MOSCOW, PEREDELKINO, YASNAYA POLYANA, ST. PETERSBURG
JUne 29th –July 9th , 2020
Join Deluxe Kosher Tours for an inspiring literary tour throughout Russia. Breathtakingly beautiful, the country is known for its rich cultural heritage, impressive collection of art and fantastic pieces of literature. Embark on a panoramic tour of the majestic city of Moscow, spend time in the Russian capital villa zone – the countryside village of Peredelkino, have an authentic Russian tea-party at Yasnaya Polyana, then grant yourself romantic time in the glorious city of St. Petersburg.
The Russian Literary Tour begins in Moscow, the capital of Russia, where we will visit marvelous sites in this majestic city, including the famous Bolshoi Theatre, the Kremlin and the Red Square, the Cathedral of St. Basil. We will also spend time at the House-Museum of Maxim Gorky and the Chekhov House. The Literary tour further includes two day trips – one to the Museum of Boris Pasternak, the author of Dr. Zhivago, located in the countryside village of Peredelkino; and the second one at Yasnaya Polyana, where lived the world-renowned writer Leo Tolstoy. Memorable Shabbat will be presented at the Central Synagogue in Moscow with the local Jewish population on the sixth day of the tour.
The last destination of the Russian Literary Tour is St. Petersburg, a city of breathtaking beauty, where we will see Peter and Paul Fortress and St. Basil’s Island, the statue of Peter the Great, Nevsky Prospekt and the superb Hermitage Museum. We will also spend time at the 18th century Baroque-style Catherine’s Palace Tsarskoye Selo, and pay a visit at the Dostoyevsky Museum. The Russian Literary Tour is not just a trip; it is a festivity for the eyes, mind and soul.
Day 1 / Monday / June 29 / En Route
Departure from the USA on our flight to the Russian capital of Moscow.
Day 2 / Tuesday / June 30 / Moscow
Welcome to the glorious city of Moscow! Upon arrival, we will be met by our local guide and transferred to our hotel in the very heart of the Russian capital, where we will have time to acclimate. En route, we will enjoy a brief orientation to this majestic and overwhelming Russian city and later we will embark on an interesting panoramic tour of the grand Moscow, including some of the world-renowned sites Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow State University plus magnificent vistas over the Vorobiev Hills.
Day 3 / Wednesday / July 1 / Moscow
This morning we will enjoy a visit at the Kremlin, founded in the 12th century, which heralded the birth of the great city of Moscow. We will also stand in the classic Red Square and be able to take photos of the spectacular Cathedral of St. Basil and its colorful domes, after which we will drop in for a visit at Russia’s biggest shopping center – the bustling GUM Mall. Lunch will be served during the tour.
Later, the tour will go on and we will visit the Novodevichy Monastery, which housed many ladies from the Russian royal families and the prominent boyar families, who were forced to take the veil, and in whose cemetery were buried the writers Gogol and Chekhov. We will also visit the House-Museum of Maxim Gorky, one of Russia’s pre-eminent social critics, as well as the Chekhov House/Museum, where the sensitive author lived during his most fruitful artistic period. It is in this house where over 100 of his exquisite short-stories were written. The day will end with a dinner and rest at the hotel.
Day 4 / Thursday / July 2 / Moscow – Peredelkino – Moscow
Today we will have a pleasant and unforgettable one day trip to the Estate/Museum of Boris Pasternak, the world-renowned author of Dr. Zhivago. The museum is located in the countryside village of Peredelkino, where many writers (including Isaac Babel) had their dachas, or country estates. We will be served a tasty lunch at a local restaurant.
On return to Moscow, we will pay a visit to the Tretyakov Art Gallery. This interesting museum houses the world’s largest collection of Russian art, presenting the impressive 50,000 priceless items. The day will end with a dinner and rest at the hotel.
Day 5 / Friday / July 3 / Moscow – Yasnaya Polyana – Moscow
On this day, there will be another and very exciting one-day trip to Yasnaya Polyana. In this settlement lived Russia’s premiere novelist Leo Tolstoy and his wife Sonya, who kept a lovely villa called dacha. We will arrive by train and will be able to tour the historic and now reconstructed Railway Station, where we will enjoy the “Tolstoy Railway” presentation. This will be followed by lunch, served at a local café.
The tour will then proceed with a visit to the estate-museum, where we can see samovars used for the authentic Russian tea-party ceremonies in the past (“samovars” are glorious urns with spouts, traditionally used for heating and serving; tea is drunk from glasses, often with golden handles). In addition, we will also experience a charming horse-and-carriage ride along the estate (where we will have the chance to imagine what life felt like in Old Russia during the time of Anna Karenina, perhaps). The return to Moscow will be followed by a pleasant Shabbat Dinner with the local community.
