 SOUNDS OF SCANDINAVIA and RUSSIA - 2008
COPENHAGEN, STOCKHOLM and
ST. PETERSBURG
Opera performances:
In Copenhagen:
in The Copenhagen Opera
30 Sept. DON CARLOS by Verdi
in the Copenhagen Opera
01 Oct. "GISELLE" Ballet
at the Royal Danish Theater
In Stockholm:
04 Oct. SAMSON and DALILA by Camille Saint-Saens
at the Royal Theater
In St. Petersburg:
05 Oct. LE NOZZE DI FIGARO by Mozart
at the Mariinsky Theater
07 Oct. MADAMA BUTTERFLY by Puccini
at the Mariinsky Theater
Departure from U.S.A.: 27 September 2008 - 13 days. Return: 09 October 2008.
LAND COST: (includes orchestra level tickets in the theaters listed above.)
Double occupancy: $4,950 per person - Single supplement: $1,550
Deposit: $500 per person. Balance due ten (10) weeks prior to departure.
Day 1. – Sept. 27. (D).* UNITED STATES – COPENHAGEN
Depart this evening aboard any airline of your choice from the U.S.A. to Copenhagen, Denmark. Dinner and light breakfast served on the plane.
Day 2. – Sept. 28 (B,D). COPENHAGEN
Independent arrival at the Copenhagen airport. We meet you at the centrally located Admiral Hotel located on the harbor, where we stay four nights. Briefing and Gala Welcome Dinner at the hotel.
Day 3. – Sept. 29. (B). COPENHAGEN
Morning sightseeing of this charming city. Among the sights are the famous Little Mermaid, Tivoli Gardens and Christiansborg Palace, where the Danish Parliament meets. Afternoon free. This evening or the next we see an opera at the Royal Theater or the new Copenhagen Opera.
COPENHAGEN grew up on the shores of Øresund as a trading town under the Vikings and played an important role during the heyday of the Hanseatic League’s dominance of the Baltic lands. Its Danish name København stands for “the merchants' harbor.” Today it is Scandinavia's largest city and focal point with a population of 1.5 million. The capital of Denmark and seat of the oldest kingdom in the world, it was founded in 1167 by Bishop Absalon. Most of the city's outstanding buildings including the Old Stock Exchange, the Round Tower and Rosenborg Castle, were erected during the reign of King Christian IV (1588-1648).
Day 4. - Sept. 30. (B,L). COPENHAGEN
Full-day sightseeing along the Danish Riviera with stops at the home and museum of Karen Blixen, author of “Out of Africa” and “Babette’s Feast” which were made into movies, and Kronborg Castle used as a setting by Shakespeare in his play Hamlet. Lunch en route.
Day 5. - Oct .01. (B,D). COPENHAGEN
Today free to take in any of the fine museums near the hotel or to stroll on the Walking Street lined with boutiques displaying Danish Design objects. This evening we will have dinner at one of the fine local restaurants.
Day 6. – Oct. 02. (B). STOCKHOLM
Afternoon .departure on your flight to Stockholm, Sweden, where we transfer you to stay three nights at the centrally located SHERATON STOCKHOLM HOTEL
Day 7. – Oct. 03. (B.) STOCKHOLM
Our sightseeing tour of the capital of Sweden will pass by the main historical buildings and the many canals and bridges of the city. A visit is made to the unique City Hall, one of the great architectural works of the past century, where you will see the Golden Hall with brilliant mosaic tiles where the Nobel Prizes are presented. Afternoon free. .This evening or the next, we will see an opera at the Royal Opera House.
STOCKHOLM grew from a small fortress town in Viking times to a modern beautiful city with a population of more than one million people today. Often called the “Venice of the North,” Stockholm is an extremely graceful city built on fourteen islands. It boasts many fine museums and parks, the most famous being the Museum Island of Skepsholmen.
Day 8. – Oct. 04. (B,D). STOCKHOLM
Today free to take in any of the fine art museums nearby or visit the Vasa Ship Museum displaying the Swedish galleon which sank in Stockholm harbor in 1628, on its maiden voyage, and was lifted up and restored in its original state in the 1960s. Dinner this evening at one of the fine local restaurants.
Day 9. – Oct. 05. (B.) ST. PETERSBURG
Morning departure on your flight to St. Petersburg, Russia. We transfer you to the deluxe ROCO FORTE HOTEL ASTORIA facing St. Isaac’s Cathedral, where you stay four nights.
