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St Petersburg to Berlin Via the Baltic States

St Petersburg to Berlin Via the Baltic States

TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS IN 2013

St Petersburg to via the Baltic States

ST PETERSBURG – TALLINN – RIGA – VILNIUS – BERLIN

with Liz Gibson 10-29 August 2013 (20 days) Tour St Petersburg to Berlin leader via the Baltic States

Discover the extraordinary art treasures of St Petersburg and Berlin, the cultural capitals of Europe, and visit the Baltic States that link these great cities. Beginning in the grand European-inspired capital laid out by Peter the Great and embellished by the later Tsars, journey through Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, along the so-called ‘Via Baltica’ – the historic trade route which links southern and northern Europe along the east coast of the Baltic Sea. The capitals Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn will delight you with well-preserved old towns and a wealth of medieval, Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau (Riga) architecture. Finish with a leisurely seven-night stay in Berlin, the new geographical, Liz Gibson is a former political and cultural capital of an expanded Europe. Witness the remarkable Senior Coordinator of Public transformation of this city, which has seen so much turbulence in its history. Programs at AGNSW, Liz continues to lecture on broad ranging aspects of art history and art appreciation. Since leading her first tour to , she has immersed herself in Eastern Europe and its interconnecting layers of At a glace: art and culture. As a result, Liz has developed and led a • Explore the summer palaces, museums and churches of St Petersburg series of successful Art Gallery • Spend a full day at the Hermitage Museum Society tours through Russia, Czech Republic, Baltic States, • Travel along the ‘Via Baltica’ stopping in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, • Take an in-depth look at Berlin, the new cultural capital of Europe Romania and Hungary. • Visit the on a guided art tour

St Petersburg Tallinn Estonia

RUSSIA Riga Latvia

Lithuania Vilnius

Poland Berlin GERMANY

Fly Coach Map is a guide only Itinerary

Fri 9 August 2013 Depart Sydney After lunch at a traditional Russian restaurant, continue to the Suggested departure from Sydney on Qantas/British Airways flights nearby neo-classical Pavlovsk Palace. The residence of Emperor to St Petersburg via London. Paul I, the son of Charles Cameron, the estate’s magnificent palace sits on a hill overlooking an English-style landscaped park, with a Sat 10 Aug Arrive St Petersburg beautiful river running through it. B L Arrive St Petersburg in the afternoon. Transfer and check-in to your Tue 13 Aug St Petersburg hotel superbly located on St Isaac’s Square, within walking distance of many important points of interest, including the Hermitage Museum. Today begins with an introductory lecture on the ‘Hermitage Museum’ by Liz Gibson, followed by a visit to this world famous In the evening join Liz Gibson and fellow Art Lovers for a welcome museum. Located in the former Winter Palace, the official residence briefing and dinner. D of the Tsars, and the Small and Large Hermitages, the museum houses the vast collection of artworks built up by the Tsars, along Sun 11 Aug St Petersburg with the collections of several former leading aristocratic families. Full day introduction to this magnificent city, first planned by Peter the Great and later embellished by the Tsars as a great European Following the morning guided tour, the rest of the day is free to capital. Begin with a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress built by further explore the Hermitage Museum at your leisure. Peter the Great in 1703 to defend Russia from Swedish attack. Tonight, subject to programs announced approx. two - three Visit the impressive Peter and Paul Cathedral, the burial place of months prior, attend an , ballet or concert. B all the Russian Emperors and Empresses from Peter the Great Wed 14 Aug St Petersburg to Alexander III. Continue to Smolny Cathedral, a fine example of Baroque architecture by the Italian architect Rastrelli (also Today journey out of St Petersburg to Peterhof with commanding responsible for the Winter Palace and Catherine’s Palace). views over the Gulf of Finland. Inspired by Versailles, this series of palaces and gardens was laid out on the orders of Peter the After lunch, enjoy a walking tour along (and off) Nevsky Prospect, Great and completed by his daughter, the Empress Elizabeth. Visit St Petersburg’s main avenue, through the historical centre of the the Grand Palace with its numerous gardens, the summer palace city. In the very early days it was the start of the roadway to the Monplaisir, the Royal baths and kitchens which detail everyday life of ancient city of Novgorod, and quickly became adorned with major the Imperial family. palaces, department stores, hotels, restaurants, churches, squares and bridges. B L Enjoy a picnic lunch and afterwards travel to Oranienbaum located in the town of Lomonosov. It was built in Peter the Great’s time by Mon 12 Aug St Petersburg Prince Menshikov, who sought to built a palace to rival Peterhof. B L Drive to the town of Pushkin, formerly known as ‘Tsar’s Village’ Thu 15 Aug St Petersburg (Tsarkoye Selo), renowned for its remarkable ensemble of palaces and parks. It is particularly famous for its impressive Baroque Join Liz Gibson for a lecture on ‘Russian Art’ followed by a visit Catherine Palace, where Empress Catherine the Great lived and died. to the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood (Resurrection of Christ Church), erected between 1883 and 1907 on the site Pass by the nearby Aleksandrovsky Palace, the favoured home of where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. Built in the the last Tsar, Nicholas II (not open to the public). It was from here flamboyant Russian Revival style, both the interior and exterior of that the whole Imperial family left in 1917 to travel to Yekaterinburg, the church are richly decorated with colourful mosaics, designed where they were brutally murdered by revolutionaries. and created by the most prominent Russian artists of the day.

