Moscow & Saint-Petersburg classics: best of 2 cities for the first visit to Russia
- City breaks
- Culture & history
- Muslim-friendly
Overview
Three nights in Moscow with the metro, VDNH and a river cruise, then the Sapsan express to Saint Petersburg for four nights: a city tour along Nevsky Prospect, the Hermitage, Catherine's Palace with the Amber Room in Pushkin, and a day with a car at your disposal.
- Ride through the Moscow metro, the world's most beautiful
- VDNH with Moscow Maket and the Cosmos pavilion
- Radisson river cruise, 15:30-18:00
- Red Square, St Basil's Cathedral and the Soaring Bridge at Zaryadye Park
- Sapsan express train from Moscow to Saint Petersburg
- City tour along Nevsky Prospect and the Peter and Paul fortress
- Excursion to the Hermitage
- Catherine's Palace and the Amber Room in Pushkin
Itinerary
Moscow
Arrival to Moscow airport (flight TBA). Meeting by the driver with the name plate. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Overnight at the hotel.
Moscow
Breakfast at the hotel. 11:00 meeting with the English speaking guide in the hotel lobby. A ride through the Moscow metro - not just a transport system but an underground city with its own rhythm, rules and legends. Known as the world's most beautiful metro, it has nearly 200 stations, 44 of them recognised as cultural heritage sites, with marble walls, grand columns, high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, stained glass and mosaics. VDNH, the All-Russian Exhibition Centre, a historical and architectural complex with no analogues in the world. It holds more than 500 permanent structures, about 49 of them cultural heritage objects. Conceived in 1935 as an exhibition centre and amusement park, today it covers over 300 hectares with fountains, cafes and 80 exhibition pavilions telling of Soviet achievements. Ride on the Ferris wheel (pay on spot). Moscow Maket - a model of the city at a scale of 1:400, remarkable for its detail and relief: every building is detached and has four carefully recreated fronts. The Cosmos pavilion, one of the largest scientific and historical museums in the world. Its history began in 1964, when the monument "To the Conquerors of Space" appeared on the map of Moscow. 14:00-15:30 lunch (pay on spot). 15:30 return to the hotel by metro. Overnight at the hotel.
Moscow
Breakfast at the hotel. 14:00 transfer to the pier. 15:30-18:00 Radisson river cruise with panoramic views of the city from the water. Transfer to the hotel.
Moscow - Saint Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel. 11:00 check out. 11:00-15:00 city tour, meeting with the English speaking guide in the hotel lobby. The day starts with Red Square, St Basil's Cathedral (outside), the GUM department store and Zaryadye Park. The Soaring Bridge at Zaryadye Park. Right in the historical heart of Moscow, by the Kremlin walls, Zaryadye is not just a park but a cultural and educational site with plants from most of Russia's climatic zones - forests, plains, meadows and sub-Arctic terrain. Over a million plantings, including rare species from the Red List of Moscow. Transfer to the railway station, "Sapsan" or "Aurora" express train from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. Meeting by the driver in Saint Petersburg, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Saint Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel. 11:00 meeting with the English speaking guide in the lobby. 11:00-13:30 city tour around Saint Petersburg. A stroll along Nevsky Prospect, the first and main street of the city, past Gostiny Dvor, Dom Knigi, the Stroganov Palace and the Admiralty - the first shipping yard of Saint Petersburg. Then the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, with its panorama of the city centre, and Hare Island, where Peter the Great began building the Peter and Paul fortress in 1703. 13:30-15:00 time for lunch (pay on spot). 15:00-17:00 excursion to the Hermitage, the largest museum in Russia and one of the best known in the world. Its 353 rooms hold masterpieces by Raphael, Titian, Giorgione, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and the collection totals around three million pieces. The Knights' Room holds tournament, parade and hunting gear, armour and weapons; the room of Ancient Egypt contains an Egyptian mummy. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Saint Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel. 10:00 meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby. 11:00-12:30 countryside tour to Pushkin with a visit to Catherine's Palace and the Amber Room. The Summer Palace is the heart of Tsarskoe Selo, the Tsar's Village, where the royal way of life is felt in its full magnificence. Almost everything inside is the result of a careful restoration: the legendary Amber Room and the radiant interiors regained their splendour after severe damage during the Second World War. 12:30-13:00 visit to Catherine's park, one of the most picturesque parks among the former residences of the Russian emperors. 13:00 transfer to the Pulkovo outlet for shopping. 17:00 transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Saint Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel. Car at disposal for six hours. Overnight at the hotel.
Saint Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with the driver in the hotel lobby. Transfer to the airport (flight TBA). End of services.
Hotels and prices
Safmar Sushchevsky 4★ in Moscow + Cosmos Nevsky 4★ in Saint Petersburg
Standard double or twin, 25 m² in Moscow and 16 m² in Saint Petersburg, bed and breakfast
- 2 pax
- $1,430
- 4 pax
- $995
- 6 pax
- $865
- 8 pax
- $770
- 10 pax
- $710
St. Regis Moscow 5★ + Corinthia 5★ in Saint Petersburg
Mansard or attic 35-40 m² in Moscow, standard 25 m² in Saint Petersburg, bed and breakfast
- 2 pax
- $2,025
- 4 pax
- $1,600
- 6 pax
- $1,460
- 8 pax
- $1,370
- 10 pax
- $1,310
Package price per person: three nights in Moscow and four nights in Saint Petersburg.
What is included
What is included
- Accommodation in the selected hotels
- Private transfers according to the itinerary
- English speaking guide services according to the itinerary activities
- Entrance fees to the museums and tourist sights mentioned in the itinerary
- Visa support letter for a tourist type visa
What is not included
- International flights
- Visa costs
- Meals and drinks
- Sapsan tickets, Moscow - Saint Petersburg, economy class
- Porterage at the hotel, railway station or airport
- Tips for the guides and drivers
Additional info
- Dates: April - September 2026.
- Nights: three in Moscow, four in Saint Petersburg.
- Sapsan tickets are not included. A one way ticket, 15:30-19:29 Moscow - Saint Petersburg, second economy class, costs from $105 per person.
- Please reconfirm the rates and availability before booking.
- All rates and the order of the tours are subject to availability and may change due to local administration rules.
- The Ferris wheel at VDNH and the lunches on days 2 and 5 are paid on spot.