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Home , Nevsky Prospect

EXETER FAMILY 2020

ITINERARY AT A GLANCE: day 1 arrive in St. Petersburg day 2 St. Petersburg day 3 St. Petersburg day 4 St. Petersburg day 5 St. Petersburg – day 6 Moscow day 7 Moscow day 8 Moscow - Onward

Day 1

ARRIVE IN ST. PETERSBURG

Upon arrival in St. Petersburg you will be meet by your private driver to be transported to your hotel.

EXETER SERVICES Arrival Transfer

Hotel Rocco Forte Astoria Day 2

ST. PETERSBURG

This morning, you will be met by your guide and driver for today’s tour. Begin with a drive outside the city to ’s answer to Versailles - Peterhof. Today you’ll skip the palace interior and, instead, focus on the gorgeous gardens, fountains and views. Walk through the gardens to see Peterhof’s most enchanting treat: the trick fountains of the gardens.

During your time here you may want to visit the Grottos of Peterhof. The tremendous variety of fountains is one of the principal features of Peterhof, where their extravagance and playfulness indicate the atmosphere of early 18th century Russia. You will journey underneath the fountains and learn of their remarkable engineering and history.

Afterward, board the hydrofoil with your guide to head back to central St Petersburg. The thirty-minute ride takes you out of the city traffic and into the Baltic Sea! Your guide will go with you on the hydrofoil and your driver will meet you at your destination.

Back in the center, you’ll have an overview tour of the city. Pass by the famous Bronze Horseman statue of Peter the Great, the Strelka (the spit in the center of the River, overlooking the Winter Palace, the first stock exchange, Peter Paul Fortress and dozens of stately palaces) and of course, the grand Nevsky Prospect, the main avenue of the city.

Next, you will see Peter Paul Fortress: the birthplace of St. Petersburg. After walking through the many gates and across the bridges and moats, you can begin to feel the late 18th-century era that required such fortification. As Peter’s original outpost against the Swedes, St. Petersburg was born from this fortress and its historical significance is felt to this day by the presence of every Romanov tomb from Peter the Great.

Exeter International Extraordinary Experience Following your tour around this historic island fortress you will be invited in as VIP guests of Peter Paul Cathedral. Here you will enter the soaring steeple of the cathedral through winding steps and wrought iron ladders, passing some of the most fascinating and historic mechanisms that keep the cathedral running. You’ll see the ancient clock mechanisms that keep the time and connect to the extraordinary array of cast iron bells that ring every hour and can be heard across the city. Don’t miss the “Peter the Great stood here” sign! The climb is for relatively fit travelers who are comfortable in tight spaces and climbing steep spiral staircases at times. The views from the windows near the top are unforgettable as the steeple is the tallest building in all historic St. Petersburg.

EXETER SERVICES Vehicle, Driver, & Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel Rocco Forte Astoria Day 3

ST. PETERSBURG

This morning your driver and guide will take you out into the Russian countryside to see one of the city’s most elegant and beautiful palaces- Catherine Palace (formerly Pushkin). Today you will visit the lavish Catherine Palace and its fabled Amber Room. This palace was originally designed in the 1750s in the Rococo style by the famous architect Rastrelli for the Tsarina (Princess) Elizabeth, who named it after her mother Catherine I – Peter the Great’s second wife. Later, Catherine II (the Great) commissioned the Scottish architect Charles Cameron to re-design the palace’s interiors in the then-fashionable Neo-Classical style. After ’s death, the palace remained largely unchanged for centuries until the Second World War when the Nazi army, retreating after the unsuccessful , destroyed the palace almost completely. After the war, the magnificent palace and its interiors were thoroughly and painstakingly rebuilt, but renovations at some parts still continue.

Exeter International Extraordinary Experience While visiting Catherine Palace, you will be invited into the Amber Room workshops where craftsmen rebuilt the famous amber panels lost in World War II.

Afterward, head to nearby Pavlovsk Park for some afternoon activity.

Pavlovsk Park is one of the most storied English gardens of Russian history and even today, the park maintains its original layout from the grand walkways to the hidden paths which lead to enchanting pavilions. The enormous park is much too large to explore on foot in its entirely, so we invite you to hop on a bicycle for a completely different prospective!

Originally designed by the English architect, Cameron, the gardens flow from the main palace elegantly and in three directions. Be sure not to miss the Dairy House, the Greek Pavilion and the wonderful Rose Pavilion, built for Alexander II to celebrate his victory over Napoleon.