Grand Cascade Fountains, Peterhof Catherine’s Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, Pushkin Continue with a visit to the Russian Museum, housed in the Founded in 1323 at the confluence of the rivers Neris and Vilnia, Mikhailovsky Palace, built between 1819 and 1825 for Grand Duke Vilnius is a city of religious tolerance and of churches. The skyline Mikhail, the brother of Alexander I and Nicholas I. Established in is dominated by spires and features much remarkable Baroque 1895 under the decree of the Emperor Nicholas II and opened in architecture. B L 1898, the Russian Museum is today the world’s largest collection of Russian fine arts from the 10th to the 20th centuries, a famous Wed 21 Aug Vilnius restoration centre and one of Russia’s major cultural, educational A morning walking tour will start from Cathedral Square in the and research centres. Remainder of the day at leisure. B heart of the city. Visit St Stanislav’s Cathedral, St Anna’s Church, the Gates of Dawn, Gediminas Castle and the University, one of Fri 16 Aug St Petersburg – Tallinn (Estonia) the oldest in Europe. After a break for lunch, drive a short distance A day’s drive takes you from St Petersburg to Tallinn, the capital of out of the city to the 15th century Trakai Castle, which stands on an Estonia and the best-preserved medieval town in Northern Europe. island in the middle of a lake. Return to Vilnius for a private organ B D concert at St Kazimier’s Cathedral. B D Sat 17 Aug Tallinn Thu 22 Aug Vilnius - Berlin The best way to explore Tallinn is on foot. The morning walking Morning flight from Vilnius to Berlin. Transfer to the hotel situated tour will start in the Upper Town dominated by Toompea Castle, on the River , opposite the and close to ‘Tall Hermann’ tower and the Dome Cathedral. In the Lower Town, . see the Church of the Holy Spirit, Niguliste Church and Town Hall Begin your exploration of Berlin with an afternoon walking tour Square, dominated by the medieval Old Town Hall. The morning including the Berlin State Opera, Humboldt University, the Altes will conclude with a visit to the Ethnographical Park Museum ‘Rocco Museum and the Zeughaus (German Historical Museum). Finish Al Mare’. at , surrounded by the , the Hotel This afternoon is at leisure to further explore Tallinn on your own. Adlon, the Academy of the Arts and Frank Gehry’s DZ Bank Climb the tower of the Town Hall for a spectacular view, take a building. B D walk to Pirita along a seaside boardwalk passing many points of interest. Dinner in the old town. B D Fri 23 Aug Berlin Full day exploration of Berlin. Drive along Oranienburger street, Sun 18 Aug Tallinn – Riga (Latvia) past the , through the government district and Depart Tallinn for a leisurely day’s drive to Riga. En route, stop in Bellevue Palace, today the official residence of the German the Baltic coastal town of Paernu for lunch, before continuing to the president and the Siegessäule. capital of Latvia, known as the ‘Paris of the Baltics’. B D Visit Charlottenburg Palace, the largest palace in Berlin and the Mon 19 Aug Riga only royal residence in the city dating back to the time of the Hohenzollern family. Riga will delight you with its architectural contrasts – from medieval and Gothic, to Renaissance and Art Nouveau. This morning, After a break for lunch see the Olympic Stadium and drive along explore the old town of Riga, including visits to Riga Castle, the Kurfürstendamm, a wide locally also known as Ku’damm, Dome Cathedral, St Peter’s Church, Large and Small Guild Houses Berlin’s most famous shopping street, past the Kaiser-Wilhelm- and Powder Tower. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner in the old town. Gedächtniskirche, a partially destroyed 19th century church is a B D constant reminder of the ravages of war. Drive past Embassy Row and stop at the Holocaust Memorial, dedicated to the victims of the Tue 20 Aug Riga – Vilnius (Lithuania) Holocaust. It is an undulating forest of 2711 slabs of concrete, each Depart Riga for a full day’s drive to Vilnius along the ‘Via Baltica’. of a different size. B First stop is at the beautiful Baroque Rundale Palace. Continue to Siauliai for lunch and a visit to the Hill of Crosses. Arrive in Vilnius in the afternoon.

