STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY

St. Petersburg and the Tsar’s Ball Ring in the New Year in Royal Style

December 27, 2012, to January 3, 2013

a program of the stanford alumni association St. Isaac’s

Like most native Californians, my idea of winter trappings is a sweater and umbrella, so a Russian winter replete with snow, hot spiced beverages and horse-drawn troikas defnitely sounds captivating. This year I invite you to celebrate New Year’s in as the Russian nobility did— with dining, dancing and musical performances in the lavishly decorated Catherine’s , with its fabulous Amber Room and magnifcent Grand Hall. During our visit to St. Petersburg, we also explore the world-class , including four halls of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings taken from Germany after World War II and secreted away until the museum’s “Hidden Treasures Revealed” exhibition in 1995. This will be a New Year’s unlike any other—join us!

Brett S. Thompson, ’83, Director, Stanford Travel /Study

Highlights

C elebrate New Year’s E n j oy two separate ATTEND ballet and musi- Eve at the over-the-top visits to the magnificent cal performances at the Tsar’s Ball at Catherine’s Hermitage Museum, with famed Mariinsky Theatre Palace, with dining, musi- its opulent State Rooms and the St. Petersburg cal performances and and world-class art Philharmonic Grand Hall. dancing. treasures.

Cover: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Catherine’s Palace B a l t e a i c S St. Petersburg RUSSIA St. Petersburg Moscow

N R USSIA e v a R i Pushkin v e r (Tsarskoye Selo)

Pavlovsk

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30 Revealed” exhibition of ST. PETERSBURG priceless late-19th- and early- Itinerary This morning set out for our first 20th-century French paintings visit to the vast and luxurious THURSDAY & FRIDAY, removed from Germany in 1945 DECEMBER 27 & 28 Hermitage Museum, which and hidden in the Hermitage DEPART U.S. / contains one of the world’s ST. PETERSBURG, cellars for 50 years. Our RUSSIA leading collections of priceless afternoon is free to prepare Depart the U.S. on overnight art. Today we concentrate for the extraordinary evening flights to St. Petersburg, on the rich art collections ahead. Don your finest attire, arriving on Friday. Check in and lavishly decorated state bundle up in a warm coat to our historic hotel, located rooms, accessed by the gilded and board a coach, led by a on St. Isaac’s Square, at the Jordan Staircase. Relax over VIP escort, for the ride to the very center of St. Petersburg’s lunch at a favorite nearby quaint village of Pushkin, where vibrant downtown. restaurant. In the afternoon, HOTEL ASTORIA Catherine’s Palace is located. enjoy a private tour of the Grand As costumed attendants offer Menshikov Palace, built by SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29 us vodka, champagne and hors ST. PETERSBURG Peter the Great for his friend, d’oeuvres, we are led to the After breakfast, visit the State Alexander Menshikov, the first Great Hall, where tables are Russian Art Museum, housed governor of St. Petersburg. exquisitely set for our six-course in the former Mikhail Palace Later, sip champagne as we gala dinner. After a midnight bell and displaying Russian art are entertained by an ensemble concert and fireworks, dance that ranges from medieval from the Rimsky-Korsakov the rest of the night away or icons to works of early-20th- Conservatory. This evening, take one of the frequent shuttle century avant-garde artists. attend a superb performance at coaches back to our hotel when After lunch on our own, tour the Russia’s best-known performing ready to wrap up the evening. massive and opulent St. Isaac’s arts center, the Mariinsky HOTEL ASTORIA (B,D) Cathedral, built to celebrate Theater, known as the Kirov Tsar Alexander’s victory over during the Soviet era. Tuesday, JANUARY 1 Napoleon. This evening, attend HOTEL ASTORIA (B,L) ST. PETERSBURG / a musical performance at the PAVLOVSK Enjoy a morning at leisure St. Petersburg Philharmonic MONDAY, DECEMBER 31 ST. PETERSBURG / after the New Year’s festivities. Great Hall. Return to our hotel’s PUSHKIN Depart this afternoon for a Caviar Bar for a lavish welcome This morning we return to drive into the countryside to reception with caviar, blinis, the Hermitage Museum for a the village of Pavlovsk for a vodka and champagne. curator-led tour of the fabulous HOTEL ASTORIA (B) Scythian Gold Collection traditional lunch along with a and the “Hidden Treasures performance of folk dancing lane to Pavlovsk

B a l t e a i c S St. Petersburg RUSSIA St. Petersburg Moscow

N R USSIA e v a R i Pushkin v e r (Tsarskoye Selo)

