Day 1 To Moscow: Morning flight from London Heathrow to Moscow with British Airways. Transfer to the Marriott Tverskaya Hotel for 3 nights. (N)

Day 2 Moscow: Morning tour of Moscow, including Red Square, Moscow State University, Novodevichy Convent, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and St Basil's Cathedral. Afternoon at leisure or optional visit to the Tretyakov Gallery. (B)

Day 3 Sergiev Posad: Visit Sergiev Posad, built around the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius, one of Russia's most important religious and historical landmarks. (B, L)

Day 4 Moscow: Morning visit to the Kremlin, Russia's apex of political power. The tour includes the Patriarch?s Palace, Cathedral Square and the Armoury Museum, which houses an opulent collection of treasures accumulated by the Russian state and church. Time at leisure or optional tour of the Arbat district and Moscow Metro before a late afternoon train journey to St. Petersburg (4-5 hours). On arrival, transfer to the Ambassador Hotel for 4 nights. (B)

Day 5 St Petersburg: Morning tour of St Petersburg, including Nevsky Prospekt and Vasilevsky island, and the entrances to the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood and the Peter and Paul Fortress. Afternoon visit to the Yusupov Palace, followed by a canal boat cruise (weather permitting). (B)

Day 6 St Petersburg: Full day visit to the Hermitage, with its unrivalled collection of European masterpieces. (B)

Day 7 St Petersburg: Morning tour of Catherine's Palace at Pushkin. Afternoon visit to Petrodvorets to view the exterior of Peter the Great?s Summer Palace and gardens. (B)

Day 8 To London: Morning visit to St Isaac's Cathedral. Early afternoon transfer to the airport and fly to London Heathrow with British Airways. (B)

Meal Basis: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner, (N) = No Meals

Moscow Marriott Tverskaya Hotel, Moscow
The 4 star Marriott Tverskaya Hotel is only 30 minutes walk from Moscow's city centre. The 119 rooms have been tastefully decorated with modern facilities. In addition the hotel has two restaurants, a lobby bar, fitness centre and a gift shop.

Ambassador Hotel, St Petersburg
An architectural gem from the 19th century, the building which houses the 4 star Ambassador Hotel has been recently restored to its original glory. Only a short walk to St Isaac's Square, St Nicholas Cathedral and Nevski Prospect, the hotel has a superb location. All 255 rooms have air-conditioning and are furnished with all modern comforts. The restaurants are notable for their refined St Petersburg style and the excellent standards of the food.