Shore Excursions in St. Petersburg - uVisitRussia
Home Shore Excursions Private St. Petersburg Highlights with Hermitage & Scenic Ride by Hydrofoil to Peterhof Gardens and Fountains Complex (10 hours)

Private St. Petersburg Highlights with Hermitage & Scenic Ride by Hydrofoil to Peterhof Gardens and Fountains Complex (10 hours)

Important info

DURATION: 10 Hours
SIZE: Private
TYPE: Scenic
DEPARTURE TIME: 08:00 AM
FOOD/BEVERAGE PROVIDED: None
ACTIVITY LEVEL: Easy
LEAVES FROM: Ship Pier

08:00 - Meet your guide and driver in the Cruise ship port to start your day tour.

08:00 - 10:00 - Discover the main highlights of St.Petersburg: Nevsky Prospect, the Admiralty , the Peter and Paul Fortress, St.Petersburg University, the Menshikov Palace, the Fine Arts Academy and Egyptian sphinxes, the monument to Catherine the Great, Fine Arts Square, Griboedov canal and the Church of Resurrection on Spilled Blood, Fontanka river Embankment as well as some other St Petersburg canals and rivers and beautiful bridges across them. You will have several stops make photos.

10:00 - 10:45 - Transfer to Peterhof by hydrofoil. Board a high-speed hydrofoil for an exciting 45-minute ride down the Neva River, seeing St Petersburg from a unique perspective as you coast along the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. As long as St.Petersburg was built as seaport, the main and most beautiful buildings are located on the shores of Neva river, with facades to the river, so you will have an excellent opportunity to consider the most beautiful architectural masterpieces of St. Petersburg from the water. The hydrofoil will take you to Peterhof - St. Petersburg’s amazing imperial estate and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, widely recognised as being the most spectacular imperial palace in St. Petersburg with its beautifully manicured gardens boasting over 140 fountains, being the world's biggest fountain complex.

11:00 - 13:00 - Discover the Peterhof Park and Fountains Complex adorned with fountains, statues and pavilions with a unique array of fountains and considered to be one of the most beautiful parks in the world. The park's unique fountain system was designed in the 18th century and doesn't require the use of any pumps to operate the fountains.There are three major cascades and over 140 fountains in the park. The most impressive is the Grand Cascade, located directly below the Grand Palace and featuring an impressive golden statue of Samson grasping the mighty jaws of the lion. The park's other cascades feature black and white chess board designs, Chinese dragons and numerous other features are definitely worth seeing!After 200 years of serving as a grand summer residence of the emperors, Peterhof is inextricably connected with the Russian history. The seaside paradise was built, as a grandiose triumphal memorial glorifying the grandeur of Russia. When your boat docks at the mouth of the Sea Channel, enter Peterhof’s enormous park complex, including elaborate gardens filled with 18th-century fountains, statues, palaces and pavilions built upon the orders of Tsar Peter the Great. First, stroll through the estate’s Lower Park, which lies between the Grand Palace and the shore and boasts more than 140 fountains, each operated without pumps.

13:00 - 15:00 - Transfer back to St.Petersburg by hydrofoil. Time to have snack lunch (own expense)

15:00 - 17:00 - Now focus your attention on the highlights of one of the greatest museums in the world, the Hermitage museum, also known as the Winter Palace. Hermitage - The Tsar's former Winter Palace and four other buildings that house one of the world's premier art collections. The Baroque Winter Palace boasts patterned parquet floors, ornate staircases, moulded and decorated ceilings. The Museum is especially strong in Italian Renaissance and French Impressionist paintings.  The splendour of the museum is epitomized by the grandeur of numerous reception halls, such as the Throne, Ball, Malachite and Gold Rooms.

