SEMESTER SPECIAL NORTHERN LIGHTS TOUR Lapland – Murmansk – St. Petersburg – Moscow // All Panoramic City Tours Included !!!

Meeting at Istanbul Airport Outbound Terminal at 22:00, we depart for St. Petersburg with Turkish Airlines flight TK 405 at 01:30. After a comfortable flight, we proceed with a panoramic tour of St. Petersburg, where we begin to explore this unique city enchanted by its elegance, architecture, and history. Founded in 1703 by Russian Tsar Peter the Great, St. Petersburg is a city that captivates its visitors at first sight with its magnificent structures, wide boulevards, and impressive history. During our panoramic tour, we proceed along Nevsky Prospekt, the city's most important boulevard which, at exactly 4.5 kilometers long, almost reflects the soul of the city. Named after Alexander Nevsky, one of the most famous heroes of Russian history, this boulevard is the beating heart of St. Petersburg. The architectural masterpieces encountered along the boulevard reveal the city's historical wealth. First, we see the Admiralty Building, which draws attention with its golden dome, and then we observe the elegant structure of the magnificent Kazan Cathedral, built as a small replica of the famous St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Throughout our tour, we have the opportunity to see the striking architecture of the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace, the elegance of the Stroganov Palace, and the impressive structure of Gostiny Dvor, one of the city's most important trading points with a history of approximately 250 years, which has now transformed into a modern shopping center.

The National Library of Russia, one of the most striking structures of St. Petersburg's art-filled atmosphere, the Singer House, which attracts attention with its foundation story, the Eliseyev Emporium, which dazzles with its massive stained glass and bronze details, and the Aurora Cinema, frequently mentioned in the memoirs of the writer Nabokov, increase the visual richness of our tour. In addition, the famous Anichkov Bridge, which has become an important part of Russian literature and bears the traces of the Siege of Leningrad, offers us sections from different periods of history throughout the tour. Following this fast and impressive journey through time in St. Petersburg from past to present, we transfer to our hotel and check into our rooms. At the end of the tour, guests who wish may participate in the Russian Night Tour (100 Euro) to be organized extra by our guide. You should not miss the opportunity to watch dinner and magnificent dance shows at Troika Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in St. Petersburg. Transfer to our hotel after the tour and overnight stay at our hotel.

 

After our morning breakfast, we transfer to the airport. After baggage and check-in procedures, we depart for Murmansk, the world's largest Arctic city located beyond the Arctic Circle. Upon our arrival in Murmansk around noon, we begin our Murmansk City Tour. Within the scope of our tour, we see the majestic Alyosha Monument overlooking the city from a hill and serving as one of the symbols of Murmansk, the legendary Lenin Nuclear Icebreaker which made history as the world's first nuclear icebreaker, the Murmansk Port known as the gateway to the North, and the Lighthouse shedding light on the city's maritime history. In the evening hours, one of the most fascinating experiences of our Murmansk trip awaits us. We participate in our 4-hour Aurora Hunt (Northern Lights Tour) program to catch the dancing colors in the unique sky of the Arctic Circle. In the enchanting nights of the North, we set out for the Aurora Hunt to witness one of the most impressive natural phenomena of the sky. Moving away from city lights, we head to the most suitable points to observe the Northern Lights accompanied by endless snowy landscapes. The light dance in shades of green, purple, and occasionally pink that suddenly appears in the darkness of the sky reveals this unique natural phenomenon called the Aurora Borealis. Formed as a result of the interaction of charged particles coming from the Sun with the Earth's atmosphere, the Northern Lights offer a different view every time. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, free time for the whole day. Guests who wish may closely discover the unique culture and traditional lifestyle of the Sami people, the ancient people of the North, by participating in the Sami Village Tour (115 Euro) to be organized as an extra. On our tour, we are guests in the colorful world of the Sami; we spend pleasant time with cute Husky dogs and take plenty of photos, experience a reindeer sleigh ride in the snow-covered nature, and enjoy the fun Banana Ride activity. During the free time we will spend at the campsite, you can obtain interesting information from our guide about the lifestyle, traditions, and culture of the Northern peoples. After taking beautiful photos with reindeer, you can try traditional local costumes and taste traditional local soups in the warm atmosphere of the camp.

Guests who wish can participate in the Snowmobile Safari Tour (105 Euro) to be held before or after our village visit. Guests participating in our tour can experience an adrenaline-filled adventure in the Northern geography. After our tour, guests who wish can participate in the Northern Lights Hunt Tour (55 Euro). Guests participating in our tour can have the opportunity to chase the Aurora to catch the colors dancing in the dark sky of the North and witness this unique natural phenomenon. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and overnight stay at our hotel.

Free time all day after the morning breakfast we will have at our hotel. Guests who wish can participate in the Teriberka Village Tour (115 Euro) to be organized as an extra. After the open buffet breakfast at our hotel, our day is free. Guests who wish can participate in the Teriberka Tour to be organized as an extra. Departing early in the morning, we set off towards the legendary Teriberka Village, one of the most remote and impressive points of the world, amidst the unique landscapes of snow-white tundras. In this unique region referred to as the "Edge of the World", we meet with the endless Arctic Ocean. Within the scope of our tour, we visit the nostalgic Ship Cemetery bearing traces of the region's past, the massive Whale Skeleton, and the Dragon Eggs Beach, which is one of the extraordinary beauties of nature. At the famous Throne photo spot located on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, you can capture unforgettable frames accompanied by the unique landscapes of this fascinating geography.

