This 2 full day program is tailored for the cruise ship passenger who wants to see the most famous sites of St. Petersburg. The two-day program is planned so that you take a trip to the suburban summer residences of the Russian royal family (Pushkin and Peterhof) on one day and on the other day a comprehensive city overview tour with inside visits to Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral, Spilled Blood Church and the world-famous Hermitage Museum.

On the first day the tour returns back to the ship at 5:30 PM (17:30), and on the day of your departure one hour before your ship is scheduled to sail.  All the sites and destinations listed below are either visited inside, having photo stops, or just seen as mentioned separately in each case. The order in which they are visited is not given because 1 day in each week every museum is closed, so we rearrange the order and days so the closed museums or palaces are visited on the other day.

DAY 1. 9 HOURS

Board your motor coach for a narrated drive to the suburbs of St Petersburg:  to the South to see the Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) and to the West to Peterhof, passing Stalin-era buildings, modern residential apartments and dachas (country houses). Heading west to Peterhof, you will see the industrial and residential areas of St. Petersburg, some former mansions of the Russian Nobility, Alexandria Park and the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Peterhof.

This comprehensive full day tour gives you a unique opportunity to admire the most splendid palace and park ensembles of the 18th Century that belonged to the Russian Tsars.

WHAT YOU VISIT:

Catherine Palace - Designed by Rastrelli, the ornate Baroque Palace is over 1,000 feet long and features an ornate blue facade. Gold onion domes crown the palace's north end, the site of the chapel. Your tour visits the White Vestibule, Grand Hall, the Amber Room, the Portrait Hall, the Crimson Pilaster Room and more.

Peterhof Park - Travel to another former summer Imperial residence. Set in magnificent gardens, Peterhof is reminiscent of Versailles. It was almost completely destroyed by the Nazis in World War II but has been restored to its full splendour. The gardens are dotted with countless fountains, charming pavilions and summer houses.

The fountains of Peterhof are one of the most famous tourist attractions. The diversity of fountains in the park is surprising. From monumental ensembles like the Samson Cascade to the ever popular Joke Fountains, including one which sprays anyone who steps on a particular paving stone.

Complimentary with this tour (if weather permits) - you get a one way trip by hydrofoil. This is the fastest and the most enjoyable way of travelling between Peterhof and St. Petersburg. A hydrofoil is a safe and fast boat which rises above the surface of the water. The trip takes 45 minutes.

DAY 2. 7 HOURS

One of the World's most magnificent Cities, St Petersburg stretches over forty-four islands.  The City was built by Peter the Great in the 18th Century to rival the splendour of Paris and combines a wealth of palaces, churches and museums.

A full day of sightseeing includes a general sightseeing tour of the City along with visits to the Hermitage, the World famous Art Treasury, Peter & Paul Fortress, the place where the City started, and the Church of our Saviour on Spilled Blood, one of the City's landmarks, as well as several photo stops and shopping.

WHAT YOU VISIT:

The Hermitage - The Tsar's former Winter Palace and four other buildings that house one of the world's premier art collections. Your 1.5 - 2 hours guided tour visits the display of rooms, which contain over three million artworks, including paintings by Da Vinci, Rafael and Rembrandt. Designed by Rastrelli. The Baroque Winter Palace boasts patterned parquet floors, ornate staircases, moulded and decorated ceilings.

Peter and Paul Fortress - Originally built to protect the city from Swedish attack, the fortress soon became Russia's Tower of London, a place for political prisoners - including Peter the Great's own son.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral - The city's tallest structure in the days of Peter the Great and even today only the television tower exceeds it in the height. The ornate interior boasts gilded iconostasis, 18th-century paintings and icons - and the tombs of many Tsars and Tsarinas, including Peter the Great and Catherine the Great.

The Church on Spilled Blood - was built on the spot where the Emperor was mortally wounded.  The interior of the Church is decorated with incredibly detailed mosaics designed and created by the most prominent Russian artists of the day.

INCLUDED:

• Ship pier pick up and drop off
• Professional English-speaking guide assistance. Other languages upon request (additional charge may apply)
• Driver’s services for 2 days depending on the program (Comfortable car/minivan with A/C)
• Entrance fee to the Hermitage museum
• Entrance fee to Savior on Blood Church
• Entrance fee to Peter and Paul's Fortress and Cathedral 
• Entrance fee tо Peterhof Park and Fountains Complex (no Palace)
• Entrance fee tо Catherine's Palace and Amber Room
• All taxes, fees and handling charges
• Port visas

NOT INCLUDED:

• Food and Drinks
• Personal expenses
• Gratuities to guide/driver (optional)

PLEASE NOTE:

• Order of tour days may be changed due to days-off on particular sights
• The timings in the itinerary are approximate and can be altered based on entrance time available to a particular sight
• Please be advised, that during the high tourist season, the Catherine’s Palace welcomes tourists every day except Tuesday's. However, this may also apply to certain 'Events' also taking place in St. Petersburg.  In these instances, the Palace of Paul might be visited instead of the Catherine’s Palace. *Palace of Paul - The ensemble's fame rests on the splendour of its interiors and great art collection as well as on the beauty of one of the largest landscape park in Europe. Admire elegant rooms of Emperor Paul I and charming rather than grand rooms of his wife Maria.

DEPARTURE/RETURN DETAILS: flexible (adjusted to the arrival/departure time of your ship)

Comfortable clothing and sensible walking shoes are recommended. Sun glasses and sun screen are suggested.

Guests must be able to walk a total of approximately 2 miles each day. Long flights of stairs are required to reach the public rooms in most palaces and the Hermitage. Due to the quick pace, this tour is not suitable for any mobility restricted traveler including slow walkers, or guests who need to sit and rest periodically. Minimum age to participate is 4yo. Due to the long day of touring each day, it is not suggested for children under 12.

Due to administration and immigration restrictions, there will be no refund for programs canceled within 15 days of departure.

Note that all of our tours in St. Petersburg are operated by authorized guides, and you therefore do not need to secure an independent visa in order to participate in this tour. However, in order to book this tour, you must provide us with full names, dates of birth, nationality, and passport numbers for each tour participant so that our guides can secure the proper tour visas on your behalf. Note also that, if you wish to explore St. Petersburg on your own while not accompanied by one of our guides, you will need to secure an independent visa.

Please be aware that cruise lines occasionally mislead passengers by telling them that they are not allowed to disembark the ship in St. Petersburg unless they are on an excursion purchased through the cruise line. In addition, the cruise lines also sometimes tell passengers that they cannot disembark the ship until the passengers on the cruise lines' excursions have done so first. This is incorrect, and you are free to exit the ship as soon as passengers start to disembark because Russian law states that a cruise ship cannot hold passengers onboard against their will as long as they have the proper documents. In order to clear immigration, you will need to bring along: 1) Your passport; 2) A photocopy of the picture page of your passport; and 3) A copy of your tour tickets. 4) An immigration form passed out to all guests on the ship. We will provide you with your tour tickets as part of the documents we e-mail to you after you make a tour booking.