Northern Capitals and Russia

Discover how these 8 countries encircling the Baltic Sea have been shaped by conflict over the centuries; from the Thirty Years' War to the end of the Cold War.

Included Premium Highlights

    * Visit Copenhagen's world-famous Tivoli Gardens
    * Visit the spectacular Hermitage Museum, one of the oldest & largest museums in the world
    * Stroll through the beautiful gardens of Peter the Great's Summer Palace at Petrodvorets
    * Visit Chagall's childhood home
    * Visit the restored red-brick Gothic castle of Trakai, perched atop an island on Lake Galvé
    * Enjoy a fascinating film about the reconstruction of Warsaw after the devastation of WWII

Included Personal Insights

    * Hear a fascinating presentation about Mikhail Gorbachev 'Saint or Sinner' as seen through the eyes of our guest speaker & local Russian journalist.
    * Go deep beneath Moscow to see the marble, mosaics, sculptures & ch&eliers of one of the most beautiful underground stations in the world.

Included Other Excursions & Sights

    * See the Reichstag & the Br&enburg Gate in Berlin
    * Admire the opulent interior of Copenhagen's Christiansborg (Danish Parliament Building)
    * See Copenhagen's Little Mermaid, the Stock Exchange, Rosenborg & Amalienborg Palaces
    * Visit the Gold Room in Stockholm's City Hall & see the Royal Palace & Cathedral
    * Visit Helsinki's 'Church in the Rock' & Sibelius Monument & see the Finlandia Hall
    * See the 'Church of Spilled Blood', Nevsky Prospect & cruiser 'Aurora' in St Petersburg
    * Hear the story of the siege of Leningrad, one of the longest in modern history
    * Tour Moscow's Red Square, seeing St Basil's Cathedral & Lenin's tomb
    * Visit one of the Cathedrals inside the Kremlin walls
    * Visit Trakai Castle in Vilnius & see the cathedral, Old Town, the 'Gates of Dawn'
    * See the Jesuit University & the former K.G.B. headquarters in Vilnius
    * Visit the Chopin Memorial, St John's Cathedral & Ghetto memorial in Warsaw

Included First Class Services

    * Escorted by a professional Tour Director
    * Headsets for all guided visits & walking tours
    * Luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with extended leg room & on-board restroom
    * Afternoon train from St Petersburg to Moscow
    * Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes & porterage
    * Insight Traveller document wallet, map book journal & information pack
    * Airport arrival & departure transfers at scheduled times on Day 1 & Day 18
    * Should your flights not coincide with these arrival & departure transfers, please make your own way to/from the airport

Included Quality Dining

    * Choose from a selection of restaurants on your Moscow Dine-Around evening (DA)
    * Highlight Dinner on your overnight cruise to Helsinki (HD)
    * Highlight Dinner in Vitebsk (HD)
    * 17 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 3 Lunches (L) & 5 three-course table d'hôte Dinners, or Buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)
 

Day 1 - BERLIN AT LEISURE

On arrival at Berlin's Tegel Airport, your airport transfer leaves for the tour hotel at 10:30 & 12:30. Later, why not walk along the bustling 'Ku-damm', the shopping centre of West Berlin which during 40 years of division, became the shop window of the West. In the evening, meet your Tour Director for a Welcome Drink.

Hotel: Marriott (D)

Day 2 - BERLIN SIGHTSEEING

A guided sightseeing tour takes you along the Unter den Linden past the Humboldt University & Opera. Stop a while on Museum Island before passing the Brandenberg Gate, symbol of the reunification. See Norman Foster's glass-dome which crowns the reconstructed Reichstag building before a pleasant drive through the Tiergarten. Spend the afternoon at leisure or take an optional excursion to Potsdam? (BB)

Day 3 - BERLIN - COPENHAGEN

Depart Berlin & continue through northern Germany to Rostock for the sea crossing to Denmark. A peaceful drive through Danish farmland brings you to the capital of Copenhagen. In the evening, visit the famous Tivoli Gardens.

