ROB FERREIRA SCHOOL CULTURAL TOUR to Russia 2021 DAY 1 MOSCOW Arrive at Moscow Domodedovo International Airport. You will be met on arrival and shown to your coach for the transfer to and a local hotel for the following 04 night’s accommodation on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. En route enjoy a panoramic city tour of Moscow. DAY 2 MOSCOW Enjoy breakfast at the hotel After breakfast take a Walking tour of Moscow Metro and Kremlin – Explore the secrets of the Soviet people that are hidden underground in the magnificent sculptures, impressive mural mosaics and stained glass. Visit Old Arbat Street, historically the first pedestrian street in Moscow. View the Kremlin, with its wonderful architectural ensemble and 5 main cathedrals. Continue to visit Lenin’s Mausoleum – also known as Lenin’s Tomb, situated in Red Square in the center of Moscow, is a mausoleum that currently serves as the resting place of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. His preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924. Moving on to the Chambers of The Romanov Boyars to enjoy the daily life of the Moscow boyars – furniture, utensils, clothes and customs from Ivan The Terrible to the beginning of the reign of the Romanov dynasty. Then visit the Saint Basil’s Cathedral a great symbol of Russia. Return to the hotel for dinner DAY 3 MOSCOW Enjoy breakfast at the hotel Depart for the State Tretyakov Gallery. The national treasury of Russian fine arts and one of the most interesting museums in the world. The Gallery was founded by a Russian merchant Pavel Tretyakov. He donated his collection to the city of Moscow in 1892. Here you can enjoy the masterpieces of Russian art (11th-20th century). The open-air sculpture museum where you can see the monuments of the Soviet era and socialism period. In the afternoon move on to the Red Square area for a shopping opportunity at the GUM or Okhotny Ryad department stores. Continue to Okhotny Ryad - Okhotny Ryad is a unique underground shopping mall located in Maneghnaya Square, in the heart of Moscow’s historical center. In spite of having a very modest format, “Ohotny Riad” shopping mall continues to be one of the most visited shopping malls of the capital. After dinner at the hotel depart for the Circus of dancing Fountains which includes a performance by acrobats, clowns, jugglers, rope- walkers and trained animals. DAY 4 MOSCOW Enjoy breakfast at the hotel After breakfast transfer to the Cosmonautics Memorial Museum, one of its kind, situated inside an enormous monument dedicated to the cosmos explorers. You can also view some photographs on space exploration from South Africa’s Mark Shuttleworth’s website and books. Afterwards transfer to the Moscow Planetarium which is famous for the largest dome screen in Europe with 9000 stars. It is an observatory and astronomy museum, with interactive science exhibits and a 4D cinema. Return to the hotel for dinner. After dinner depart on a Night walking tour of Moscow city. Moscow is very beautiful, an unforgettable atmosphere, many colors, many lights, wonderful photo opportunities in the historical centre and then walking around Red Square area, across one of bridges and some of the pedestrian streets to experience this vibrant city at night. DAY 5 MOSCOW/ St PETERSBURG Enjoy breakfast at the hotel Morning at leisure and after check out depart for a tour of Bunker 42 Cold War Museum. Bunker 42 Cold War Museum – an exhibition complex of the Cold War times situated at 65 meters underground in the centre of Moscow. In 60s Bunker-42 was completely equipped with all requires in case of nuclear attack. The store of food, fuel, air regeneration and vent filter systems, a water supply system could provide the staff to be in ready alert during several months. Later depart for Moscow Train Station for your overnight train to DAY 6 St PETERSBURG Arrive St Petersburg train station where you will be met and transferred to your hotel for the next 4 nights including breakfast and dinner. After you arrive around 09H00, you can enjoy breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast depart for a St Petersburg sightseeing tour and Neva River boat cruise. It is divided up into many islands and canals connected by over 300 bridges. You will be able to see many different styles of architecture, iconic buildings and monuments from a different angle. During the cruise you will also see locals and tourists departing via hydrofoils to other parts of the city. Return to the hotel for dinner DAY 7 St PETERSBURG Enjoy breakfast at the hotel Depart for the Great Palace of Tsarskoye Selo - Also known