Train Type:  First-Class

The Tour
Discover the land of Florence Nightingale and The Charge of the Light Brigade by private train! Watch the fascinating history of the Crimea unfold as you travel through Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova. Board the private Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express in Moscow, and head south touring capital cities Minsk, Lvov and Kishinev before arriving in the beautiful Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea. Spend five days exploring the region, including three nights in the exclusive sea-front Hotel Oreanda on Yalta’s breathtaking coast and two nights in Kiev. Owen Hardy, IRT's CEO & Publisher calls this  journey "an incredible mix of culture, climate, history and experiences from amazing gardens to a tour of the Massandra Winery to dinner overlooking the Black Sea. This is one of the best tours we've ever done."

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The Itinerary
Day 1: Moscow
Upon arrival in Moscow, you are met and transferred to a luxurious five-star hotel located in the heart of this vibrant city for a one-night stay. Enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel, where you will meet your fellow travelers and tour leader.

Day 2: Moscow
Our city tour of Moscow principally takes us to Red Square, an iconic symbol of Russia's former military and political power. We’ll see an eclectic mix of fascinating architecture, including the ornate St Basil’s Cathedral with its magnificent onion-domed spires, the grand Kremlin and the somber and evocative site of Lenin’s tomb. Late this afternoon, we board the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express and settle into our modern, stylish cabins. Dinner is served in one of the beautifully designed restaurant cars as our journey begins.

Day 3: Minsk, Belarus
We spend the morning in Minsk, capital of Belarus and enjoy a tour of this city which saw fierce fighting during World War II. Then rejoin the Golden Eagle in the afternoon as we travel across the Belarus countryside towards the Ukraine.

Day 4: Kiev, Ukraine
Our tour of this ancient city includes the beautifully restored Monastery of Caves, Lavra Complex which has the highest bell tower in the former USSR, the huge Mother Ukraina WWII monument and museum,a stroll along Khreshchatyk Street, Saint Sophia's Cathedral and Independence Square.

Day 5: Lvov, Ukraine
Breakfast is early prior to our arrival in Lvov, capital of the Western Ukraine and an ancient city that has seen many rulers. Named "Lemberg" during Polish/Austrian rule, and again briefly during Nazi occupation, the old city, with its winding streets has survived almost untouched. Our city tour includes lunch before we re-board our train and head south.

Day 6: Kishinev, Moldova
Passing over the Moldovan border during the night, spend the morning traveling through the picturesque Moldovan countryside before we arrive at lunchtime in the capital city of Kishinev. After lunch, our afternoon tour of the city includes a visit to a local winery.

Day 7: Odessa, Ukraine
Breakfast finds us heading south to the Black Sea, where we arrive in the elegant city of Odessa at lunchtime with its tree-lined Primorsky Boulevard featuring street cafes on the embankment and the Potemkin Steps. This Black Sea city was immortalized in Einstein's 1925 film "Battleship Potemkin." Nearby is the impressive Opera and Ballet Theater.

Day 8:  Balaclava, Ukraine
Today we arrive in Sevastopol which is home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet and is a town steeped in the history of the Crimean War and World War II, on both occasions being under siege for almost a year. We visit Balaclava and the Diorama depicting the World War II battle and from where there is a fine view of the valley where the Charge of the Light Brigade took place. The valley is now covered in neat rows of vines and in the middle is a white stone memorial to the infamous Charge.

Day 9: Sevastopol & Bakhchisarai, Ukraine
Our tour of Sevastopol this morning includes the Old Town, the Panorama (a 360-degree painting and montage depicting the siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War) and Khersones, reputed to be the most complete ancient Creek settlement in existence, and only opened to foreigners a few years ago. In the afternoon we leave Sevastopol and travel by train to the Bakhchisarai where we visit the 16th century Hansaray (or Khan's) Palace and Uspensky Cave Monastery. This evening we spend our final night on board the Golden Eagle

Day 10: Feodosiya & Sudak, Ukraine
After breakfast we arrive in the seaside resort of Feodosiya where we visit the Aivazovsky Gallery before taking the spectacularly scenic coastal road to Yalta, stopping off at Sudak, a popular beach side resort on the Crimean peninsula, with a well-preserved and imposing Genoese Fortress which overlooks the town, and the center of the Crimean viticulture industry. We arrive early evening at the Hotel Oreanda in Yalta for a 3 night stay.

Day 11: Yalta, Ukraine
Today there is a guided tour of Yalta including Chekhov's House and the Botanical Gardens, followed by lunch at the Swallow's Nest, a fairy-tale castle breathtakingly perched high above the sea. This restaurant is a world famous location and many world leaders have eaten here. In the afternoon we take a scenic cruise along the picturesque coastline before visiting the Massandra Palace and Imperial Winery, touring the cellars (they have bottles dating back to 1775 and many bottles from the Tsars personal collection.)

Day 12: Yalta, Ukraine
This morning we visit Alupka Palace which was built for Count Mikhail Vorontsov, former special envoy to the United Kingdom and friend of the Marlborough family. The palace is a strange, but attractive combination of a Scottish castle with Arabian additions. Churchill stayed here during the Yalta conference of February 1945. In the afternoon we enjoy a private tour of the Tsar's Summer Palace at Livadia and the site of the Yalta conference between Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. A champagne reception on the grounds will be followed by a concert of chamber music and dinner in the restaurant attached to the palace.

Day 13: Yalta, Ukraine
Airport transfers to Simferopol Airport for guests connection to international flights.

2011 Dates:
Apr. 20-May 2 (SB)
Apr. 26-May 8 (NB)

The Prices

Other:
Pricing includes all meals, including wine or beer with lunch and dinner, airport transfers, all sightseeing mentioned, all accommodation in five-star hotels or on the train, flight from Simferopol to Kiev and gratuities.

Not included: international airfare, visas required for the tour (Russia & Belarus for U.S. citizens), travel insurance. (Note U.S. citizens do not currently require a visa to Ukraine or Moldova; visa requirements subject to change.)

Optional Pre-Tour Extension in St. Petersburg. Call for pricing and details.

GUEST SPEAKER: HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS MICHAEL OF KENT

The Princess is a successful author and has written a number of books on European historical subjects. She has been lecturing internationally since 1996.

Her Royal Highness will join the Crimean Express tour in Sevastopol, Ukraine. On board the Golden Eagle, she will lecture on the life of Catherine the Great and her role in the history of the Crimea.

Following the lectures, HRH Princess Michael will travel on the train for a number of days.

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