Hotel: Radisson Blu Royal (BB)

Day 4 - COPENHAGEN SIGHTSEEING

Begin your sightseeing tour with a visit to the Christiansborg (the Danish Parliament Building) to marvel at the opulent interior. Then passing the Cathedraland University to see the Rosenborg Palace, Stock Exchange & Amalienborg Palace (where the reigning monarch resides) &, of course Hans Christian Andersen's 'Little Mermaid' gazing across the harbour. This afternoon is at leisure. (BB)

Day 5 - COPENHAGEN - STOCKHOLM

Enjoy a view of Kronborg Castle, reputedly the Elsinore home of Hamlet, on the short ferry crossing over to Sweden. Your journey takes you through fertile farmland & along the shores of Lake Vattern to Stockholm.

Hotel: Scandic Norra Bantorget (BB)

Day 6 - STOCKHOLM SIGHTSEEING - OVERNIGHT CRUISE

With your local guide, visit the imposing City Hall with its Golden Room (where the annual Nobel Prize presentation banquet takes place), then cross into the medieval heart of the city to see the Cathedraland the Royal Palace. There is the option of visiting the Vasa Galleon, before boarding your cruise ship for the overnight voyage to Finland. On board, enjoy a Highlight Dinner. (BB,HD)

Day 7 - HELSINKI SIGHTSEEING

Disembark in Helsinki & visit the astonishing modern 'Church in the Rock', which has been cut right into the rock in the centre of Helsinki. Also see the Sibelius Monument & Finlandia Hall in the new quarter.

Hotel: Radisson Blu Plaza (BB)

Day 8 - HELSINKI - ST PETERSBURG

From Helsinki, drive through rural villages, following the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Cross into Russia near Vyborg. Then continue through beautiful forests to St Petersburg, one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Hotel: Courtyard Marriott Vasilievsky (BB,L,D)

Day 9 - ST PETERSBURG SIGHTSEEING

See the 'Church of Spilled Blood', the bustling Nevsky Prospect & the cruiser 'Aurora' which played an important part in Russian history. Then a highlight: a visit to the Winter Palace, former home of the Czars, but now housing the spectacular Hermitage Museum, a treasure trove of magnificent works of art. (BB)

Day 10 - ST PETERSBURG - MOSCOW

This morning head to the village of Petrodvorets where there is time to enjoy the majestic fountains & gardens of Peter the Great's Summer Palace. Return to St Petersburg to board your comfortable afternoon train to Moscow, arriving in the evening.

Hotel: Renaissance Monarch (BB,L)

Day 11 - MOSCOW SIGHTSEEING

Begin the day if you wish with an included presentation about Mikhail Gorbachev 'Saint or Sinner' as seen through the eyes of our guest speaker & local Russian journalist. Continue with sightseeing, that takes in St Basil's Cathedraland Lenin's Tomb in Red Square; walk inside the Kremlin walls to visit one of the cathedrals, & explore the Metro stations which Stalin called "palaces for the people". Tonight, enjoy the freedom & selection of restaurants on a Russian Dine-Around evening. (BB,D)

Day 12 - MOSCOW AT LEISURE

A full day is set aside to explore Moscow at your own pace. Perhaps consider visiting the Kremlin museum to gaze at the treasury of the Tsars? (BB)

Day 13 - MOSCOW - VITEBSK

Head west to Smolensk before entering Belarus. Take a scenic drive to Vitebsk, a fascinating city with cobbled streets. Vitebsk is also known as the birthplace of Marc Chagall. Enjoy a Highlight Dinner of traditional cuisine.

Hotel: Luchesa (BB,L,HD)

Day 14 - VITEBSK - VILNIUS

See Marc Chagall's childhood home & visit the museum housing over 150 of his original works. Continue to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. En route, stop in the ancient Slavic capital of Polotsk.

