From Russia with love – 4 things to see and do in Russia.

Moscow is just a 4 hour 30min direct flight from London, with our clients wanting to spend 6 nights here initially at the Kempinski Baltschug Hotel – a fantastic hotel, lying on the banks of the Moskva River and just 5 minutes away from Red Square.

From this ideal location, a visitor can take a selection of tours including:

This tour is a great way to get a feel for the city as soon as you arrive. Taking approximately 3 hours, this tour gives you the chance to see the exterior of famous buildings. You will get to see Panorama of the Red Square, Bolshoi Theatre, Kremlin, Sparrow Hills, Christ the Saviour Cathedral, Victory Park, Novodevichy Convent and the White House.

Again taking approximately 3 hours, the excursion consists of a Tour of the Kremlin, famous for being the former residence of Russian Tsars. Its also home to the Armoury of the Russian Tsars, to which a unique collection of Russian Arms, Carriages, Religious Icons, Collections of Gold and Silver Items from various centuries resides.

Leaving Moscow, our clients travelled on the Sapsan high-speed train to St Petersburg for the second half of their holiday. The journey takes just 4 hours, making this twin-centre an affordable and efficient option.

St Petersburg is famous for its grand buildings, art museums and the Hermitage. Being a port city on the Baltic Sea, the city is also accessible by cruise ship (we can help you with more information on cruise options) The Astoria Hotel is a great place to spend the remaining 6 nights, as it’s a great base for shopping and visiting museums, most are within walking distance.

On the Shores of the Baltic Sea and 18 miles from St Petersburg, Petrodvorets (or Peterhof as it was formerly known). Following the revolution, the Tsars former summer residence was nationalised and turned into a public museum and is now an imperial treasure. A popular place of interest, it has over 200 bronze statues and 64 different fountains, complete with lush parks and monumental cascades (Please note the fountains are closed October to April).You can also take the hydrofoil from St Petersburg to Peterhof across the Gulf of Finland.

One of the most important museums in the World, its collections include over 2.7 million items and they say you need to stay a year to see them all. This tour takes you through the main rooms and the halls of the Winter Palace, artwork from Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Rubens, and more fill the walls. You can also visit the Gala Rooms of the winter palace which was a former royal residence.  (Please note the Hermitage Museum is closed on Mondays)

For those wondering how safe travelling to Russia is, our clients returned stating it was one of the safest places they had travelled to. With a visible security presence, walking around felt safe and had extra security measures in place whilst visiting the various sights in both cities.

You will need to apply for a Russian Visa before you travel which can be a laborious task. A personal visit to the Russian Embassy in London is compulsory, however, Kirker holidays and Destina Travel will be able to assist and guide you through the whole application to help make the process as stress-free as possible.

E:  enquiry@destinatravel.co.uk