This afternoon we visit the world-famous Hermitage Museum founded by Catherine the Great, to see the most magnificent collection of Old Masters’ art treasures in the world.
ST. PETERSBURG was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great as his”Window on the West.” The city was renamed Petrograd in 1914 but lost its status as capital of Russia in the 1917 revolution that began in this city. In 1924, the city took the name of Leningrad after the death of the revolutionary leader, Lenin, and it remained thus until a referendum returned the city to its original name in 1991. Thanks to Lenin's determination to prevent its destruction in 1917, the city survives today as an extraordinarily beautiful and perfectly preserved tribute to Peter's vision and the taste of his imperial successors.
Day 10. – Oct. 06. (B,D.) ST. PETERSBURG
Morning city tour of the most interesting city in Russia. Among the sights to see along the main throughfare, Nevsky Prospect, are many impressive buildings. We visit the Peter and Paul Fortress and its Cathedral where many Czars are buried. Afternoon free to visit any of the city’s Cathedrals or take in the Hermitage Museum one more time. This evening or the next, we see an opera or a ballet at the Mariiensky Theater. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 11. – Oct. 07. (B). PETRODVORETS
This morning we drive to see one of the most charming palaces built on the outskirts of St. Petersburg and to admire the exquisite architectural and sculptural ensembles of Petrodvorets begun by Peter the Great as his summer palace. We will visit the Grand Palace and take a brief walk through the breathtaking gardens with huge gilded sculptures, which were hidden in the forests to avoid destructions by the Nazis.
PETRODVORETS (formerly called Peterhof) was founded in 1714 on plans personally drawn up by Peter the Great, which provided detailed instructions to eminent Russian and European architects and sculptors to create a total of 144 fountains, four cascades, beautiful gardens, dazzling gold-plated statues and the very impressive GRAND PALACE to rival Versailles in France. During the Nazi occupation from September 1941 to January 1944, the beautiful palaces were destroyed and the grounds were totally ruined. What we see today is a complete and thorough restoration of Peter the Great's dream.
Day 12. – Oct. 08. (B,D). PUSHKIN
This morning we drive to Pushkin to visit the luxurious Catherine Palace which has seen many restorations in the past 250 years, especially after the extensive damage done by the Nazis during the Second World War. Gala Farewell Dinner at the hotel.
PUSHKIN was a trading village one thousand years ago when the Swedish Vikings exerted their influence in the Baltic lands. In 1709, the troops under Peter the Great occupied these territories. Peter presented the country estate in the town to his wife, the future Empress Catherine. What began in 1718 as a modest, two-story, stone mansion for Empress Catherine was leveled to the ground and then expanded by every successive monarch. In 1752, Empress Elizabeth enlisted the services of Bartholomeo Rastrelli for the reconstruction of the mansion. He built a magnificent rococo palace with a blue and white exterior with gilded decorations. There were subsequent additions by various architects under Catherine the Great (1762-1796), with no heed paid to an integral composition. Outside the palace gates is a statue of the famous Russian poet, ALEXANDER PUSHKIN, who went to school here.
Day 13. – Oct. 09 (B). ST. PETERSBURG - UNITED STATES
Morning departure aboard your airline from St. Petersburg back home, arriving the same afternoon.
*B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner (including wine)
Airfare is not included. Individuals make their own flight arrangements. Please make sure that your airline ticket includes: U.S.A. to Copenhagen, Copenhagen to Stockholm, Stockholm to St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg back to the U.S.A. We urge you to check airline cancellation penalties before purchasing airline tickets since international departure times and flights can change. Tours also can be cancelled due to low enrollment. H.A.T. Tours does not accept liability for cancellation penalties related to domestic or international airline tickets purchased independently in conjunction with this tour.
The group is limited to fifteen persons maximum. The Managing Director Grethe Arani or Aspee Arani will personally escort this tour. Local English-speaking guides are provided in each of the cities visited.
H.A.T. Tours has been operating in Northern Europe for the past 26 years, and is very familiar with this part of the world. Therefore, we conduct a special tour with many "extras," which comes from our long-term knowledge of the area.
Please send your deposit to:
H.A.T. Tours
P.O. Box 46876, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33741
Phone: (727) 367-3973 - Fax: (727) 360-8459
E-Mail: gnahat@EuropeanOperaTours.com
Web site: www.EuropeanOperaTours.com
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