The Great Patriotic War

Stalingrad and Leningrad

The defence of Moscow, siege of Stalingrad and siege of Leningrad - our Stalingrad battlefield tour features three of the most pivotal events of the Second World War (or the Great Patriotic War as it is known in Russia). By August 1941, but for the intervention of Hitler, Moscow would have fallen to the advancing German Army. But its staunch defence during the winter of 1941/42 was the beginning of the Soviet fight-back. A second German offensive in the summer of 1942 saw great advances in the south terminating in the abortive drive to the Caucasus and the monumental battle for Stalingrad, the great turning point of the Second World War. Surrounding and isolating their beleaguered German adversaries around Stalingrad, the Russians commenced their drive to the west.

"In a race with death, which had no trouble in catching up with us and was wrenching its victims out of our ranks in great batches, the army was increasingly pressed in to a narrow corner of hell".

Joachim Weider

Day 1.

Fly London to Moscow. Check into our hotel for three nights.

Day 2.

Drive out to the massive tank Museum at Kubinka with its huge collection of WW2 armoured vehicles. After lunch we visit the Museum dedicated to the Defence of Moscow.

Day 3.

We visit the superb Museum of the Great Patriotic War on Poklonnaya Mountain. The afternoon is left free for personal exploration and sight seeing.

Day 4.

This morning we visit Russia's premier air force museum at Monino. Transfer to the airport for our evening flight to Volgograd (Stalingrad) and check into our Volgograd hotel for three nights.

Day 5.

Our Stalingrad tour starts with a full exploratory Stalingrad battlefield tour, including the Mamaev Hill, the Factory District, the Grain Elevator, the Volga river crossing, Lyudnikov's island and the Stalingrad panorama.

Day 6.

Drive to the river Don. Visit Kalach and the 'meeting of the armies' memorial, the Don bridge and the Soldiers Field.

Day 7.

We take a boat trip up the Volga past the giant Mother Russia monument and up to the Factory District. There will be an opportunity for some free time before we catch our flight to St Petersburg via Moscow. Check into our St Petersburg hotel for three nights.

Day 8.

Our Leningrad battlefield tour starts with travel to the outskirts of the city to visit the "Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad" museum on the shores of Lake Ladoga, the Diorama museum near Mar'ino, the bridgehead and memorial complex "Nevsky Pyatachok", the Sinyavinskie heights and the site where the Russian fronts met. This is where some of the fiercest fighting took place and where eventually the Red Army broke through.

Day 9.

We tour the Peter and Paul Fortress in St Petersburg with its rich and varied history, and climb aboard the cruiser Aurora and examine its role in the storming of the Winter Palace. After lunch our Leningrad tour visits the fascinating Museum of Artillery and the Siege Museum dedicated to the 900 day siege of Leningrad.

Day 10.

Visit the Piskaryovskoe Cemetery, where nearly half a million of those who died during the Leningrad siege were buried. Then on to the 'Defenders of Leningrad' memorial and interpretation centre. Our final stop on our Leningrad battlefield tour is at the Pulkovo Heights captured by the Germans in September 1941 and from which they gained a tantalising glimpse of Leningrad in the sunlight. A short distance away is St Petersburg airport from where we catch our flight to London.