Wednesday 2nd July – Saint Petersburg, Russia

• Arrive at your own leisure into St. Petersburg. The second largest city of Russia is well connected with the Caucasus and Asian countries. Self-transfer to our centrally located hotel. Alternatively, continue directly from our Complete Caucasus Tour.
• A pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 6:00pm to discuss the tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great and is historically and culturally considered the beginning of the Russian Empire. We’ll head to our favourite restaurant which arguably serves the best borscht in the city!
• For those inclined we’ll head to a local bar for zakuski – Russian hors d’oeuvres of gherkins, sausages, and pickled herring – consumed with Baltika beers and vodka!
• Overnight stay in St. Petersburg.

Thursday 3rd July – Saint Petersburg

Morning

• Breakfast at our hotel before we began our epic journey of discovering and exploring key sites of the Russian Revolution!
• Once we’re ready, we’ll take a scenic walk along the Neva River to capture the daily life and to meet our local guide and driver.
• Lenin Square – here we’ll find the most iconic monument of Vladimir Illitch which depicts the revolutionary making a speech from atop an armoured vehicle. We’ll take an epic group photo here!
• Finlyandsky Railway terminal – best known as the terminal that Lenin used to return to Russia from Germany to start the 1918 Revolution. Lenin rode into St. Petersburg on engine #293 disguised as a railway worker, after previously fleeing persecution after the July Days riots.
• Next, we’ll visit the Cruiser Aurora, a famous vessel that fired the first shot that launched the Russian Revolution. The vessel also survived the Battle of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War.
• We’ll visit the famous Lenin Memorial Museum, where we will view his office and living quarters, the assembly hall in which he spoke, as well as the former school for the girls. It is one of the few Lenin museums still in existence.
• Apartment Museum of the Alliluevs, or ‘Lenin’s Secret Flat’. It was home to Sergey Allileuv, a Russian revolutionary, and his daughter Nadezhda Alliluyeva, Stalin’s second wife. Allileuv was a participant in the October 1917 Revolution. The Allileuvs provided refuge to Lenin and Stalin when they were both fugitives.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local restaurant – we recommend trying solyanka, a popular hearty soup.
• We’ll take a scenic route to Tauride Palace, one of the oldest and largest palaces in St. Petersburg. It was built by Catherine the Great. This was the site where the revolutionary provisional government was formed in 1917.
• Uprising Square – renamed in 1918, due to the number of revolutionary demonstrations and protests which have occurred here.
• Those wishing to purchase souvenirs, capture pictures, or grab a beer can freely do so – your guide will be able to assist with any recommendations.
• Dinner at a local restaurant. We recommend trying pelmeni, a delicious meat-filled dumpling that is also recognised as Russia’s national dish.
• Overnight stay in St. Petersburg.

Friday 4th July – Saint Petersburg – Moscow

Morning

• Early morning start with breakfast before we check out ready to experience the beautiful cultural heritage of St. Petersburg.
• We’ll visit the world-famous Hermitage Museum founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great. The former Winter Palace of the Tsars houses many world-class artefacts. This is the second largest museum on the planet, so you’ll be able to explore exhibits that fit your specific interests.

Afternoon

• For lunch, we’ll head to a local café. We recommend trying blini – Russian pancakes alongside a coffee.
• We’ll continue on our scenic walking tour to the Admiralty building, which used to be the headquarters of the Imperial Russian Navy.
• In Kazan Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan, you’ll have the opportunity to see some of the finest examples of iconostasis depicting various biblical characters.
• Next, you’ll visit the most iconic site of St. Petersburg, the Church of the Savior on Blood. The beautiful church was erected on the site where Alexander II was assassinated by a political nihilist in 1883. The church was ransacked and looted during the Russian Revolution, used as a morgue during the Siege of Leningrad, and used as a warehouse to store vegetables and thus referred to as the Saviour on Potatoes.
• We’ll celebrate our final evening in St. Petersburg with some traditional Russian cuisine and drinks.
• We’ll head to the railway station and collect supplies for our train journey. We’ll be travelling on 4-bed sleeper compartments and, if you wish, meet in the restaurant carriage.
• Overnight on sleeper train.

Saturday 5th July – Moscow

Morning

• Arrival at 6:00am in Moscow – the largest and capital city of Russia, the city’s name derives from the River Moskva.
• We’ll transfer to our centrally located hotel for breakfast and to freshen up before heading out to explore one of the largest cities in the world.
• Lenin’s Mausoleum. Located in Moscow Red Square, it is the resting place of the Soviet leader, whose body has been preserved since 1924.
• Saint Basil’s Cathedral, locally known as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was constructed by Ivan the Terrible.
• We’ll visit the iconic GUM – the most famous department store in the Soviet Union.

