54 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 First World War THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION A People’s Tragedy St Petersburg, Russia’s most opulent city, home to the Tsars and the much maligned Imperial elite, was destined to become the epicentre for a revolutionary movement and would eventually take on the name of its leader becoming Leningrad. St Petersburg’s former glories have made it a magnificent place to visit, populated by grand palaces which exhibit examples of architecture from a plethora of cultural periods and its historical centre is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Moscow, the centre of Russia’s political power, also played its part in the revolution, with the Kremlin forever becoming the imposing symbol of the regime and also the resting place of Lenin himself. Visiting Russia’s two cities, you won’t just see where the Russian revolution eventually exploded, but also immerse yourself in one of the most unique and fascinating cultures in the world. All this will be experienced with Orlando Figes, history professor, award winning author and arguably the world’s leading authority on modern Russian history, his book ‘A People’s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1891-1924’ is the ‘go to’ resource on the subject. 12 - 20 September 2017 & 18 – 26 September 2018 (2 day optional extension) 9 days with Prof Orlando Figes Activity Level 2 Essentials Return flights from London, 1st class train, 4 star hotels, all meals with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guide throughout. Tour Price: £3495 Single supplement: £420 Deposit: £350 Price without flights: £3195 --------------------------------------------------- Tour Extension: £845 Single Supplement: £95 Deposit: £100 You may wish to combine this tour with our Eastern Front tour. Please see details on page 66. Todaytheterm‘revolution’isusedveryloosely, making it hard for us to really understand the scale and impact of the Russian Revolution. It was, without doubt, one of the most important events in world history, changing the political landscape for the rest of the twentieth century and giving birth to regimes that would eventually have a third of the world’s population living under them. What happened in 1917 went on to completely reconstruct an empire covering a sixth of the globe and its legacy went on to shape politics, economics, society and culture worldwide. Thistouroffersyoutheopportunitytoexplore this tumultuous period in great detail. Day 1 – Arrival. Fly London to Moscow arriving in the afternoon to check-in to our hotel and receive an introductory talk before welcome drinks and dinner. Day 2 – Moscow. Explore the Kremlin, the imposing and impressive home of the Russian government past and present. It was chosen by Lenin as his residence in 1918, located in thefamousRedSquarewhichisalsothehome of the revolutionary leader’s mausoleum. Thence to one of the most beautiful sites in Moscow, the Novodevichy Convent, a regular feature in the novels of Tolstoy. At the Khdynka Field we see where the coronation of Nicholas II turned into tragedy, as promises of gifts led the masses to stampede resulting in over a thousand deaths. Many believed it was a bad omen for the new Tsar. They were right. Day 3 – St Petersburg. Before departing the capital for St Petersburg we pay a visit to the Moscow Historical Museum and take a journey through the history of this fascinating country. Experience the vastness and beauty of the Russian countryside aboard the Sapsan express train to St Petersburg and arrive in the early evening to check-in to our hotel for six nights. Day 4 – The Winter Palace. We spend a full day at the Winter Palace, the official residence of the Russian monarchy. This would have been an obvious target for the Bolsheviks and it was stormed in 1917, an event which became the symbolic image of the revolution. The month-long looting of the palace’s wine cellar gave birth to what is known as ‘the greatest hangover in history’. The Palace now makes up part of the colossal Hermitage Museum, which holds the largest collection of paintings in the world. Day 5 – 1917 on the streets. Visit Yusupov Palacewhichboastsoneofthebestpreserved interiors of the imperial age and is well known for the assassination of the ‘mystic monk’ SOLD OUT The Russian Revolution, 1917