Russia Recital and Northern Lights Tour with Departure from Ankara

We meet with you, our valued passengers, at Ankara Esenboğa Airport at 18:00 to depart for St. Petersburg at 20:10 with AJet Airlines' flight VF3007, connecting via Sabiha Gökçen with the connecting flight VF293 at 00:45. After document checks, baggage drop and check-in procedures, we proceed to our plane.

After arriving in St. Petersburg at 04:30, we transfer to our hotel to rest with our private bus waiting for us. After breakfast in the morning, we depart from the hotel for our panoramic tour.

We begin the panoramic tour of St. Petersburg, the art, science, and industrial center of Russian geography. Founded in 1703 by Russian Tsar Peter the Great, the city offers a different visual feast at every hour of the day.

During our panoramic tour starting from the airport, we will witness history along the 4.5 km-long Nevsky Prospect stretching straight before our eyes. Named after Alexander Nevsky, the most famous hero in Russian history and considered almost the key point of the city, Nevsky Prospect will reveal sights such as the Admiralty Building; the Kazan Cathedral, a small replica of the famous San Pietro Cathedral in Rome; the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace; the Stroganov Palace; Gostiny Dvor, established 250 years ago as a market and used today as a shopping center, though not as large and deeply rooted as the Grand Bazaar in Ankara; the National Library of Russia, one of the largest libraries in the world; the Singer Building, which drew considerable reaction in its period with its founding story; the Eliseyev Building with its magnificent stained glass and bronze interior; the Aurora Cinema, also known as the Picadilly Cinema, frequently mentioned in the memoirs of writer Nabokov; the famous Anichkov Bridge, which has carved a special place for itself in Russian literature and bears the traces of the Siege of Leningrad; and many other structures as we take a rapid journey through time stretching from Tsarist Russia to the Soviet Union and the present day.

Following our tour, guests who wish may optionally participate in the afternoon Hermitage Museum Tour. (50 Euro)

The Hermitage Museum is a true treasure for those who want to see cultural heritage belonging to every imaginable type and geography up close, from the "Golden Man" to the world's oldest carpet, from the door of the Kaaba to unique manuscripts, important works of modern art, and even the "Peacock Clock"! Formed by collections that Empress Catherine began storing in her summer and winter palaces, the collection today houses more than four million pieces. The story of how the works in the palace, converted into a museum with the Bolshevik Revolution, were saved from the Nazi art pillage during World War II even explains the importance of the Hermitage in preserving world cultural heritage. In the Hermitage Tour, where the old summer and winter palaces will be visited, we will enjoy listening from our tour guide to the adventure of one of the world's largest and richest museums forming the cultural building blocks of a country that has changed its regime three times.

Free time after our tour. Guests who wish may join the Peterhof Palace and Park Tour. (100 Euro)

Peterhof is a building complex commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great, the leader of the Russian Westernization movement, inspired by the Palace of Versailles which he saw and was impressed by during his trip to France. Famous for its gardens and especially its fountains, this structure is pioneering in terms of both fountain architecture and the engineering approach of the period. Positioned to offer a magnificent view of the Baltic Sea due to its location in the Gulf of Finland, the palace's fountains and water jets feature an impressively technical mechanical system. These fountains and water jets, around which everyone from seven to seventy enjoys themselves in the summer months, offer a visual feast to spectators. The main fountain, located in the palace garden and connected to the Baltic Sea by a canal, is an architectural masterpiece admired not only by tourists but also by the residents of St. Petersburg. Located right at the exit of the summer palace complex of Peter—who went down in history with his intelligence, innovative attitude, and taste—the Peter and Paul Cathedral is one of the eye-catching examples of Orthodox church architecture with both its exterior and interior structure. After Peterhof—which you will not want to leave easily, restored remaining faithful to its original architecture despite suffering great damage during World War II—there is free time. It is possible to relieve the tiredness of the day in the wonderful restaurants in the center.

Overnight at our hotel.

