I T I N E R A R Y DAY 01, Sunday, May 24, 2015: DEPART USA Depart USA on overnight flights to St. Petersburg from Chicago DAY 02, Monday, May 25, 2015: ARRIVE TO ST. PETERSBURG Upon arrival to St. Petersburg meet and greet, and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon we explore the Lavra Monastery, a beautiful 18th/19th century structure, embodying the glory of Palace Square - St. Petersburg imperial Russia and the magnificent Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, where a few holy artifacts and relics remain. We see Holy Resurrection Cathedral, built on the site of the murder of the Russian Tsar Alexander II. Because of this fact, it is known among the common folk as “Savior of the Spilt Blood” Cathedral. Overnight St. Petersburg. (D) DAY 03, Tuesday, May 26, 2015: IN ST. PETERSBURG. Today we marvel at the beauty of St. Isaak’s Cathedral – one of the world’s biggest domed Cathedrals. We also visit: Smolenskoye Cemetery (Chapel of St. Xenia) and St. John of Rila Monastery (Tomb of St. John of Kronstadt). We then spend time at the Hermitage Museum, home of the last czars, formerly known as the winter palace. Overnight St. Petersburg, dinner at the hotel St. Isaak’s Cathedral and overnight. (B, D). DAY 04, Wednesday, May 27, 2015: IN ST. PETERSBURG The view of St. Petersburg from its observation deck is truly magnificent. Today we see the state historical park “Tsarskoe Selo” (Tsar’s Village) – the place of Catherine the Great’s Palace. Built in the second half of the 18th century, it represents the glory of Russia’s “Golden Age”. You will see the amazing Tsarskoe Selo Palace of Catherine the Great and the fully Page 2 of 10 restored amber room located in it. We stop at the Cathedral of our Lady of Kazan, once the main Cathedral of the Russian Empire, built in the early 19th century in dedication to the Most Venerated Icon in Russia – our Lady of Kazan. Overnight St. Petersburg. Dinner at the hotel, and overnight. (B, D) DAY 05, Thursday, May 28, 2015: ST. PETERSBURG - VALAAM We start the day with a visit to St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Peterhof - an Orthodox masterpiece with beautifully painted galleries and a ceramic iconostas inside. You will see the monument to Peter the Great “Medniy Vsadnik” ("Copper Horseman") – the symbol of St. Petersburg. We then have time for shopping in the Nevsky Prospekt with all its shops and cafes. Departure for Valaam on an overnight boat. Meals will be served on the boat. (B, D) DAY 06, Friday, May 29, 2015: IN VALAAM Valaam – tour of the island and visit to the Monastery complex. Overnight on the boat. Back to St. Petersburg(B, L, D) DAY 07 - 08, Saturday - Sunday, May 30 - 31 , 2015: ST. PETERSBURG – MOSCOW – GOLDEN RING - SERGIEV POSAD The Valaam Monastery= Transfer to St. Petersburg train station where you will board Fast-Speed Sapsan train to Moscow. Upon arrival, we have two days to explore this area known as the Golden Ring. We are blessed to be visiting for the Feast of the Pentecost. His Grace, Bishop Longin will serve the Divine Liturgy along with the Russian Patriarch in Sergiev Posad. Following a meeting with the local Russian faithful, we continue our visit of Sergiev Posad, an ancient town renowned for its Trinity. We explore St. Sergius Monastery, one of the oldest and most prominent in Russia and the spiritual center of Russia for the past six hundred years. During the private tour, discover the Monastery’s thirteen churches, the tomb of Boris Godunov, the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Filaret of Moscow, and St. Innocent – Apostle to America. We also see other sites along the Golden Ring. Overnight in the area. (B, D) DAY 09, Monday, June 1, 2015: SUZDAL – VLADIMIR- MOSCOW Our morning in Suzdal includes a visit to the Monastery, Suzdal Kremlin, the Cathedral if the Naticity and Metropolitans Chamber. Visiting Vladimir, we see the Cathedral of the Assumption with frescoes by A. Rublev, the St. Dimitry Cathedral and the only golden gates in the fortification walls of Russia. We also see Bogolyubovo and ancient residence of Duke Andrew. Return to Moscow, stopping at the Sofrino church goods factory/store for some His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia shopping. Dinner at the hotel and overnight Moscow. (B, D) Page 3 of 10 DAY 10, Tuesday, June 2, 2015: IN MOSCOW Today we have a visit of the St. Basil’s Cathedral, and the Kremlin grounds. The Moscow Kremlin is the center of Moscow and of Russian