Baltic and Russian Highlights tour
Vilnius - Riga - Tallinn - Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Moscow
June - September 2012, 16 days / 15 nights

Day 1 (Sunday): Arrival Vilnius
Arrival in Vilnius, optional transfer to Hotel Radisson Blu Lietuva**** or similar, check-in, welcome meeting.

Day 2 (Monday): Vilnius
Vilnius is known for its more than 1.200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. The morning sightseeing tour includes a panoramic tour of the city and a walking tour of the Old Town with Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, Peter and Paul Church, St. Anne’s Church, Old University and the Gates of Dawn. The afternoon offers an optional excursion to Trakai, the medieval capital of Lithuania, with the well preserved Trakai Castle, beautifully located on an island in Lake Galve. In the evening enjoy an optional folklore dinner at Restaurant Belmontas.

Day 3 (Tuesday): Vilnius-Riga
Heading for Riga, the first stop is the Hills of Crosses, one of the most holy sites of Catholic Lithuania. After crossing into Latvia we soon reach the magnificent Rundale Palace, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. Following a guided tour of the palace we travel through the rolling hills of Southern Latvia to reach Riga late afternoon, check-in at Hotel Radisson Blu Latvija**** or similar.

Day 4 (Wednesday): Riga
Before we get acquainted with Riga we have the possibility of discovering medieval Latvia. The optional tour for this morning takes us to the stunning scenery of the Gauja National Park and the town of Sigulda. We listen to the medieval Latvian legend of the Rose of Turaida and see the ruins of the Episcopal Castle and of the Castle of the Knights of the Sword before we return to Riga. The afternoon offers an optional visit to the Ethnographical Open Air Museum, a spacious exposition of 18th century country life. The evening offers an optional organ concert at the Dome Cathedral.

Day 5 (Thursday): Riga
Riga, founded in 1201 by the German bishop Albert, is the largest of the three Baltic capitals and boasts a real kaleidoscope of architectural styles. The walking tour of the Old Town includes Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, the Swedish Gate, the Three Brothers, the Large and Small Guilds and the Freedom Monument. The afternoon is reserved for an optional visit to Jurmala, the vibrant Latvian sea resort, famous for its wooden architecture and sandy beaches. In the evening enjoy an optional Latvian dinner at the stylish Restaurant La Boheme.

Day 6 (Friday): Riga-Tallinn
The tour continues along the coastal highway to the Estonian summer resort of Parnu. We do a short tour of the resort before we continue through the North Estonian land of forests and arrive in Tallinn early afternoon, check-in at the Hotel Radisson Blu Olympia**** or similar.

Day 7 (Saturday): Tallinn
Tallinn is a charming blend of medieval tranquility and modern urban life. The medieval Old Town is a busy place in the summer with its many shops, galleries, souvenir markets, outdoor cafés and restaurants. The sightseeing tour takes us around the old medieval city walls and into the Old Town where we see Toompea Castle, the Dome Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the medieval Old Town Hall. In the afternoon an optional excursion is offered to Kadriorg Park with a visit to the Kadriorg Palace and its art collections. The evening offers an optional medieval dinner at Restaurant Peppersack.

Day 8 (Sunday): Tallinn-Helsinki
In the morning we take the hydrofoil from Tallinn to Helsinki and enjoy a refreshing tour through the Finnish archipelago before arriving in Helsinki, transfer to Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza***** or similar, check-in. The balance of the day is reserved for exploring the Finnish capital individually.

Day 9 (Monday): Helsinki
Helsinki is truly located at the crossroads of Western and Eastern culture and this is reflected everywhere in the green and lively Finnish capital. The sightseeing tour takes us around the harbors, up central Mannerheim Street and by the Parliament Building, the Finlandia Hall, and the Sibelius Monument and for a visit at the famous Church-in the-Rock. The afternoon offers an optional excursion to Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, an oasis in the midst of the city with cottages, farmsteads and manors from all around Finland.

Day 10 (Tuesday): Helsinki-St.Petersburg
Today we continue eastbound to St. Petersburg. Shortly after crossing the border into Russia we arrive in Vyborg, where we take time for a short sightseeing tour and a visit to Vyborg Castle. In the late afternoon we arrive in St. Petersburg and check-in at Hotel Radisson Sonya**** or similar.

Day 11 (Wednesday): St.Petersburg
St. Petersburg is an amazing city. Its imperial palaces and museums enjoy worldwide fame, while the Neva River and the many canals have deservedly given the city the title “The Venice of the North”. During the morning sightseeing tour we get acquainted with all the splendors of the city: the Peter-Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Church of the Bleeding Savior, the Nevsky Convent and much more. The afternoon offers an optional visit to the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum. In the evening enjoy an optional visit to the Nikolaevsky Palace with an exciting Russian folklore show and Russian “Champagne” and snacks.