Afternoon

• Lunch at our favorite canteen. We recommend trying okroshka, a traditional dish consisting of vegetables, meat and kvass.
• Once we’re ready, we’ll continue to the former KGB building which was expanded following the increased staff members from the Great Purge.
• Your walking tour will include the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Kutuzovsky Prospekt, and Poklonnaya Hill – which has military hardware from the Great Patriotic War.
• Fallen Monument Park – with the collapse of the USSR, thousands of Soviet monuments were destroyed or dispersed. Some of the most formidable ended up here. We’ll explore the park and look for the Stalin statue with the missing nose!
• For dinner at a local restaurant, we recommend trying shashlik. Moscow has a booming craft beer scene, so we’ll head to a local bar to sample some of it!
• Overnight stay in Moscow.

Sunday 6th July – Moscow – Kazan

Morning

• Breakfast at our hotel before we check out ready to explore the historical centre of Moscow.
• The Kremlin, which means “fortress inside a city”. The fortified complex was the former residence of the Russian Emperor and now is the official residence of the Russian President. You’ll visit the various Palaces, Cathedrals, and Armory chambers within the Kremlin walls.
• Kremlin Wall Necropolis – here you’ll find the graves of Bolshevik Revolutionary heroes including Yakov Sverdlov, Inessa Armand, and Viktor Nogin. Controversially, the final resting place of Joseph Stalin can be found here. It’s not uncommon to find flowers on his grave as he is still regarded as a hero by many.
• Before we leave the Kremlin, we’ll visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Here we’ll be able to see the changing the guard – a ceremony which takes place every hour.

Afternoon

• After a busy morning, we’ll grab lunch at a local café. We recommend trying guriev porridge – a sweet dessert that goes well with coffee.
• As it’s your final day in Moscow, you’ll have time to purchase souvenirs, take some pictures, or have a relaxing beer with your YPT guide.
• In late afternoon, we’ll head to the train station. You’ll be able to purchase hot food for dinner and snacks for the overnight train journey.
• Overnight on a sleeper train.

Monday 7th July – Kazan – Ulyanovsk

Morning

• We’ll arrive early in Kazan, the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan.
• After breakfast, we’ll begin our tour of the Third capital of Russia.
• Kazan Kremlin – constructed by Ivan the Terrible, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has lost many old buildings during Communist times.
• We’ll continue to the Kul Sharif Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Russia, and then Söyembikä Tower, locally referred to as Khan’s Mosque.
• Next, we’ll head to the Old Tatar Quarter, Staraya Tatarskaya Sloboda, one of the oldest districts in Kazan where many historical buildings have been preserved. Practically each of them relates to a figure of Tatar culture.

Afternoon

• For lunch, we’ll head to a traditional Tatar restaurant. We recommend trying qazı (horse meat platter).
• We’ll continue to explore Kazan visiting Bogoroditskaya Monastery, where the Vatican copy of the Our Lady of Kazan Icon is held, and St. Peter and Paul’s Church, one of the most beautiful churches in Tatarstan and perhaps even Russia.
• We’ll take in Freedom Square, City Hall, Opera, and Ballet Theatre.
• We’ll finally head to the railway station and collect supplies for our train journey to Ulyanovsk.
• On arrival, we’ll transfer to our hotel and have dinner.
• Overnight stay in Ulyanovsk

Tuesday 8th July – Ulyanovsk – Izhevsk

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel, before we explore Ulyanovsk – the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin.
• First, we’ll visit the Lenin family home, a unique and interesting part of pre-revolutionary Russian history. We’ll get a group photo here in front of the white Lenin statue – you’ll also notice how flowers are regularly placed here.
• Next, we’ll visit the most famous site in the city, the Lenin memorial centre. It is crammed with busts, photos, and portraits of Ulyanovsk’s most famous son.
• We’ll visit the impressive monument to Dmitriy Razumovskiy, a local Special Forces soldier who died during the Beslan school massacre that took place in 2004.

Afternoon

• For lunch, we’ll head to our favourite restaurant which has a selection of Armenian and Georgian cuisines. We recommend trying khinkali, the famous Georgian dumplings.
• Then, we’ll head to the impressive aviation museum featuring planes and helicopters from the Soviet era. One of the most impressive aircraft is the Tupolev Tu-144, nicknamed the Charger by NATO.
• We’ll head to the train station for dinner and to pick up supplies ready for our journey to Izhevsk.
• On arrival to Izhevsk, we’ll transfer to our hotel for much-needed rest.
• Overnight stay in Izhevsk.