EXETER SERVICES Vehicle, Driver, & Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel Rocco Forte Astoria Day 4

ST. PETERSBURG

Meet your guide this morning for a short walk to and the Hermitage. Early entrance to the Hermitage has been arranged for you, so that you can enter the museum before the general public. The Hermitage collection spans just about every artistic period from Greek and Roman collections to Matisse. The museum boasts that it holds the largest collection of art in the world.

Exeter International Extraordinary Experience After time to explore, your private boat will be waiting for you. Today your guide will join you as you have a private boat tour of the canals of St. Petersburg. This is one of the most enchanting ways to explore the city, as you take in the sights while gliding along the canals and rivers of the city, past the Winter Palace, the Mariinsky Theater, the Summer Gardens, and many other important sights. Refreshments and light snacks will be served on the boat.

Your cruise will end on one of the canals outside the ornate Church on Spilled Blood. The Church on Spilled Blood is so named because it stands on the spot where the Emperor Alexander II was assassinated on March 1, 1881. Its unique design was inspired by St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. This is the only church in the world covered completely inside and out by mosaics of tiles and precious and semi-precious stones. This is one of the most extraordinary buildings in St. Petersburg and is well worth the visit. During the Bolshevik revolution, the church fell into a state of decline, and only recently has it been fully restored to its former glory.

Exeter International Extraordinary Experience Today you will also have a very special appointment for painting Matryoshka Dolls. Also called Babushka dolls or Nesting dolls, you would be hard-pressed to find a more popular symbol of Russia, and you will have the chance to paint your own set with a local artisan.

EXETER SERVICES Vehicle, Driver, & Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel Rocco Forte Astoria Day 5

St. Petersburg - MOSCOW

This morning meet with your private driver for your transfer to the train station. Today you have tickets on the high speed Sapsan train that will whisk you to Moscow in just four hours. Upon arrival into Moscow you will be met by your driver and assistant. Together you will travel to your centrally located hotel in the heart of the city.

After time to check in and have lunch on your own, explore some of the surrounding neighborhood with your guide. In Red Square, be sure not to miss the rebuilt church and Imperial Gates at the south end of the square; they were both destroyed under Stalin and are now rebuilt in their original splendor.

Your guide will also show you the stunning St. Basil’s Cathedral, an iconic symbol of Moscow. This magnificent church-museum was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible and was completed in 1561. Rumor has it that Ivan had the architect blinded so he would never be able to design anything as exquisite again!

You may want to experience the fascinating interiors of the Moscow Metro stations, ornately decorated with beautiful paintings, carvings, and chandeliers! The Moscow Metro was created as a complex of monumental structures featuring designs of the very best Soviet architects. The stations, most built between 1930 and 1960 are underground palaces, featuring exquisite frescoes, statues, mosaics and stained glass. Each station has its own special theme- our favorite is Teatralnaya. Today this massive public transportation system is one of the largest in the world, carrying over 9 million passengers per day (twice as many as London or Paris!). Your guide will be delighted to show you as many stations as you like.

You can also walk over to the nearby Zaryadye park for sweeping views of the Red Square and St. Basil Cathedral. With 32 acres of recreation space right in the very centre of the city, the park is located steps from Red Square. Designed by Diller, Scofido & Renfro, architects who created the New York Highline, the concept is described as ‘wild urban’ – with the park merging historical with nature. There are many kid-friendly pavilions here, including an ice cave and a Soaring ride.

Exeter Services Station Transfers; Guide (4 Hours)

Hotel Metropol Day 6

Moscow

This morning your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby to begin your exploration of Moscow. You will begin with one of the most iconic sites of Moscow – the Kremlin. You will have an appointment to visit the famed Armory Museum, including its vast collection of Imperial Russian artwork. Here you’ll see the Kremlin’s world- famous collection of Imperial Faberge Easter Eggs. Also, in the Armory are many of the most important Imperial thrones and crowns, including the most historic, the Cap of Monomachus.

Included in your Kremlin visit today is entry into the Diamond Vaults. Admission to these extraordinary rooms is by special appointment with the Kremlin and your guide is not allowed to enter with you. Your entry to the Diamond Vaults is with a pre-set group of other visitors, and you will have approximately twenty minutes to browse these rooms on your own. You will see Catherine the Great’s scepter with its famous Orlov Diamond and one of the largest collections of diamonds and gem stones in the world!

Afterward, meet your driver to see a bit more of Moscow.

Exeter International Extraordinary Experience The decommissioned Nuclear Bunker reveals the Cold War chapter in the history of Russia, when the country was on full alert and when tensions between the superpowers were at their highest. This visit will take you 50 years into the past into an era when many civilian constructions in Moscow (like the 3-story apartment block above the bunker) were there just to disguise military purpose objects.

