Depart From: your home airport

Arrive To: Arrival in Vilnius in the early afternoon. Transfer to hotel. Rest.

Afternoon: Orientation meeting at the hotel.

Dinner: Welcome Dinner.

Evening: Free evening.

Lodging: Radisson Blu Lietuva Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Note: expected walking up to 2 miles, comfortable shoes are a must

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Theme of the Day: Lithuania as a Baltic country with a1000-year old history. Drive to historic Trakai for a educational visit to to the Trakai Castle and a presentation on Lithuanian history at the Museum of History..See the historic Trakai Castle, built in1406 by Grade Duke Vytautas and beautifully nestled on an island in the middle of Lake Galve; The museum curator talks about Lithuania's medieval history and the important events associated with Trakai, a one-time capital of Lithuania.

Lunch: Lunch

Afternoon: Continue on to the town of Rumsiskes (about 40 miles from Vilnius) for an educational visit to an to an open-air museum to learn about rural life, national crafts, and local customs and traditions in from a museum expert.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel or in a restaurant in the city

Evening: Evening cultural event.

Lodging: Radisson Blu Lietuva Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lecture on today's Lithuania/History and Architectural highlights of Vilnius

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Lecture by a university professor: "General overview of the Baltic States. Lithuania's integration into the European Community." After the lecture, a walking excursion of the city begins, led by an expert, focusiing on the history and architectural highlights of Vilnius.

Lunch: Lunch on your own.

Afternoon: The city overview continues. Walk through the campus of the University of Vilnius, learn of the rich interior of Peter and Paul Cathedral and the Church of St. Anna from an expert. Continue through the Gates of Dawn and stop at the site of the ancient synagogue. See numerous medieval buildings of baroque architecture.

Dinner: Dinner at a city restaurant.

Evening: Evening free.

Lodging: Radisson Blu Lietuva Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: All transfers are done by a comfortable, air-conditioned motor coach with facilities on board (expected total travel time 5-6 hours)

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: After breakfast, check out of hotel. Drive to Riga, Latvia, via Pilsrundele and participate in an excursion to the baroque palace of Rundele, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. .

Lunch: Stopover for lunch en route to Riga.

Afternoon: Late afternoon arrival in Riga. Riga, founded in 1201 by the German Bishop Albert, is the largest of the three Baltic capitals; it boasts a kaleidoscope of architectural styles, a busy seaport, and a rich cultural life. Check in at hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Evening: Evening free to relax or have an independent walk to enjoy the Old Town near your hotel.

Lodging: Avalon Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Political discussion/ Museum of Latvian Occupation/walking excursion in Old Town/cultural event

Note: extensive walking in Old Town

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Lecture: “Latvia today, the political and economic situation in Latvia, and its socio-demographic structure.” Visit the Museum of Latvian Occupation, featuring many items and documents related to Latvia’s struggle for independence

Lunch: Lunch in town.

Afternoon: Learn about the 800-year history and architecture of Riga during an expert led walk in Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage site), See medieval buildings, Riga Castle,and the Dome Cathedral.

Later in the afternoon participate in an expert led walk through the area regarded by specialists as the capital of Art Nouveau architecture, known as New Style ("Jugendstil" in German). Art Nouveau appeared in architecture and furniture in the 1890s, and nearly half of the buildings in the center of Riga were built in this striking, flamboyant style.

Dinner: Dinner at a restaurant in Old Town.

Evening: Concert or theatrical performance (subject to performance schedule).

Lodging: Avalon Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: A presentation on Latvian national music: Learn of Latvian folkloric traditions and musical instruments. After the presentation, continue exploration of the city by motor coach. Drive through the former Jewish ghetto and visit a memorial to WWII victims.

Lunch: Lunch at a restaurant in Yurmala.

Afternoon: Spend part of the afternoon in the seaside resort of Yurmala, famous for its music festivals,concerts, art galleries and health spas. Admire the stunning city skyline on the way back to Riga, an unforgettabe sight !.

