Need Lots of Help with A Copenhagen, Stockholm, Moscow and St Petersburg Itinerary, summer 2007
 

Hi all!

I am in the very beginnings of putting together our summer 2007 trip and in a bit of a quandry.

Normally I can figure all this out and then present just some questions here, but this time I need some help.

We want to spend 4 nights each in Copenhagen and Stockholm, the 4 nights in St Petersburg and 3 nights in Moscow. We only want to keep it to these 4 locations and only 4 hotel stays. We are thinking July, but are flexible, it can go into August. We will use FF points for the international flights.

Interests: DH is history buff, we both love art and architecture. I like to stroll the streets, shop and cafe sit. We both enjoy performances of everything in the arts, fabulous dining and wine. Not terribly into nature( not hikers, campers, etc) or too much peace and quiet. In essence we are city people for the most part.

Have done some preliminary research already, so here goes....

Budget:
1. We stay pretty upscale. I have a generous budget for the trip ( I pay for the hotels and sightseeing: I can spend up to $11,000 for the hotels and sightseeing for two for the 15 nights), DH pays meals, everything else. Sounds strange in the same family you'd think it all goes into one pot, but not in our household. I have a travel fund set aside soley for all our trips. DH then agrees to pick up the slack with dining, gift buying and all other misc items.

2. Copenhagen and Stockholm:

I think I can plan the Copenhagen and Stockholm portions of the trip by myself pretty much. Have an interest in these two hotels:

Hotel Front in copenhagen
Hotel Rival in Stockholm

3. Touring in Copenhagen and Stockholm:

We would appreciate the name/or company that does private city tours. We enjoy private tours ( please do not suggest just go and buy a guidebook, we never do that on our trips, we enjoy the services of a good guide)

4. Russia:

AAAH.. this is where I need help. I have contacted Exeterinternational, an extremely upscale company that has a Russia program to die for! It's super expensive and it will go over my budget slightly for that plus Copenhagen and Stockholm. www.exeterinternational.com.

However, I am seriouly considering using them for just Russia and will plan the Copenhagen and Stockholm parts myself.
I have already looked up previous posts on people's time St Petersburg and Moscow and have bookmarked other tour companies such as MIR corporation, Patriarshy Dom tours, Olga's Guide Service. Have not persued them yet.

Can anyone give me some recommendations how they "did" St Petersburg and Moscow with a private guide/tour company ( privately), etc. and if you have used any of the above companies.

Hoping this all makes sense. I think a combination of my own planning and a company's ( for Russia) will be the best combination for me.

I really, really prefer the services of an organization to be with us in St Petersburg and Moscow( it cuts down so much on the stress between DH and me)

Looking forward to hearing from someone...

Thanks a mil.....

ttt

Decide where you'll be staying and then ask their concierge office for recommendations. That's how we did it in St. Pete and worked out great.

Viajero,

Can you elaborate on what you did and how you did it.

What did you see, who was your guide, etc.

Where did you stay?

I am looking at the Grand Hotel Europe for St Petersburg.

If you like to be centrally located and enjoy walking and taking in architecture, the Grand Hotel is lovely. I have not stayed there, personally (a bit out of my budget!) but I have eaten there and picked up bakery items to bring to a friend's house as well. It is right on Nevsky, in the heart of the city.

My allegiance is to my second mother, Vera- who is the head of the maintenance staff at the Astoria. This hotel is also quite lovely (most of the heads of state stay here) and depending on your preference for activities, also very centrally located.

I have never stayed at either (I stay at Vera's apt generally) but I have been in the swanky rooms at the Astoria, and they are lovely.

Moscow is a great place to visit with a big budget! Do you have plans to stay anywhere in particular?

%%-

katya,

Yes, I am thinking the Astoria, Kempinski or the Elysee Palace.

Hotel picking is not the issue.

I just want to get a good support network in Russia and have a world class experience there. I know it will come at a price, but was wondering if anyone has used a really good company that access to events and entree into places that are really special.

