TOUR IHS2: The Romanovs - Laughter in The Crimea
September 16, 2011
7 nights in Yalta at the Hotel Oreanda
Pre-Tour and Post-Tour Options:
Moscow (5 nights) IH12: Itinerary and price and/or,
St Petersburg (4 nights) IH08: Itinerary and price
Kiev (4 nights) please contact Imperial Holidays
Itinerary – The start and finish point for this tour is Simferopol Airport
Day 1: September 17: Arrival in Yalta via Simferopol in Ukraine for the first of your 7 nights stay at the Hotel Oreanda. First is a transfer to Bakhchisaray to visit Khan Palace and the Assumption Cathedral. The Emir of Bakhchisaray was a frequent visitor to the Imperial family at St Petersburg. It is reported that Alexandra was a little overawed by him. Afterwards you will be transferred to your hotel where you will enjoy dinner.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: September 18: A leisurely day’s touring awaits you. First there is a visit to Oreanda, visiting the park and the building a former palace and now a sanatorium named “Nizhnya Oreanda”. A palace was planned for this area that was to be the summer home for tsarevich Alexei. Also on this first stop is a visit to Protection of the Virgin Church and a stroll along the Tsar’s Path (Sunny Path). Lunch today is a special in the restaurant “Tsar Cuisine” in Livadia at the former home of Baron Fredericks. This afternoon there is an excursion to Livadia Palace an Imperial Holidays special – afternoon tea served in the Italian courtyard of Livadia with musical accompaniment; a typical event in the daily lives of the Romanovs when they were in residence. At about 17:30 we will transfer back to the hotel for dinner and a leisurely evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: September 19: Breakfast s served in the hotel restaurant before we set off for a city tour of Yalta observing the central sea embankment, St John Zlatoust Church and the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. If we are lucky and the weather is good we will cruise along the Crimean Coast to Swallow Nest for our lunch in this amazing palace home. Today we will begin the visits to the mansions and parks of several former Romanov Grand Dukes: Harax (Grand Duke George Michaelovich); Kichkine’s Palace (Grand Duke Dimitri Constantinovich); and Ai-Todor (Grand Duke Alexander Michaelovich).
Whilst in this area we will also visit the St Apostolic Nina Church and the excavated remains of the Roman Fortress. Transfer back to our hotel and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: September 20: There is much to see today but it is at a leisurely pace. We depart for Alushta and visit some of the favourite spots enjoyed by the Romanovs such as the Tsar’s Hunting Grounds, the Trout Ponds and the Romanovs’ High Road Summerhouse. There will be time for a brief stop at the Monastery of Kosma and Damian. After a late lunch we will return to the hotel – just in time for dinner and a quiet evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: September 21: Today’s excursion takes us to Vorontsov’s Palace for about a 2-hour visit in this complex and architectural structure. After our lunch break we continue on to see the Yusoupov’s Palace and Park Chair mansion (Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholaievich), before reaching Dulber (grand Duke Peter Nicholaievich). It was this last palace which provided refuge and protection for the last members of the Imperial Family including the Dowager Empress Maria, stranded here until their rescue in 1919. It has been a long day and we will return to the hotel for another leisurely dinner and evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: September 22: For today we are leaving the immediate surrounds of Yalta and travelling to Sevastopol. There is a city tour including a visit to Khersonesos – the ruins of an Ancient Greek colony; St Vladimir Cathedral, the Sea port, monument to sunken ships and a visit to the amazing Museum Panorama which depicts and commemorates the Defence of Sevastopol in the Crimean War (the Easter war of 1853-1856). Next there is a special visit to the Museum of the Black Sea Fleet. We will have a late lunch at a local restaurant before returning to or base hotel for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: September 23: Our final day will see us on an excursion to the Nikitsky Botanical Garden before a midday lunch at the local restaurant. This afternoon there is another special treat as we take an excursion to Massandra Palace, the former palace of Tsar Alexander III. There is an opportunity to inspect the palace itself, visit the Tsar’s Vineyards at the Massandra Museums where you will be invited to inspect the wine cellars and enjoy wine tasting. Then it is back to the hotel for our last dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: September 24: After breakfast your transfer will take you to the airport in Simferopol to join your flight for your onward journey.
Meals: Breakfast
Price: For the scheduled tour program only (air fares to and from Simferopol not included)
From $4,755 per person twin share – based on at least 4 passengers
Single: from $5,675
* Stay-a-While ; unpack only once: 7 days at Hotel Oreanda in Yalta
* All inclusive – accommodation and breakfasts, lunches and dinners each day
* English speaking guide throughout the tour
* All entrance fees, transport and transfers
* Visit Livadia, setting for the Yalta Conference in 1945
* Afternoon tea with musical background in the Italian Courtyard of Livadia
* Visit the Khan Palace in Bakhchisaray
* Explore the favourite haunts of Nicholas & Alexandra
* Cruise along the coastline to Swallows Nest
* Wine tasting at Alexander III’s wine cellars at Massandra
* Exclusive visits to Harax, Kichkine, Ai-Todor, Chair and Dulber the former mansions/ palaces of the Romanov Grand Dukes – rarely open to the public.
Perhaps you may wish to stop over in St Petersburg and TOUR IH08 or to Moscow and TOUR IH12?
Imperial Holidays will be happy to help organise this for you.
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