St Basil's Cathedral | Moscow | Russia
FROM: USD $1,155 pp

NEW YEAR TOUR: For a truly unique New Year’s break, celebrate in Russia’s thriving capital city. Take in Moscow's Kremlin and Red Square before travelling north to beautiful St Petersburg, exploring delights such as The Hermitage and Catherine Palace.

Inclusions
Itinerary
Prices & Dates
Hotels
Reviews

Trip Highlights

Discover Moscow's UNESCO-listed Red Square, home to spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum and the historic GUM Department store
Celebrate New Year's Eve in Moscow!
Take a guided tour of the remarkable Hermitage Museum at the Winter Palace
Travel by high speed train from Moscow to St Petersburg
Explore the grounds of Moscow's mighty Kremlin, with its numerous government buildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the giant tsar bell
Take in the highlights of St Petersburg including a guided tour of the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Cathedral
Visit Catherine Palace at Tsarkoe Selo and marvel at the incredible Amber Room

Included

6 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner (including a Welcome Dinner on day 1)
6 nights 4 star accommodation
Specialist Russian guides at local sights
Airport arrival transfer on day 1
Relevant transfers and transportation on tour
1 high speed train from Moscow - St Petersburg
Escorted by an English speaking Russian tour guide
Guided sightseeing - St Petersburg and Moscow
Moscow Metro travel card - 6 journeys

Not Included

International flights and visa
Entrance Fees: USD$40-50pp, paid in local currency
Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$3 - 5 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture.

Itinerary

Day 1

Moscow

29 December. Welcome to Russia and the start of your winter holiday! Upon arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for check-in. This evening meet for an informative welcome meeting and dinner at the hotel with the rest of your group.
Overnight: Moscow  |  Dinner

Day 2

Red Square & Kremlin

First thing this morning we hop on the Moscow Metro and make our way to legendary Red Square. As the historical, political and social heart of Moscow, this famous square is home to some of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. Within Red Square is the iconic St Basil’s Cathedral, the imposing red brick walls of the Kremlin and the glitzy Neo-Russian facade of the GUM shopping mall. Also in Red Square is Lenin's Mausoleum. If open, we can enter the mausoleum free of charge and see Lenin's embalmed body which has lain in state here since his death. This afternoon we will embark on a guided tour of the Moscow Kremlin - Russia’s bastion of power. Walking through the grounds we’ll see numerous governmental buildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the giant tsar bell.

Tonight there will be the opportunity to join an optional Moscow by Night Tour and River Cruise. Book and pay locally.
Overnight: Moscow  |  Breakfast

Day 3

New Year's Eve

Today is free for you to independently explore Moscow. Alternatively you can book our optional Inside a Soviet Bunker excursion and head 65 meters underground to explore a Stalinist-era bunker that up until recently was a top secret symbol of Soviet Power. See the giant tunnels and enjoy a guided tour of the rooms and secret paraphernalia.

This evening we head into the city to ring in the New Year among the crowds and offer an optional New Year's Eve dinner (book and pay locally). While Red Square is certainly one of the most popular places to count down to midnight, it can also get extremely busy making it often difficult to find a place. But fear not, there are plenty of other exciting activities happening around Moscow’ capital city, whether it’s watching the fireworks as they light up the night sky over Christ the Savior Cathedral from Patriarshy Bridge or dancing in the New Year in one of the city’s trendy bars or clubs.
Overnight: Moscow  |  Breakfast

Day 4

Moscow to St Pete's

Moscow - St Petersburg. Happy New Year! The morning is free to relax after your New Year's Eve celebrations or perhaps stroll to the Izmailova Market for a spot of souvenir shopping. It may not look like it from the outside, but behind the whimsically decorated walls of Izmailova you’ll find one of the best markets in Moscow. Whether you want to pick up some tacky souvenirs, genuine fur hats or some traditional handmade crafts this is the place to go. Don't forget to barter!

This afternoon we travel by high speed train to St Petersburg, arriving early evening. After hotel check-in spend the rest of evening at leisure.
Overnight: St Petersburg  |  Breakfast

Day 5

St Pete's sightseeing

This morning we take in the sights of St Petersburg on a driving tour. We will make our way down Nevsky Prospekt - the main thoroughfare and stop for photos at iconic sights such as the Bronze Horseman and St Isaac's Cathedral. Then we enjoy a guided tour of impressive Peter & Paul Fortress and the beautiful Peter & Paul Cathedral, which houses the tombs of the Romanov monarchs. We will also visit the exquisite Church on Spilled Blood.

After a tasty traditional Russia lunch we enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent Hermitage Collection at the Winter Palace. Housing some 2.8 million pieces of art, with collections ranging from Egyptian mummies to Greek vases and a vast and dazzling array of Old Masters, we’ll view the highlights.

During our time in St Petersburg there will be the chance to join one of our optional evening excursions, such as a traditional Cossack Show or a night at the Russian Ballet (book and pay locally).
Overnight: St Petersburg  |  Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6

Catherine Palace

This morning we head out of city to visit beautiful Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo. The lavish interior of the grand palace cannot fail to impress, particularly the spectacular Amber room which really is a sight to behold!

The rest of the day is free for you to relax and independently explore the city. Most of the city sights are dotted along and just off the main thoroughfare - Nevsky Prospekt. St Petersburg has a spirited restaurant, bar and jazz club scene, plus some of Russia’s best beers!
Overnight: St Petersburg  |  Breakfast

Day 7

St Petersburg

04 January. Our tour comes to an end after breakfast and hotel check-out.
Breakfast

Prices & Dates

Departure dates are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 persons. 'Twin Share' prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a room. 'Single Room' prices are applicable to those who don’t have anyone to share a room with or anyone wanting the privacy of a single room.