as the Catherine Palace, the residence originated in 1717, when Catherine I of Russia hired architect Johann-Friedrich Braunstein to construct a summer palace for her pleasure. OPTIONAL EXTRA: After dinner at the hotel, depart for a Traditional folklore show. (+/- R200) DAY 8 St PETERSBURG Enjoy breakfast at the hotel Depart on a St Petersburg city walking tour to view all the main highlights of St Petersburg (the second largest and most beautiful city in Russia.). There are several stops along the way to give you the chance of viewing the sights at close quarters i.e. the Nevsky Prospect, the Kazan Cathedral, Winter Palace, Vasilevsky Island and St Isaac Cathedral. Continue to the Peter and Paul Fortress the original citadel of St. Petersburg, founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and built to Domenico Trezzini's designs from 1706 to 1740 as a star fortress. In the early 1920s, it was still used as a prison and execution ground by the Bolshevik government. Every day at 12 o'clock a cannon fires a blank shot from the Naryshkin Bastion of the Peter and Paul Fortress. This tradition originates from Peter's epoch, when the cannons announced the beginning and the end of the working day, alerted the local citizens about the floods and marked important state events. Return to the hotel for dinner and thereafter depart for a Street Dance master class which includes styles like Hip Hop. Later tonight travel to the Neva River for a view of the spectacular ‘bridge raising’. (approx. 00H45-02H15) DAY 9 St PETERSBURG Enjoy breakfast at the hotel Morning at leisure to enjoy the city of St Petersburg. In the afternoon you will visit the Peterhof Palace and Petrodvorets Gardens, Peter the Great’s Palace lures visitors with its Versailles-inspired palace, which overlooks a cascade of fountains and gardens opening onto the Baltic Sea. Start with the Great Palace, and be prepared to squint at all the gold inside. The rooms run in a long line facing the park. Many say the palace feels too magnificent to live in -- and Peter felt the same, preferring Monplaisir, a small baroque bungalow close to the water's edge that was the first building in the Peterhof complex. Later transfer to St Petersburg International Airport. Proceed to the international departure counter to check in for the flight to South Africa. ***END OR SERVICES*** TOUR COST PER PERSON SHARING R28 750.00 per person sharing Tour cost based on 20 passengers R 1 750.00 per person airport taxes (subject to currency and fuel fluctuations) INCLUDED IN THE TOUR COST Economy Class flights on Qatar: Johannesburg / Doha / Moscow / St Petersburg / Doha / Johannesburg Accommodation in 3* city hotels: Moscow: 04 x Nights Overnight Train: St Petersburg - Moscow St Petersburg: 04 x Nights Meals: Breakfast and Dinner daily Insurance Medical Insurance English guided Sightseeing: Moscow: Panoramic City tour Metro and Kremlin walking tour Lenin’s Mausoleum Chambers of Romanov Boyars St Basil’s Cathedral State Tretyakov Gallery Okhotny Ryad and GUM department stores Circus of the Dancing Fountains Cosmonautics Memorial Museum Moscow Planetarium Night walking tour of Moscow Bunker 42 Cold War Museum St Petersburg: City sightseeing tour and Neva River cruise Great Palace of Tsarskoye Selo – Catherine Palace Traditional Folklore Show St Petersburg walking tour Peter and Paul Fortress and noonday gun Street Dance Master Class Neva Bridge raising Peterhof Palace & Petrodvorets Gardens Escort: TOUR ESCORT whilst overland Private Coach Transfers All airport / hotel / sightseeing / tours Free of Charge Packages 2 x Free of Charge Packages EXCLUDED FROM TOUR COST Passports – valid for 6 months after return date to South Africa Visa – visas are not required for South African passport holders but foreign passport holders might require visas. Please enquire for more information and costs Airport taxes – this amount is calculated according to the exchange rate and will be adjusted accordingly Personal expenses i.e. gratuities (+/-R500), telephone calls, beverages, meals not specified and any other service not mentioned in this itinerary PLEASE TAKE NOTE Tour cost is based on a minimum of 20 passengers travelling. The tour cost will be adjusted should this amount change Costs are based on fares currently available. This is only a quotation and no flights or services have been booked on your behalf. The final itinerary is subject to availability of services at time of making the reservation Tour cost is calculated at the current rate of exchange (EUR 1.00 = R15.85) and is subject to currency fluctuations. TERMS & CONDITIONS – www.allsportstravel.co.za .