This 3 full day program is tailored for the passengers of the Crystal Symphony, Regatta, Azamara Journey, and Seven Seas who wants to see the most St Petersburg has to offer during there 3 day visit to St Petersburg. Your three-day tour encompasses all the highlights of the city and avoids repeating sites or commentary which may occur by booking several tours of the city. The price per person for this all-inclusive 3 day tour is $395. The 3-Day Complete St Petersburg begins at 8:00am and finishes back at the ship at 5:30 on the first day and second day, and 1 hour before your ship is scheduled to depart on the third day. All the destinations below are seen and visited with inside tours except monuments, the Church on Spilled Blood and the city tour portion which is sightseeing and photo stops only. The order they are visited is not given because 1 day a week every museum is closed so we rearrange the order and days so the closed museums or palaces are visited on one of the other 2 days. THIS TOUR IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ANY MOBILITY RESTRICTED TRAVELLER, INCLUDING SLOW WALKERS, OR WALKERS WHO NEED TO SIT AND REST PERIODICALLY |
WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE:
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Catherine’s Palace - typical of Baroque style, was built for the wife of Peter The Great in the village of Tsarskoe Selo, or today's Pushkin, and it became known as the Catherine’s Palace. Catherine became the Empress, Tsarina, after her husband’s death, and she was called Catherine I. It must be noted that Catherine I was not Catherine the Great, who was officially Catherine II. Tsarskoe Selo (in English: "the Czar's Village") is located about 27 kilometers (17 miles) south of the city. Catherine’s Palace exceeds all the other palaces with its gigantic size and unique decorations. The stunning façade of the palace extends for almost 300 meters (1000 feet), and gives the first impression what to expect inside. We shall have a full tour of the entire palace, however, the most stunning rooms of the Palace are the “lost Amber Room”, which has walls complete covered by different shades of amber mosaic, and the Great Hall with gilded walls, chandeliers and mirrors. We shall also view parts of the surrounding park's and gardens consisting of almost 600 hectares (1.500 acres). – An inside visit is included. |
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Peterhof Fountains & Grounds – You will be exceptionally lucky since our tour enters the palace compound through the unbelievable Upper Park, which is very seldom visited by hurried tourists. Built to rival Versailles in France, the palace sits atop of a high hill overlooking the Gulf of Finland. Peter the Great drafted the layout for the 300-hundred acre park and supervised the design of the palace fountains. The Grand Cascade, the most famous fountain group, features gilded Samson prying open lion's jaws as water cascades down the terraced steps, and small spouting fountains anoint smaller sculptures. We shall stroll through the lower parks and gardens, and view and “experience” (be careful!) some of the Peters surprise creations among the many decorative fountains. – No inside visit, only the parks and gardens. |
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Peter and Paul Fortress - Originally built to protect the city from Swedish attack, the fortress soon became Russia's Tower of London, a place for imprisoning political prisoners - including Peter the Great's own son. Visit the Peter and Paul Cathedral - the city's tallest structure in the days of Peter the Great. The ornate interior boasts gilded iconostasis, 18th century paintings and icons - and the tombs of many Tsars and Tsarinas, including Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. Approx 1 hour |
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St. Isaac's Cathedral - The cathedral's massive central gold dome - one of the largest in the world - is covered with 220 pounds of pure gold and dominates the city skyline. The Cathedral was commissioned by Alexander I in 1818 and took more than three decades to complete. After the October Revolution of 1917 the cathedral was turned into museum. Inside portion of visit is 1/2 hour |
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Catherine Palace: Visit to Pushkin to tour the spectacular Catherine Palace and grounds. The palace is located in the town of Pushkin south of St Petersburg was created by Empress Elizabeth and Catherine the Great houses the famous Amber Room. |
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Hermitage - The Tsar's former Winter Palace and four other buildings house one of the world's premier art collections. Your guided tour visits the display rooms, which contain over three million art works, including paintings by Da Vinci, Rafael, Monet, Rembrandt, Renoir - to name a few. Designed by Rastrelli, the Baroque Winter Palace boasts patterned parquet floors, ornate staircases, molded and decorated ceilings and gilded appointments. Approx. 2 1/2 hours inside |
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Yusupov Palace - Built in 1760, the Yusupov's, a wealthy Russian noble family, acquired the palace in 1830. The palace was the site of the assassination of the monk Rasputin, whom Prince Felix Yusupov and other nobles feared as a baneful influence on Tsar Nicholas II. Visit the palace's magnificently restored apartments and see an exhibition of photographs, waxworks, and the actual cellar room where Rasputin was poisoned then shot. Approx. 1 1/2 hour inside tour |
