World War II was the most titanic struggle that mankind ever experienced. The interest in this major historic event does not vanish as time goes by. It cost over 50 million lives and consumed enormous resources. It deformed the world economy and brought enormous suffering to the whole generation. Among the countries involved, the greatest human losses were borne by the Soviet Union, which had suffered 27 million fatal casualties, mostly civilians, and Germany that started the war (over 12 million). The United States and Great Britain, the allies of the Soviet Union in the War, lost correspondingly over 300 000 and 400 000 lives. The whole nations were facing the total extermination; most notably 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis, mostly in the concentration camps. Accordingly, the victory over fascism, in which the Soviet Union played the leading role, is one of the most momentous events in human history, which we have no right to forget about. The itinerary of the tour designed by COMINTOUR includes visiting Moscow, Kursk, Volgograd (the former Stalingrad) and St. Petersburg: the cities, which gave the names to the most decisive battles that brought the final victory to the Allies over the Nazi Germany.

Our arrival destination is the Russian capital. Apart of the iconic views of the Kremlin, the Red Square and St. Basil Cathedral Moscow can offer many more not so much visited attractions. The site of one of the Great Battles of WW2, where Drang nach Osten of the Nazi's panzer armies was stopped for the first time, partially by poorly armed and trained Russian volunteers, Moscow nowadays has some of the best museums dedicated to the Second World War and the military history. As the Europe's biggest city, Moscow also boasts excellent night life and modern vibrant culture.

The second Russian capital St.Petersburg (also called the capital of the culture) is one of the world's most beautiful cities. Also nicknamed The Venice of the North this city is a real jewel box of architecture of the last three centuries, and also hosts some of the best museums and theatres. At the time of the Second World War St.Petersburg (called Leningrad at that time) had become the stage for some of the grimmest events in the recent human history. Hitler had plans to raise the city to the ground. Besieged by German and Finnish troops for 900 days Leningrad didn't give up and survived. The victory came at a very dear cost. One million of the city's inhabitants had perished due to starvation, cold, Nazi's bombing and artillery shelling. The sacrifice of these people preserved the beauty of their city for us.

The name of Stalingrad (nowadays called Volgograd) during WW2 has become synonymous to heroism and commitment. Viewed by the Soviets and the Nazis as an important strategic point, Stalingrad had seen some of the fiercest street to street and house to house battles that reduced the city to a little more then a pile of rubble. Eventually Stalingrad became the first major defeat of the Nazi's armies and the turning point of the whole Second World War. After the war the city was rebuilt and now is a thriving place with a population just over a million people.

The next city - Kursk at the time of the war had witnessed one of the biggest battles in the human history. During the battle each side deployed about a million soldiers, thousands of tanks, planes and artillery pieces. The site of Prokhorovka village was the place of the biggest tank battles ever fought. After the defeat of Kursk the German army had never fully recovered and during next two years gradually lost the ground all the way up to Berlin.

The Great Battlefields of the Second World War tour is best designed to give the detailed impression of the events that took place in the Eastern Front during the war and also introduce the modern Russian way of life and the culture.

The program of the tour: 13 Days/12 Nights 

Day 1	Arrival to Moscow, transfer to the hotel, check-in.
Day 2	Breakfast, sightseeing tour of the city, tour of the Kremlin, including visit to the cathedrals, free time.
Day 3	Breakfast, visits to the Marshal Zhukov Museum and the Air-Force Museum in Monino (Moscow suburbs).
Day 4	Breakfast, Armed Forces Museum, trip to Kubinka (a settlement outside of Moscow best known for the biggest tank museum), departure to Kursk by night train.
Day 5	Arrival, transfer to the hotel, check-in, breakfast, city tour, including visits to the World War II museum and museum of the Kursk battle.
Day 6	Breakfast, trip to Prokhorovka and Yakovlevka, including visit to the site and museum of the greatest tank battle in the history, (meeting with War veterans can be arranged), departure to Moscow by an overnight train.
Day 7	Arrival to Moscow, breakfast, sightseeing tour including the war memorial on the Poklonnaya Hill, transfer to the airport, flight to Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad). Arrival to Volgograd, transfer to the hotel, check-in.
Day 8	Breakfast, sightseeing tour of the city, including the War Memorial, Panorama of the Stalingrad Battle and the Mamayev Hill.
Day 9	Breakfast, the whole day-tour of Stalingrad Battlefields, dinner with war veterans.
Day 10	Breakfast, a morning flight to St. Petersburg, transfer to the hotel, check-in, sightseeing tour of the city.
Day 11	Breakfast, tour of the city including the Navy Museum and the Artillery Museum, trip to Kronstadt, the main historical Navy base of Russia situated on an island in the Gulf of Finland, sightseeing tour.
Day 12	Breakfast, tour of the Hermitage, the Leningrad Siege Memorial Museum, folk show at the former Palace of Grand Prince Nicholas.
Day 13	Breakfast, transfer to the airport, departure.

The price of the tour is quoted on request.