After the free time and lunch break we will give at the beach, guests who wish can participate in the Ice Floating (95 Euro) experience to be organized as an extra. After this exciting experience to take place in the extraordinary nature of the North, we set off for the return to Murmansk. Following our return to Murmansk, guests who wish can participate in the Northern Lights Hunt Tour (55 Euro). Guests participating in our tour can have the opportunity to chase the Aurora to catch the colors dancing in the dark sky of the North and witness this unique natural phenomenon. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and overnight stay at our hotel.

Following breakfast at our hotel in the morning and checking out of the rooms, we transfer to the airport and depart for Moscow, the capital of Russia. Upon our arrival in Moscow, we transfer to our hotel. After resting a bit, guests who wish can participate in the extra Moscow Metro, Novodevichy Cemetery, and Arbat Street Tour (50 Euro) to be organized. Accepted as the metro with the most aesthetic decoration in the world, the Moscow Metro fascinates visitors with its massive chandeliers, marble columns, mosaics, and stations resembling an art gallery. Afterwards, we proceed to the Novodevichy Cemetery, which also houses the grave of Nazim Hikmet. Founded in 1524, this monastery is like an open-air museum housing giant names of Russian cultural and political history such as Chekhov, Gogol, Mayakovsky, Bulgakov, Eisenstein, Khrushchev, Shostakovich, and Yeltsin. Novodevichy, meaning "New Maidens", accompanies the tragic stories of tsaritsa candidates with a poetic sadness. The last stop of our tour, Arbat Street, is Moscow's most popular art and culture center. The walk we will make among street painters, musicians, colorful shops, and buildings smelling of history creates a feeling of traveling through time indeed. The famous building where Pushkin and his wife Goncharova lived will also greet you here. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and overnight stay at our hotel.
 

After the breakfast we will have at our hotel in the morning, we start our Moscow City Tour. The first stop of our tour, Red Square, is a fascinating meeting point located in the heart of Russian history. Witness to political and social developments throughout history, this square carries the traces of Russian identity in every corner. Built in the sixteenth century by Ivan the Terrible, St. Basil's Cathedral, whose every dome symbolizes a Russian victory, invites our visitors to a fairytale world with its eye-catching architecture. The Minin and Pozharsky monument in front of the cathedral serves as a symbol of the unity and courage of the Russian people. The GUM Department Store located at the end of the square, mesmerizing with its architecture, the Kremlin Palace rising right next to it, Lenin's Mausoleum known worldwide as the symbol of communist ideology, the Karl Marx statue, and the famous Bolshoi Theatre operating from the 18th century to the present are the important points of our trip. A little further ahead, the Duma Parliament Building, where Russia's first elected parliament started operating in 1906, and the historic Voskresensky Gate, which was bombed in 1931 to allow tanks to enter Red Square, are other valuable stops we will visit. After our tour, we transfer to our hotel and check into our rooms. Guests who wish may participate in the Kremlin Tour (50 Euro) to be organized as an extra. The Kremlin is a magnificent structure considered the heart not only of Moscow but of all Russia with its architecture, splendor, and the critical role it played throughout history. This unique structure, which has witnessed political intrigues, dynastic struggles, and cultural transformations, makes you feel the magic of the past at every step. The Kremlin's gardens, the Grand Kremlin Palace Complex, the Concert Hall, and the surroundings of the Presidential Building house the most important building blocks of Russian history. The "Space Tree", erected after Yuri Gagarin's space journey and shimmering with lights falling on the Moskva River, is one of the interesting details of our tour. The impressive story of the giant cannon and bell tower cast by Tsar Ivan turns into both informative and enjoyable moments through our guide's narration. Guests who wish may find the opportunity to see Empress Catherine's magnificent crown decorated with 5000 diamond stones up close. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and overnight stay at our hotel.

Free time until transfer to the airport after the breakfast we will have at our hotel in the morning. Guests who wish can participate in the Izmailovo Market, Matryoshka Painting Workshop, VDNKH Park, and Cosmonautics Museum Tour (100 EUR). Izmailovo is Moscow's largest souvenir, antique, and flea market. Having a fairytale appearance with its colorful wooden buildings, this market is famous for matryoshkas, handicraft artworks, and Soviet-period nostalgic objects. After the Matryoshka painting workshop we will take here, we visit VDNKH Park, opened as a exhibition center during the Soviet period. We will visit the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics located inside the park. Inside the museum, there are exhibitions and models related to space by Soviets and Russians. These figures provide information about the history of flight, astronomy, space exploration and space technology, and even art in space. According to Russian statistics, there are approximately 85,000 different items in this museum, and most of them date from the Soviet period. Following our tour and free time, transfer to the airport. Departure for Istanbul at 20:15 with Turkish Airlines flight TK416 and arrival in Istanbul at 00:15 local time.
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