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One-day winter tour of St. Petersburg

Time:9 hrs
Availability:Daily year-round, some attractions may be substituted depending on opening hours
Type:Private
PRICE
UPON
REQUEST

By the middle of autumn, many of the most popular sightseeing activities in St. Petersburg such as boat trips along the downtown canals or exploring the parks at Peterhof and Tsarskoye Selo are no longer feasible. Nonetheless, the city has plenty to offer even in the depths of winter, and this one-day tour is designed to help you get the most out of St. Petersburg whatever the weather.

  • Peter and Paul Fortress in winter in St. Petersburg, Russia
    Peter and Paul Fortress in winter
  • State Hermitage Museum in winter in St. Petersburg, Russia
    State Hermitage Museum in winter
  • St. Isaac's Cathedral in winter in Saint-Petersburg, Russia
    St. Isaac's Cathedral in winter
  • Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood (Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ) in winter in St Petersburg, Russia
    Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood (Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ) in winter
  • Fabergé Museum in winter in St. Petersburg, Russia
    Fabergé Museum in winter

As well as ticking the boxes for the city's most famous visitor attractions, this tour aims to give visitors a comprehensive overview of St. Petersburg's rich history and culture. It packs into a single day not only the State Hermitage Museum and the recently opened Fabergé Museum, but also St. Petersburg's two most magnificent (and remarkably different) churches, a bus tour of the historic centre, and a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, where building of the city began.


Itinerary

9:00am – 1:30am City bus tour with Peter and Paul Fortress
This introductory guided tour takes in the main landmarks of St. Petersburg's historic center, including the Winter Palace, the Spit of Vasilevskiy Island, Nevsky Prospekt and St. Isaac's Cathedral. During the tour, your guide will provide an overview of St. Petersburg's three-century history, including its political, cultural and architectural development. The tour ends with an inside visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, the highlight of which is the magnificent Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, the final resting place of nearly all the Romanov rulers and their families.
11:30am – 1:30pm Visit to the State Hermitage Museum
Two hours is only enough to scrape the surface of the vast collections at the Hermitage, one of the world's great repositories of art and cultural artifacts. In this tour, we choose to concentrate only on the Winter Palace, touring the spectacularly ornate state rooms of the Winter Palace and viewing the highlights of the collection of pre-19th century Western European art, including masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rubens, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Poussin, to name but a few.
1:30pm – 2:30pm Lunch
Your guide will provide with recommendations for nearby cafes and restaurants depending on your preferences.
2:30pm – 3:30pm St. Isaac's Cathedral
The life's work of French architect Auguste de Montferrand, St. Isaac's Cathedral is St. Petersburg's largest and most important church. Its monumental red granite Empire-style exteriors are matched by the rich decorations inside, the works of some of the most prominent Russian artists and craftsmen of the day.
3:40pm – 5:00pm Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood
Built only a few decades after St. Isaac's, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (popularly known as the "Saviour on the Spilled Blood") demonstrates a completely different type of church architecture. Inspired by St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, its riotously colorful Russian Revival facades belie its purpose as a memorial to Alexander II, built on the very spot where he was assassinated, but also make it one of St. Petersburg's most popular and instantly recognizable landmarks.
5:00pm – 6:00pm Fabergé Museum
The final item on the day's itinerary is this recently opened museum, housed in a historic palace by the Fontanka River, that displays billionaire Viktor Vekselberg's unique collection of Russian decorative and applied art, including nine of the renowned Imperial easter eggs by court jeweler Carl Fabergé, the largest number in any single collection.

NB This itinerary is designed for summer visits (May to October) and may not be available on every day of the week, depending on visitor attraction opening schedules.

Itinerary and route details

Tour start point
By agreement, at client's hotel.
Tour finish point
Fabergé Museum
Length of tour
9 hours
Approximate schedule
9:00am – 11:30amCity bus tour with Peter and Paul Fortress
11:30am – 1:30pmVisit to the State Hermitage Museum
1:30pm – 2:30pmLunch
2:30pm – 3:30pmSt. Isaac's Cathedral
3:40pm – 5:00pmChurch of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood
5:00pm – 6:00pmFabergé Museum
Days on which tour is available
Daily in summer (May to October), some attractions may be substituted depending on opening hours.
Attractions visited during tour
  • Peter and Paul Fortress
  • State Hermitage Museum
  • St. Isaac's Cathedral
  • Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood
  • Fabergé Museum
Extra options (free)
None
Extra options (paid)
None
Languages tour is available in
English, Spanish, German, French.
Transport
Bus/minibus/car.
Breaks for meals/refreshments
A break for lunch is included in the itinerary. Choice of restaurant or café can be arranged with guide during tour or in advance.

Travelers

Who is the tour for?
Russian citizens, foreign tourists, cruise ship passengers.
Physical intensity of tour and health restrictions
This is a full-day tour with a reasonably intensive itinerary. This tour does not require any significant walking, but will involve long periods of standing in museums. This tour is suitable for travelers with mobility issues or in wheelchairs, provided we are informed in advance so that all necessary arrangements can be made.
Minimum recommended age for children
14 years

Payment

Included in tour price
  • Admissions tickets
  • Guide services
Not included in tour price
  • Lunch

Further information

Important information
This full-day tour is available year-round, but is specifically designed for winter time, to give visitors with one day for sightseeing the chance to see as much as possible of St. Petersburg's most popular visitor attractions.
Main tour highlights
This tour, designed for the winter months in St. Petersburg, introduces visitors to the city's main downtown highlights, including the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Hermitage, and the recently opened Fabergé Museum.