St. Petersburg Three Day Shore Excursion - private tour

St. Petersburg Tour: Day 1

You will be met at the ship by your personal tour guide and driver. You will be given the driving "overview" tour of the city. During the city tour, your driver will stop for photo making and to give you the opportunity to take short walks in the most picturesque and famous places of St. Petersburg. During the first hour you will visit the sites you will see from the outside only. Since many of the larger venues open later, this is the best use of your time. During the driving tour, you will be able to familiarize yourself with beautiful St. Petersburg, the "Venice of the North".

Our first inside visit of the morning is the Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul and the cathedral. The first building in St Petersburg, the Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul is a treasure trove of history. Famous prisoners, like Dostoevsky, spent many anxious days in captivity here. You will visit the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, which is the principal building within the walls of the fortress, and here you will see the tombs of the Russian Emperors. There your guide will tell you the history of the Russian Imperial House of Romanov, starting from the time of Peter the Great and finishing with the sad story of the last Romanovs - Nicholas II, Alexandra and their children. There is an interesting story regarding the weather vane on the tip of the cathedral spire... your guide will give you the details.

 

Later in the morning your guide will take you to the tourist sites that have just begun to open for visitors. Our day continues with a visit to St. Isaac'sCathedral. It sits majestically on the bank of the Neva River. St. Isaac's Cathedral has one of the tallest domes of all catholic cathedrals in the world. It is covered with 220 pounds of pure gold. It was commissioned by Alexander I in 1818 and took 40 years to build.

LUNCH: Day 1 has, included in the price, a lunch which has been chosen and prepared especially for our group. Clients are always impressed with the quality and taste of the meals they experience while visiting St. Petersburg.

 

14:00 For some, today's stops are the true reason to visit St. Petersburg. The Hermitage and the Winter Palace are the sites of many infamous moments in Russian history. The precocious behavior of Catherine the Great, the death of Alexander II, the Sunday Massacre, and the speeches of Lenin to the citizens after the successful Revolution, all occurred just outside, on the balcony, or within the walls of these Russian landmarks.

You will have an opportunity to see the massive art collection belonging to Catherine the Great which is now housed in the Hermitage .

Just outside the Hermitage , in the middle of the square, you will see the monument to Alexander I honoring his defeat of the mighty Napoleon. (Did you know that following the defeat of Napoleon in Russia, Alexander I led his victorious troops all the way to Paris?)

17:00 - Some time for shopping in the end of the tour day will allow you to relax and get a couple of fancy-looking matryoshka-dolls for your friends and family.

18:00 Return to the ship

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St. Petersburg Tour Day 2

Today, your guide will meet you at the ship at 09:00.

The first stop on the third day of your tour is the spectacular Catherine Palace. This palace was built and named for Catherine I, wife of Peter the Great. The Catherine Palace was enhanced by daughter, Elizabeth I. Later the palace was enhanced again by Catherine II (the Great).

The Catherine Palace is home of the world famous "Amber Room". The Amber Room has only been available for viewing in the last few years after the government spent many years of painstaking reconstruction. It is assumed that the original version of this amazing room was stolen by the Nazis during World War II.

The location of this palace is in the village of Pushkin (named for the famous poet). The area is also called "Tzarskoe Selo" or "Village of the Czars".

14:00 After a great lunch we move on to another magnificent palace. His mother, Catherine the Great, gave this one to Emperor Paul I and it is called Pavlosk.

As a final treat of the day you board your private powerboat for a tour of the city from her many canals.

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St. Petersburg Tour Day 3

As we did yesterday, we will meet you at the ship at 09:00.

The beginning of your day is dedicated to everyday life in St.Petersburg. You will walk in one of the residential areas, take a subway ride, visiting the most beautiful St.Petersburg metro stations. This is especially interesting if you want to see how St.Petersburg citizens live. You might also decide to visit a local farmers' market - see where the locals shop for their meat and vegetables.

12:00- 15:00 Our first major visit is to Peterhof, considered by many to be the "Crown Jewel" of sights in all of Russia. Built by Peter the I, the palace is magnificent by itself, but combined with the gardens and the fountains, it truly is a wonder. Today, the Peterhof fountain ensemble consists of over 150 fountains and four cascades. The piping system occupies 54km. Much of the system remains in place as planned by Peter the Great. All of these fountains generate power naturally, from downhill momentum. There are nopumps on any of the fountains.

Each year hundreds of thousands of tourists, from all over the world, visit this "capital of fountains" to enjoy the unforgettable miracle of Peterhof. This park is breathtaking. The Palace at Versailles was the inspiration for Peterhof and Peter the Great was determined to make this palace even grander.

 

15:30 The Hydrofoil will take you back to the city. At the Hydrofoil will be the coach to return you to the ship.

Optional Evening Events:

As the center of culture in Russia, you should consider attending one of the many evening events.

They include:

• Ballet — St. Petersburg has many ballet venues. On any given evening it is common to have 3 or 4 different performances from which to choose.
• Russian Folk Show in the Nickolaevsky Palace.
• Dinner in a Russian Home — This is always a favorite of our clients. The hosts are personal acquaintances who strive to give clients an opportunity to see a "native Russian" side of St. Petersburg.

Russian Folk Show

Enjoy this lively folk show in the beautiful downtown palace. Some shows are known for being less that professional. This is not one of them. You will be buying the CDs !

We include the extra time for your driver to return you to the ship after the performance.

If there is not a FYR performance on the date of your visit, there will be a refund.

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Russian Visas

Regarding the need for a Russian Visa for Cruise Ship Passengers: If you book your excursion with us, we take care of everything. We need your passport details (not the passport) and you will be provided with the "Visa Free" documentation needed to disembark in St. Petersburg. Other visitors to St. Petersburg will need a tourist visa. www.RussianTourGuide.com can help you with all aspects of your visit to Russia including the visa.

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RussianTourGuide.Com is pleased to collaborate with numerous travel agents around the world.

If you would like our tour but prefer to work with your local agent, ask your local agent to contact us. We will be happy to collaborate with your local agent to make your travel planning "seamless"!

Contingency Planning: Working with an experienced tour company can offer unexpected benefits. Your guide has much experience with almost all situations which arise with tourists and can probably craft a solution for any contingency. Your guide also has phone access to support from our staff in the USA. If needed, she can contact us to assist you. While you travel in Russia we can facilitate services such as:

• Cash advance (for example in the case of a lost or stolen credit card).
• Foreign exchange.
• Provide Russian phones for your use while visiting.
• Medical facilities with English speaking physicians in St. Petersburg.

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www.russiantourguide.com
108 May Apple Way
Landrum, S.C. 29356 USA
+1 864 906 0481

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