Discover the lavish, romantic and austere in European Russia
Experience the essential sights of a land that lay hidden behind the Iron Curtain for decades on a revealing eight-day tour of European Russia. Travel through Moscow, Suzdal, Novgorod and St Petersburg to peel back some 1000 years of history. From the blue-domed whimsy of the tenth-century Cathedral of the Nativity to the Soviet-era communal apartments of St Petersburg and the restaurant car of an overnight train – this adventure is the perfect introduction to the expansive history and diverse faces of Russia’s western reaches.
Let whimsical Suzdal capture your heart and imagination with its onion-domed monasteries, spiced-honey mead and during dinner with our local friends.
Enjoy a tea party with a local family in one of St Petersburg’s Soviet-era communal apartments, grand dwellings converted to working class accommodation after the Russian Revolution.
Visit the mausoleum of Lenin, famed revolutionary and Bolshevik leader, and compare the tomb’s austerity with the eye-bulging treasure collection in the Kremlin and Armoury Museum.
Discover Russia’s oldest city on a guided walk through Novgorod, including the 15th-century Kremlin compound that sits on the banks of the Volkhov River.
Encounter the living legacy of Russian tsar Peter the Great while exploring the streets of St Petersburg, which are lined with opulent monuments built with the forced labour of serfs.
Want to get festive? Our ‘Russia Highlights - New Year’ tour hits the essential destinations of European Russia with a focus on the unique celebrations and traditions of the season. Enter code WBSW for more detail.
This trip includes an overnight journey on a second class train. Conditions are simple but comfortable – a truly Intrepid experience and a great way to meet, and travel like, the locals. Compartments have four berths but it’s possible (due to ticket availability) the group will be staying in different compartments and carriages. Please see the ‘Accommodation’ section of the ‘Essential trip information’ for more detail.
Social drinking is common on trains in Russia and can be an enjoyable way to meet local people as well as interact with your fellow Intrepid travellers (in moderation). While alcohol is often available for purchase on the train, spirits (including vodka) should only be consumed in the dining car. While we certainly want all our Intrepid travellers to have a great holiday, it's important that you show due respect for your fellow group members and keep in mind that many locals use the train as a means of transport to get home or to work.
The best way to experience a city is by doing as the locals do – and in this case that means using public transport such as trains, buses or metro in some locations. It’s better for the environment and you’ll get an authentic look at daily life; just be aware you may find yourself sharing a busy bus ride with local commuters (for example).
Sometimes you’ve got to rough it to get amongst it. While most of the accommodation on this trip is tourist class, we use basic accommodation with shared facilities where appropriate.
On occasion, Lenin's Mausoleum and Red Square may be closed to the public without prior warning.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Russia Highlights trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 2 (Guesthouse) and Day 4 (Sleeper Train) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 35 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
Below information must be provided exactly the same as per your travel passport
• Passengers full name (First/ Middle/ Last)
• Full Passport Details (number, date issued and expire)
• Date of Birth
• Nationality
• Gender
3. To avoid disappointment we recommend that you book any theatre performances that you wish to attend in Moscow or St Petersburg in advance. If you wish to book the theatre performances in Moscow, please book for Day 1 of the trip. There's no time in the evening on Day 3 to see the performances because we return to the city in the evening. And there's no time to see performance in St. Petersburg on Day 6 in the evening as we are visiting the local communal apartment.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
View Essential Trip Information