18:00 - Back to the ship

INCLUDED:

  • Ship pier pick up and drop off
  • Professional English-speaking guide assistance. Other languages upon request (additional charge may apply)
  • Driver’s services as pet the program (Comfortable car/minivan with A/C)
  • Private city overview tour
  • Entrance fee to Hermitage
  • Entrance fee tо Peterhof Park and Fountains Complex (no Palace)
  • Roundtrop hydrofoil tickets 
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Port visas

NOT INCLUDED:

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

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

The timings in the itinerary are approximate and can be altered based on entrance time available to a particular sight

Restrictions:

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 traveller including slow walkers, or guests who need to sit and rest periodically. 

Additional info

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 we 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; and3) 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.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

You must allow plenty of time to get through the security at St Petersburg Port, sometimes the queues at security can be very long and it can take a long time to get through, please disembark your cruise ship in plenty of time in order to meet your tour.

Please note: Going through security checks on your first day of arrival may take a long time, UVisitRussia do not have any control of this, please be patient and allow plenty of time. If you are touring the 2nd day, generally security is not as bad as the 1st day of arrival.

It is important you travel with your shore excursion vouchers and visas. We will send this information via email approximately 7 working days prior to your travel date (once you have provided your passport information), if you travel without these documents you will not be able to pass through security thus resulting in you not being able to join the tour (in these cases uVisitRussia cannot be held responsible for tours being missed and no refund of this tour will be given).

Dress:

Comfortable clothing and sensible walking shoes are recommended. Sunglasses and sunscreen are suggested.