St. Petersburg Panoramic City Tour free of charge

Hermitage Museum Tour: 50 Euro

Peterhof Palace and Park Tour: 100 Euro

After our morning breakfast at our hotel, guests who wish may optionally participate in the Catherine Palace (including Amber Room) Pushkin Tsarskoye Selo Tour. (80 Euro). Located on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the town, which also houses the school of Pushkin, the great poet and writer of Russian literature, draws attention with its palaces, parks, and various structures. Built in the eighteenth century for the tsar's family, this area invites its guests almost into a Russian fairy tale. Covering an area of 600 hectares, the main building of the town is the Catherine Palace, presenting a privileged example of the Rococo style. Bearing the name of Empress Catherine I, the building is known as the "Summer Palace". Although the palace's famous Amber Room fell victim to German looting during World War II, even the surviving state of the original room adorned with five tons of pure amber leaves everyone in awe. The landscaping of the palace, carefully designed by Dutch and English gardeners, brings peace to its guests with its tranquility even in the twenty-first century. The Chesma Column, erected to commemorate Russia's victory in the Russo-Turkish Naval War, and the Kagul Obelisk, a symbol of another victory, are also located in this garden. On the shore of the large pond in the garden, a bathhouse designed with inspiration from Turkish mosques draws attention. The biggest feature of the garden is that it incorporates traces of many cultures, from Chinese bridges to Turkish baths and ancient Greek statues, as records of Russian history. Located in the same region, the Alexander Palace, where all members of the Romanov dynasty were together at the time of their arrest, has the quality of being the scene of another perspective of Russian history. Following our tour, transfer to the airport for our flight to Murmansk. After our arrival in Murmansk, our Murmansk city tour with our private buses waiting for us at the airport. Feeling the cold but fascinating atmosphere of Murmansk, the main street of the city Lenin Avenue, Five Corners Square which is the central location of the city, the historical Arctic Hotel, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, the Anchor Monument, the Memorial Complex of Soviet Arctic Defenders, and the Lenin Nuclear Icebreaker, one of the famous nuclear icebreakers of the Soviet Union, are among the main places we will see. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and check-in to our rooms. Free time until the transfer time to be announced by your guide in the evening. In the evening, accompanied by our guide, we set off for our Aurora (Northern Lights) Tour. We will experience an unforgettable polar night accompanied by colorful lights dancing in the sky. Overnight at our hotel. 

Catherine Palace (including Amber Room) Pushkin Tsarskoye Selo Tour 80 Eur 

Murmansk Panoramic City Tour free of charge 

Northern Lights Tour free of charge 

Following breakfast at the hotel, we set off for the Saami Village Tour with Lunch (120 eur) to spend a day intertwined with nature. Upon our arrival at the Saami Village, we meet the Saami people welcoming us in colorful traditional costumes and get information about their lifestyle, beliefs, and deep connection with nature. We find the opportunity to take photos with and feed reindeer, and visit their traditional tents (lavvu). Following this cultural experience intertwined with nature, a local lunch prepared in the village awaits us. After lunch, we move to Husky Park to meet the cute husky dogs. Following our trip, transfer to our hotel and free time to rest. Free time until the transfer time to be announced by our guide in the evening. In the evening, accompanied by our guide, we set off for our Aurora (Northern Lights) Tour. We will experience an unforgettable polar night accompanied by colorful lights dancing in the sky. Overnight at our hotel.
Full Day Saami Village Tour (with Lunch) 120 eur
Northern Lights Tour free of charge

After wake-up call and breakfast at our hotel, we depart from the hotel for our special Snowmobile tour and ice lake swimming activity with guests who wish (100 eur). We await you for an unforgettable adventure in the freezing beauty of Murmansk. While speeding through freezing forests and snow-covered tundras with our snowmobiles, we discover the untouched nature of the north. Then, we test both our courage and endurance by stepping into the icy waters of frozen lakes with our specially designed thermal clothing. We experience this unique activity completely safely accompanied by our guides. We invite you to this unique adventure-filled day to feel the wild northern spirit of Murmansk both on land and in water. Free time until the transfer time to be announced by our guide in the evening. In the evening, accompanied by our guide, we set off for our Aurora (Northern Lights) Tour. We will experience an unforgettable polar night accompanied by colorful lights dancing in the sky. Overnight at our hotel.
Murmansk - Snowmobile Tour – Ice Swimming Activity (100 eur)
Northern Lights Tour free of charge