politics. We visit the Cathedral of the Assumption, built in 1479, used for the coronation of the tsars and the Cathedral of Archangel, completed in 1509, used for burying them. Following our tour we’ll proceed to the old Arbat pedestrian walking street, lined with shops, cafes, street vendors and artists. We see the famous cake factory “Red Square” and the gum department store. Dinner at the hotel and overnight Moscow. (B, D) DAY 11, Wednesday, June 3, 2015: IN MOSCOW We visit Danilov Monastery, the oldest monastery in Moscow established in the 1200’s by Holy Prince Danilo, which presently serves as the official headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church. Also explore Tretyakov Gallery with its priceless collection of art, Christ the Savior Cathedral and Novodevichiy Convent. Dinner at the hotel and overnight Moscow. (B, D) DAY 12, Thursday, June 4, 2015: DEPART MOSCOW Return to USA - this morning you are transferred to the airport for the flight home. (B) ABOUT RUSSIA: (Russian: Россия, tr. Rossiya;), also officially known as the Russian Federation (Russian: Valaam Российская Федерация, tr. Rossiyskaya Federatsiya), Monastery is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi- presidential re Russia public. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both with Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, the US state of Alaska across the Bering Strait and Canada's Arctic islands. At 17,075,400 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one-eighth of the Earth's inhabited land Yahoo Maps area. Russia is also the world's ninth most populous nation with 143 million people as of 2012. Extending across the entirety of northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe, Russia spans nine time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms. The Russian economy ranks as the ninth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2014. Russia's extensive mineral and energy resources, the largest reserves in the world, have made it one of the largest producers of oil and natural gas globally. The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Russia is a great power and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a member of the G20, the Council of Europe, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Community, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as being the leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia (last accessed October 12, 2014) Page 4 of 10 PRICES QUOTED ARE NET, BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY PAX LAND & AIR Airport tax $4479.00 $589.00 included Single supplement Subject to change until time of $895.00 ticketing Optional Suggested tips $150.00 NOT INCLUDED Tips not included Land only $3355.00 Optional Trip Cancellation Insurance: • Basic Policy: 322.00 based on trip price of $ 4779.00. • Cancel for Any Reason: $ 483.00 based on trip price of $ 4779.00. RUSSIAN VISAS Please note that pricing and service does not include obtaining Russian visas. The passengers may contact the Russian Embassy in Washington at the below contact info to secure visas. THE CONSULAR SECTION OF THE EMBASSY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 2641 Tunlaw Road, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20007 Telephone: General: (202) 939-8907 Fax:(202) 939-8919 Visas: (202) 939-8913 Fax:(202) 483-7579, E-mail: General: [email protected] Visas: [email protected] Office hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Open to public: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Head of the Consular Section: Nikolay V. Pukalov Jurisdiction: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, Puerto Rico. Page 5 of 10 RATE OF EXCHANGE USED TO PREPARE THIS PROPOSAL • Prices are based on current rate of exchange at 1.35 USD to Euro and are subject to change based on the rates in effect at the time of final invoice. Prices can be protected with full payment at the time the initial deposit is due. • Once quoted the rate of exchange is guaranteed for 7 days only, where by it becomes subject to change based on market rates. Please be sure all tour participants are informed of this clause and agree to it in writing at time of individual deposit. YOUR DESIRED & COMPREHENSIVE TOUR INCLUDES • Round trip air ORD/ST. PETERSBURG x MOSCOW /ORD. • Included in the price are airport taxes and fuel surcharges of $ 589.00 . Taxes and surcharges are subject to change based on the rates at time of ticketing.