Take in the highlights of St Petersburg and Moscow on this short and sweet 6 day tour of Russia. From exquisite palaces of the Tsars and the incredible Hermitage Museum, to whimsical St Basil’s Cathedral and the mighty Kremlin - this is the best of Russia in under a week.
Trip Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
St Petersburg
Tuesday. Welcome to Russia. Arrival transfer from St Petersburg Pulkovo Airport to your hotel and check in. This evening meet at 7pm for an informative welcome meeting and dinner at the hotel with the rest of your group.
Overnight: St Petersburg | Dinner
St Petersburg City Tour
Today we take in the highlights of the beautiful city of St Petersburg. Travelling by bus we make our way along the famed Nevsky Prospekt, past the museum and university districts and a few stops will be made along the way to see the magnificent St Isaac's Cathedral and The Bronze Horseman. Then we explore the Peter and Paul Fortress and the ornate Peter and Paul Cathedral which houses the tombs of the Romanov monarchs. After a hearty lunch it's time for a guided tour of the incredible Hermitage Museum in the beautiful Winter Palace - which houses one of the biggest and best art collections on earth.
Spend the rest of the day at leisure and this evening consider an optional excursion to the ballet or perhaps a Cossack show. All optional excursions are subject to availability and minimum numbers - book and pay locally. At the Welcome Meeting on day 1 you will be given a list of available options to book.
Overnight: St Petersburg | Breakfast, Lunch
Peterhof or Catherine Palace
St Petersburg - Moscow. St Petersburg is known as the City of Tsars and today we head out of the city to explore one of the tsars' lavish palaces. We visit Peterhof Palace and its beautiful gardens on the Gulf of Finland in the summer (May to mid October) and in the winter we visit Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo (or Pavlosk Palace if Catherine Palace is closed). Often referred to as the 'Russian Versailles’, Peterhof is famous for its beautiful gardens which are a wonderland of greenery and flowers, sweeping vistas and ornate architectural decorations, with spectacular gold fountains. At Catherine's Palace it's the exterior and lavishly decorated interior that is the highlight and the famous Amber room is simply spectacular, bedecked in gold and amber.
Returning to the city centre we visit the beautiful Church On Spilled Blood and then there's free time to explore or shop for souvenirs before we board the 5pm high speed train to Moscow. Reaching the capital in just 4 hours, we transfer to our hotel for the night.
Overnight: Moscow | Breakfast
Red Square & Kremlin
This morning we set out to explore Russia’s capital, taking the metro to legendary Red Square for the start of our walking tour. Here we will see Lenin’s Mausoleum, the ritzy and historic GUM department store and spectacular St Basil’s Cathedral. Then we visit mighty Kremlin, with a guided walk through the grounds to see numerous government buildings, gold-domed cathedrals and the Tsar Bell - the largest bell that never rang! Remainder of the day is at leisure. If open, you can pay your respects to the famous Russian Revolutionary at Lenin’s mausoleum.
During our stay in Moscow there will be the chance to join optional evening excursions, such as a traditional Cossack Show or a Moscow by Night coach tour and river cruise (book and pay locally).
Overnight: Moscow | Breakfast, Lunch
Optional Bunker Tour
This morning those who have booked our optional Inside a Soviet Bunker add-on will head 65 metres underground for a guided tour of a Stalinist-era Soviet Bunker that up until recently was a top secret symbol of Soviet Power. The rest of the day is free to explore the capital. There are plenty of great galleries, museums, cafes, shops and bars all within walking distance in the city centre.
Overnight: Moscow | Breakfast
Moscow
Sunday. Our tour comes to an end after breakfast and hotel check out.
Breakfast
Upgrade to a private tour!
We now offer a private version of Vodka Shot. Experience our most popular tour, travelling in the comfort of your own bubble, surrounded by family or friends. Our private Best of St Petersburg & Moscow 6 tour can depart on a date of your choice, subject to availability, with a minimum of two travellers.
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 MoreExtra Prices
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.
Harbor Club Hotel, St Petersburg
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.
Izmailovo Delta Hotel, Moscow
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.
I must say that I really enjoyed the tour. The accommodation was top-notch, the meals were pleasant and the transportation well suited for our needs. Our guide was very nice and professional and ensured that we were safe and comfortable all throughout the journey. I would definitely recommend On the Go tours to others.”
Wow what an amazing experience we had on the Vodka Shot tour. Olga, our guide was fantastic. From the moment we arrived she was there waiting for us and throughout our entire trip she was a pleasure to be with. So full of history about Russia, so full of enthusiasm for her country, so organised and always happy! She made the entire experience so wonderful. We were certainly 'On the Go' from morning til night but loved every minute!”
I’ve travelled a lot and was very impressed with the whole trip. It was well organized and our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable about the area. I would definitely do another tour with On the Go. I have already recommended it to my friends. There was a good mix of options and free time to explore. ”
I had a fantastic trip, Dasha is a wonderful tour guide, she is very intelligent and charming, she is very passionate and knowledgeable about both St Petersburg and Moscow. I always felt confident that she knew what she was doing with regards to the itinerary and any other activities. The time went in really quickly at the end I did feel that there was still more to see in Moscow, which I enjoyed immensely. I enjoyed the tours to the palaces and the cathedrals, also the activities, which included the Ice Breaker cruise, the Vodka Museum, the Moscow Bunker, the Cossack show, I also went to the Space Museum of Cosmology in Moscow on my own and I would highly recommend this museum as there was a great deal of variety in the exhibits and a good gift shop. There is more to Moscow than St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin. Take lots of pictures.”
Dasha was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her country. The history of St Petersburg came to light when she spoke about her home city.
The Tour itself was good, if but a scratch on the surface of a fascinating country overall to get a small insight into such a large country, I would recommend this tour. ”
Anastasia was the best guide.She was friendly,extremely helpful,taking the time & going out of her way to help.”
Covered all of the highlights of St Petersburg and Moscow. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and had a real passion for Russian history. ”
I got everything I wanted from the tour & more. It was a great introduction to Russia & I would consider returning in the future to learn more about it's past.”
Natalia was very switched on and understood the history and culture behind Russia. She was very patient and always went the extra mile for our group considering we had such a diverse range of ages and interests.
The tour is great, the accommodation and food was amazing but all the places you see are definitely breathe taking. I would recommend this tour to anyone.”
Natalia was awesome! This tour is an excellent blend of scheduled tours and free time. I really enjoyed this holiday.”
In Brief
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I must say that I really enjoyed the tour. The accommodation was top-notch, the meals were pleasant and the transportation well suited for our needs. Our guide was very nice and professional and ensured that we were safe and comfortable all throughout the journey. I would definitely recommend On the Go tours to others.”
