Vladivostok is the capital and the largest city of Primorye. With a population of 660,000 people and a total area of over 600 sq. km, it is also the largest city of the Russian Far East and, of course, one of the most interesting and remarkable cities of Russia. Vladivostok is among the ten most prospective cities of the world, as determined by the special UNESCO Commission. Of all the European-style cities it is the closest to the Asian Pacific region.

On June 20 (July 2), 1860 the military supply ship Manchur called at the Golden Horn Bay to found an outpost of Vladivostok (“possess the East”). In 1862 it officially became a port. On April 28 (May 10), 1880 Vladivostok was officially proclaimed a city and in 1889 - a fortress. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad that began in Vladivostok in 1891 served as a jump-start for the rapid growth of the city.

Everything in Vladivostok bears connection with the sea: the city's history, landscapes, industry... Even the railroad which ends where the ocean begins.

Being the home base of the Pacific Military Fleet, Vladivostok was closed to foreigners from 1930 till the 1990’s. The only exception was made for US President Gerald Ford who met the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in Vladivostok in 1974. In 1992, for the first time, Vladivostok was officially opened to travelers from other countries.

RED STAR TRAVEL invites you to explore this city with a dramatic past and a great future, the sister-city of San Diego, California and Tacoma, Washington. Enjoy the view from a boat or from the top of one of the hills on which the city lies, walk the streets with ocean winds blowing through them, check out the historic sights and capture the refreshing spirit of the natural surroundings.

VERSAILLES HOTEL * * * *

Located in the historical and business center of Vladivostok, within walking distance to the city’s major attractions. 40-minute drive to the airport. Opened in 1993. All floors accessible by elevator. 48 rooms: 12 singles, 26 twins, 6 junior suites, 4 main suites. Spacious rooms with modern decor and furnishings feature private bathroom, air conditioner, satellite color TV, radio, direct-dial international satellite telephone, guest-link electronic information system, mini bar. 24-hour room service. Restaurant for 96 seats (Western, Japanese and Russian cuisine). Western bar. Business center offering a comprehensive range of services for traveling business executives. Currency exchange. Casino. Souvenir kiosk. Towncar service. Security Service. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $190.

GAVAN HOTEL * * *

Located on the peninsula between the Amursky Bay and the Golden Horn Harbor. 5-minute drive to the business and cultural center of Vladivostok. Opened in 1993. 58 comfortable rooms: 53 twins, 5 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, air conditioner, satellite color TV and VCR, direct-dial international satellite telephone, mini bar, balcony. Suites are additionally equipped with kitchenettes and microwaves. 24-hour room service. Restaurant (Russian and international cuisine) for 60 seats. Karaoke-Bar. Banquet Hall. Business center: telex, facsimile and photocopying facilities, international telephone, computer services, interpreters. Conference rooms. Currency exchange. Fitness Center: sauna, olympic-size swimming pool, gym. Video rental. Safety deposit box. Laundry. Towncar service. On-site parking. Security Service. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $160.

VLADIVOSTOK HOTEL * *

Located downtown, on the shore of the Amursky Bay. Opened in 1975. All rooms feature private bathroom with a shower, color cable TV, direct-dial international telephone, refrigerator. Sakura restaurant for 60 seats. Bar. Karaoke-Bar. Cafe “Espresso”. Business center: telex, facsimile and photocopying facilities, international telephone, computer services. Conference hall. Currency exchange. Hair salon. Beauty Shop. Solarium. Casino. Safety deposit box. Pharmacy. Dentist. Service Bureau. Laundry. Post Office. News stand. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $80.

EQUATOR HOTEL * *

Located downtown, on the shore of the Amursky Bay. All floors accessible by elevator. 35 twin rooms, 8 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, direct-dial international telephone, refrigerator. Suites are additionally equipped with VCR, kitchenettes and microwaves. Restaurant for 150 seats. Bar and cafe. Business center. Conference Hall. Solarium. Gym. Hair salon. Beauty shop. Pharmacy. Souvenir kiosk. News stand. Laundry. On-site parking. Room rates - from $60.

