istanbul

5/6 day tour by air

God and mankind, nature and art together have created such a magnificent place on earth that it is worth the visit – Lamartine

Formerly known as Byzantium and then Constantinople, Istanbul is the only city in the world located on two continents.

Topkapi Palace – for centuries home to the Ottoman Sultans and their harem
Suleymaniye Mosque – masterpiece of the architect Sinan and considered the most beautiful of the imperial mosques in Istanbul
Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque – the only mosque in Turkey with 6 minarets. The interior is illuminated by 260 windows
Hagia Sophia – one of the great buildings of history, it was a Christian church for over 900 years until 1453 when it became a mosque. The dome is 32m wide and has well preserved golden mosaics
Yerebatan Cistern – commissioned by Justinian 1st, the 6th century Roman Emperor, this underground cistern is supported by 336 columns
Holy Saviour of Chora Church – superb series of Byzantine mosaics and frescoes
Archaeological Museum – housing late antique treasures like the Alexander Sarcophagus and historic Íznik tiles

russian art treasures –
st petersburg and moscow

8 days by air with 2 visits to the Hermitage Museum

Moscow

Orientation tour including Red Square with visit to the Kremlin
Tretyakov Gallery – the world's most extensive collection of Russian art ranging from religious icons to Kandinsky
Borodino Panorama – 115-yard long cylindrical painting of the 15-hour battle of 1812 between Napoleon and the Russians
St Basil's Cathedral – built in the 16th century by Ivan the Terrible
1st class train to St Petersburg

St Petersburg

City orientation tour visiting Peter & Paul Fortress
St Peter & Paul Cathedral – burial place of all the Russian Imperial members from Peter the Great to Alexander III
Pushkin Palace & Park – Catherine the Great's palace with the Amber Room, a wonder of Rococo design created for the Emperor of Prussia and re-mounted in the Czars' Summer palace
Hermitage Museum – 2 separate half-day guided visits. The greatest of all collections of world art features masterpieces by Leonardo, Giorgione, Michelangelo, Canova, Rembrandt; imperial furniture; jewellery and applied arts