Toompea, Tallinn Hermitage staircase Sat 24 Aug Berlin In the afternoon explore the (New Museum). The After breakfast join Liz Gibson for a talk on German painting before building now provides a new home for the Egyptian Museum and visiting the Gemäldegalerie (Old Masters Paintings), an art museum Papyrus Collection and the Museum of Prehistory and Early History, first opened in 1830 holding one of the world’s leading collections together with artefacts from the Collection of Classical Antiquities. of European art from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Its collection B includes masterpieces from such artists as Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Tue 27 Aug Berlin Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer. Full day tour to the nearby garden city of Potsdam. Here you will visit Friedrich the Great’s 18th century rococo masterpiece Continue to , an important public square and Sans Souci and the nearby Sans Souci Picture Gallery, the oldest traffic intersection in the centre of Berlin. It is named after nearby remaining royal museum in Germany, where paintings are presented Potsdam and marks the point where the old road from Potsdam in splendidly carved and gilded frames. Visit the Dutch Quarter and passed through the city wall of Berlin at the Potsdam Gate. see the Russian Colony. Return to Berlin via Wannsee Lake to visit After free time for lunch (at own expense), visit the Neue the Max Liebermann villa and garden. B L Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery). The collection features a number of unique highlights of modern 20th century art. Particularly Wed 28 Aug Berlin well represented are Cubism, Expressionism, the Bauhaus and This morning visit the Hamburger Bahnhof Berlin’s museum for Surrealism. contemporary art housed in a former railway station and dedicated to art from the second half of the 20th century onwards. Finish the day with visits to some contemporary galleries in the district and Scheunenviertel (Barn Quarter). B Explore the Jewish Museum, which exhibits the social, political and cultural history of the Jews in Germany from the 4th century to the Sun 25 Aug Berlin present. The museum explicitly presents and integrates, for the first After breakfast join Liz Gibson for a talk about Museum Island, time in post-war Germany, the repercussions of the Holocaust. a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site where five major No introduction to Berlin would be complete without a visit to museums - , , , (or ‘Checkpoint C’) the name given by the Neues Musuem and are situated. Western Allies to the best known crossing point Walk to nearby Pergamon Museum. The Pergamon houses between East and West during the Cold War. a celebrated collection of antiquities assembled by German Tonight join Liz Gibson and fellow travellers for a special farewell archaeologists during the 18th and 19 th centuries, including the dinner. B D famous Pergamon Altar.

Remainder of the day at leisure to further explore Museum Island. B Thu 29 Aug Depart Berlin Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast. Depart Berlin on a Mon 26 Aug Berlin British Airways flight to London connecting with a Qantas flight to Today visit the Reichstag building on a guided art tour. Visitors Australia. B to the Reichstag are not only able to admire its impressive architecture, but also view a range of artworks created by established German and foreign artists for the home of the German parliament - including, as a gesture to Berlin’s former four-power status, works by artists from the USA, France and Russia (subject to final confirmation).

The Hill of Crosses, Lithuania Riga, Latvia Tour Prices Per person, twin-share AUD 8,750 Single supplement* AUD 1,850 Deposit per person AUD 500 Final Payment 11 June 2013 *Single travellers may request to share. Please advise at time of booking.