HOTEL SOYUZ-ROLLIZ * *

Located in a wooded area, on the shore of the Amursky Bay, between the airport and the city of Vladivostok. 25 km to the airport and to the city center. Opened in 1988, partly renovated in 1996. All floors accessible by elevator. 58 rooms: 8 singles, 16 twins, 31 junior suites, 3 main suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, mini bar. Suites are additionally equipped with air conditioner, telephone, kitchenettes and microwaves. Restaurant for 100 seats. Karaoke-Bar. Business center facilities. International telephone in the lobby. Conference and meeting rooms. Sauna with massage. Swimming pool. Laundry. Room rates - from $50.

Note: Reservation fee of $12 per person applies for FIT in all Vladivostok hotels.

Vladivostok Museums

The Arsenyev Primorsky Krai Museum. Operating hours: from 10:30am to 5:30pm. Nature, ethnography, archaeology and history museum. Opened in 1890. Over 200,000 exhibits. Stuffed animals, herbariums, minerals. The history of the Primorye Region from ancient to modern times. A Jurchengs burial complex. A Katyusha rocket machine from World War II. A rich numismatic collection. The history of Vladivostok from the city's birth. A collectors' store. Gift shop.

The Memorial Submarine S-56 Museum. Famous Pacific Fleet submarine that sank 10 fascist ships during World War II.

Vladivostok Aquarium (Oceanarium). Opened in July 1991. Live exposition of 86 species and over 1,800 kinds of marine life in aquariums, representing a variety of inhabitants of Peter the Great Gulf and other water reservoirs of Primorye. Museum features inhabitants of the Far Eastern seas and coasts, a collection of shells. A cranium of the famous Stellerovaya cow that became extinct in the 18th century, a stuffed ancient cluster-finned fish, etc.

Primorye Picture Gallery. Operating hours: from 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed on Mondays. Opened in 1966. Over 5,000 exhibits. Paintings by Russian artists from the 18-20th centuries: K. Bryullov, I. Shishkin, I. Repin, I. Aivazovsky, I. Levitan, M. Shagal. Ancient Russian icons. Artists of Primorye. Applied Art. Book store.

Art Etage. Operating hours: from 10:30am to 6:00pm, closed on Sundays. Opened in 1990. Contemporary art exhibitions. An exhibition of Japanese photographs. The Gallery exhibits and sells paintings and handicrafts by well-known local artists.

City Tour by bus, 2 hours

Vladivostok Railway Station. The tour starts from the Vladivostok Railway Station built in Russian architectural style of the 17th century, modeled after the Yaroslavsky Railway Station in Moscow (the beginning of the Trans-Siberian Railroad). You will see the last milestone of the Trans-Siberian Railroad with the inscription on it: “Here is the terminus of the Great Trans-Siberian Railroad. Distance to Moscow is 9.288 km”.

Vladivostok Central Square. The tour takes you to the main square of the city, site of public holiday celebrations. See Primorye Administration and the Krai Duma buildings. Travel along Korabelnaya Naberezhnaya Street to the Pacific Fleet Headquarters, the Memorial Submarine S-56 and the Eternal Flame. See the Monument to sailors of the Commercial Fleet who perished during World War II, St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

The view of Vladivostok. You will have a chance to enjoy the best view of Vladivostok from the top of the Eagle's Nest (Orlinoye Gnezdo) Cliff, the highest point of the city (214 meters). See the fascinating panorama of Golden Horn Bay, Amursky and Ussuriisky Bays and Russian Island. On to the Commercial Port, Fishing Port, docks and sea terminals. The famous Vladivostok Aquarium with its main attraction - beluga whales will be your last stop.

City walking tour with visits to souvenir shops, 3 hours

Walk around downtown: Railway Station, Sea Terminal, the Brynner family house, Far East Shipping Company, "Gray Horse" apartment complexes ("Stalin" architecture), Central Square, the "White House" - Regional Administration building, Primorye Philharmonic Hall, GUM department store, Arseniev Museum, Versailles Hotel, Sportivnaya Harbour.

Souvenir shopping:

Nostalgia. Cafe/restaurant/art salon. The art salon offers lacquered boxes and trays, dolls, brooches, shawls, scarves, traditional Russian souvenirs and paintings by local artists.

Gzhel. A small store selling famous Russian blue and white ceramics known as Gzhel.

Kupecheskaya Lavka. A quaint souvenir shop offering handicrafts, art carvings, ceramics and jewelry.

Russian Souvenir. Ground floor of the White House. Russian souvenirs, jewelry and women's fur hats and coats.

Primorsky Souvenir. Here you will find seashells, souvenirs with Vladivostok emblems, traditional Russian souvenirs.

