Russia with Luxury & Style (10 Days): A Sample Itinerary
ID #: DT-R-10-4-26-10-RAIJ
DavidTravel Itinerary Highlights include:
Russia is brimming with
historical and enlightening icons that will connect you to a
proud and colorful culture of enduring fascination. On this
unique journey, you’ll explore and connect and come away with a
keen appreciation of the past and present glories of this
dynamic country. The Hermitage, created for Catherine the Great,
welcomes you to view one of the world’s greatest art collections
including paintings that few in the West have ever seen. Stand
before the nine-towered Kremlin and marvel at its 10-foot-thick
walls. In Suzdal, experience the carefully preserved serenity of
this sleepy medieval village and its 30 captivating churches. In
St. Petersburg, explore the stunning palaces of this home to
Russian aristocracy immortalized through the pen of Tolstoy.
From the imposing grandeur of the onion-domed St. Basil’s
Cathedral to the smallest remarkable detail in the study of
Peter the Great—see it all and be inspired.
• Visit the 1,000 year-old countryside town of
Suzdal and its
blue and gold-domed Cathedral of the Nativity
• Explore The
State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the
world’s largest art museum, with a private guide
• Experience
Peterhof
Palace, the summer residence of the Russian Czars
Overview:
The world's largest and perhaps
least understood country definitely deserves the visit of any
inquisitive, adventurous person, whether it be for short
history- and museum-heavy trip through Moscow and St
Petersburg's cultural treasures, or a more wide-ranging trip
that could include an almost endless list of destinations: the
mountains of the Caucasus, the beaches of the Black Sea, the
vast Volga River, the endless tracts of Taiga in Siberia,
magical Lake Baikal, or the volcanoes of Kamchatka.
While people often refer to the country simply as
Russia, it's actually very much the Russian Federation -
taking in over 100 different nationalities and languages,
including Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist populations from Chechnya
on the Georgian border to Arctic Chukotka, just a short distance
from Alaska. Everything exists here on an inhuman scale, whether
it's Moscow's vast eight-lane highways or the endless flat
scenery of the Russian steppe. The vast distances involved mean
that flying around is often the only reasonable way of getting
around, although the country's famous Trans-Siberian railway is
a great way to see more of the country if time allows.
Russians themselves may come across as quite cold and rude on
first inspection, yet if you get to know any locals on your trip
here, you'll soon find that to be a very superficial
observation. Once the dour exteriors have been broken through
over a glass of vodka or Baltika beer, you'll meet a people for
whom laughter and merriment are a way of life. Try to get
yourself invited to the weekly trip to the banya (the
traditional Russian steam bath) to fully appreciate Russians at
their informal best.
Russia is an experience as much as it is a destination. It is
also far more likely to be an adventure rather than a holiday,
although things are getting easier every year for travelers.
Perhaps more than almost any other country, reading up about
Russian history and cultural norms, and knowing a smattering of
the language, will enormously enhance any visit.