Tour code AG1308

Suggested airline Qantas/British Airways Competitive airfares are available on Qantas / British Airways and other airlines. Please contact Renaissance Tours for current fares and bookings. Visas Australian and New Zealand passport holders require a visa for Russia. Renaissance Tours will assist you in obtaining the visa. Tour prices include • 19 nights accommodation in centrally located four-star hotels with daily breakfast ( B ) Museum Island, Berlin • Meals as per itinerary ( L =Lunch, D =Dinner) including welcome and farewell dinners. Wine with dinners • Transfers and sightseeing, including entrance fees as per itinerary, in comfortable air-conditioned coaches • Arrival transfer in St Petersburg • Economy class flight from Vilnius to Berlin (20kg luggage allowance) • Lectures and talks with your tour leader throughout • Gratuities for local guides and drivers • Hotel porterage (one piece per person) • Visa for Russia Tour price does not include • International airfares • Departure transfer in Berlin • Items of a personal nature, including telephone, laundry, room service etc. • Travel insurance • Airport porterage

Your hotels     St Petersburg – Angleterre Hotel Tallinn – Hotel Savoy Boutique Riga – Hotel Neiburgs Vilnius – Hotel Grotthuss Berlin – Radisson Blu N.B. Hotels of a similar standard may be substituted.

Rundale Palace, Latvia Terms & Conditions

How to Book The above cancellation charges include Travel Insurance Complete, sign and return the Booking Form applicable GST. It is a condition of travel that you are available from Renaissance Tours with your covered by comprehensive travel In addition to the above, cancellation deposit and page one of your passport. insurance for international tours. Your charges may apply for additional travel insurance can be arranged by arrangements booked by Renaissance Deposit / Final Payments Renaissance Tours. Your deposit is due at the time of Tours, such as air tickets, hotels and travel booking and is used to pay hotel, airline, insurance premium. If the reason for Fitness and Participation performance tickets and/or other cancellation is covered by the insurance For the overall benefit of the group, all tour deposits. It is non-refundable in the event policy, you may be able to reclaim these members must possess a moderate level of of your cancellation. charges. mobility, including the ability to: Final payment is due 60 days before b) Cancellation by Us - We reserve • negotiate airports and railway stations departure. Failure to make the final the right to cancel a tour for any reason without wheelchair assistance payment by the due date may result in (such as failure to reach minimum tour • use combined shower/bath facilities (it is cancellation of your booking and loss participant numbers). Except for force impossible to guarantee walk-in shower of deposit. majeure, we will not cancel a tour less than facilities) 60 days before departure. No further • undertake walking tour of 2-3 hours Payments are accepted in cash and by compensation will be paid in the event of duration, including using stairs, walking cheque, bank transfer, American Express, cancellation by Renaissance Tours. A full over cobblestones and other uneven Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa. A 3% refund of monies paid for tour costs will be surfaces service charge applies for payment by the full extent of our liability. • stand for long periods in museums and American Express and Diners Club. Cancellation and/or amendment fees may other sites Cancellation & Refunds apply for additional travel arrangements • embark / disembark coaches, trains and a) Cancellation by You - Cancellation booked by Renaissance Tours. other methods of transportation without charges will be applied as shown below, assistance calculated from the day written notification Passports, Visas and Vaccinations • handle your own luggage All travellers must be in a possession of a is received by Renaissance Tours. In If you (or we) have any doubts about your valid passport – most countries require a addition to cancellation fees for tours ability to participate in your chosen tour, 6-month validity from your date of entry operated by Renaissance Tours as shown you may be required to have a doctor’s or exit. For some countries (e.g. China, below, airlines, hotels and other third appraisal. This would require a doctor to Vietnam, India, Russia), visas are included parties may impose up to 100% cancellation read the itinerary of your chosen tour and in the tour cost and will be arranged by charges. provide you with a written confirmation of Renaissance Tours prior to travel. For other your ability to participate. 60 days or more Forfeit of deposit countries, it is your responsibility to ensure 59 – 45 days 25% of tour cost you have the appropriate visa(s). Terms & Conditions You can find the full terms & conditions on 44 – 31 days 50% of tour cost You are also responsible for obtaining all necessary inoculations and preventative the Renaissance Tours booking form. They 30 – 15 days 75% of tour cost medicines as may be required for the can also be found at www.renaissancetours. duration of the tour. com.au or we would be happy to post you Less than 15 days 100% of tour cost a copy on request.

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin The Reichstag Cupola, Berlin TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS IN 2013

Cover: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood interior Back: Marble statue, Palace

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