Day 1: Moscow

You’ll arrive in Moscow in the afternoon where you’ll be met and taken to your hotel, in the capital’s historical centre, close to the Moskva River from which Moscow takes its name. The evening is at leisure and one suggestion is to take a walk to the Kremlin and Red Square. The heart of Russia is transformed at night by the glowing red stars atop the Kremlin towers and stunning lights of GUM department store, making a great start to your Russian experience.

Day 2: Moscow

A heady mix of onion-domed gilt churches, imposing fortresses and broad sweeping avenues, Moscow has shed its austere Cold War image and is now one of the world’s most vibrant capitals. As well as boasting a treasure trove of historical sites, modern Moscow features an array of new art galleries, elegant cafes and designer shops. This morning, your guide will take you on a fascinating walking tour that brings the different historical eras of Russia’s capital city to life. From the ‘Seven Sisters’ skyscrapers that were first conceived as luxury housing under Stalin to Lubyanka Square, the infamous headquarters of the KGB during the Soviet era. You’ll also walk down Tverskaya Street, Moscow’s busiest avenue that is lined with shops and restaurants and boasts a unique combination of Stalinist and modernist architecture, before ending your walking tour at the legendary Bolshoi Theatre. In the afternoon, your tour goes underground as you explore the marble floors, mosaics and stainedglass panels of Moscow’s underground rail system. You then return to your hotel in time for an evening at leisure.

Day 3: Moscow to St Petersburg

Today you’ll visit Russia’s most famous square, Red Square. Site of countless official ceremonies and even coronations over the years, it is one of the capital’s most iconic images. The name was derived from a Russian word that can mean ‘red’ or ‘beautiful’ and it’s easy to see why. Overlooked by the colourful domes of St Basil’s Cathedral, the ornate facade of the GUM department store, the imposing towers of the Kremlin and the Lenin Mausoleum, you are rewarded with breathtaking panoramas in every direction. After enjoying a guided tour of the square and its famous landmarks, you’ll then explore the stately interior of the Kremlin, former home of the tsars and now the official residence of the Russian president. This imposing fortress-like building houses a unique collection of state regalia, priceless jewelled weaponry and many Fabergé eggs. Later in the evening, you’ll be met at your hotel and taken to the railway station to board the overnight sleeper train to St Petersburg. Your compartment on this 440 mile journey will be a comfortable private cabin with shared facilities. The option of upgrading to an en-suite compartment is available at a supplement at the time of booking. Overnight train: Grand Express. B.

Day 4: St Petersburg

The following morning, breakfast is served on the train en-route to the beautiful city of St Petersburg. Dubbed ‘The Venice of the North’, Baroque and Neoclassical buildings and world-class art galleries line its canals. Russia’s most European of cities, it has a more sedate feel after the frenetic activity of Moscow. Built by Peter the Great over marshland in 1703, the forward thinking tsar commissioned Italian architects to construct his new capital and the result is spellbinding. Upon arrival, you’ll be taken to your hotel, where you’ll spend the next four nights. A short walk from Palace Square and the Hermitage, you are ideally placed to explore St Petersburg’s classical architecture during your stay. You begin your exploration of Russia’s second city with a guided bus tour. You’ll discover all of the city’s highlights including St Isaac’s Cathedral and the opulent domes of the Church of Christ’s Resurrection. You’ll also see the famous Aurora, the legendary ship whose cannon gave the signal for the beginning of the Great Social Revolution over 90 years ago.

Day 7: Pamukkale – Perge – Antalya

After breakfast, drive to Antalya, arrive at mid-noon and visit the ancient city of Perge, an important city of ancient Pamphylia. Visit the Theatre noted for the marble relief work of its stage and its three sectioned memorial fountain. Then visit the city gate flanked by two lofty towers, a long colonnaded way that was once lined with shops and mosaic pavements, the Agora and buildings that once housed the Baths and Gymnasium. In the afternoon, relax by the Mediterranean coast. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 5: St Petersburg

The former winter residence of the Russian tsars, the Hermitage boasts one of the best museums in the world. A stunning architectural masterpiece in itself, beyond its ornate neoclassical facade, are over 3,000,000 works of art representing the development of world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century. You’ll learn more about this remarkable collection on a guided tour this morning. You’ll find masterpieces by Italian artists, French impressionists and Dutch masters, plus works from Picasso’s blue period. There’s also porcelain, jewellery and coins as well as famous sculptures including the remarkable ‘Three Graces’ by Canova. As you tour this priceless collection, you’ll also get an insight into the lavish lifestyle of the Romanovs; the last tsars. The palace rooms boast marble floors, huge chandeliers and gold leaf walls.

Day 6: St Petersburg

Your tour today takes you 25 kilometres south of the city centre to the small town of Pushkin. It was here that the tsars built two of their most magnificent summer palaces. Alexander Palace, is one of Russia’s finest neoclassical palaces and was the final official residence of Tsar Nicholas, the last of the Romanovs. Catherine Palace was commissioned by Peter the Great and named for his wife in 1717. Designed by the eminent architect, Carlo Rastrelli, it is a late Baroque gem of ornate blue, white and gold façades which took 100kg of gold leaf to decorate. The interior is just as opulent, with rooms like the Blue Dining Room with a painted ceiling and silk wallpaper and the Chinese Blue Drawing Room. A highlight, the Amber Room, was painstakingly constructed from panels of amber mosaic.

Day 7: St Petersburg

Today there’s a free day to enjoy the charming city. Maybe visit the largest collection of Russian art in the world; which is housed within the exceptional Russian Museum located inside the Italianate Mikhailovsky Palace. Alternatively, explore the Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was allegedly murdered, or walk up Nevksy Prospect, St Petersburg’s main avenue that is lined with ornate churches, shops and grandiose department stores.

Day 8: St Petersburg

Today you’ll be taken to the airport in time for your return flight.