Day 1. St. Petersburg
Arrival in St. Petersburg. Transfer to the hotel
Check in. Free time for rest
OPTIONAL: Dinner at the hotel
Day 2. St. Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with a guide in a hotel lobby
обзорка + ППС
- Peter and Paul Fortress (easy to get by bus №10/bus №6 + tram №40/taxi). Entrance to the fortress is free. Entrance to the Cathedral and museums is paid at the ticket office.
Peter and Paul fortress in Saint Petersburg is the oldest architectural monument in the city. The date of Foundation of the fortress is considered the date of Foundation of the Northern capital. The history of the city begins with it. The victory over Sweden in the Northern war required Peter I to urgently settle the conquered territories. An uninhabited island at the mouth of the Neva river attracted the attention of the Emperor when he was choosing a site for the future fortress, the heart of the new capital. The fortifications were built according to the latest fortification science of the time. Take a walk of the ancient defensive structures of the fortress, Trubetskoy Bastion, Commandant's house, Mint, Arsenal, Guardhouse, etc. Also, we recommend you visit the main attraction of the fortress-Peter and Paul Cathedral, which houses the tomb of Peter the Great and other Russian emperors. You will admire the gilded spire of the Cathedral, which is crowned by the figure of a flying angel - the main symbol of St. Petersburg!
Free time for lunch ( meal is not included) OPTIONAL: Lunch at a local restaurant
Эрмитаж
балет
Return to the hotel
OPTIONAL: Dinner at the hotel
Day 3. St. Petersburg – Pushkin – Pavlovsk – St. Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to Pushkin
Visit to the Catherine palace and park
Pushkin's sights are unique architecture in protected areas. Catherine Park of Pushkin is the most striking object. It is a great place to spend time visiting museums, or just walk around, inspired by the beautiful views everywhere. The territory covers 107 hectares and offers a place to admire architectural monuments, walk along picturesque alleys and get a taste of Russian history. We recommend visiting the Catherine Palace with its world-famous Amber room. The modern Catherine Palace is a late Russian Baroque style. It acquired this appearance during the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna thanks to the reconstruction of the architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli (1752-1756). The work lasted four years and the 325 – meter-high majestic Palace, named Catherine's Palace in memory of her mother, the first Russian Empress Catherine I, was presented to shocked foreign guests. All the emperors of Russia lived in luxurious paintings, inlays of halls and magnificent interiors of apartments, arranged balls and masquerades, received foreign ambassadors, and celebrated anniversaries.
Lunch at a local restaurant
Transfer to Pavlovsk
Visit to The Grand Pavlovsk Palace and Park
Pavlovsk is one of the coziest cities near St. Petersburg. People come here to wander around the former Imperial hunting grounds and feed squirrels. The palaces of Pavlovsk have preserved the atmosphere of the past centuries. You can see what the Ladies-in-waiting or billiard room of the Imperial couple looked like. The main reason why you should go to Pavlovsk Park is to walk among the natural beauty. This is one of the largest landscape parks in Russia and one of the most beautiful in Europe. There is no perfect symmetry and trimmed trees, as in Peterhof. However, the layout of the Park is carefully thought out. The Palace welcomes everyone who enters the Park through the main entrance. And due to its location on a hill, it can be seen from other parts of the Park. Shortly before the construction of the Palace began, Emperor Paul and his wife went on a trip to Europe. From the trip, they brought works of art that inspired the architects to create an unusual Palace. It took 50 years to bring the idea to life. The result is a perfectly symmetrical Palace, the facade of which is decorated with sculptures and stucco. Inside is the Museum of antiquities with antique sculptures, paintings by Italian and Flemish masters and a collection of porcelain.
If you don't mind an active pastime, it is very convenient to explore the Park by renting a Bicycle at the rental point at the main entrance.
Transfer back to the hotel
Free time for rest
OPTIONAL: Dinner at the hotel
Day 4. St. Petersburg – Peterhof – St. Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to Peterhof
Excursion to Peterhof great palace+ lower park
The suburbs of Saint Petersburg are famous for their magnificent palaces, which were built for themselves by Russian nobles. Peterhof is one of the most beautiful country residences built in the style of French Versailles. This is a world-famous Palace and Park ensemble and former summer residence, where official receptions, holidays and events were held in the private life of the Royal family. Take a walk in the Lower Park (entrance is paid). In the Park, you can see the world's largest system of fountains with natural pressure and water cascades with rich sculptural decoration (please note that the fountains are open from May to the end of September!). From the top step of the cascade, you can enjoy a stunning view of the Park and the sea channel that connects the marine residence with the Bay. After looking at the magnificent panorama and taking a couple of photos, take a walk through the Park. Here you will see dozens of unique fountains, a chess hill, a Lion cascade, beautiful small palaces, firecracker fountains, a trout pond, a labyrinth. The sights of Peterhof are spread over a huge territory and it will not be possible to bypass them all in one day, so we recommend that you decide in advance on the list of iconic places that you want to visit. You can just walk in the park and have a lot of fun, or you can visit the Grand Palace or one of the Small Palaces. The entrance to the museums is paid.
Transfer back to St. Petersburg.
River and canals tour
A city built over 42 islands, St. Petersburg is surrounded by water and interlaced with a complex web of rivers, canals and channels that seem to bind the city together, while also marking the borders of its different districts and neighborhoods. Drift along waterways and see St. Petersburg from a different angle on a leisurely boat cruise. Pass under some of the city's 400 bridges and admire the 18th-century palaces, amazing cathedrals, and churches as well as many architectural landmarks that line the banks of the Neva River. Affectionately known as the «Venice of the North», the city rivals Venice and Paris in its romantic atmosphere. St. Petersburg was originally built on 33 islands separated by canals in the delta of the Neva River. Now these canals and rivers offer a unique view of the iconic landmarks that dot the city, such as the magnificent Hermitage Museum - one of the largest art museums in the world and the Vasilyevsky Island with its famous Palace Bridge. Glide past historic monuments and landmarks during this cruise and visit otherwise inaccessible areas of the city.
Return to the hotel
OPTIONAL: Dinner at the hotel
OPTIONAL: Folklore show
Day 5. St. Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out
Transfer from the hotel to the airport
The end of the tour
The program is preliminary. The organizers reserve the right to replace the excursion blocks with similar ones, without changing main waypoints.