Dinner: Dinner on your own

Lodging: Avalon Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: expected travel time is about 4-5 hours.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel in Riga.

Morning: Hotel check out. Spend time at a local market before driving to Tallinn, Estonia (travel time about 4 hours). Enjoy the beautiful Estonian countryside and the picturesque Baltic coastline, numerous hills and lakes on the way to Paarnu, a seaside resort town, where a short stop is planned.

Lunch: Lunch en route to Tallinn.

Afternoon: Continue on to Tallinn with a late-afternoon arrival and check into hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel or city restaurant.

Evening: Evening is free to relax or to have an independent walk in the Old Town of Tallinn to enjoy this charming blend of medieval tranquility and modern urban life. See numerous shops, galleries, souvenir markets, and restaurants.

Lodging: Park Inn Central Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Discussion on politics and economy of modern Estonia/walking excursion in Old Town/cultural event

Note: extensive walking up/down hilsl, be prepared to walk on cobble stones and uneven terrain

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Discussion: 'Estonia today: Address the Estonian economy, and social and politicaly issues in the aftermath of Estonia's entry into the EU''. Following the discussion begin a city walk to learn about the history of Estonia and the architecture of Old Tallinn. Visit the Toompea Castle, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Dome Church, and other sites in the Upper Town.

Lunch: Lunch on your own in Old Town.

Afternoon: A city walk led by an expert continues in the Lower Town of Tallinn. Spend time at Catherine's Arts and Crafts Center.

Enjoy an organ recital at St. Nicholas Church. Free time.

Dinner: Dinner at a restaurant at hotel or in Old Town (TBA).

Lodging: Park Inn Central Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: expected travel time about 7 hours on an air-conditioned motorcoach with facilities on board.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Hotel check-out and morning motorcoach transfer to St. Petersburg, Russia, with a stopover in Narva for customs and border crossing formalities (expected travel time about 7 hours, by an airconditioned motorcoach with facilities on board).

Lunch: Boxed lunch en route to St. Petersburg.

Afternoon: Late afternoon arrival in St. Petersburg. Hotel check-in. Rest.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Evening: Evening to rest.

Lodging: Oktyabrskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Theme of the Day: History and Architecture of St. Petersburg: architectural highlights led by an expert.

Participate in an expert led visit to Peter and Paul Cathedral -the the birthplace of the city and the burial place of the Romanovs.

See the Winter Palace, the Bronze Horseman statue, St Isaac's Cathedral (exterior) the buildings of the University of St. Petersburg, the Summer Garden, and many other historic sites and architectural treasures of this magnificent city. Drive through Nevsky Prospekt, and enjoy the sights of numerous canals, palaces, and bridges.

Lunch: Time for Lunch on your own

Afternoon: Free afternoon in the city.

Dinner: Early dinner at hotel or city restaurant. After dinner, transfer to an evening performance.

Evening: Evening Performance.

Lodging: Oktyabrskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: extensive walking including up/down stairs, also standing in museum

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Full-day educational visit to the Hermitage Museum, one of the world's greatest art galleries. View the dazzling collection of Old Masters, French Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, as well as numerous items of all eras, including newly revealed masterpieces now on display (3 hours to be spent with a licensed expert).

Lunch: Lunch on your own

Afternoon: Enjoy the Hermitage collection independently, or return to hotel or spend this afternoon to explore the city on your own.

Dinner: Dinner at hotel or city restaurant.

Evening: Free evening.

Lodging: Oktyabrskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

The Romanov Dynasty: Visit the summer residences in Tsarskoye Selo and Peterhof

Note: extensive walking (up to 2 miles), comfortable shoes are a must.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Theme of the Day: The Romanov Dynasty (of Russian tsars). En route to Tsarskoye Selo hear a presentation on the Romanovs who ruled Russia over 300 years. First visit Catherine's Palace in Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin), an elaborate baroque resident built in 1752 for Tsarina Elizabeth to honor the memory of her mother Catherine. See the .Eighth Wonder of the World?, the extraordinary Amber Room, decorated with six tons of solid amber carved and framed in gold leaf. The original room was lost or confiscated by the Nazis during World War II and later meticulously reconstructed by the Russian artists.

