15 DAYS Russia and Oberammergau Explore the grandeur of the Russian cultural landmarks of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Dive into its unique history and be dazzled by the stunning architecture and heritage of UNESCO sites like the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad or Yuriev Monastery and Veliky Novgorod. From history, faith, art, cuisine and culture, this tour is packed with splendour, with a stunning finale in Oberammergau. Accompanied by 12 NIGHTS / 15 DAYS • THU 28 MAY - THU 11 JUNE, 2020 St Petersburg (4 Nights) / Tsarkoe Selo / Veliky Novgorod (2) / FR JOHN RATE MSC Moscow (4) / Sergiev Posad / Oberammergau (2) St. Isaac’s Cathedral, St Petersburg Bavarian Alps near Oberammergau Meal Code (B) = Breakfast (L) = Lunch (D) = Dinner “Penitent Magdalene”, Canova’s sculpture DAY 9: FRIDAY 5TH JUNE - RED SQUARE DAY (BD) “The Three Graces”, “The Prodigal Son” by Our tour of Moscow proper begins today with DAY 1: THURSDAY 28TH MAY - DEPART FOR Rembrandt as well as works by a hundred other Mass at the Church of Saint Louis des Francais RUSSIA great masters. – this was the only Catholic Church not closed Today we also visit the Alexander Nevsky during the Communist rule. DAY 2: FRIDAY 29TH MAY - ARRIVE Monastery – at the heart of the Russian ST. PETERSBURG (D) Continue on to visit Red Square, Orthodox Church. We will hear about its history mostly famous for the military parades “The united magnificence of all the cities of Europe and challenges particularly through the last 100 demonstrating to the world the military are but its equal” – so said Voltaire. years. Enjoy a free evening and the opportunity might of the Soviet Union. View the Kremlin After our arrival at St. Petersburg airport we will if you wish to attend an opera (at additional Wall, where from 1917 it became a tradition be transferred by coach to our centrally located expense). St. Petersburg overnight to bury Soviet heroes by and in the wall. hotel. St. Petersburg overnight Leaders Joseph Stalin, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri DAY 5: MONDAY 1ST JUNE - GRAND PETERHOF Chernenko and Yuri Gagarin (the first man TH PALACE (BD) DAY 3: SATURDAY 30 MAY - ST. PETERSBURG in space) are some of the people resting (BD) Today we travel out to explore the World here. The charming Kazan Cathedral on We begin this morning with the celebration Heritage listed Summer Palace or the Grand this square is a faithful reconstruction from of Mass at St Catherine’s Basilica, the oldest Peterhof Palace which is a series of palaces, 1990 after Joseph Stalin had it demolished in Catholic church in Russia. Continue on to St. grottoes, fountains, cascades and gardens. 1936. Still by the square, we see the famous Isaac’s Cathedral designed to hold 14,000 See also the famous statue of the founder of coloured domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral (now standing worshippers. Admire the dome St. Petersburg - Peter the Great, the “Bronze a museum) as it is commonly known, however of St. Isaac’s which is plated with pure gold Horseman” built by order of Catherine the the official name is “The Cathedral of the and a dominant piece of the St. Petersburg Great. St. Petersburg overnight Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat.” The skyline. We will also visit the SS Peter and Paul circular stone platform Lobnoe Mesto which ND Cathedral with its landmark needle-thin spire DAY 6: TUESDAY 2 JUNE – VIA CATHERINE stands before St. Basil’s was constructed in – the highest in the city and an unusual feature PALACE TO VELIKY NOVGOROD (BD) 1598 and used for proclamations; on religious for a Russian Orthodox Church. Inside are the Today we travel south of St Petersburg to holidays, a lectern was added making the tombs of Peter the Great, Catherine the Great Tsarkoe Selo, an estate boasting a large whole square an open cathedral. The Lenin as well as Nicholas II and his family. landscaped park centred on the magnificent Mausoleum was erected on the square to Here we also see the Trubetskoy Bastion and Catherine Palace. Named after Catherine I, house the body of Vladimir Lenin - the Father Prison; this fortress is the oldest building in St. the wife of Peter the Great, the building was of the Revolution. Directly opposite the Petersburg which saw its last prisoner in 1921. reconstructed in the 18th century on a scale Mausoleum is Russia’s most famous shopping to rival Versailles. Continue south to Veliky mall – the State Department Store, GUM. The We will have time for a leisurely lunch break Novgorod – the oldest city in Russia. reconstructed Resurrection Gate and the and free afternoon. Veliky Novgorod overnight Iberian Chapel house Moscow’s most sacred St. Petersburg overnight site with the 17th century miraculous painting DAY 4: SUNDAY 31ST MAY - ST. PETERSBURG DAY 7: WEDNESDAY 3RD JUNE - VELIKY of