Pavlovsk

and music. Continue by of the Yusupov family, who THE TSAR’S BALL horse-drawn troika (carriage) feared Rasputin’s influence The highlight of this program to Pavlovsk Palace, built by on the Tsarina Alexandra. is the Tsar’s Ball at Catherine’s for her This evening we enjoy a Palace, held on the evening son, Paul, when his heir, farewell cocktail reception of December 31st. The night Alexander, was born. Almost and sumptuous dinner at the begins as we travel from completely destroyed during Russian Empire Restaurant, our hotel through a snowy World War II, it has since located in the historic winterscape to Tsarskoye been beautifully restored to Stroganov Palace. Selo, now known as Pushkin. its former splendor. Return HOTEL ASTORIA (B,D) Usher in the New Year with to St. Petersburg in the all the pageantry, majesty THURSDAY, JANUARY 3 late afternoon and enjoy ST. PETERSBURG / U.S. and imperial grandeur once an evening of independent After breakfast, transfer to reserved exclusively for the dining and exploration. the airport for return flights aristocracy of pre-Revolutionary HOTEL ASTORIA (B,L) home. (B) Russia. Upon entering the palace, pass through room WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2 ST. PETERSBURG after exquisite room, each This morning visit the Post-trip Extension lit by myriad candles. As we Yusupov Palace, an 18th- MOSCOW arrive in the enormous, gilded January 3 to 6 Great Room, gaze at the century architectural ceiling painting, “The Triumph masterpiece and the home Spend three days exploring of Russia.” Savor a lavish six- of the wealthy and powerful this capital city. Visit the course dinner catered by the Yusupov family, close friends Kremlin, the center of same French catering company of the Tsar. The splendid Russian history and politics. that served at the original balls. rooms offer a glimpse into the Marvel at artistic treasures While dining in regal splendor, life of the nobility on the eve that cover the last thousand enjoy excerpts from ballets and of the Russian Revolution in years of Russian history operas performed by members the early 20th century. It was at the Tretyakov Gallery. of local opera and ballet houses. in the cellars of this palace View the Lenin Mausoleum At midnight, welcome in the that the long, laborious killing and dazzling St. Basil’s New Year with a bell concert of the infamous “holy man,” Cathedral. Gregory Rasputin, began on and a fireworks display in the the night of December 16, Details and pricing will park outside the Great Hall and 1916, at the hands of friends be sent to confirmed dance late into the night. This participants. is truly a once-in-a-lifetime New Year’s Eve celebration. Hermitage Museum Catherine’s Palace

Excess-baggage charges Personal items Information such as email, telephone and fax calls, laundry and gratuities for nongroup services D a t e s December 27, 2012, to What to expect January 3, 2013 (8 days) We consider this program to be moderately strenuous and at times physically demanding. S i z e Daily activities may involve one to two miles Limited to 34 participants of walking, mainly in museums, and churches. In many instances, guided tours c o s t * require climbing up and down several flights $8,495 per person, double occupancy of stairs where steps may be steep, uneven $9,345 per person, single occupancy and/or without handrails, and elevators may *Association nonmembers add $200 per person be limited or unavailable. Some sites do not I N C LUD E D allow motorcoaches to pull directly in front, 6 nights of deluxe hotel accommodations at thus requiring a short walk to reach the the Hotel Astoria 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, entrance. Expect cold weather and ground 2 dinners Welcome champagne and caviar that is frozen and icy. Participants must be reception and farewell cocktail reception physically fit, active and in good health. Bottled water on excursions Gratuities to We welcome travelers 15 years of age porters, guides and drivers for all group activities and older on this program. All tours and excursions as described in the itinerary Visa fees Transfers and baggage handling on program arrival and departure days Minimal medical, accident and evacuation insurance Educational program with lecture series and pre-departure materials, including recommended reading list, a selected book, map and travel information Services of our professional tour manager to assist you throughout the program

N o t I N C LUD E D International and U.S. domestic airfare Passport fees Immunization costs Meals and beverages other than those specified as included Independent and private transfers Trip-cancellation/interruption and baggage insurance Pavlovsk Palace

