The Golden Ring of the Northern Venice

On this circular trip along the central rivers and canals of St. Petersburg, you'll travel through the urban landscape of the 18th and 19th centuries, seeing many of the city's most famous palaces (including the Shuvalov, Sheremetev, and Yusupov Palaces), the estate of Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin, the greatest Russian poet of the Classical period, numerous beautiful and unusual bridges, and several of the city's most famous "postcard" panoramas, including the Strelka ("spit") of Vasilyevsky Island.

Along the Kryukov Canal, there are excellent views of the St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Mariinsky Theatre. The stretch of the Moika River will take you past New Holland island, the Stroganov and Mariinsky Palaces, St. Isaac's Cathedral, and the General Staff Building on Palace Square, and under the famous "coloured" bridges, including the widest bridge in the city (the 97.3m Blue Bridge). Out on the Neva River, the tour takes in the classic vistas of St. Petersburg, including Vasilyevsky and Aptekarsky Islands, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Summer Garden. This is probably the most popular route for city boat trips, and the best to give visitors an idea of why St. Petersburg is often called the "Venice of the North".