Hotel Versailles Souvenir Shop. The shop offers original Russian souvenirs: matryoshka nesting doll, lacquered boxes, jewelry, bone handicrafts, etc.

Boat Excursion, 1 hour

Boat excursion starts from Sportivnaya Harbour along the coastline of the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula. You will see the unusual skyline of Vladivostok from Amursky Bay, rugged coastline of the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula with its numerous small bays and points. One of them is Shkot (Egersheld) Peninsula - one of Vladivostok's most prestigious residential districts. Further down the Western coast of the Egersheld you will see the Far Eastern Merchant Marine Academy, the beautiful white building of Amursky Zaliv Hotel resembling a cruise ship, yacht marinas. Next is the Tokarevsky Lighthouse and you are in the Eastern Strait of Bosphorus with anchored ships and Russian Island to the South. Continue to Golden Horn Bay. Docks of the Commercial Port of Vladivostok, the largest in the Russian Far East, stretch along the Eastern coast of the Egersheld. Vladivostok Fishing Port lies to the right along the coastline of Goldobin Peninsula and Churkin Cape. You will pass the Sea Terminal, Pacific Fleet Headquarters and ships, the Memorial Submarine. The end of our excursion is the Sea Coastal Communication Terminal.

Boat excursion, 4 hours

The trip starts from the Vladivostok Aquarium in Sportivnaya Harbour. Travel along the West coast of Muravyev-Amursky Peninsula and Russian Island. See Vladivostok as a unique Marine Fortress with underground fortifications, constructed at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries.

Explore Stark Channel, Popov Island and the Far Eastern Marine Nature Preserve. Travel to Reineke Island, take a stroll on the shore. You will be offered a light snack during this stop.

Travel back to Vladivostok via the Eastern Strait of Bosphorus and Golden Horn Bay. The end of the excursion is at the Sea Coastal Communication Terminal.

Full day excursion to Popov Island, 8 hours

Popov Island - a research base for the Far Eastern Marine Nature Preserve, located to the south of Muravyev-Amursky Peninsula. One of the most unique Nature Preserves in Russia. Protects the environment of the extremely rich sea and island flora and fauna of the Peter the Great Gulf. The Preserve (64.360 ha, including 63 ha of sea area) contains the richest variety of biological species in Russia. A fishing factory, cannery, fur-breeding farm are located on the island.

1.5-hour boat ride to Popov Island. Hiking on the shore - check out picturesque bays and beaches. Enjoy a fresh seafood lunch on shore (cooked on board) in Pogranichnaya Bay. Experience deep-sea fishing: flat fish, goby fish, navaga (fishing gear is included). Our guide will tell you about the unique underwater world of Peter the Great Gulf. The aqualangist will demonstrate the marine life (sea urchins, scallops, jellyfish, trepangs, laminaria, etc.).

Full day excursion to Russian Island and the Vladivostok Fortress, 8 hours

Boat excursion to Russian Island, the largest island in Peter the Great Gulf, separated from the mainland by the Eastern Strait of Bosphorus. Being a part of Vladivostok Marine Fortress and one of the Pacific Fleet Bases, Russian Island protects Vladivostok from the sea side. You will see batteries and underground fortifications of the Fortress.

Enjoy a delicious lunch (cooked on board) at the shore of Voyevoda Bay. Experience deep-sea fishing: flat fish, goby fish, navaga (fishing gear is included). Our guide will tell you about the unique underwater world of Peter the Great Gulf. The aqualangist will demonstrate marine life (sea urchins, scallops, midia, trepangs, laminaria, etc.).

Evening Dinner Entertainment at the Nostalgia Restaurant

Nostalgia Salon is the ultimate souvenir shopping and dining destination. The restaurant is famous for its customary Russian dishes and traditional Russian atmosphere of hospitality: a small dining room, walls draped in red, portraits of the last Russian tsar Nicolas II and his wife, Russian "White" Army generals. A perfect place for weekend relaxation.

You will spend a romantic evening enjoying delicious food, champagne and live music (folk, romance, Gypsy dances and jazz). Your guide will take you on a journey through the careless times of the Russian history - the beginning of the 20th century, which is known for abundance of Russian hospitality and appreciation for a good nutritious dinner. After the dinner you can have a cup of coffee, tea or kvas (traditional Russian drink) with blini and homemade cakes at the Russian cafe.