Like I said I found probably the premier company for touring in Russia, Exeterinternational, but even for me it is a bit of a stretch.

Perhaps someone here has used them and can make a case for them?

Also as Viejo has above metioned that the concierge was put to use, has anyone just booked a hotel in Russia and let the concierge at the hotel put together a guide? If so, good idea? Your experience?

Hi tripgirl,

I was in St Petersburg recently and our tour company arranged an evening tour of the Hermitage with champagne and a concert at the end. It was a great way to see the museum as our group (around 20 people) didn't meet anyone else throughout the entire museum (which was officially closed, it being the evening) and we therefore had a perfect view of the artworks. I heard from the people who went on daytime tours that it was so busy they spent most of the time trying to keep up with their guide and the crowds made it difficult to get to the front to see the paintings.

If your concierge/tour company can arrange for you to join one of these evening tours I would highly recommend it.

papagena,

what tour company did you use?

Baltic Travel Company based St Petersburg (Destination Services Russia) is a company I used years back for incoming visitors when I worked in Moscow. They still exist but whether they still offer individual customized tours I'm not sure. http://www.baltictravel.com/

If not, then guest services at the Grand Hotel Europe may be worth contacting.

Tripgirl-
I had to laugh when I opened this post.

We were in Croatia right before you were this summer, and now we are kicking around the idea of a Baltic vacation in the next year or so. We travel in similar styles, I think, so I'll be following your itinerary planning!

Sorry I can't help you with your question, but I bet it'll be safe to bring your black shoes!

Good luck!

issy:

LOL!!!!!

Where do you think you'll be going?

I guess you don't need a list of the hostels that I stayed at when I made the trip.

I would check out the museums in St. Petersburg and Moscow and get a guided tour. Do check out the subways in Moscow. If it is raining, take a boat tour in Stockholm. Seems like you will need to go to Helsinki to get to St. Petersburg. They have several night trains from St. Petersburg to Moscow but the tracks are not real smooth. And don't try to use the toilets until the train starts moving.

Tallinn, Estonia is a beautiful city worth a day.

If the weather is nice, find a restaurant outside where you can people watch.

Can't be much help with your tour guide question. However, I have been to Moscow and Saint Petersburg many times, and quite familiar with most of the hotels, as I have stayed at most of them at one time or another.
Saint Petersburg: Grand Hotel Europe,and Astoria are both quite nice, and both expensive. Personally, I like the Astoria better of these 2,but the Grand Hotel Europe is in a slighly more convenient location in my opinion. Also, the Radisson SAS is quite nice, with a nice staff, and is located conveniently. I would also imagine that the newly opened Kempinski Moika is nice. I am not sure where it is located exactly, and have not stayed there.
Moscow: As of now, the LeMeridien National is the best location in Moscow. However, by the summer of 07 the new Ritz Carlton will open next to the National Hotel. There is also a new Four Season under construction, but I am not sure when it is scheduled to open. It is located directly at the entrance to Red Square, on the Red Square side of the street. Also, the Ararat Park Hyatt is very nice and located next to the Bolshoi Teatp, and is perhaps a 5-7 minute walk to Red Square. The new Swiss Hotel looks very interesting, albeit not in the best location.
Go luck on your trip. Your gonna love Russia!

Tripgirl-
My first thoughts are Copenhagen, Stockholm, St Petersburg and maybe Tallinn.

But, truth be told, I haven't looked into it much yet. I don't think we'll be able to commit for a European vacation in 2007 for another month or two. We would bring our kids on this trip, so the costs go up significantly. We'll see...... I've got my fingers crossed.

Ironically, the other place we are considering is Buenos Aires. I see you've got that going too!

When you are traveling and you look over your shoulder and see a family of 4 brunettes with ridiculous smiles on their faces, it might just be us!

Can't hgelp with any guides - we always do everything ourselves (we enjoy the planning and I have major issues with someone else "planning" for me).