the “Iberian Virgin” held to have healing (BD) NOVGOROD (BD) powers. See the famous Statue of Minin and Pozharsky commemorating Prince Dmitry During our time here our visit will include This morning we will visit the great colonnaded Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin – the leaders of the 11th century St Sophia Cathedral with arms of Kazan Cathedral (built to an enormous the militia that repelled the Polish invasion its miraculous icon; Yaroslav’s Court and the scale between 1801-1811) whose design was in 1612. The Cathedral of the Assumption medieval marketplace as well as the Museum influenced by St. Peters Basilica and Bernini’s or Dormition Cathedral with its five Domes of old Russian Iconography. colonnade in Rome. The cathedral houses the representing Christ and the four Evangelists State Museum of Religious History. Enjoy a Travel out to the Yuriev Monastery – the is the oldest and most important church in visit to the Church of the Saviour on Blood oldest functioning monastery in Russia. Be the Kremlin. Within its walls coronations and which features over 7,500 square metres of enchanted by the acoustics in St George installations have occurred and the tombs mosaics, claimed to be more than any other Cathedral. Veliky Novgorod overnight of many patriarchs are here. Admire the church in the world. magnificent Iconostasis and the Holy Doors. DAY 8: THURSDAY 4TH JUNE - ST. PETERSBURG An example of how different architectural styles On the Eastern side of Cathedral square is the TO MOSCOW (BD) can be combined is evident in Palace Square. 81 metre Ivan the Great Bell Tower – tallest Lining this main square we see the Baroque This morning we will return to St Petersburg to building in all of Russia for almost 400 years. Winter Palace and the former Imperial Army board our train to Moscow. On arrival we will Ivan the Great ordered a bell tower for the building in the Classical style among other be transferred to our hotel for check-in. Archangel, Assumption and Annunciation buildings including one of the largest and oldest After dinner, this evening we will reboard our Cathedrals. There are 21 bells in the tower museums in the world, the Hermitage. Here we coach to enjoy a panoramic tour of Moscow by and belfry; the largest being the Assumption will view Leonardo’s “Madonna Litta”, Titian’s Night. Moscow overnight Bell weighing 70 tons. In 1918 the last Easter 4 St Petersur 2 Vey Novoro Sergiev Posad 4 Mosco RUSSIA GERMANY UKRAINE 2 Oeraerau Oberammergau Passion Play service in the Kremlin took place and the bells DAY 12: MONDAY 8TH JUNE - MOSCOW TO of Ivan the Great did not ring again until 1992. OBERAMMERGAU (BD) INDICATIVE PRICING Next door is the Kremlin Armory Museum Today we will be transferred to the airport for to see the sumptuous collection of jewelry, our flight connections to Germany. On arrival TOUR CODE PV2120 tableware and icons. A highlight is the large at Munich airport we will be transferred south case of Faberge eggs including the famous by coach through the picturesque Bavarian AIR & TOUR (TWIN SHARE) AUD $9290.00 PP Siberian Railway egg. Alps to the village of Oberammergau, home to Moscow overnight the world renowned Passion Play. SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT AUD $2140.00 Every ten years affords pilgrims the great privilege DAY 10: SATURDAY 6TH JUNE - MOSCOW & of witnessing the world renowned Passion Play TIPPING MADE EASY $15 PP per day SURROUNDS (BD) of Oberammergau. For over 300 years this Today we journey north past the outskirts of picturesque village in the Bavarian Alps has re- * Costs have been based on prices as at 28 the city as Russian Orthodox pilgrims have enacted the passion of Jesus, and people of every February 2019 and must remain subject to religious denomination have been drawn to this done for centuries to the town of Sergiev possible change in the unlikely event of significant cherished spectacle. Posad and the site of one of the holiest places exchange rate variations, airfare increases and in all of Russia – the stunning Holy Trinity St. Oberammergau region overnight minimum group size (25) contingencies. Further Sergius Lavra. It was founded by St. Sergius note that an additional Single Room Supplement DAY 13: TUESDAY 9TH JUNE - of Ranonezh (c.1321 – 1391) a monk who from may apply subject to final Oberammergau OBERAMMERGAU – THE PASSION PLAY (BD) childhood seemed destined for holiness. It Accommodation being allocated. (PP = Per Person) is said that even as a baby he refused to eat The history of the Oberammergau Passion Play certain foods according to fasting days and begins in 1633. During the Thirty Years’ War, that as an almost illiterate child he had a vision after much suffering and also many deaths from a hooded monk who taught him to read caused by the plague, the surviving population of INCLUSIONS the bible.