Russian Glories, Baltic Treasures
15 days / 14 nights, Vilnius - Latvia - Riga - Tallinn - Cruise to Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Moscow | Small Group departures of no more than 26 guests!* From Peter the Great's palace to Joseph Stalin's bunker, travel Russia with Tauck and learn the intriguing stories behind some of history's great halls of power. Get an insider's view of the Kremlin, Red Square, and Peter and Paul Fortress; visit The State Hermitage Museum, see Russian icons and treasures of the Czars, and attend the Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg. Also explore Helsinki, Finland and the well-preserved Old World cities of Riga, Latvia; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Tallinn, Estonia, with castles, medieval lanes, and incredible architecture. Coach, train and high-speed ferry take you on a Baltics and Russia travel experience that ncludes numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
| Departure | Departures 2010: June 2nd, 16th, 30th July 14th, 28th August 11th September 22nd |
| Price | 2009 Prices - 2010 Prices TBA Summer and Fall Season: July 10th - September $6,690 Per person in double room $8,440 Single room $6,298 Triple Peak Season White Nights: May - July 3rd $6,950 Per person in double room $8,697 Single room $6,558 Triple |
| Included | First class Hotel accommodations with private baths Scandinavian breakfast buffet daily 6 x Luncheons 8 x Dinner, including Welcome & Farewell reception and dinner First class motor coach transportation Ferry service from Tallinn to Helsinki First-class train, Helsinki to St. Petersburg On-tour flight from St. Petersburg to Moscow, day 12 City sightseeing as per itinerary Admissions as per itinerary All gratuities for restaurant and hotel staffs and local guides Gratuities for the drivers in Russia Luggage assistance at all hotels (1 piece per person) Tour Director throughout |
| Not Included | International airfare & airport taxes Russian Visa fee Personal insurance / personal expenses / incidental extras Alcoholic beverages Transfers on first / last days $25 Service fee |
| Please Note | Tour begins: Vilnius, Lithuania Tour ends: Moscow, Russia |
| Tour Options | Add-ons: Tour Options International air fare |
Day 1 ARRIVAL VILNIUS (D) Tour begins at 6 PM at Radisson SAS Astorija Hotel, Vilnius, Lithuania. Your transfer is included from Vilnius Airport to the Radisson SAS Astorija Hotel in the heart of Vilnius' Old Town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meet your tour director and travel companions at tonight's welcome dinner. Meals: Dinner
Radisson SAS Astorija Hotel
Day 2 VILNIUS - TRAKAI (B, L) Take a walking tour of Old Town Vilnius to appreciate its remarkable Baroque architecture. See Cathedral Square and the Renaissance-style Gates of Dawn, built in the 16th century as part of the town's fortifications. Wind your way along the Yellow Roads and go off-the-beaten path in Trakai, a picturesque town with a castle dating to the Middle Ages; return to Vilnius to explore as you please. Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Radisson SAS Astorija Hotel
Day 3 TRAVEL TO LATVIA (B, L) Depart Vilnius and travel the Yellow Roads through the pristine countryside of Lithuania; cross into Latvia and stop in seaside Jurmala on your way to the capital, Riga, an important trading center for Central and Eastern Europe from the 13th to the 15th centuries. Visit the city's opulent 19th-century Opera House, which was painstakingly rebuilt in the 1990s, and is a source of great national pride for the Latvian people. Your home for the next two nights is located in the heart of the old city. Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Grand Palace Hotel Riga
Day 4 HISTORIC RIGA (B, D) After a drive through Riga's New Town, a walking tour along the cobbled streets of Old Town Riga reveals buildings dating back 800 years as you continue to travel Russia and the Baltics. Check out the Art Nouveau architecture in the city, considered the best in Europe, and see Riga Castle, the Swedish Gate and medieval dwellings; this combination of period architecture has earned Riga's Old Town UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. For those who wish, join us to explore some of the somber reminders of the tragic years of the Holocaust at the Jewish Museum and old Jewish Cemetery (holidays permitting). Enjoy dinner at the hotel tonight. Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Grand Palace Hotel Riga
Day 5 JOURNEY TO TALLINN (B, L, D) Depart Latvia and cross into Estonia this morning, stopping in seaside Parnu for an authentic taste of local life at an Estonian beachfront barbecue. Continue on to today's final destination, the capital city of Tallinn; its remarkably well-preserved medieval center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overnight at your recently opened contemporary hotel, ideally located just minutes from Tallinn's Old Town. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Swissôtel Tallinn