Terms & Conditions Deposit & Final Payment Financial Insolvency and Terrorist other causes beyond our control. A $1,000-per-person deposit is Acts if you postmark your insurance All such losses or expenses will have required to hold space for this payment within 15 days of the date to be borne by the passenger as tour program. Complete and return the listed on the confirmation letter. rates provide arrangements only for attached reservation form or place the time stated. We reserve the right your deposit online. Final payment Eligibility to make such alterations to this is due 120 days prior to departure. We encourage membership in published itinerary as may be the Alumni Association as the deemed necessary. The right is Cancellations & Refunds program cost for nonmembers reserved to cancel any program prior Deposits and any payments are fully is $200 more than the members’ to departure in which case the entire refundable, less a $500-per-person price. Parents and their children payment will be refunded without cancellation fee, until 120 days prior under 21 may travel on one further obligation on our part. The to departure. After that date, refunds membership. For more information right is also reserved to decline to can be made only if the program is or to purchase a membership, visit accept or retain any person as a sold out and your place(s) can be alumni.stanford/goto/membership member of the program. No refund resold, in which case a $1,000-per- or call (650) 725-0692. will be made for an unused portion person cancellation fee will apply. of any tour unless arrangements We recommend trip-cancellation Responsibility are made in sufficient time to avoid insurance; applications will be sent The Stanford Alumni Association, penalties. Baggage is carried at to you. Stanford University and our operators the owner’s risk entirely. The airlines act only as agents for the passenger concerned are not to be held Insurance with respect to transportation and responsible for any act, omission Stanford Travel/Study provides exercise every care possible in doing or event during the time that all travelers who are U.S. or so. However, we can assume no passengers are not onboard their Canadian citizens with minimal liability for injury, damage, loss, plane or conveyance. Neither the medical, accident and evacuation accident, delay or irregularity in Alumni Association, Stanford coverage under our group-travel connection with the service of any University nor our operators insurance policy. Our group policy is automobile, motorcoach, launch accept liability for any carrier’s intended to provide minimal levels of or any other conveyance used in cancellation penalty incurred by protection while you are traveling on carrying out this program or for the the purchase of a nonrefundable this program. We strongly recom- acts or defaults of any company or ticket in connection with the tour. mend that you subscribe to optional person engaged in conveying the Program price is based on rates baggage and trip-cancellation passenger or in carrying out the in effect in March 2012 and is subject insurance. A brochure offering such arrangements of the program. We to change without notice to reflect insurance will be mailed with your cannot accept any responsibility for fluctuations in exchange rates, confirmation about one week after losses or additional expenses due tariffs or fuel charges. As a condition we receive your deposit. The product to delay or changes in air or other of participation, all confirmed offered in this brochure includes a services, sickness, weather, strike, participants are required to special Waiver of Pre-Existing war, quarantine, force majeure or sign a Release of Liability. Conditions and coverage for California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50

Tel (650) 725-1093 FAX (650) 725-8675 Email [email protected] © COPYRIGHT 2012 STANFORD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Printed on recycled, FSC-certified paper in the U.S. Faculty Leader Kathryn Stoner-Weiss, a senior fellow at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, was on the faculty at Princeton University for nine years prior to coming to Stanford in 2004. At Princeton, she was jointly appointed to the department of politics and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. She has held fellowships at Harvard University as well as at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. Her main research interests include comparative state building and effective governance, political “Of all the traveling we economy of developing countries, Russian domestic and have done, the trips international politics, and Canadian politics. During our program, Dr. Stoner-Weiss, who has visited Russia dozens of time in the with Stanford are far last 20 years, will discuss the politics and economics of present- superior to any we have day Russia, while drawing upon the country’s rich history. taken. The memories At Stanford: Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law; faculty director, Ford Dorsey Program in last forever and can be International Policy Studies Fellow, Harvard University, Cambridge; the Woodrow Wilson attributed to the thought Center, Washington, D.C. Author of Resisting the State: Reform and Retrenchment in and planning that was Post-Soviet Russia (2006) and Local Heroes: The Political put forth by Stanford.” Economy of Russian Regional Governance (1997) BA and MA, political science, University of Toronto; PhD, government, Harvard University J a n a n d Dav e W h i t n e y, S ta n f o r d T r av e l e r s

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r ew Yea le N y Stanford Travel/Study Frances Arrillaga C. Alumni Center Galvez326 Street Stanford, 94305-6105 CA (650) 725-1093 al St y in Ro St. Petersburg Tsar’s and the Ring in the December 27,to 2012, January 3, 2013

“The Tsar’s Ball was a magical fantasy that came true on New Year’s Eve. The evening could not have been improved!” J o a n H a w orth, ’60 | St. Peter s b u r g a n d t h e t S a r ’ s B a l l , 2 0 0 6

STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY