MOSCOW: THE RICHES OF 3 - 7 SEPTEMBER 2020

FROM £1,595 PER PERSON

Tour Leader: Tania Illingworth Tania Illingworth (née Tolstoy) returns to for this ‘one-off’ long weekend trip - the capital dramatically changed since the fall of Communism. Tania, a descendant of the world-famous novelist, will focus on art and history with a private visit to Leo Tolstoy’s pretty country estate. Other important highlights are the UNESCO World Heritage Site - the Kremlin complex uniting the original fortress, the medieval churches and the unique repository of artistic treasures beautifully displayed in the Armoury Museum. Also see The State Tretyakov Gallery – the richest museum of Russian national art – as well as the Pushkin Museum of Fine Art famed for its unique collection of Impressionist and Old Master paintings. There will be an opportunity to attend a ballet or opera performance at The Bolshoi Theatre, the programme will be available 6 weeks before departure.

St Basils Cathedral

5-DAY ITINERARY, DEPARTING 3 SEPTEMBER 2020

3 September London / Moscow Gallery. Moscow’s metro stations are The roots of Russian art derive the ’Palaces of the People’ built on entirely from Byzantium after Russia Suggested flight (not included in the the orders of Stalin during the 1930s adopted Christianity in the 10th cost of the tour) with British Airways and are extraordinarily lavish with century and the museum holds the BA 235 departing London Heathrow mosaics, chandeliers and sculptures. finest collection of Russian icons at 10.55 hrs arriving in Moscow The State Tretyakov Gallery holds worldwide. Portraiture follows rather Sheremetyevo at 16.50 hrs. On all of Russia’s major and most naturally after icon-painting. See arrival, transfer to the National Hotel important Russian works of art - 19th and 20th century arresting for four nights. The hotel is located appropriated by the State after the portraits by Kramskoi, Petrov, on the famous Street in Revolution. Repin and, above all, Serov. Also, the city centre. Optional tour of the wonderful landscapes by Shishkin, Battle of Borodino Panorama and Polenov, Surikov and Levitan. See Field Marshal Kutuzov’s House. Field the internationally known artists Marshal Kutuzov was in command such as Chagall, Malevich and of the armies defending the capital Kandinsky. in 1812 and after the most bloody and indecisive of all Napoleonic Lunch at a local restaurant. This battles, the Russian forces retreated, afternoon drive past the Novodevichy and Moscow was abandoned to the Convent, built originally in the French. Return to the hotel. Dinner at 16th century, with massive white the hotel. encircling walls and blue and gold onion domes. Considered Moscow’s finest baroque architecture, it was 4 September Moscow the most important convent in Russia and fortunately escaped Your tour of Moscow begins with a the Napoleonic Invasion in 1812. short walk to the station where you Continue to Leo Tolstoy’s town go by Metro to the State Tretyakov Moscow Underground home, which has remained intact

020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK The Armoury Museum State Tretyakov Gallery

Leo Tolstoy’s Estate

since the world-famous Russian Kremlin walls see both the 18th and Impressionist and Post-Impressionist novelist died in 1910. Return 19th century cathedrals. Return to schools mostly acquired after the to the hotel. Dinner under own the hotel by fast train to Moscow. Russian Revolution in 1917, when arrangements. Dinner under own arrangements. the Soviet government nationalised all private collections. See works by Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, 5 September Yasnaya Polyana 6 September Moscow City Cezanne, Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso. Early 19th century French works This morning take a fast train to Tula This morning there is a city tour by include works by Corot, Delacroix, and continue on to Yasnaya Polyana coach which will include the main Rubens, Rembrandt, Murillo and (translated as Clear Glades) to see architectural sights such as Kutuzov van Dyck. Also see the remarkable Leo Tolstoy’s country home, Russia’s Avenue, Tversaya Street, the Kremlin Fayum ‘mummy’ portraits (1st - 4th No. 1 Historic House. See the Embankment and the Cathedral of century AD). romantic estate unchanged since the Jesus Christ the Saviour (inside) large family lived there. Remarkably, built in just five years to mark the Time permitting see the Treasures despite WW2, all the furnishings millennium. This immense cathedral of Priam – a cache of Troy gold and contents remain intact and are was built on the same site as the and other artefacts dating from reverently preserved. Walk through original church destroyed by Stalin 2450 BC discovered by the German the birchwoods to see Leo Tolstoy’s in 1931 during the Soviet atheist multi-millionaire and archaeologist modest grave. Time permitting see years. The site would have been the H. Schliemann in the late 1870s the local market in Tula. colossal ‘’ but in modern Turkey. With other war Germany invaded the Soviet Union in booty at this time, these incredible Lunch at the museum’s restaurant. 1941 so all construction ceased. treasures were plundered by the This afternoon drive to the 16th Soviets in Berlin in 1945 and have century fortress, the Tula Kremlin Lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer been on permanent display in the a former famous arms factory and to the Pushkin Museum of Fine Pushkin Museum of Fine Art only silver workshop but now an art Art renowned for its collection of since 1993. Return to the hotel. gallery and folk museum. Within the French paintings, especially the Optional dinner at Pushkin Café.

020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK TOUR PRICES PER PERSON

Tour Price £1,595 Single Supplement £320

PRICE INCLUDES

• Accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary • Breakfast daily; 4 lunches; 1 dinner • All entrance fees, visits and excursions • Transportation as per the itinerary • Gratuities in restaurants for included meals • Gratuities to guide/s; gratuities to driver/s • Porterage • Local English-speaking guide/s • The services of your tour leader throughout

PRICE EXCLUDES • International flights • Travel insurance • Optional dinner at the Pushkin Café (supplement of EUR 100 per person) • Items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.) La Grenouillère, Renoir • Visa and visa service • Theatre tickets and transport to and from the theatre • Government levies or taxes 7 September Moscow / London the spectacular Diamond Treasury introduced after costing and displaying Imperial Russia’s Walk to Red Square, built in the 15th precious stones and coronation publication of this programme on century, originally called ‘Beautiful jewels. 02/12/19 Square’. See St Basil’s Cathedral, built in the late 16th century (exterior Lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer only) and Lenin’s Mausoleum. Along to the airport for a return flight to the walled cemetery the remains of London Heathrow. Suggested flight leading Soviet politicians including (not included in the cost of the tour) Stalin, Brezhnev, and Andropov British Airways BA 234 departing Please note we have not included the cost of the flights in the tour price. are buried. From the balcony of the Moscow Sheremetyevo at 18.10 hrs arriving in London Heathrow at 20.20 Please contact us for prices should you Mausoleum Soviet leaders watched wish to book them through us. the great military parades. See GUM, hrs. the State Department Store during the Soviet era. NB: During your stay there will be Walk to the Kremlin itself, built as a an opportunity to attend an opera fortress in the early 16th century – or ballet performance at the famous the historic heart of the capital. Tour Bolshoi Theatre. Further details of the Kremlin territory, both the seat performances will only be available of Government as well as a UNESCO about 6 weeks prior to performance. World Heritage site, the Armoury Museum, exhibiting splendid Russian State Regalia, carriages, porcelain, jewellery, works by Fabergé and an unrivalled collection of 16th – 17th century British silver. Optional and time permitting, visit

Bolshoi Theatre Novodevichy Convent

YOUR TOUR LEADER

TANIA ILLINGWORTH Tania Illingworth (nee Tolstoy) is three quarters Russian by birth, all her grandparents having fled the Russian Revolution in 1918. A degree in & Literature, with Byzantine Art, reinforced her passionate interest in all things Russian. This, and the extensive knowledge she has acquired through years of visits to Russia, make her tours very special.

020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK 25–27 VANSTON PLACE LONDON SW6 1AZ