martin randall christmas tours 2023

This website may ask your browser to store cookies. See our Cookies Policy for more information about our use of cookies.

• site navigation
• main content
• +44 (0)20 8742 3355 +44 (0)20 8742 3355
• [email protected]
• +44 (0)20 8742 3355

Moscow & St Petersburg - Cultural highlights of Russia’s greatest cities

The two great cities of Russia, monumental and vibrant, both historically and today.

Spectacular art collections, spanning the finest icons to masterpieces of Impressionism.

Baroque palaces, onion-domed cathedrals and a country estate, centre of the Slavophile art movement in the 19th century.

The art and architecture are enhanced by a private concert with the Dominant Quartet, one of Russia’s leading string ensembles.

Print itinerary

Please call us for availability Please call us for availability

• Practicalities

Moscow, the older of the two metropoles, is the more modern. It developed as the chief city of Muscovy from the 12th century and became capital of the Russian Empire as it expanded in later centuries. Though abandoned by Peter the Great and his successors, it continued to grow and to some extent remained the spiritual and artistic centre of Russia. It regained its status as capital in 1918, and in the last two decades has undergone massive changes – with restoration, painting and gilding, as well as a vibrant commercial and cultural life transforming its economy and appearance, all but banishing the drabness of the Communist era. The Tretyakov Gallery and Pushkin Fine Arts Museum are not to be missed, nor are the great treasures of the Kremlin Armoury.

Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, St Petersburg is perhaps the grandest city in Europe, certainly one of the most beautiful. Laid out on a virgin site, on a monumental scale, its magnificent buildings reflect all the classical styles of the 18th and 19th centuries; little of the fabric of the city has changed since. The Hermitage is one of the world’s greatest art museums and the largest, with an immensely rich collection of paintings, sculpture, antiquities and decorative arts filling the enormous Winter Palace of the Romanov Tsars. There are also other great galleries to see, including the Russian Museum, which houses a wonderful collection of Russian art, from icons onwards.

London to Moscow. Fly at c. 11.00am from London Heathrow to Moscow (British Airways). There is time to settle into the hotel before dinner. First of four nights in Moscow.

Moscow. A short coach tour provides orientation and an overview of the capital. Red Square, part framed by the walls of the Kremlin and crowned by St Basil’s Cathedral, is best seen on foot. The Tretyakov Gallery holds the finest collection of Russian icons in the country, as well as examples of portraits and landscapes by leading Russian artists of the 18th and 19th centuries. After lunch, return to the Gallery for further exploration and time to take in significant history paintings.

Moscow. Walk through Alexandrov Gardens to the Kremlin. Many of the tsarist and ecclesiastical buildings have survived the Communist era, among these a spectacular group of cathedrals. The Armoury Museum has a remarkable collection of gold and silver, and other precious objets d’art, gifts to the tsars. In the afternoon, see the superb Impressionist paintings at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, central repository for Russia’s extensive European art collection. Evening concert with the Dominant Quartet, one of the country’s foremost string ensembles, who perform an all-Russian programme exclusively for our group.

Moscow, Abramtsevo. A day’s excursion into the countryside 50 miles north of Moscow. Owned in the 1840s by a well-connected Muscovite, Sergey Aksakov, and subsequently by the railway magnate, Savva Mamontov, the estate at Abramtsevo became known throughout the 19th century as a creative colony for the Slavophile movement. Many well-known artists and writers stayed there, engaging a distinctly Russian artistic identity, one which included a revival of interest in traditional arts and crafts.

Moscow to St Petersburg. The Novodivichy Convent, baroque-style Moscow architecture at its finest, was a retreat – at times enforced – for some of Russia’s most famous noblewomen. In the afternoon travel by train (business class) from Moscow to St Petersburg. Dinner is included in the hotel upon arrival.

St Petersburg. In the morning, a tour by coach, taking in the sumptuous Marble Palace (exterior), designed by Rinaldi in baroque and neo-classical style, and the wonderful group of Smolny Convent and Cathedral by Rastrelli. Explore the north bank of the Neva and Vasilyevsky Island, which, as the original intended site of the city, has some of St Petersburg’s earliest buildings including the Twelve Colleges and the Peter-Paul Fortress. Visit the Menshikov Palace, an early 18th-century residence with impressive Petrine decoration. In the afternoon, see the Russian Museum in the imposing Mikhailovsky Palace, which houses Russian paintings from medieval icons to the vast canvases of the Romantics and Realists of the 19th century.

St Petersburg. Walk to the Hermitage, one of the world’s greatest art collections, housed in Rastrelli’s Winter Palace and contiguous buildings; walk around to understand the layout and to see the magnificent interiors. Continue on foot to the remarkable neo-classical buildings of the Synod, Senate and Admiralty. In the afternoon, drive via the Kazan Cathedral with colonnaded forecourt to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, an extensive baroque layout and cemetery with graves of many famous Russians.