Copenhagenand Stockholm are easy and there are tons of good hotels. Ifyou go in August you can frequently get excellent deals on top places - we dd the Grand in Sotcholm for an increrdibly low price - since the businesspeople are all on vacation.

What I would reco in russia is to get the best hotels (curb your budget in C and S to spend it here if you need be) since except for the absolute first tier hotels we found them unsatisfactory. (Either through staying - 1 night - seeing them while walking around or talking to other tourists. (Granted many of these tourists were perfectly happy there - but we would not have been.) Causes were either/and/or bad location, poor service (service is frequently still dicey in Russia) or minimal upkeep.

thanks all:

I think I am underway again and will re-post with more questions as they arise.

issy: Same here. If you see an Italian looking woman with a distinguished looking professor/astronaut looking man with sliver hair, that' s us!!

How funny that we are of like minds.

We are for sure on our way to Buenos Aires and Rio in April; that trip is all planned!!

Hope you can go there too!

I very desperately wanted to see the Terem and Grand Facated Palace that Exeter markets. My budget would have allowed for the privilege. However, trying to work with them is a complete headache- I finally gave up after a rather odd email.

I got a notice from them that they have changed their website and it does tell more about their package in Moscow with some price figures.

I hired guides in both Moscow and St. Petersburg. For 5 days in St.P it was under $900 and very well worth the money. Loved being able to work my own schedule. She told how she will tell more about particular things based on a persons interests - she specifically mentioned an architect would get more information about the various building styles. I was able to go to Alexander Nevsky chapel to see Maria Feodorovna's casket. I doubt a group tour would have been that flexible.

Here is a tentative tour itinerary for a four days' stay in St. Petersburg and three days’ stay in Moscow:
St. Petersburg –
Day 1 – a panoramic city tour with visits to Peter-and-Paul fortress, St. Isaac’s cathedral and the Church-on-Spilt Blood (approx. 6 hrs.)
Day 2 – a trip to Catherine’s palace in Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) and the palace of Paul the First in Pavlovsk (approx. 6 hrs.)
Day 3 – a day at the Hermitage – a tour of the museum and the two Gold Rooms (approx. 5 hrs.)
Day 4 – a trip to Peterhof to visit the Grand Palace, the fountain park, upon return downtown – excursions at Usupov palace and/or the Russian museum (7-8 hrs.)
Moscow –
Day 1 – a panoramic city tour with a visit to Novodevichy convent (approx. 6 hrs.)
Day 2 – a tour of the Kremlin with the Diamond Fund and the Armory, the Red Square and Kitai-gorod tour (approx. 6 hrs.)
Day 3 – Pushkin Art Gallery and Tretiakov Art Gallery (approx. 5 hrs.)

Of course, changes are possible, depending on your interests – some sights above can be skipped and others visited instead.
Getting from St. Petersburg to Moscow is convenient by an overnight train (about 8 hrs.), some of the new trains (“The Grand Express”, “Megapolis”) are really comfortable. The alternative is to fly (a little over 1 hour), but then you’d spend a lot of time getting to the airport in one city and to the hotel – in the other, especially if it is a week day. Another option is a fast day train (about 5 hrs.)

Can't help you with most of what you are asking, but will add: Copenhagen and Stockholm are not really huge cities and are very easy to get around in and also it's very easy to go outside the cities to explore other areas. Transportation is great. Just saying that in case you DO decide to spend more of your tour money in Russia and end up doing Copenhagen and Stockholm on your own.

thanks all:

I am all set. We have all our flights arranged, hotels and Russian tour set up with Exeter.

We are staying at the Hotel Front in Cpenhagen, Hotel Rival in Stockholm, decided to go to Helsinki just for the night and staying at Hotel Kamp then off to Rssia and staying at hotel Savv in Moscow and Htel Grand Europe in St P.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

In Copenagen and Stockholm we'll spend less and will take relatively inexpensive tours. We've set aside most of the funds for Russia. They put a nice program together for us and we are all set.

Many thanks all.