Wednesday 9th July – Izhevsk 

Morning

• Early morning starts with breakfast before we explore Izhevsk – the capital city of the Udmurt Republic.
• We’ll visit a centre dedicated to the man who created arguably one of the most lethal weapons in human history: The Mikhail Kalashnikov Museum, charting the creation of the weapon and the life of Kalashnikov. You will be allowed to fire a AK-47 if you wish as the museum basement has a firing range for a fee.
• Next, we’ll visit a unique exhibition displaying weaponry dating back to 1808.

Afternoon

• Time for lunch, we’ll head to a local restaurant that serves a selection of pelmeni, the Udmurt national dish.
• After a busy morning seeing weaponry, we’ll visit Izhevsk Zoo which still has Siberian tigers and polar bears.
• Dinner at a local brewery with a wide selection of BBQ meats and beers; there are also vegetarian options available.
• Overnight stay in Izhevsk.

Thursday 10th July – Izhevsk – Yekaterinburg

Morning

• Early morning start, ready for our 4:00am train to Yekaterinburg.
• We’ll spend most of our morning on the train. You’ll have the chance to stretch your legs when the train stops at various small stations.

Afternoon

• Lunch in the restaurant carriage.
• On arrival, we’ll visit the Square of 1905. It became the centre of revolutionary events in the city during the early 20th century, when the Bolsheviks revealed the Manifesto of October 17. The rally was interrupted by the Black Hundreds and the Cossacks, and the ensuing fight resulted in several deaths.
• City Dam – built in 1723 and served as the base for the industrial expansion of the city. Today, it is home to a prominent monument of the Industrial Age, the statue of Tatishev and De Genin.
• We’ll see the Keyboard Monument, 86 concrete keys arranged in the shape of a QWERTY keyboard. It represents Western technological culture but maintains the tradition of Eastern stone gardens. The Keyboard Monument is thus perfectly situated, as it stands on the border of Europe and Asia.
• We’ll check out Rastorguev-Kharitonov’s Palace, arguably the grandest palatial residence in the Urals. Its former owner was jailed for life for the cruel treatment and torture of serfs.
• We’ll check out the incredible Black Tulip Memorial, a recreated cargo space of a military transport plane that was used to transport the bodies of dead Russian soldiers back home from the Afghan war. Such aircraft were called “Black Tulips” by the Afghan veterans. The names of the local 240 soldiers killed in Afghanistan are carved on the ten pylons of the monument. After the anti-terrorist operation in Chechnya, granite plates with the names of servicemen killed in Chechnya and Dagestan were added to the memorial.
• We’ll see the Statue of Yakov Sverdlov, a Bolshevik revolutionary and close ally of Lenin, before rounding off our walking tour at the opulent opera and ballet house. You’ll also see the statue of Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, often vandalised.
• Church of All Saints – built on the site of Ipatiev House is where the Romanov family were murdered by the Bolsheviks ending the direct bloodline of the House of Romanov.
• For dinner, we’ll head to our favourite Serbian restaurant. We recommend trying cevapcici.
• Overnight stay in Yekaterinburg.

Friday 11th July – Yekaterinburg

• Early morning start with breakfast at our hotel before we check out.
• We’ll head to a grocery store to stock up for today’s and tomorrow’s trans-Siberian railway journey back to Moscow.
• You’ll stay in a 4-bed compartment. This is a perfect time to catch up on some sleep and reflect on this epic journey.
• Lunch and dinner with the group at the restaurant carriage. For those inclined, a few drinks while enjoying the vast scenery.
• Overnight on the sleeper train.

Saturday 12th July – Yekaterinburg – Moscow

Morning

• Most of the day will be on the train. It’s a great chance to see how normal working-class Russians travel. It’s also a good time to share pictures amongst the group and play board games, read, or relax.

Afternoon

• We’ll be making various stops along the journey back to Moscow. You can stretch your legs on the platform and purchase homemade food from the babushka.
• Later, we’ll head to the restaurant carriage for our customary drinks to celebrate our epic Russia tour!
• On arrival to Moscow, we’ll transfer to our centrally located hotel freshen up, and head out for our final group dinner!
• Overnight stay in Moscow.

Sunday 13th July – Moscow

• We’ll have a leisurely morning, starting the day with breakfast at our hotel.
• Tour concludes – YPT can arrange additional nights in Moscow and airport drop-off for a fee. We are more than happy to provide advice for ongoing flights

Read More