The Cold War Nuclear Bunker was built 200 feet below Moscow and still bears its Cold War-period atmosphere: long dark corridors, metal stairs, and large detachments for storing generators, provision, and munitions. Built in the 1950’s to withstand a potential nuclear attack, the bunker’s main function was to sustain communication for the government in case of a nuclear attack. Upon entering the bunker, you may either walk 20 floors down for the tour or use the elevator. This experience is by appointment only and is private for you and your family.

Exeter Services Guide (8 Hours); Vehicle and Driver (5 Hours)

Hotel Metropol Day 7

Moscow

This morning you will be met in your hotel lobby by your driver and guide to begin your tour of The Museum of Soviet Machines. This is a private museum created by three young people and has become a labor of love for all things arcade. The museum is interactive, and allows guests to step back into the USSR, playing games that children played in the republics last two decades.

Next you will travel to Moscow’s Museum of Cosmonautics, a rarely visited museum that brings to life the history of Soviet and Russian space exploration. The museum is located at the base of the impressive (and famous) Monument to the Conquerors of Space, which is some 350 feet high and covered with titanium.

You can also see Cosmonaut Alley, which is lined with busts of cosmonauts, space scientists, and rocket engineers including Yuri Gagarin, the first man to fly into space, and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to fly into space.

The Space Museum re-opened in 2009 after years of renovation and expansion and now houses an expanse of authentic exhibits focusing on the different stages of space exploration. You won’t want to miss the collection of space suits which shows how they were developed and improved through the years, the small capsule in which Gagarin flew into space, and the models of space stations, some of which one can actually walk through. There is also a café in the lobby area where “space food” is available for purchase!

Afterwards, end your touring today at the revitalized Gorky Park. What was once a rather desolate area is now a vibrant and fun city park for all. It’s an easy spot to rent bikes or simply enjoy the good weather.

Exeter Services Vehicle, Driver & Guide (8 Hours)

Hotel Metropol Day 8

Depart from Moscow

This morning you will check out of your hotel and meet your driver and assistant for the departure transfer to the airport. Here you will meet your onward flight home.

Exeter Services Airport Transfer What's Included

Prices: Inquire for pricing

Accommodations St. Petersburg Junior Suites for 4 nights at the Rocco Forte Astoria; tax and breakfast included.

Commissioned in 1910 the hotel was conceived as a celebration of the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty and opened in December 1912. Built by one of St Petersburg’s most famous architects, Fyodor Lidval, who had his own style that some have termed ‘Northern Modern’ and is almost .

The décor is light and airy and gives a sense of place that is more Chekhov’s Russia than opulent Oligarch, with oak parquet floors and pristine Russian Volga linen curtains and bedspreads. Splashes of color are added with sumptuous velvet cushions and we love quirky touches like the photo of Sean Connery and Daniela Bianchi in From Russia with Love in each of the bathrooms of the junior suites. Local touches throughout the hotel like the beautiful Imperial porcelain in clean white or intense cobalt blue give the hotel a classic but contemporary feel.

The Litchfield Bar is a perfect place to enjoy a frozen vodka or two, and the Rotunda lounge, with its large windows overlooking St Isaac’s Square is a relaxing place to watch the world go by and enjoy afternoon tea from a traditional Russian Samovar. Café Astoria serves a very nice mix of international and Russian favorites. The hotel is wonderfully located in the heart of the city in St Isaacs Square and is in walking distance from the Hermitage and the banks of the Neva River, and many excellent restaurants.

Junior Suite: These beautiful oversize rooms feature approximately 470 square feet of space and offer a choice of one king or two twin beds. Décor is contemporary in a traditional setting and suites feature a small sitting area and bedroom all in one space. Bathrooms feature a separate tub and shower. Junior Suites feature views of Bolshaya Morskaya .

Moscow Executive Rooms for 3 nights at Metropol; tax and breakfast included.

At this fabulous hotel, guests can truly step into the past. Located in the very heart of Moscow, the Metropol Hotel has been service guests since the reign of Nicholas II. The original Art Nouveau architecture has been preserved and restored, to offer guests an authentic Russian experience. The Metropol has several categories of rooms and suites, each providing guests with a unique blend of luxury, comfort, and history. Original paintings by renowned Russian artists line the walls of rooms, decorated beautifully with vintage furniture and antique items from the hotel’s own collection. Guests can enjoy views of the most famous places in Mosscow, including the Bolshoi Theatre, Theatre Square, Revolution Square, and Teatral’naya. With a perfect location and a unique history, the Metropol Hotel truly offers guests an amazing experience.