Hotel: Radisson Blu Lietuva (BB,DA)

Day 15 - VILNIUS SIGHTSEEING

Sightseeing starts in the baroque church of St Peter & St Paul. See the neo-classical cathedral before joining a guide on a leisurely walking tour of the Old Town. See the Jesuit University & the Gates of Dawn; the former Soviet KGB headquarters are a reminder of more recent events. Now enjoy a visit to the splendid Trakai Castle, built on a fortified island at the beginning of the 15C, now faithfully restored in all its glory. (BB)

Day 16 - VILNIUS - WARSAW

Pass Suwalki & lake side Augustow on a scenic drive through Mazuria, a region endowed with a plethora of lakes & forests. Your destination is the Polish capital of Warsaw.

Hotel: Hilton. (BB,D)

Day 17 - WARSAW SIGHTSEEING

On your guided tour you will see the Chopin Memorial in Lazienki Park, St John's Cathedraland the memorial to the Warsaw uprising. Warsaw was faithfully rebuilt after the devastation of World War Two; walk in the reconstructed Old Town to the Market Square where you will see a fascinating film, about the reconstruction of the city. (BB,D)

Day 18 - WARSAW

After breakfast, transfers arrive at Warsaw Airport at 7:30 & 10:00 (BB)

Your Insight tour already includes a host of bonus highlights and comprehensive sightseeing. However, there is an exciting array of optional excursions which will turn an already amazing experience into the trip of a lifetime! These are entirely optional and can be booked through your Tour Director/Local Representative at the commencement of your tour. All prices are quoted in local currency. Payment can be made in cash or by Visa, Mastercard or American Express. To help your pre-tour budgeting we suggest you allow approximately EURO 45 per person per day for optional excursions.

HEL03 - RUSSIAN DINNER IN HELSINKI
As the capital city in a former Grand Duchy of the Russian Tsarist empire, Helsinki has always been famous for its Russian restaurants - even amongst the Russians. Tonight we enjoy an evening of authentic, pre-revolution Russian cuisine in an atmosphere of times gone by.EURO 63

STO02A - SWEDISH SUMMER DINNER
This evening, try some authentic local cuisine served in traditional surroundings.EURO 57

STO01 - WASA GALLEON
When the Wasa set sail in 1628 she was probably the world's most powerful warship. With 64 cannons and 300 men, she was sure to put the fear of God in the enemy, but she sank on her maiden voyage. This grand warshipis almost wholly preserved, and is the only one of its type in the world. She is also a fantastic treasure trove of art, with almost a thousand wooden sculptures. EURO 25

CPH03 - TRADITIONAL DANISH DINNER
Join us for dinner Danish style in the heart of Copenhagen. Two glasses of wine, beer or soft drinks of your choice included with your meal. EURO 63

CPH02 - NORTH ZEALAND CASTLE TOUR
We drive along the Danish Riviera Road, the scenic coastal road, to the castles of North Zealand. We see Fredensborg, the summer residence of the Royal Family. Then a visit to the 17th century Fredriksborg Castle, magnificently situated on an island, where we see the State Apartments and the Coronation Chapel. En route we also pass through small villages with thatched half-timbered houses. EURO 46

BRL09 - BERLIN BY NIGHT & DINNER
A scenic drive through the historical centre of Berlin with views of illuminated historical monuments. See the Unter den Linden, Brandenburg Gate and many more. After the orientation drive, we visit the Viewing Tower for spectacular views over the city.EURO 52

BRL02 - POTSDAM & SANS SOUCI EXCURSION
We drive to Potsdam for a guided tour of the beautiful Cecilienhof Palace where the Potsdam Declaration was signed in 1945. We carry on to another UNESCO World Heritage site; the magnificent Sanssouci Palace and the terraced gardens of Frederick the Great.EURO 42