Day 6 CRUISE TALLINN - HELSINKI (B) Explore the walled city of Tallinn, an outstanding example of a medieval Northern European trading city. Take a guided walking tour along its narrow cobblestone streets and charming squares. View 13th-century Toompea Castle, which houses the Estonian Parliament. This afternoon, board the high-speed SuperSeaCat ferry and cross the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki for a two-night stay. Meals: Breakfast
Hotel Kämp Helsinki
Day 7 HELSINKI HIGHLIGHTS (B, D) Explore Finland's capital city of Helsinki, a mix of parks, waterways, and various architectural styles. See the Neo-Classical Senate Square, and the green cupolas and white columns of Helsinki Cathedral. Enjoy the colorful Market Square, and extraordinary Temppeliaukio (The Rock) Church, built into solid rock in the 1960s. Explore on your own in the afternoon. Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Hotel Kämp Helsinki
Day 8 TO ST. PETERSBURG BY RAIL (B, L, D) From Helsinki, travel Russia on an early morning train ride to opulent St. Petersburg; the historic center of Russia's cultural capital and Peter the Great's "Window to the West" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your home for the next four nights is the Hotel Astoria on St. Isaac's Square near St. Isaac's Cathedral. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotel Astoria St. Petersburg
Day 9 TREASURES OF ST. PETERSBURG (B, D) Take a guided tour of key landmarks in St. Petersburg. Visit the imposing Peter and Paul Fortress, built in 1703; inside the fortress, Peter and Paul Cathedral, with a tall golden spire, contains the tombs of the Russian czars, including the city's founder Peter the Great. Spend the rest of the day exploring more of St. Petersburg on your own. Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Hotel Astoria St. Petersburg
Day 10 A GREAT PALACE & BALLET (B, L) Holidays permitting, visit the Grand Choral Synagogue and then journey to the opulent Palace of Peter the Great, located in Petrodvorets on the Gulf of Finland; enjoy the Summer Garden and fountain displays. Return to St. Petersburg by hydrofoil to pursue your own interests in the afternoon. In the evening, experience a long-standing Russian tradition when you attend a performance of the ballet. Note: schedule times and performances vary. Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Hotel Astoria St. Petersburg
Day 11 ST. PETERSBURG - HERMITAGE (B) Today, the tour operator has arranged an early morning visit to The State Hermitage Museum, boasting one of the largest collections of art and artifacts in the world. Displays include prehistoric cultures, classical antiquities, and Western European art; you'll view celebrated ancient gold treasures on a special visit to the Gold Room. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure in glorious St. Petersburg. Meals: Breakfast
Hotel Astoria St. Petersburg
Day 12 FLIGHT TO MOSCOW (B, L, D) Fly to Russia's capital, Moscow, for a three-night stay in this ancient city. Upon arrival, enjoy an exclusive visit to Joseph Stalin's hidden World War II bunker, which was closed to the public for decades. Your Tauck group has been granted access by special permission; check out the central command room, and Stalin's personal effects in his private office, then contemplate your experience over lunch. Spend the next three nights with views of the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral from your hotel room -- just one of many great reasons to travel Russia! Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hotel Baltschug Kempinski
Day 13 INSIDER TOUR OF KREMLIN (B) Meet a Kremlin insider to learn about Moscow's past, and how the city has adjusted to the 21st century – another exclusive you'll enjoy when you travel Russia on this comprehensive journey. Get a guided tour inside the 64-acre Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with Red Square. Visit Cathedral Square, and the Armory Chambers to see the treasures of the Czars. Meals: Breakfast
Hotel Baltschug Kempinski
Day 14 RUSSIAN ART & ICONS (B, D) Tour the Moscow Metro today; with stations built of wood, bronze, copper and marble and decorated with sculptures, reliefs and mosaics, it's as much underground art gallery as transportation system. Visit the State Tretyakov Gallery/National Museum of Russian Fine Art, featuring 11th- to 20th-century paintings and sculptures by Russian artists. Cap your Russia travel adventure with a festive farewell dinner this evening. Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Hotel Baltschug Kempinski
Day 15 MOSCOW DEPARTURE (B) Tour ends: Moscow, Russia. Your memorable Baltics and Russia travel experience concludes today; a transfer is included from the Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow to Sheremetyevo or Domodedovo Airport. Meals: Breakfast