Day 6 / Saturday / July 4 / Moscow
Following breakfast in the hotel, we will visit the Central Synagogue in Moscow for Shabbat services. We will go for a delicious Shabbat lunch and in the afternoon we will be able to enjoy a pleasant walking tour led by our personal guide.
Day 7 / Sunday / July 5 / Moscow – St. Petersburg
On Sunday morning we will be able to enjoy a cultural walking tour with a guide, during which we will make a stop at the houses of many prominent Russian writers, artists and composers. We will also have free time to do some shopping at the famous Arbat, the chicest pedestrian street placed right in the heart of historical center of Moscow. Lunch will be served during the tour. In the afternoon we will board on a train bound for the incredibly beautiful city of St. Petersburg. Upon arrival in this elegant, French-inspired city, we will be transferred to our hotel to settle in, have a rest and refresh ourselves.
Day 8 / Monday / July 6 / St. Petersburg
The first full day of the tour in St. Petersburg will be left for sightseeing in the romantic city. We will be able to see St. Basil’s Island and the Peter and Paul Fortress, a resting place of the Czars. We will enjoy a walk along the Summer Gardens, originally the summer residence of Peter the Great. We will also have time to stop by the famous statue of Peter the Great, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Nevsky Prospekt and also at the awe-inspiring Church of the Spilled Blood. We will also have time for lunch.
Later in the afternoon we will visit the world-renowned Hermitage Museum. The collection presented in this museum was started by Catherine the Great, and today includes over two and a half million pieces of art work, including those of famous artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Titian, Raphael, and Rembrandt, as well as many of the French Impressionists.
In the evening we will be pleased to enjoy a dreamy canal cruise on the Moika River. During the ride we will pass under many scenic bridges and sail past grand, pastel-colored French architectural facades. The day will end with rest at the hotel.
Day 9 / Tuesday / July 7 / St. Petersburg
On the ninth day of the Russian Literary Tour we will visit Tsarskoye Selo, the famous 18th century Baroque-style Catherine’s Palace and the largest known royal summer residence. We will have enough time to enjoy the exquisite Cameron Gallery, especially designed for the splendid dinner parties hosted by Catherine the Great. We will also be able to take a stroll along the French and English gardens. Lunch will be organized at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon we will proceed to the Pushkin Lyceum Museum, where we will learn about Russia’s quintessential Romantic poet. After returning to St. Petersburg city, we will pay a visit to Nabokov Museum, dedicated to the multilingual genius, who wrote, among other things, the controversial novel, Lolita.
Day 10 / Wednesday / July 8 / St. Petersburg
The Russian Literary Tour would never be complete without the dark and complex soul of Dostoyevsky. Today we will embark on a tour which follows this author’s most famous novels and their heroes. We will be able to visit the well-preserved and very fascinating Dostoyevsky Apartment Museum and Literary Exposition. After that we will stroll along the Moika embankment to Yusupov Palace, which was once privately owned by one of Russia’s richest aristocrats. There, we will be welcome to see the grand reception and private halls of the palace. Later, we will also have the chance to descend to the ground floor dining room, and stand on the very site where the charismatic Gregor Rasputin, the intimate confidant (and some say lover) of the Czarina Alexandra, was assassinated in 1916 by the aristocratic plotters, with young Prince Yusupov at the head.
Delicious farewell dinner will be organized for us in a local kosher restaurant. The day will end with rest at the hotel.
Day 11 / Thursday / July 9 / St. Petersburg – USA
On the last day of our Russian Literary Tour we will transfer to the airport for our return flight to the USA. or for those of us joining the English Literary Tour.
Details
COST PER PERSON
$7,995 based on double occupancy (two to a room)*
Single Supplement — $ 2,695
This fantastic tour has been carefully crafted to minimize the cost of attendance. This price includes:
- Round-trip airfare from New York, London or Tel Aviv
- All domestic transportation within Russia
- An English-speaking, experienced tour guide/chauffeur
- Full board accommodations for entire trip
- 3 Kosher meals daily
- All admissions as per itinerary
ADDITIONAL COSTS
- Visa fees as required
- Health and Travel Insurance
- Budget for extra snacks, gifts, or other expenses of a personal nature
- Any other services not specified
HOTELS
| MOSCOW | Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow |
| ST. PETERSBURG | Renaissance St. Petersburg Baltic Hotel |
ITINERARY AND HOTELS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
RATES MAY BE ADJUSTED IF THERE’S A FLUCTUATION IN CURRENCY OF MORE THAN 4% FROM AUGUST 2, 2016
RATES MAY BE ADJUSTED IN THE EVENT OF AN INCREASE IN AIRLINE FUEL CHARGES
