Two-day winter tour of St. Petersburg
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PRICE
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A two-day itinerary specifically designed to get the most out of sightseeing in St. Petersburg during the winter months, this tour takes into account the cold and the short daylight hours, but still allows you to get a great in-depth view of the city and its top attractions.
The first day day begins with an overview tour of the historic downtown, followed by a brief walking tour of Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg's stunning central avenue, while the afternoon is spent among the rich collections of the State Hermitage Museum. On the second day, you visit the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo, lunch at a renowned traditional Russian restaurant, and then visit St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Yusupov Palace, where Grigory Rasputin was murdered, in the afternoon. On both days, the tour finishes early enough to allow for visits to the ballet or other evening entertainments, which can be booked separately.
Itinerary
Day 1| 9:00am – 11:30am |
City bus tour and 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 present an overview of St. Petersburg's three-century history, including its political, cultural and architectural development, as well as the life of the city and its residents today. The tour ends with an inside visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, around which St. Petersburg was founded. Of particular note is the Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, where nearly all Russia's Romanov rulers are buried.
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| 11:30am – 12:00pm |
Visit to the Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood
The Church of the Resurrection of Christ (popularly known as the "Saviour on the Spilled Blood") was built on the site by the Griboedov Canal where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated by anarchist terrorists. Its riotously colorful Russian Revival architecture, strongly influenced by St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, make it one of the best loved and most instantly recognizable landmarks in St. Petersburg.
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| 12:00pm – 1:30pm |
Nevsky Prospekt walking tour
St. Petersburg's majestic central avenue, Nevsky Prospekt is notable for its many historic churches that served the city's different confessions, as well as its stunning Art Nouveau storefronts and magnificent baroque palaces. Weather permitting, this brief walk along the western stretch of the avenue will allow your guide to show you many of these highlights up close. You will also have time for lunch in a recommended cafe or restaurant.
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| 1:30pm – 5:00pm |
State Hermitage Museum
Founded by Catherine the Great in an annex of the Winter Palace, and now incorporating the palace itself and most of the surrounding buildings, the Hermitage is one of the world's oldest and greatest museums. In four hours, you will only scratch the surface of its remarkable collections, but you will see the grand state rooms of the Winter Palace, as well as highlights of the museum's art collections including works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Michelangelo, Matisse, Monet, and Picasso.
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| 9:00am – 10:00am |
Transfer to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin)
After meeting your guide at your hotel or other agreed start point, you will be driven out of St. Petersburg to the Imperial estate at Tsarskoye Selo.
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| 10:00am – 12:00pm |
Tour of the Catherine Palace
Tsarskoye Selo's Catherine Palace is a grand rococo palace that, like the Winter Palace, was designed by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli for Empress Elizabeth. It was then expanded and adapted by Catherine the Great, who used it as the main summer residence of the Russian Imperial Court. The highlight of the tour is the Amber Room, an extraordinarily ornate chamber originally gifted to Peter the Great by King Frederick William I of Prussia. If the weather is reasonable, you will also be able to take a brief tour of the beautiful landscape gardens.
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| 12:30pm – 2:30pm |
Lunch at a traditional Russian restaurant and return to St. Petersburg
Podvore, a restaurant a few kilometers from Tsarskoye Selo, has a sterling reputation as a tourist attraction in its own right thanks to the beautifully styled rustic interiors and high-quality traditional Russian cuisine. After lunching at the restaurant, you will be driven back to St. Petersburg.
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| 2:30pm – 3:30pm |
Visit to St. Isaac's Cathedral
St. Petersburg's largest and most important church, St. Isaac's Cathedral was the life's work of French architect Auguste de Montferrand. Its magnificent red granite Empire-style facades are matched by the rich decor inside, designed by the most prominent Russian artists and craftsmen of the day and executed using gemstones and minerals brought from all over the Russian Empire.
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| 3:45pm – 5:30pm |
Visit to the Yusupov Palace
The Yusupov Palace on the Moyka River, a residence of two of Imperial Russia's most powerful noble families in the 18th and 19th centuries, is not particularly impressive from the outside, but within it boasts some of the best preserved palatial interiors in St. Petersburg, and is probably most famous as the site of the assassination of Rasputin, which is the subject of an entertaining and extremely popular display in the palace's basement.
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NB This itinerary 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
Yusupov Palace on the Moyka River
Length of tour
8.5 hours (Day 1) and 8 hours (Day 2)
Approximate schedule
| Day 1 | |
| 9:00am – 11:30am | City bus tour and Peter and Paul Fortress |
| 11:30am – 12:00pm | Visit to the Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood |
| 12:00pm – 1:30pm | Nevsky Prospekt walking tour |
| 1:30pm – 5:30pm | State Hermitage Museum |
| Day 2 | |
| 9:00am – 10:00am | Transfer to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) |
| 10:00am – 12:00pm | Tour of the Catherine Palace |
| 12:00pm – 2:30pm | Lunch at a traditional Russian restaurant and return to St. Petersburg |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm | Visit to St. Isaac's Cathedral |
| 3:45pm – 5:30pm | Visit to the Yusupov Palace |
Days on which tour is available
Daily year-round, itinerary may vary depending on the days of the week.
Attractions visited during tour
- Peter and Paul Fortress
- Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood
- Nevsky Prospekt
- State Hermitage Museum
- Tsarskoye Selo
- St. Isaac's Cathedral
- Yusupov Palace on the Moyka River
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.
Physical intensity of tour and health restrictions
The tour is by bus or car, but will require some walking and long periods of standing in museums.
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 tour is available year-round, but is specifically designed for winter time. As parts of the tour will require spending lengthy periods outside, in cold weather travelers should dress appropriately (winter coats, hats, gloves and warm footwear).
Main tour highlights
Highlights of this two-day tour include the opportunity to see the beautiful park and palace at Tsarskoye Selo in late autumn and winter, as well as all the major visitor attractions of central St. Petersburg.
