinerary. St Petersburgcould easily be added at the end of the trip as well. Moscow, St Petersburg andthe Golden RingAs well as taking in the main highlights of Moscowand St Petersburg, this itinerary also includes timespent in the historic Golden Ring towns of Vladimirand Suzdal. These towns offer a glimpse of aslower pace of life and affords the opportunity toview some of the world's most sumptuous andornate Orthodox churches and cathedrals, many of which have been awarded UNESCO status.Day 1Fly to Moscow.Day 2Take a walking tour of the Kremlincomplex.Day 3Explore Moscow under your ownsteam, perhaps visiting the Tretyakovgallery, the country's most importantgallery for Russian art. Day 4Travel out of the city to the prettytown of Suzdal via Vladimir. Day 5Half day guided tour of Suzdal and itspretty wooden buildings.Day 6Return to Moscow in time for anovernight sleeper train to St Petersburg. Day 7Arrive in St Petersburg in themorning, with the rest of the day at leisure.Day 8Travel out to the spectacular Palaceof Peter the Great by hydrofoil.Day 9Morning tour of the Hermitage.Day 10Visit the Summer Palace of Catherine the Great before flyingback to London.Stay longerYou can easily spend a day or two more in St Petersburg. There are also many other historicGolden Ring towns that could be visited as part of this trip, such as Yaroslavl. The Three CapitalsA great introduction to the culture and history ofthe Ukraine and Russia, this10 day itinerary coversthe three major cities -Kiev, Moscow and St.Petersburg. You start in Kiev -the ancient capitalof the Kievan Rus and mother of all Russian cities,and continue to explore the historical sites ofMoscow - the communist powerhouse, finishingyour journey in St Petersburg -Russia's 'windowto the west'. Day 1Fly from the UK to Kiev. Day 2Take an introductory tour of the city,including St Sophia's Cathedral andthe Caves Monastery.Day 3A further day to explore Kiev. In theevening take an overnight train toMoscow.Day 4Enjoy a walking tour of Red Square,the Kremlin and the Armoury. Theafternoon is at leisure to explore. Day 5See the Novodevichy convent andcemetery -burial place of manyfamous Russians.Day 6A day at leisure to explore Moscowunder your own steam.Day 7Take an afternoon train to St Petersburg.Day 8Have an introductory tour of St Petersburg, including a visit to thePeter and Paul fortress, where thecity was founded.Day 9See the treasures of the Hermitage. Day 10Visit the Summer Palace of Catherine the Great before flyingback to London.Stay longerYou can easily spend a day or two more in St Petersburg. Alternatively, the Baltic capitals ofTallinn, Riga and Vilnius can be visited as part of a trip to the region. www.audleytravel.com/russia ?01993 838 230 ?Russia79MoscowRUSSIASt PetersburgBELARUSUKRAINEKievMonk and church goer, MoscowSt PetersburgKostromaYaroslavlSergiev PosadMoscowSuzdalRUSSIASt PetersburgSergiev PosadMoscowSuzdalRUSSIAESTONIALITHUANIALATVIABELARUSBELARUS