After our breakfast, early in the morning transfer to the airport and departure for Moscow. Upon our arrival in the city, we begin the panoramic Moscow tour. The first stop of our tour will be Red Square. This historical square is a center that has witnessed political and social events. Here stands St. Basil's Cathedral, built in the sixteenth century by the Tsar known as Ivan the Terrible, with each dome corresponding to a Russian victory. In front of the cathedral stands a symbolic monument statue depicting two famous Russian princes, Minin and Pozharsky. The GUM Department Store right at the end of the square and its neighbor the Kremlin Palace are among the other important stops of our tour. In addition, the magnificent Lenin Mausoleum housing the mummy of Lenin, known worldwide as the symbol of communist ideology, the Karl Marx statue, and the famous Bolshoi Theatre building operating since the eighteenth century are among the places to be seen panoramically on our trip. A little further ahead, the famous Duma Parliament Building where Russia's first elected parliament started working in 1906, and Voskresenski, a historical structure bombed in 1931 to allow tanks to enter Red Square, are other points we will visit. After our tour, transfer to our hotel. Following the tour, we continue our trip for the Birth of Swan Lake and Bolshoi Theatre visit tour (50 Eur). The Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow is one of the most prestigious opera and ballet stages in the world. Founded in 1776, this legendary institution is considered the heart of Russian performing arts. Swan Lake, composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was first introduced to the world at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1877. On this tour, we will personally witness in place with details how the Bolshoi Theatre and the birth and development of the Swan Lake ballet, which have become inseparable over time, have mirrored history up to the present day.  

Moscow Panoramic City Tour free of charge 

Birth of Swan Lake and Bolshoi Theatre visit tour (50 Eur) 

Free time after our morning breakfast. Guests who wish may participate in the optionally organized Kremlin Tour (65 Euro). The Kremlin, meaning 'fortress' literally, is a magnificent structure called the heart not only of Moscow but also of Russia. This historical venue houses a historical heritage that has witnessed political intrigues and social transformations, leaving deep marks. Defining the eastern border of Red Square with its eastern walls, this work carries the magical texture of the past to the present day with its old walls built in the fifteenth century. While strolling through the gardens of the Kremlin, in the Grand Kremlin Palace Complex, the Concert Hall, and the Presidential Building, you breathe in the rich texture of history and culture. A tree known as the 'Space Tree' was planted after Yuri Gagarin's legendary space journey and sparkles in the waters of the Moscow River. The story of the bell tower built and the cannon cast by Tsar Ivan both amuses and informs with the enjoyable narration of the tour guide. Famous Empress Catherine awaits those who want to see her crown consisting of 5,000 diamond stones at the museum. At the end of the tour, guests who wish may participate in the optionally organized Moscow Metro, Novodevichy Cemetery, and Arbat Street Tour (Nazim Hikmet Cemetery). (50 Euro) You can discover the Moscow Metro, known as the oldest and largest and also most beautifully decorated metro in the world. Then we will move to Novodevichy Cemetery, closely known by those who want to visit Nazim Hikmet's grave. This cemetery with museum status and the monastery inside were founded in 1524, and although Napoleon ordered its destruction in 1812, the nuns succeeded in preventing this decision. Completely evacuated in 1922 and left to its fate, the monastery reopened its doors after restoration in 1994. Novodevichy, whose Turkish equivalent means “Young Girls”, still keeps alive the memory of the young girls of that period whose lives spent and ended in the monastery. This monastery and cemetery, where the stars of many tsarina candidates also faded over time, has become the eternal resting place of names such as Chekhov, Gogol, Mayakovsky, Bulgakov, Eisenstein, Khrushchev, Shostakovich, and Yeltsin. Following our tour full of history, literature, cinema, music, and of course sadness, we will embrace life and move to Arbat Street, the busiest street of Moscow. The history of this most famous art street of Moscow and Russia dates back to 1493. We will stroll on the street, which takes its name from the word “Gorbat” meaning “Hill” in Slavic languages, and according to a legend, from the Arabic word “Rabad” meaning “City Vicinity” or “Suburb”. In this journey stretching from the fifteenth century to the present day, street painters whom we will encounter frequently will accompany us. In addition, at building number 53 on the street, the traces of Pushkin and his wife Goncharova will welcome you. Following our tour, we visit one of the most famous shopping centers of Moscow to complete our shopping and see our dinner alternatives. Afterwards, we move to Vnukovo Airport accompanied by our private vehicles waiting for us for our airport transfer. 

Kremlin Tour (65 EUR) 

Moscow Metro, Novodevichy Cemetery, and Arbat Street (50 EUR) 

Moscow shopping center tour free of charge 

Departure for Ankara at 05:25 with AJET Airlines flight VF588 and arrival in Ankara at 09:50 local time. Welcome home!