Lunch: Lunch

Afternoon: Continue on to Peterhof, a summer residence of Peter the Great. Walk with an expert to admire the famous, stunning golden fountains, the palace grounds, and other constructions in the park: See (exterior only) the Grand Palace (the "Russian Versailles", now a museum), the Mon Plaisir Palace, Peter's more humble villa, the Grand Cascade, which is the centerpiece of the palace grounds, other pavilions, and the spectacular Lower Park itself, along the Gulf of Finland, featuring over 140 fountains to enjoy (note: excursions to palaces and other museums on site are not part of the visit)

Dinner: Dinner upon return to the city

Evening: Free for independent activities or performances.

Lodging: Oktyabrskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel. Check-out.

Morning: Lecture: "Russia Today: an overview of the Russian society, political system,and issues of religion and ethnicity in modern Russia" (presented by a university professor). Q&A session.

Lunch: Lunch in a restaurant in the city.

Afternoon: Transfer to train station. Travel to Moscow by Hi speed train (4:45 pm - 8:30 pm). Note: Seats on the train are similar to those on a motorcoach with plenty of legroom, but limited space for luggage; facilities are available on board.

Dinner: Dinner snack and water are provided on train.

Evening: Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to the program hotel.

Lodging: Marriott Tverskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: On the way to the museum drive through central Moscow: see Red Square, Manezh and the Kremlin walls and learn of the history of Moscow from an expert. Participate in an expert led visit to the Tretyakov Picture Gallery, housing the world?s finest and most extensive collection of Russian paintings of all times. Learn about the Byzantine-influenced medieval icons, paintings by the Peredvizhniki (a group of artists of the 19th century), and admire masterpieces by Surikov, Kramskoy, Repin, and other talents.

Lunch: Time for Lunch on your own

Afternoon: Drive to the Grand Theater Square to see the legendary building of the Bolshoi theater and other important architectural and cultural landmarks here before returning to hotel.

Dinner: Dinner.

Evening: Evening performance (subject to performance schedule).

Lodging: Marriott Tverskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: Extensive walking -- up to 2 miles.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: An educational trip to the legendary Kremlin compound: this is a self-contained, walled city (fortress) with an armory, churches, and a palace, which for hundreds of years was the symbol of the powerful Russian state. You will see the exterior of the Kremlin Palace, its cathedrals, the legendary Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell. Cathedrals in the Kremlin compound include the golden-domed Cathedral of the Annunciation and the majestic Cathedral of the Archangel, a harmonious melange of Italian Renaissance and traditional Russian architecture. The walk through the Kremlin grounds is led by a licensed expert.

Lunch: Time for Lunch on your own

Afternoon: Continue on with a visit to the Armory Chamber, featuring a unique collection of arms and armaments used through the medieval ages, as well as various Russian royal treasures, including famous Faberge eggs commissioned by the Romanov tsars. During free time take a walk in Red Square, admire the beauty of St. Basil's Cathedral, or visit the GUM department store.

Dinner: Dinner.

Evening: Free time for independent discoveries.

Lodging: Marriott Tverskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: This morning take a drive to visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Moscow University, the Novodevichy Convent (exterior only) and other important sites.

Lunch: Time for Lunch on your own

Afternoon: Transfer to the Center for preservation of Russia's multi-ehtnic traditions and arts and crafts Time for informal viewing of Arts and crafts from all corners of the multi ethnic Russian Federation.

Participate in Lecture and discussion: " Russia USA -relations" (presented by a university professor). Q&A session.

Dinner: Farewell dinner.

Lodging: Marriott Tverskaya Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.

Morning: Program ends, transfer to airport for flights home.

Meals Included: Breakfast