St Petersburg. A morning excursion to Peterhof (return by hydrofoil, weather permitting), the magnificent palace on the Gulf of Finland with cascades and fountains. In the afternoon, a private backstage tour of the Mariinsky theatre before some free time. The date and time of this appointment can only be confirmed by the theatre one week prior to the tour and is dependent on rehearsal schedules. There is a chance we may not be able to include this visit.

St Petersburg. A morning visit and time for lunch at the summer palace at Pavlovsk, a well restored, graceful neo-classical Great Palace with encircling wings, built in part by Scotsman Charles Cameron. Continue by coach and fly to London Heathrow, arriving at c. 6.00pm.

Price, per person

Two sharing: £4,440 or £4,150 without flights. Single occupancy: £4,990 or £4,700 without flights.

Inbound flights direct (Euro Traveller) with British Airways (Airbus A320) and outbound (two flights with a stop) SAS Scandinavian Airlines (Airbus A 320); business class train travel from Moscow to St Petersburg (a meal is included), travel by private coach throughout; a private concert in Moscow with the Dominant Quartet; accommodation as described below; breakfasts, 1 picnic lunch, 5 dinners with wine; all admissions; all tips for drivers, restaurant staff, guides; all state and airport taxes; the services of the lecturer and a national guide.

Optional music

Details of opera and ballet performances in St Petersburg will be sent to participants about one month before the tour and tickets can be requested.

British citizens and most other foreign nationals require a tourist visa. The current cost for UK nationals is around £141, including service charge. This is not included in the price of the tour because you have to procure it yourself. You will need to complete an online application in the two-month period before departure, and submit this along with your passport. As of 10th December 2014, it is obligatory for UK residents of all nationalities to attend one of three application centres, in London, Manchester or Edinburgh, in order to submit biometric data (fingerprints) as part of the visa application process. Visa issuing times vary from country to country but UK residents should expect to be without their passport for approximately one week.

Accommodation

Hotel National : an elegant and comfortable 5-star hotel in the city centre, within easy walking distance of the Kremlin; Hotel Angleterre : an excellently located 5-star hotel in the city centre, within easy walking distance of the Hermitage. Single rooms are doubles for sole use.

How strenuous?

There is a fair amount of standing in galleries and walking on this tour. Traffic congestion means coach journeys can be long and frustrating. Average coach travel per day: 24 miles..

Are you fit enough to join the tour?

Between 10 and 22 participants.

Travel advice

Before booking, please refer to the   FCDO website   to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting.

You may also be interested in...

Roman & medieval provence the south of france in the middle ages.

Medieval Saxony Carolingian, Ottonian, Romanesque

Art in Madrid The Great Galleries

Medieval Oxfordshire and the Southern Cotswolds

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

• Single parents
• Meet new people
• All inclusive
• City breaks
• Spa / wellness
• Top 10 destinations
• Deals newsletter
• First time solo
• Solo specialists
• Single supplements

UK cultural tours

History, literature, gorgeous gardens: these small group tours are the ideal way to indulge your interests in the company of like-minded people. Take exclusive peeks at England’s stately homes and castles, or let expert guides reveal the secrets of some of the loveliest scenery and ancient buildings further afield.

Recommended tour operator: Martin Randall Travel

Martin Randall Travel says

We specialise in cultural tours for small groups, which are imaginative and meticulously planned, often with private visits to places not normally open to the public and always in the company of an  expert speaker .

• expert-guided groups
• popular with solos
• low single supplement

Around 30% of guests in our groups are solo travellers; rooms allocated are always a double or twin for sole occupancy.

Our UK tours range from two nights to a week or more with themes such as country houses, music, architecture, art, walking and history.

Head to  Samarkand and the Silk Road cities  of Uzbekistan or experience the highlights of  Jordan .

Closer to home, other options include  Ravenna & Urbino  or  Civilisations of Sicily .

Join one of our groups for the company of like-minded travellers, an informative guide and fascinating insights. Where we have single supplements, most are subsidised by ourselves, sometimes by hundreds of pounds, to keep them to a minimum.

Find out more about our full range of our cultural tours .

Note: All the travel companies featured on this site are personally recommended by our editors. Companies pay us a flat annual fee, which funds the upkeep of our site, so we can keep it current and reliable. See more about how we work .

• 101 Holidays
• 101 Short Breaks
• 101 Family Holidays
• 101 Honeymoons

North Mills Trading Estate, Unit 4 Hounsell Building, Bridport DT6 3BE

Copyright © 2024, 101 Holidays Ltd

Martin Randall Travel Traveller Reviews

Reviews of martin randall travel.