Read More
Available
Contact us to book
Not Available
2022
Twin Share
Single Room
USD $1,155
USD $1,475

Extra Prices

Twin Share
Single Room
Pre tour accommodation - Moscow
USD $75
USD $145
Post tour accommodation - St Petersburg (Sep - Apr)
USD $95
USD $175
Inside a Soviet Bunker
USD $105
N/A

Hotels

The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.

Izmailovo Delta Hotel, Moscow

Our Category: Superior   |   Regional Category: 4 Star Hotel

The 4 star Izmailovo Delta Hotel forms part of the huge Izmailovo Gamma Delta complex, which was built to accommodate guests and participants of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Offering comfortable guest rooms with modern amenities, the complex also boasts 16 restaurants and bars serving Russian and international cuisine, a SPA, gym and swimming pool, in addition to shops, a bank and post office. Conveniently located with the Partizanskaya Metro Station just 350 yards away, it's a quick 10 minute metro ride to Red Square where you can take in the highlights of the capital. The hotel is also ideally located for souvenir shopping, with the famous Izmailovo Market just a short stroll away.

Harbor Club Hotel, St Petersburg

Our Category: Superior   |   Regional Category: 4 Star Hotel

Well-located in St Petersburg, the Harbor Club Hotel can be found on a quiet street, yet only a short walk from the bustling city centre. Its guestrooms feature modern décor, with spacious ensuite bathrooms and modern amenities including air conditioning. You’ll also find a shared lounge and bar, as well as an on-site restaurant serving tasty European cuisine. Here, guests can enjoy a continental or buffet breakfast or, if you’d prefer, there is also the option of dining in the comfort of your hotel room.

Reviews

Travellers have rated this tour as 4.5 out of 5 based on 4 recent reviews

Trip of a lifetime , got to know the country and its people amazingly impressive . Our guide made us all welcome and so endearing , always there for our every need . The diversity of our group is another learning pleasant experience . Thanks again to Anastasia, who made my New Year 2017 so memorable .

• Submitted 12 Jan 2017
Tour
Guide
Country

Rating Tour Guide:

I can only say 5 Star (and more) all the way.

She gave more than expected, always went the "Extra Mile"

.Always has a smile on her face.

Definitely a people person and she must be seen as a true asset to your company.

Nothing was too much trouble which was particularly helpful given the language barrier.

Always considered our wellbeing (e.g. she phoned me after we had landed in Moscow to make sure that we had arrived safely and that the shuttle had arrived to collect us.

A very generous and considerate lady.

• Submitted 25 Jan 2016
Tour
Guide
Country

Natalie was an amazing tour guide

• Submitted 25 Jan 2016
Tour
Guide
Country

Olga is an excellent guide. She is kind, funny, knowledgable and organised. Olga's knowledge of art made the Hermitage extra enjoyable - she knew some really interesting facts about the pieces. I could have spent days in there with her guidance! Olga is patient and made the tour a success.

We decided to go on all the add-on tours - most of which were excellent. The ballet was rubbish however. Taking all the extra tours made it so there was no time to 'do your own thing'. We were waiting a lot in the lobby for people to arrive and that was frustrating. I felt we were always doing something so the trip was not very restful.

We got separated from our group on NYE and didn't get to spend the countdown together. As Red Square was closed I feel it would have been better for the tour to have kept us at the restaurant for another hour and then walked us to the bridge to view the fireworks. Instead we walked around outside for an hour and we got lost an ended up missing the bridge at the end. This could and should have been better organised; considering the news of red square being closed was available from the 28th of December.

All in all the tour was good. Exhausting but good.

A special thank you to Olga for helping us on the 5th when we realised our flight times and transfer were wrong. She was a real star and made the work seem effortless. It was very much appreciated. She is kind and approachable and a wonderful guide.

• Submitted 08 Jan 2016
Tour
Guide
Country

Olga is an outstanding tour leader. She is entertaining, charming, intuitive. Her enthusiastic, considerate and humorous manner made the tour very special for us.

Greg Lawrence • Submitted 17 Jan 2013

Well organized tour, especially with two groups in St Petes and five in Moscow. Thank you, I loved getting to see Russia.

Samantha Gemmell • Submitted 17 Jan 2013

I really enjoyed doing a tour with On the go. It was also my first time in Russia and I loved the experience.

Colin Gough • Submitted 10 Jan 2013

In Brief

Range
Trip Type
Starts
Moscow
Ends
St Petersburg
Departs
29 December
Group Size
Min 4 / Max 24
Hotel Rating
3-4 star
Tour Guide
Yes - escorted by a tour guide
Meals
Breakfast: 6, Lunch: 1, Dinner: 1
Visiting
Moscow, St Petersburg
Countries
View of Moscow city including the Kremlin in the soft morning light
View of Moscow city including the Kremlin in the soft morning light
Attractive buildings lining the canals of St Petersburg
Attractive buildings lining the canals of St Petersburg

Tour Add-ons

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Trip of a lifetime , got to know the country and its people amazingly impressive . Our guide made us all welcome and so endearing , always there for our every need . The diversity of our group is another learning pleasant experience . Thanks again to Anastasia, who made my New Year 2017 so memorable .

Hannah Callicott
OTG000819White Russian - 7 daysEuropeSignatureEuropefalse0Russiahttps://www.onthegotours.com/Russia/White-Russian-7-dayshttps://www.onthegotours.com/repository/whiterussianMainRussia-126861295538938_crop_flip_300_300_f2f2f2_center-center.jpgGroup_Tours