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Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood - This recently restored church sports a fantastic and ornate "Russian-style" exterior and is built on the site of the March 1, 1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander II. The church is distinguished by its picturesque silhouette and rich colorful decoration. The facade is lined with ceramic tiles and colored glazed bricks. The interior is covered with beautiful mosaics Approx 3/4 hour interior visit |
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Canal Cruise: Cruise the picturesque canals A 60-minute journey by small open-air boats travels the Fontanka River, the Kryukov Canal, the Moika River and the Neva River. Peter the Great conceived the Neva as the main thoroughfare of the city and from the beginning the river was included in the whole architectural ensemble. During your journey pass under numerous picturesque bridges and admire the exteriors of the many beautiful buildings in St Petersburg. Your guide will provide a map so you can follow your route as you motor along. Approx. 1 hour cruise |
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Metro (the city’s underground subway system) - Visit the magnificent "palaces of the People" as the St. Petersburg Metro used to be called during the Soviet Union years. The construction was started after the II World War, and its expansion continues endlessly, new stations opening periodically A ride is arranged between the Technological Institute and the Moscow Arch of Triumph stations. Since the entire St. Petersburg was built on the marsh land, the tunnels had to be dug deep, deep until solid soil was found, and you shall descend endlessly deep on extremely fast moving escalators. All the stations are totally different and individually designed. Some are luxurious with art work, statues, sculptures, mosaic walls, and chandeliers, some are simpler looking. The trains run like clockwork, normally at 2 minutes apart, and they are always crowded, as if there was a constant rush hour. – A ride is included. |
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St. Isaac's Square - This square is situated to the south of St. Isaac's Cathedral which is well-known for its magnificent gold dome. In the center of St. Isaac's Square is a monument to Nicholas I - the equestrian statue which has only two points of support. Opposite the Cathedral, on the bank of the Moika River, stands the former palace which was built for Princess Maria, the daughter of Nicholas I. Today, the former Mariinsky Palace is the seat of Legislative Assembly - St. Petersburg Council of city's Deputies. |
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Hermitage & Palace Square - The square was once the seat of imperial power and is home to the Winter Palace, General Staff Building and the Alexander Column. |
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Cruiser Aurora - Now a museum on the west bank of the Neva, the armored cruiser Aurora fired her guns to signal the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution. |
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Bronze Horseman - Built by the order of the Empress Catherine the Great, the impressive monument is dedicated to the founder of St. Petersburg, Peter the Great, and stands on Decembrists' Square facing the Neva River |
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Rostral Columns - Incredibly detailed, these gorgeous Russian monuments are part of one of the most elegant architectural ensembles in St. Petersburg. The columns imitate the ancient Roman practice of displaying the prows of captured enemy ships on a column. |
| Shopping: Browse for souvenirs and gifts and bargain with local vendors at the various stops during your excursion. Your tour includes a stop at one of St. Petersburg's souvenir shops where you can barter for such classical Russian goods as lacquered boxes, pins, painted nesting dolls, jewelry and other crafts. Lunches The first day features a traditional Russian lunch is served in one of the better restaurants of St. Petersburg. The second day of your tour lunch will be served at one of the best restaurants in St. Petersburg specializing in international cuisine. What you will see along the way: During the three days of touring St. Petersburg your motor coach will pass through the city's residential and suburban districts en route to Peterhof on the Gulf of Finland. Your return route to the city will be a fascinating drive past former mansions of the Russian nobility and Alexandria Park. Pass St. Nicholas Cathedral nearby to Theater Square and monuments to the distinguished composers Rimsky-Korsakov and Glinka. You will pass by Yusupov Palace and the symbol of St. Petersburg - the Bronze Horseman in the Decembrists' Square. Across the Neva River are the oldest buildings of St. Petersburg, including the Menshikov Palace, which are lined up to impress a visitor every time you drive around this "museum in the open air." The golden spire of the Admiralty which is a compositional center of the city will not allow you to get lost among the numerous monuments that you drive - it is well seen from all the main streets of St. Petersburg. |
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