Not as good as usual

Enjoyable Christmas break abroad

Tour operator has been better in the past

Dear Monique, thank you very much for taking the time to provide feedback about your recent holiday experience with us. I am deeply sorry that the tour did not meet your expectations on this occasion. I understand that you have spoken with my colleague Edward today to discuss the matter further, but please do let me know if you have additional comments. With best wishes, Kent.

Art in Holland

7 night tour visiting museums and galleries in Utrecht, The Hague, Haarlem, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Expert lecturer of great experience and knowledge of Dutch Art. Excellent food at a range of different restaurants.

Martin Randall Travel. Hugely experienced and reliable. Expects the best from all providers etc. Services of a tour manager/

Vienna at Christmas

It was a good introduction to Vienna. Beautiful hotel,

They give a packed schedule.

An artistic delight

The Martin Randall Tour of Umbria was centred on Perugia with visits to Gubbio, Foligno, Montefalco, Arezzo and Assisi where the art of the early Renaissance was studied.

Highly efficient leaving nothing to chance. A well designed tour.

Christmas in Dresden

very well organised

very good at what they do.

Fantastic Christmas in Umbria

A week visiting picturesque hilltop towns around Perugia, viewing works of art, feasting, and enjoying being in Italy at a time when there are few tourists.

Martin Randall Travel specializes in tours curated by scholarly experts.

A wonderful experience

It was a wonderful tour of Basilicata and Calabria enabling us to enjoy in depth the delights of Matera before taking us on a fascinating exploration of the jewels of areas little known to tourism, and, in some instances, not generally accessible to visitors. In one town, we were able to visit a museum and archaeological park which had been closed for some years.

Martin Randall's organisation of the tour was excellent. Everything proceeded seamlessly and without problems - even though behind the scenes the tour manager sometimes had to do a lot of work to pin down people to open up the little church the lecturer wanted us to see or persuade a greengrocer to put on a splendid lunch for us when the limited dining venues decided to have a day off. Both she and the lecturer ensured we saw everything and had a wonderful holiday which I will always remember.

A well organized tour, informative and enjoyable

Excellent. Martin Randall tours are informative, well organized with great lecturers

Venice insight

Essentially, this was a 5 day small group (18) walking tour of the highlights of Venice, starting with San Marco and Pallazzo Ducale. In these and all subsequent popular tourist places there was no queuing. Additionally, there were private viewings such as the Basilica di San Marco (opened solely for the group at night). It focused on Venice when it was at the height of its powers in the 16 century. Local guides spoke to the group in several ...

Essentially, this was a 5 day small group (18) walking tour of the highlights of Venice, starting with San Marco and Pallazzo Ducale. In these and all subsequent popular tourist places there was no queuing. Additionally, there were private viewings such as the Basilica di San Marco (opened solely for the group at night). It focused on Venice when it was at the height of its powers in the 16 century. Local guides spoke to the group in several locations. The lecturer's knowledge of Venice was impressive, with no question too difficult to answer. Radio guides make it easy to hear every word of the leader..

The Story of Venice tour was a typical tour by Martin Randall Travel - consistently focused on its aims, friendly helpful and knowledgeable lecturer/guide and tour manager, private visits to unusual places while including local important highlights, great hotels with some included dinners at high quality restaurants; at all times making sure of an enjoyable holiday for the participants.

Music in La Serenissima

It was a music festival organised and run by Martin Randall Travel in Venice (La Serenissima) over 5 days. There were 8 concerts, each performed in a different historical location with a daily lecture on the music and its context. The music was from the Renaissance and to Baroque when Venice was the centre of European music. Dinners were at superb restaurants. There were also optional daily tours of places of interest in Venice.

This music festival was totally designed and run by the English travel company, Martin Randall Travel. The quality of the performers was excellent throughout, as was its daily schedule coordinating about 170 participants in several hotels. The music festival was a major operation expertly run for a superb experience of its participants.

Please enter your username and password to logon to the member pages

By clicking the box above, you agree that a cookie will be placed in your browser to retain your login details Forgotten password?

• Testimonials
• Search Trip
• Trans-Siberian Tours
• Saint Petersburg
• Northern Lights
• Lake Baikal
• Russia For Expats
• Winter Trains
• Arctic & North
• Golden Ring
• Russia Cruises
• Trans-Mongolian

Sightseeing

• Trans Siberian
• Wildlife & Nature
• The Snow Empire
• Under 8 Days
• Kid Friendly
• Small Groups
• Senior Travels
• Expats Travel
• Luxury Trains
• Luxury Travels
• Russian Cruises
• Snowmobile Tours
• Youth Travel
• Why Book with Us
• Sustainable Travel
• At a glance
• Dates & Rates
• Terms & conditions
• Destinations
• Moscow   Saint Petersburg

White Christmas 2024

Enjoy the snow season in one of the most famous winter wonderlands in the world, Russia. See the majestic St Petersburg in its magnificent glory, then travel to the vibrant capital, Moscow. Experience Russia of Leo Tolstoy's novels & celebrate New Year as Russians do. Moscow and St Petersburg will dazzle you with stunning architecture & cultural heritage. as well as lovely Christmas markets.

