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APT Tour – 14 Day Helsinki and Russian Waterways in 2011

Overview

Helsinki • St Petersburg • Svirstroy • Kizhi Island • Goritsy • Yaroslavl • Uglich • Moscow

Tour Code EUWRH14

Itinerary Valid 1 Mar. 2011 – 31 Dec. 2011

Trip Duration 14 days

Accomodation Luxury Cruise Ship and Hotels

Meals 34 meals included

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrive Helsinki

On arrival be met and transferred to your hotel, then enjoy free time.

Two Night Stay: Helsinki, Hotel Kämp

Day 2. Helsinki, Freedom of Choice Touring

Today, perhaps take a tour of Helsinki, including Uspenski Cathedral, Tempelliaukio Church and Helsinki Market Square. Alternatively, take a ferry ride to Tallinn in Estonia and enjoy a guided tour, or visit Ylass Halli, an indoor winter activity centre, and enjoy the opportunity to try cross country skiing on a unique 1.2 kilometre indoor course. This evening, get to know your fellow travellers at a Welcome Dinner.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Dinner

Day 3. Helsinki, St Petersburg

Ride the Sibelius Train to the Russian city of St Petersburg and board your ship then enjoy time at leisure before a Welcome Reception.

Eleven Night Stay: The ms Amakatarina

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 4. St Petersburg Sightseeing, Hermitage Museum

Today tour St Petersburg. Visit Nevsky Prospect, Palace Square, St Isaacs Cathedral, the battle-cruiser Aurora and more. After lunch, tour the Hermitage Museum, former Palace of the Czars, which houses the royal art collection of over three million works. It is one of the world’s largest and most impressive art museums.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 5. St Petersburg at Leisure

After breakfast on board this morning, you’ll enjoy most of today free to further explore the city. You may like to embark on an optional excursion to Catherine’s Palace (own expense).This evening, take in a wonderful ballet performance at the Hermitage Theatre, the former private theatre of the Czars.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 6. St Petersburg, Peterhof Palace

Today, tour St Petersburg’s famous and spectacular Imperial Estate – Peterhof Palace. Nestled on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, the palace was built by Peter the Great initially as a resting place en route to the Imperial naval base. But the Czar was quick to recognise the attractiveness of the area and masterminded a vast estate intended to rival the famous gardens of Versailles. After lunch, enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure or you may choose to take an optional excursion to the Peter and Paul’s Fortress (own expense).

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 7. Neva River – Lake Ladoga – Svirstroy – Svir River

Today your ship cruises along the Neva River and crosses Lake Ladoga, the largest lake in Europe. On the Svir River, you’ll dock in Svirstroy and disembark your ship after lunch. Here, enjoy ample time at leisure to stroll around, browse the irresistible handmade trinkets and do some souvenir shopping. Later, re-board your ship, which then continues cruising towards Lake Onega.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 8. Lake Onega – Kizhi Island

Situated on Lake Onega, Kizhi is home to some of the most amazing wooden architecture in Russia. On arrival here today, you’ll disembark your ship and explore Kizhi Island’s fascinating open-air museum of wooden architecture. Marvel at two of the few remaining original wooden churches in Russia, the Church of the Transfiguration and the Church of the Intercession, built in 1764 without a single nail. Afterwards, re-board your ship and continue cruising towards the Volga-Baltic Waterway.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 9. Volga-Baltic Waterway – White Lake – Goritsy

Today your ship will cruise onto the Volga-Baltic Waterway, an important waterway that links the Volga River with the Black Sea. After crossing White Lake, dock at Goritsy, a small and peaceful farming town typical of what you could expect from many quaint Russian villages. Your guided tour here includes a visit to the Monastery of St Cyril on the White Lake with its Museum of Icons. After the tour, return to your ship before it sets off cruising towards Yaroslavl.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 10. Volga River – Yaroslavl

Founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, the Golden Ring city of Yaroslavl is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers and is one of Russia’s oldest cities. On arrival here today, you’ll disembark your ship for a guided tour that includes the fortified 12th century monastery and the former residence of the Governor of Yaroslavl.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 11. Volga River – Uglich – Moscow Canal

Today you’ll arrive in Uglich, another city in Russia’s Golden Ring. Disembark for a visit to the home of a local family to enjoy a typical Russian meal. Then, on a tour, visit the Chambers of Prince Dmitry and the Church of St Demetrios on the Blood. Later, return to your ship and cruise onto the Moscow Canal.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 12. Moscow Sightseeing

After breakfast, a tour of Moscow takes you to Red Square, where you’ll enjoy views of absorb St Basil’s Cathedral. The tour also includes the famous GUM Department Store, New Maiden’s Convent, Tverskaya, Sparrow Hill and Lubyanka Square (KGB building). Afterwards, you’ll take a tour within the walls of the Kremlin, an historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow that was once the royal residence of the Czars and main centre of the Russian Orthodox faith. Later, indulge in dinner on board again this evening, then perhaps embark on an optional excursion to the Moscow Circus (own expense).

Daily meals included • Breakfast

Day 13. Moscow Sightseeing

Today, ride the Moscow Metro and visit the Tretyakov Gallery before a lunch cruise aboard a day boat on the Moscow River. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Daily meals included • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

Day 14. Disembark Ship, Depart Moscow

After breakfast, transfer to the airport.

Daily meals included • Breakfast

Price

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Europe