Travel-Learn Program

When: August 20, 2010 - August 27, 2010 (iCal)

Description

Join an in-depth survey of Russia’s cultural capital, St. Petersburg, with faculty host Professor Vida Johnson, Director of Tufts’ Russian Program. From a centrally located hotel just a ten-minute walk from the world-class Hermitage Museum, experience Peter the Great’s beautiful 18th century city on foot, by coach, hydrofoil and boat. Visit Peterhof, Peter’s summer palace with its soaring fountains; admire baroque Catherine’s Palace, including a unique behind-the-scenes look at the Amber Storage Rooms; and be a guest at an exclusive reception and meeting with its Vice Director. Attend a special visit to the private studio of two renowned St. Petersburg artists and a memorable ballet or opera performance at one of the city’s wonderful theaters. While you’re in the neighborhood, take the opportunity to explore the modern metropolis of Moscow, with its 850-year-old Kremlin, on an optional post-tour extension.

Host: Professor Vida Johnson

Cost

From $2,995 per person, plus airfare.
Book early to secure desired space!

Contact

For more information, contact Usha Nand Sellers, Program Director, in the Office of Alumni Relations at usha.sellers@tufts.edu or 1-800-THE-ALUM (1-800-843-2586) or 617-627-5323.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Depart U.S. for Russia

Day 2 – Arrive in St. Petersburg

Transfer to the centrally located Helvetia Hotel,and take some time to rest before gathering for a welcome dinner.

Day 3 – St. Petersburg

Depart for an introductory tour of St. Petersburg, often described as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its miles of canals, laced together with graceful bridges set amidst 18th century buildings, have earned it the name, “Venice of the North.” Visit the Peter and Paul Fortress, one of the first structures in St. Petersburg and the burial place for most of the czars, including Peter the Great. Explore St. Isaac’s Cathedral, bursting with sculptures, frescoes, stained glass works and woodcarvings. Pay a visit to the Monument to the Defenders of Leningrad, dedicated to the memory of the 900-day siege during WWII.

Day 4 – St. Petersburg

This morning, we'll board a boat at one of St. Petersburg's famous bridges for a cruise of the city’s canals - the waterways that originally drained the swamps of Peter the Great’s capital. Visit the private studio of a renowned local artist for tea before joining our private tour of the Usupoff Palace, tucked away in the heart of St. Petersburg, where the plot against the sinister Rasputin came to fruition.

Day 5 – St. Petersburg

Visit the gorgeous blue Church of the Savior of the Blood, built on the spot where Czar Alexander II was killed by a bomb in 1881. Next is the world-class Hermitage, one of the world’s finest museums. The fabulous rooms with their inlaid floors and gilded woodwork and the grand double entry staircase are works of art in themselves. Spend a romantic evening at one of St. Petersburg’s illustrious theaters.

Day 6 – St. Petersburg / Pushkin / Pavlovsk

Today, we'll drive out into the countryside to Pushkin to visit Catherine's Palace, beginning with an exclusive reception with its Vice Director. Admire the fully restored Amber Room, which has taken many years to return to its original state. The beautifully crafted amber panels were re-created from photos and descriptions of the originals. As a special feature, take a unique look behind the scenes in the Amber Storage Rooms (not to be confused with the workshops where others can go on a regular tour). Stop for lunch at Podvorye Restaurant, built in the style of a traditional Russian izba, or wooden cottage. Enjoy wonderful Russian peasant-style cuisine, served family style at long wooden tables. We'll continue to nearby Pavlovsk Palace, given to Czar Paul I and his wife by Catherine the Great, and set in a lovely park. This evening is free to pursue independent interests.

Day 7 – St. Petersburg / Peterhof

Take a hydrofoil from the Hermitage pier down the Neva and out into the Gulf of Finland to Peterhof, Peter’s summer palace. The former imperial residence is surrounded with extensive parks and gardens intended to rival Versailles, complete with an array of gilded statues, magnificent palaces and gravity-fed fountains. We'll explore the massive Grand Palace with its parquet floors, lavish apartments and grand galleries before gathering for a festive farewell dinner.

Day 8 – Depart St. Petersburg

This morning, after some free time to visit a few more sites independently, transfer to the airport for the flight home.

Optional Post-Tour to Moscow

Day 9– St. Petersburg / Moscow

For those who wish to continue to Moscow, we will transfer to the airport for the short flight. Upon arrival, join an introductory city tour. Founded in 1147 by Yuri Dolgoruky (literally “Yuri of the Long Arms”), Moscow rose to prominence during Mongol domination and eventually became the Russian capital. Eclipsed for 200 years by St. Petersburg, Moscow was restored as the Russian political center after the October Revolution in 1917, and celebrated its 850th anniversary in 1997.

Check in to the beautiful four star Marriott Tverskaya Hotel near Red Square and the Kremlin.

Day 10 – Moscow

Today’s tour focuses on UNESCO-listed Red Square and the Kremlin, with its Armory Museum. Built in the 16th century as a warehouse for the Kremlin's weaponry, the Armory Museum now houses Russia's national treasures such as religious icons, Faberge eggs and Catherine the Great's ball gowns and shoes. Visit the Tretyakov Gallery, where the history and trajectory of Russian art are displayed.

Day 11 – Moscow

Take a tour of Moscow’s Metro; the stations in the city center are showpieces of Socialist art, furnished with statues, frescoes and mosaics. Continue to Izmailovo Park, the best place in Moscow to find deals on an eclectic variety of Russian souvenirs and crafts, from matrioshka dolls to lacquered boxes, and Soviet memorabilia to watercolors. Next, descend further underground for a tour of the Cold War Museum. Over 200 feet below Moscow is the Secured Command Post “Tagansky,” an abandoned relic of the Cold War built to withstand a nuclear attack.

Day 12 – Depart Moscow

Transfer to the airport for departure.

Price and Itinerary remain tentative and subject to change