We’ll meet you at Moscow airport and drive you into the city. Glitzy and cosmopolitan, suavely European yet distinctly exotic, Moscow is the beating heart of modern Russia. Check in at the Four Seasons, where most rooms have views of Red Square, to feel part of the action.

Take a morning tour of this splendid city with your private guide. Explore resplendent Red Square, from Lenin's Tomb to the onion domes of St Basil's. Head to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and Novodevichy Convent Cemetery, final resting place of many Russian greats. Moscow Metro’s elaborate stations, adorned with frescoes and chandeliers, are as grand as any palace. You’ll have the afternoon free to explore further.

No visit to Moscow would be complete without exploring the Kremlin Territory. Your guide will lead you through the complex that has been witness to so much of Russia's history. Begin in the State Armoury, the oldest museum in Russia and brimming with priceless artefacts including a fine collection of Faberge eggs. There will also be time for visiting one of the Kremlin's cathedrals before your free afternoon.

Moscow is home to some of the world's most magnificent art, including the Russian icons and pre-revolutionary Russian art at the eye-catching Tretyakov Gallery. Head to the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum for Botticellis, Picassos and more. In the afternoon, board a first-class carriage on the Sapsan train to St Petersburg. The Four Seasons Lion Palace, a restored 19th-century royal residence, is your stately home for the next four nights.

Founded by Peter the Great in 1703 out of the swamps of the Neva River, St Petersburg remains great indeed. This sophisticated city is packed with fine Russian architecture. Your guide will take you to the awe-inspiring Hermitage in Winter Palace, where three million works of art are housed in six magnificent buildings. Take a guided drive to see sights such as Nevsky Prospect, Palace Square and Vasilevsky Island.

A nod to Versailles, the Peterhof just outside the city was Peter the Great's summer estate. The Grand Palace will be opened for you before regular visiting hours so you can avoid the crowds. Also explore the extensive estate, which is speckled with pavilions and regal extravagance, not least the Grand Cascade and its 140 fountains. Then zip back to St Petersburg by hydrofoil and explore on your own.

Head south of the city with your guide for a final dose of Russian splendour. The estate of Tsarskoe Selo (also known as Pushkin) was a present from Peter the Great to his wife Catherine. Inside the baroque Catherine Palace is the crown jewel: the Amber Room. This sumptuous chamber is decorated with amber panels, gold leaf and mirrors. Head back to the city for the afternoon at leisure.

After breakfast there may be time for a little souvenir shopping before we drive you to the airport for your flight back to the UK.