Celebrate New Year or Christmas - or both - in Russia!

Four days of guided sightseeing tours with professional English-speaking guide and entrance tickets included: St Petersburg 2 days, Moscow 2 days

Hermitage, Kremlin, Troyka ride & Christmas markets- the best Russia has to offer in winter

Discovery Russia 24/7 English-speaking support line in Russia

Group tours are escorted. 20 guests per group maximum .

New Year group tours (26 December and 30 December departures) include New Year gala dinner and party in Moscow

Day 1, Arrive Moscow

Day 2, Kremlin & New Year

Day 3, Discover Moscow Part II

Day 4, To St Petersburg at leisure

Day 5, The Hermitage & Iconic Cathedrals

Day 6, Catherine's Palace and Troyka

Day 7, At leisure

Day 8, Farewell

Transportation

• High-speed train St. Petersburg to Moscow, standard class, 4 hours ride. Please inquire about business or 1st class upgrade and flight options
• Meet & greet at the airports/train stations
• Private return airport/train station transfers
• Private transportation on tours as per program in a comfortable a/c car/minivan/bus (except on walking tours)
• Metro pass in Moscow
• New Year Dinner and Party with entertainment program (for Festive Date departures)
• Troyka ride
• Exploring Russian Christmas markets
• Full-day (8 hours) guided tour of St Petersburg: Highlights include Winter Palace and the Hermitage, Isaac Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, Peter & Paul Fortress and Cathedral, and Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
• Day (6 hours) guided tour of Pushkin/Tsarskoe Selo: Highlights include Catherine’s palace & Amber room, Troyka ride experience
• Full-day (8 hours) guided tour of Moscow: Highlights include the Moscow Kremlin, the Kremlin Armory, the Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral (outside), GUM, the Bolshoi Theatre (outside), Novodevichy Convent (outside), Sparrow hills, Christmas markets
• Second full-day (8 hours) guided tour of Moscow: Highlights include Tretyakov State Art Gallery, Kolomenskoye Estate & Wooden Palace, Metro tour, VDNKh

Entrance tickets & visas

• Entrance tickets to all included sightseeing attractions (except optional)
• Russian Visa supporting documents, including an official visa invitation letter, and step-by-step guide on how to apply for your visa

We value your comfort

• 24/7 support before and during your trip with us
• Best places to stay, to eat, to go out and have fun - safe and secure with the tour operator that specializes in Russia. Tips already included
• Group tours are fully escorted by a bilingual tour director
• Group tour 22 ppl maximum

CHECK OUT WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT TRAVELLING WITH US

Lorena D'Souza: travelled with Discovery Russia in January this year and did their essential Russia tour of St Petersburg and Moscow and would absolutely recommend

I was a little apprehensive about travelling to Russia but really had nothing at all to worry about. Discovery Russia organised everything from pick ups to private tours, metro cards and provided a very useful guide to completing the visa processes.. We were NEVER left in a museum with an audio guide (which at times can be disengaging), but rather had a guide talk to us about the most popular and historically significant items/artworks. The tour guides were beyond knowledge, professional and always had our interests at heart. Furthermore, the company provides Russian SIM cards and our tour manager Tati was available literally available 24/7, always checking our transfer our tour guide had arrived. I can not recommend this company enough if you are thinking about travelling to Russia.

Thank you! One of your our travel experts will contact you within 24 hours.

• Sign up for newsletter

New York City

June 27 – July 1, 2024 $1,059 per person

Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard

September 10-16, 2024 $1,489 per person

Niagara Falls

September 23-27, 2024 $919 per person

Washington D.C.

September 30 – October 4, 2024 $899 per person

Savannah, Georgia & Jekyll Island

October 7-11, 2024 $899 per person

Williamsburg, Virginia

October 24-27, 2024 $999 per person

New York City Red Eye

November 29 – December 1, 2024 $489 per person

Derby Dinner Playhouse

December 12, 2024 $109 per person

Nashville, Gatlinburg, and Asheville Christmas

December 17-21, 2024 $1209 per person

Tour Questions

If you have questions regarding our pre-planned tours or would like to inquire about a customized school group tour, please complete and submit the form below or call us at 1-866-346-TOUR (8687).

Thanks for your interest in Martin Tours. We’ll be in touch with you soon.

"I had a great time on the trip to Tunica a few weeks ago. This was my first time traveling with your tour group and it was so much fun. Julie was great and also Roger the driver was fantastic. Looking forward to traveling with you in the future."

Michele Kyde