SPB01 - PETER & PAUL FORTRESS
A visit to the island where the foundation stone of St. Petersburg was laid in 1703. A guided tour around the fortress, then a visit to the church which is the burial place of Peter the Great and his descendants. Thisis also the final resting place for the remains of the last Tsar, Nicholas II and his family. EURO 23

SPB02 - NEVA RIVER CRUISE
Soak up the atmosphere, romance and lights of this unique and beautiful city known as 'the Venice of the North'. A cruise through the canals and along River Neva transforms the city into a magical place that has inspired generations of artists - a photographer's dream. Sip champagne as the city drifts by! A wonderful introduction to the former imperial capital.EURO 23

SPB03 - YUSUPOV PALACE
A chance to visit this beautifully restored baroque palace, the former residence of the Yusupov family and the scene of Rasputin's murder. Here we will tour the palace including the room where the murder took place and hear the fascinating story of this Siberian monk and his influence on the Imperial Family.EURO 23

SPB04 FOLKLORE CONCERT
A spectacular evening concert, held in one of the most beautiful palaces in St. Petersburg, where some 80 musicians, singers and dancers will thrill us with their superb performance.EURO 45

MOW01 - MOSCOW BY NIGHT
A tour of this bustling city by night with an opportunity to admire the evening magic of the famous Red Square and the Kremlin as well as many other sights. EURO 26

MOW02 - IMPERIAL SPLENDOUR
A visit to the treasure chest of the Imperial Russian family to see their crown jewels, jewel-studded thrones and costumes as well as the famous Faberge Egg collection. EURO 45

MOW03 - ZAGORSK
Our excursion takes us to Zagorsk - renowned as a centre of ancient Russian art and architecture. For centuries it has served as the religious capital of Russia and place of pilgrimage for the faithful of the Russian Orthodox creed. Within the old walled city we see the Troitse Sergiyevo Lavra, a working monastery, where the Orthodox faith was tolerated by the State and kept alive even during the 'years of atheism'. You will also have a chance to browse for some locally made Russian handicrafts, wooden toys and Matryoshka dolls on sale at the local market. EURO 47

MOW04 - RUSSIAN STATE CIRCUS
A chance to enjoy the Russian State Circus. Tickets subject to availability. Full transportation will be provided.EURO 47

MOW06 - RUSSIAN MOSAIC
The complex history of Russia is fixed in the soul of the people and this tour will cover recent and past historical events which have shaped this nation. We visit the Borodino Panorama exhibition which brings to life the decisive events of 1812, in a painting 115m long, accompanied by special sound effects reproducing the battle sounds of the 19th C. Pass the awe inspiring Memorial Park complex inaugurated for the 50th anniversary of World War II before we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Novodevichy Cemetery were we see memorials to such great names as Kruschev, Chekhov, Einstein, Raisa Gorbachev and Yeltsin. (On occasions when Borodino is closed we will visit the Memorial Park complex instead).
EURO 40

WAW01 - CHOPIN CONCERT
The spirit of Warsaw and the music of Chopin go hand in hand. This exclusive private recital of his music will be performed for you by a celebrated Polish pianist in a concert venue located in the centre of Warsaw. Champagne will be served during the intermission. EURO 42

WAW04 - VILANOV PALACE & GARDENS
A guided visit to the 17th century baroque summer residence of the Polish King John III Sobieski. Within the palace you will find a collection of royal furniture, portraits and china which forms part of the National Museum. An interesting and informative visit. EURO 31

VNO01 - FOLKLORE DINNER
Experience a traditional Lithuanian meal of local specialties and enjoy a folklore show. Drinks included. EURO 58

VNO02 - KGB MUSEUM VISIT
Our guided tour includes the most important part of the museum which was the KGB prison that was established in the autumn of 1940 after Lithuania's occupation by the Soviet Union. Only at the beginning of the 1960s, when anti-Soviet resistance was broken; were most of the cells changed to house archives. However, some were still being used for the imprisonment of dissidents and fighters for human rights until the departure of the KGB in August 1991. EURO 28