Day 12 (Thursday): St.Petersburg
An optional excursion in the morning offers a visit to Peterhof, an uncontested masterpiece of the time of Peter the Great, with the impressive Grand Palace, Grand Cascade and Water Avenue and its wonderful parks. The afternoon is reserved an optional excursion to Zarskoye Selo with the impressive Catherine’s Palace and the Amber Room, which vanished during World War II and was restored for St. Petersburg’s tri-centennial celebrations. In the evening enjoy an optional Russian dinner at Restaurant Na Zdoroviye.

Day 13 (Friday): St.Petersburg-Moscow
The morning is reserved for an optional guided shopping tour to fashion and souvenir boutiques on the Nevsky Prospect. In the afternoon we go to the Moscow Railway Station and board the Sapsan high-speed train bound for Moscow. The train ride takes us through endless Russian landscapes along the River Volga. In the evening we arrive to Moscow and check in at Hotel Holiday Inn Lesnaya**** or similar.

Day 14 (Saturday): Moscow
Moscow, The Mother of Russia, is a genuine Russian city with the Kremlin and its onion domed cathedrals. The dramatic changes over the last decade have made the city to one of the most dynamic metropolis in the world. The morning sightseeing tour includes all the highlights of the vast city: the Red Square with Kremlin, the Theater Square with Bolshoi Theater, Sparrow Hills with Moscow University and a visit to the famous Moscow Metro. In the afternoon is offered an optional excursion to the Kremlin grounds with a visit to the cathedrals. The evening offers an optional excursion with a cruise on the Moscow River.

Day 15 (Sunday): Moscow
The morning offers an optional excursion to Novidevichy Convent, a 16th century cluster of sparkling domes, one of the city’s most beautiful groups of buildings and full of history and treasures. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery is Moscow‘s most prestigious resting place after the Kremlin. The balance of the day is reserved for exploring more of Moscow individually. The evening offers an optional visit to the Old Russian Circus.

Day 16 (Monday): Moscow Departure
Optional transfer to the airport.

• 15 overnights at centrally located 4-5 star hotels
• 15 x buffet breakfast
• Welcome meeting with champagne-cocktail or juice
• Personalised welcome package
• Entrances to Old University in Vilnius, Rundale Palace, St. Peter’s Church in Riga, medieval Old Town Hall in Tallinn, Church-in-the Rock in Helsinki, Vyborg Castle, Peter-Paul-Fortress in St. Petersburg and Moscow Metro
• Service of English and German speaking tour escort on all tours
• Service of Italian and Spanish speaking tour escort on all tours
• Service of French speaking tours escort on tour MXP07, MXP11 and MXP15
• Service of 1st class motor coaches or 1st class minivans throughout the itinerary
• Ferry Tallinn-Helsinki OW
• Sapsan high-speed train St. Petersburg-Moscow OW (2nd class)
• Portage at hotels and railway stations
• Service and VAT

Optional:

• Transfer airport to Hotel Radisson Blu Lietuva: EUR 35.00 for private car (1-3 persons), EUR 55.00 for private minivan (4-7 persons)
• 3-hour excursion to Trakai and visit to Trakai Castle: EUR 40.00 pp
• Folklore dinner at Restaurant Belmontas: EUR 40.00 pp
• 4-hour excursion to Gauja National Park: EUR 50.00 pp
• 3-hour excursion to the Open Air Museum: EUR 40.00 pp
• Organ concert at the Dome Cathedral: EUR 35.00 pp
• 4-hour excursion to Jurmala: EUR 40.00 pp
• Latvian dinner at Restaurant La Boheme: EUR 40.00 pp
• 3-hour excursion to Kadriorg Park and visit to Kadriorg Palace: EUR 40.00 pp
• Medieval dinner at Restaurant Peppersack: EUR 40.00 pp
• 3-hour excursion to the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum: EUR 45.00 pp
• 3-hour visit to the Hermitage Art Museum: EUR 45.00 pp
• Visit to folklore show at the Nikolaevsky Palace: EUR 50.00 pp
• 4-hour excursion to Peterhof and visit to the Grand Palace: EUR 70.00 pp
• 4-hour excursion to Zarskoye Selo and visit to Catherine’s Palace: EUR 60.00 pp
• Russian dinner at Restaurant Na Zdrorovie: EUR 60.00 pp
• 3-hour guided shopping tour: EUR 35.00 pp
• 3-hour excursion to Kremlin and visit to the cathedrals: EUR 50.00 pp
• 4-hour excursion to Novodevich Convent: EUR 55.00 pp
• 3-hour excursion and cruise on the Moscow River: EUR 45.00 pp
• Visit to Old Russian Circus: EUR 70.00 pp
• Transfer Hotel Radisson Sonya to airport: EUR 80.00 for private car (1-3 persons), EUR 100.00 for private minivan (4-7 persons)
• Half board at hotels (15 x 3 course dinner with coffee/tea): EUR 415.00 pp