The hotel is in the process of renovating the hotel to align the interior decoration with its Art Nouveau history. Updated rooms offer modern luxury and a plush feel, while un-renovated rooms offer the best views.

Updated rooms include a Smart Home System, iPad Air, air conditioning, Nespresso coffee machine, tea kettle, and Asprey London bathroom amenities.

Executive Rooms (NEW) These stylish rooms feature an Art Deco styled interior with soothing neutral shades. Guests can enjoy views of the heart of Moscow or the Metropol’s central courtyard. The rooms measure 323 square feet and can include a king size bed or two separate beds.

Meals No meals included, other than breakfast as described above. Your final documents will include our top recommendations. Your guides will recommend restaurants that fit your exact needs daily.

Services Private vehicle, driver and guide at your service as described. The timing for each day is noted in your program.

Exeter International’s local offices are available for your assistance 24 hours per day while you are traveling. Our local staff may also assist you with restaurant reservations and purchasing of additional theater and museum tickets at your request.

Transportation Transportation is included as noted. Unless otherwise noted, all transfer service is with a driver only, not a guide. In general, drivers have limited English-speaking skills. Timing for each day is noted in your program.

Guides Hand chosen for their knowledge on local history, art & architecture. Guides are at your disposal as noted in your itinerary.

Tickets All entrance tickets as described in the program.

Exeter International Travel Information BAGGAGE The vehicles reserved for your itinerary can accommodate up to two medium-sized suitcases per person. If you intend to travel with additional luggage, please advise your travel consultant so appropriate arrangements may be made. In general, we schedule a sedan for parties of two, a minivan for parties of three to four and a minibus for parties of five or more.

SIGHTSEEING Sightseeing arrangements have been made with your special interests in mind. Your drivers and guides are at your disposal as indicated in the itinerary. Within those time and mileage guidelines, you are free to modify your program as you please. Should you require additional time or mileage, the costs will be quoted on request and may be paid for locally in the local currency or U.S. Dollars.

Every effort has been made to confirm that scheduled sightseeing venues will be open at the time you plan to visit them. However, individual estates, museums, gardens and other points of interest can change their hours of operation at short notice. In the event that a particular attraction is closed on the day or time of your visit, your guide will offer alternative arrangements or rearrange your sightseeing to accommodate these unexpected events.

OPTIONAL EXPENSES Charges for extra meals, transport, sightseeing services or other optional additions to your established itinerary are your responsibility and must be paid locally in the local currency.

GRATUITIES Gratuities are not included in your tour price and are at your own discretion. Please see your final documents for tipping suggestions.

DINING WITH YOUR GUIDE On days when dinner and lunch costs have not been included in your itinerary (or in your tour cost), you may, at your discretion, choose to invite your guide to dine with your party. You are under no obligation to do so but, if you do extend such an invitation, the guide is your guest and you will be responsible for the cost of his/her meal.

Booking Conditions PAYMENTS Exeter International must receive a deposit of 25% of the total program cost before reservations for your independent travel program can be initiated. The balance of payment is due 60 days prior to departure. No reservations are made on your behalf until this deposit has been received. Availability and pricing is subject to change until this deposit is received. All deposits are nonrefundable.

CANCELLATION Written cancellations received fewer than 60 days prior to departure are subject to the following forfeit of tour cost  60-15 days prior to departure, 50% of total tour cost  14 or fewer days prior to departure, 100% of tour cost

REFUNDS We regret that refunds cannot be issued for arrangements confirmed on your itinerary but unused once your tour has begun.

INSURANCE Exeter International strongly recommends the purchase of travel to protect your investment. You will find insurance costs noted on your invoice and insurance coverage information in your original booking packet.

PRICES AND ARRANGEMENTS Once an itinerary is finalized and final payment has been made, a $100 revision fee will be charged if the itinerary is changed.

The tour price includes planning, handling and operational charges. Rates are quoted in US Dollars on the current rate of exchange and tariff as of 2020. Exeter International reserves the right to increase tour prices to cover increased costs, tariffs and taxes, and to reflect fluctuations in foreign exchange markets. Devaluation of a foreign currency will be weighed against any tariff increases imposed. Exeter International does not breakdown costs involved in any Small Group or Individual Travel Program.

All arrangements are subject to availability and modification if necessary. Prices are subject to change if necessary until paid in full.

Exeter International www.Exeterinternational.com 111 South Dakota Avenue │ Tampa, Florida 33606 Phone: (813) 251-5355 │ (800) 633-1008 │ Fax: (813) 251-6685