Jewels of Russia

We’ll drive to Sparrow hills to stand where Napoleon first looked down on Moscow in 1812. We’ll pass by Red Square for a quick view of the exquisite St Basil’s cathedral built by Ivan the Terrible in 1560, and Lenin’s Mausoleum.  We’ll see the renowned Bolshoi Theatre, and massive Moscow University, a reminder of the Stalinist architectural style. Overnight:  Moscow.

In honor of the 200th anniversary of the battle, the museum opened a new two-room exhibit dedicated to ‘Man & War’. It displays more than 400 items – paintings, weapons, uniforms and more. In addition we will visit The Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center opened in Moscow in November 2012. This is considered the largest Jewish museum in the world. This evening, those who wish may choose to join the optional ‘Moscow by night’ tour to see the city’s beautifully illuminated buildings and sights. Overnight: Moscow.

We’ll walk about the cobble stoned Square of the Tsars and see the Kremlin’s highest structure, the white stone Bell-Tower of Ivan the Great. We’ll stand in Cathedral Square, home of many Russian style churches. Rulers of Russia were crowned here and many lie buried here. We’ll see the impressive Palace of Congresses and the Grand Palace. At the Armory Museum we’ll admire some Imperial Russian treasures, such as the Throne of Ivan the Terrible and the famous Fabergé eggs.  Then, we’ll ride the subways to marvel at the art-gallery-like stations of Moscow’s famous Metro. They are without a doubt the most grandiose in Europe. Overnight: Moscow.

The delight begins with the façade of the gallery building designed in a peculiar Russian fairy-tale style. The collection contains more than 130,000 exhibits. Of special interest to see is the fine collection of early modern art – including works of the world renowned artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Mark Chagall (“Wedding”, 1918), and  Kazimir Malevich ( “Black Square”, 1913).
We’ll pay a visit to the Moscow Choral Synagogue, the main Synagogue in Russia. The Synagogue opened in 1906. It operated throughout the Soviet period, although authorities had annexed some parts of the original building for secular purposes (in 1923 and 1960). In September, 1948, Golda Meir, the first ambassador from Israel to the Soviet Union, paid an unauthorized visit to the Synagogue, enraging the Soviet government. The exterior of the Choral Synagogue features a large silver dome, yellow-and-white walls and a Neo-Classical façade. The recently-restored interior is a fine example of the Moorish Style that can be seen in Synagogues across Eastern Europe, with Arabesque moldings and murals. Those who wish may also prefer to take a stroll on the Arbat pedestrian promenade, or visit one of the numerous museums of the city.
Balance of the day at leisure.
Tonight those who wish may attend the Russian National dance show “Kostroma” (optional). Overnight: Moscow.

Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728, 1732–1918). It rivals many great European cities in both magnificence and tradition. Our sightseeing in St Petersburg includes a drive through the city to see the Majestic “Bronze Horseman” – the famed Equestrian Statue of Peter the Great, one of the symbols of Saint Petersburg. We’ll see the Neva River quays, the imposing St. Isaac’s Cathedral whose dome dominates the skyline of the city, and broad Nevsky Prospect, the city’s main boulevard where palaces and embassies stood during the 18th and 19th centuries, and which now serves as a home to galleries, theaters, and offices.  A visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress will reveal the beginnings of the city. The fortress was founded on a small island in the Neva Delta on May 27, 1703 and that day became the birth date of St Petersburg. It housed part of the city’s garrison and rather notoriously served as a high security political jail. Among the first inmates was Peter’s own rebellious son Alexei. Later, the list of famous “residents” included Dostoyevsky, Gorky, Trotsky and Lenin’s older brother, Alexander. We’ll end our tour with a visit at the Great Choral Synagogue, the second largest synagogue in Europe, consecrated in 1893. It was modeled in part after Berlin’s Oranienburger Strasse Synagogue with its combination of Moorish and Byzantine motifs. Today it is a landmark and an architectural monument of federal Russian importance. Evening service followed by Shabbat dinner. Overnight: St. Petersburg.

Its lovely park is eighteen miles in circumference.  It is the first place we’ll visit today. Currently, there are two Imperial Palaces: the baroque Catherine Palace (1754) with the adjacent Garden à la Française, and the neoclassical Alexander Palace with the adjacent English landscape garden. These gardens of Tsarskoye Selo are among the most beautifully kept enclosures in the world. The interiors of the Catherine Palace are spectacular: we’ll enter via the State Staircase. With its ornate banisters and reclining marble cupids, it gives a taste of what is to come. The Hall of Light measures nearly 1,000 square meters, and occupies the full width of the Palace so that there are superb views on either side. The large arched windows provide enough light to show off the vast quantity of gilded stucco decorating the walls. The entire ceiling is covered by a monumental fresco entitled The Triumph of Russia. The White Dining Room is equally luxurious but, like many of the rooms in the Palace, its grandeur is softened by the presence of a beautiful traditional blue-and-white tiled stove in the corner. More flamboyant but equally charming, the Chinese Blue Drawing Room also boasts exquisite painted-silk wallpaper featuring intricate Chinese landscapes. After this extraordinary visit we return to St Petersburg continue with a visit to Yusupov Palace.
The Moika Palace or Yusupov palace was once the primary residence in St.  Petersburg,  Russia of the House of Yusupov. The building was the site of Grigori Rasputin’s murder in the early morning of December 17, 1916.
The Russian Revolution followed shortly after Rasputin’s death and once the Soviets came to power, they confiscated the property of the nobles. In 1925, the palace was handed over to the city’s Education Commissariat. While most nobles’ palaces were converted to mundane use, the Education Commissariat decided to preserve the mansion as a public museum. Today the palace serves as a “Palace of Culture for Educators”. The second floor reception areas and that part of the building associated with Rasputin’s murder are maintained as a museum open to public tours. The courtyard where Rasputin attempted to flee from his killers is now occupied by a kindergarten playground adjacent to the main building.
In the evening those who wish may take a drive through magical and magnificent illuminated St. Petersburg (optional). Overnight: St. Petersburg.

The main architectural ensemble of the Hermitage, situated in the center of St Petersburg, is the Baroque Winter Palace, the former state residence of the Russian Emperors.  We’ll enjoy the sumptuous interiors of the Palace while reviewing the paintings, statues and various objects of art. The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great purchased a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage boasts over 2.7 million exhibits and displays a diverse range of historical art and artifacts from all over the world (from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century Europe). The pride of the collection are works by the great masters of the Renaissance: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Giorgione, Titian and Michelangelo. Worth seeing is also the unique collection of French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Manet, Monet and Pissarro, as well as numerous canvasses by Van Gogh, Matisse, Gaugin and several sculptures by Rodin.
In the afternoon we’ll join a leisurely boat cruise on the Neva River and some of the man-made canals of the city. St. Petersburg is beautiful from many points of view and one of the most interesting is from the water. Many of the grand homes faced the canals allowing for water access by visitors and staff. This is why St. Petersburg was often called “The Venice of the North”.
Tonight those who wish will have an opportunity to attend an unforgettable performance   at Royal Mariinsky Theatre (optional). Overnight: St. Petersburg.

Today is dedicated to a visit to the most spectacular palace in Russia – Peterhof (or in Russian: Petrodvorets) on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. The Grand Palace at Peterhof was designed to be the centerpiece of Peter the Great’s “Russian Versailles”. Entering the Palace we are confronted by the incredibly ornate Ceremonial Staircase, which sets the tone for what is to come with a magnificent fresco of Aurora and Genius and a multitude of gilded statues. Highlights include the richly gilded Ballroom and Felten’s splendid white-and-turquoise Throne Room. The Drawing Room of the Imperial Suite is equally influenced by Chinoiserie, with particularly fine silk wall hangings. Also of interest is Peter the Great’s charmingly simple Oak Study, and the adjacent Crown Room, which was in fact the Imperial Bedchamber. The spectacular parkland at Peterhof is remarkable for the sheer variety of styles encompassed in its layout and features, the elegant formal Upper Garden, and to the fascinating Grand Cascade and plenty of fountains. We’ll return to St Petersburg by Hydrofoil. Balance of the day is free for last moment arrangements and shopping. Overnight: St. Petersburg.