Sights included in program

Saint Petersburg : Hermitage Museum
The Hermitage Museum is the world culture encyclopaedia written in Russian. It is a unique museum that combines a beautiful art collection with the memory of Russian national history. This is a museum of culture, a museum of art, a museum of Russian history, and also the museum of Russian architecture. The whole Hermitage is where the heritages of different nations were collected and displayed. It is one of the largest and oldest museums in the w... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Peterhof
A symbol of St. Petersburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an absolute must-see for tourists - Peterhof, also known as "the capital of fountains", is reason enough to go to Russia and admire its unique fountains and palaces. The palace and park at Peterhof (also known as Petrodvorets) are often referred to as "the Russian Versaille", although many visitors conclude that the comparison does a disservice to the grandeur and scope of this majestic... Read more
Saint Petersburg : St. Isaac Cathedral
St. Isaac's Cathedral is a colossal domed cathedral built in the nineteenth century. Its monumental and majestic image creates a unique accent in the city’s skyline and serves as much a landmark of the northern capital, as the spire of the Cathedral in the Peter and Paul Fortress and a gold ship atop of the Admiralty. It is originally the city's main church, one of the most impressive landmarks of the Russian Imperial capital. St. Isaac&rsq... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Peter and Paul Fortress
Located on the banks of the beautiful Neva River, the towering Peter and Paul Fortress dominates the skyline of St Petersburg. Built in 18th century, this amazing fortress is a must-see attraction for anyone interested in the city's rich history. The oldest building in St Petersburg, the grandiose Peter and Paul Fortress is the perfect destination for culture seekers and history buffs. Planned by Peter the Great as a defense against possible atta... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Nevsky Prospect
Almost three miles (five km) long, Nevsky Prospekt is one of the best-known streets in Russia and is the main thoroughfare of St Petersburg, starting at the Admiralty whose gilded spire is a famous city landmark, to the Moscow Railway Station and then to the Alexandr Nevsky Monastery where some of the country's most celebrated artistic figures are buried. It has been the hub of the city for centuries, cutting through the most historical part, and... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Savior on Blood
The Cathedral of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood is a unique masterpiece combining the old Russian style of architecture, talent of the best Russian artists and Italian stone carvers, and the art of Roman mosaic. Mosaics cover almost all the surface of the walls and ceilings there are 7 500 square meters of mosaics all in all. It is a unique example of a Russian style cathedral in the centre of St. Petersburg. Its coloured onion domes are so famous... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Admiralty
The One of St. Petersburg most oldest and, arguably, most historically important buildings, the Admiralty building serves as the focal point of Nevsky Prospekt, Gorokhovaya Ulitsa, and Voznesenskiy Prospekt. While its location at the convergence of some of St. Petersburg's most epochal streets embodied Peter's emphasis and, some would say, obsession with the importance of northern capital's maritime might, it served a far more important and reali... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Academy of Arts
The Russian Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg, informally known as the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, was founded in 1757 by Ivan Shuvalov under the name Academy of the Three Noblest Arts. Catherine the Great renamed it the Imperial Academy of Arts and commissioned a new building, completed 25 years later in 1789 by the Neva River. The academy promoted the neoclassical style and technique, and sent ... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Arts Square
A small but elegant square in the center of the city, this single architectural ensemble was planned by the great Carlo Rossi. The square fis faced by many cultural and artistic institutions - the Grand Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, the Mikhailovsky Theater, the State Russian Museum, and others - resulted in it being called Ploshchad Iskusstv (Arts Square). In the center of the square, directly in front of the State Russian Museum... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Bronze Horseman (Senate square)
The most famous statue of Peter the Great was immortalised as the Bronze Horseman in the epic poem by Alexander Pushkin. With his horse (representing Russia) rearing above the snake of treason, Peter's enormous statue was sculpted over 12 years for Catherine the Great by Frenchman Etienne Falconet. Its inscription reads 'To Peter I from Catherine II – 1782'. The Bronze Horseman, an impressive monument to the founder of St Petersburg, Peter ... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Fontanka river Embankment
In contrast to the Neva and its many rivers and canals, the Fontaka has a single embankment running along its seven kilometer course. Until the middle of the 18th century the Fontanka served as the southern boundary of the city, and after it was considered the boundary of fine construction of St. Petersburg. Not surprisingly, there are a huge number of buildings here that are of historical and cultural value. Moreover, you can get acquainted... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Griboedov canal
This is a narrow and twisting canal flowing through the very centre of St. Petersburg, between - and for most of its length parallel to - the Fontanka and Moyka Rivers. Although the canal is less than six kilometers in length, it is traversed by more than 21 bridges, many of them pedestrian. Only Obvodny Canal, with its 24 bridges, has more. The canal's embankment is five kilometers long and gives a broad panorama of St. Petersburg arch... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Menshikov Palace
The palace of Prince Menshikov was the first large stone building erected in St. Petersburg, and is also the only private city structure to have survived from the beginning of the 18th century. As part of the State Hermitage, it is now used to display some of the museum's vast collection of European and Russian applied art from the early 18th century, as well as contemporaneous sculptures and paintings, all of which blend harmoniou... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Monument to Catherine the Great
This monument to Catherine the Great was unveiled in 1873. The Empress was adored by the people of St. Petersburg for all her efforts to improve the life and education provided by the city and her reign has long seen been known as the "golden age" of Russia. Read more
Saint Petersburg : Peterhof Fountains & Grounds
The fountains of Peterhof are one of Russia's most famous tourist attractions, drawing millions of visitors every year. Fountains were intrinsic to Peter the Great's original plans for Peterhof - it was the impossibility of engineering sufficiently powerful jets of water that prompted him to move his attentions from the Strelna site to Peterhof - and subsequent generations competed with their predecessors to add grander and ever more ingenious wa... Read more
Saint Petersburg : Winter Palace
St. Petersburg's most famous building, the Winter Palace not only physically dominates Palace Square and the south embankment of the Neva River, but also plays a central political, symbolic, and cultural role in the three-century history of the city. Read more
Explore : Saint Petersburg
The city of Saint Petersburg is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places on earth, and virtually any building in the large historic center, threaded with canals dotted with baroque bridges, can be considered an attraction—and indeed, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is a magical city, with a long list of major attractions. Its Hermitage Museum, housed in the Winter Palace of the Romanov Dynasty, is both one of the world's gr... Read more
US$ 291
per person, based on 2-people group
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2 person - US$ 582 (US$ 291 per person)
3 person - US$ 678 (US$ 226 per person)
4 person - US$ 864 (US$ 216 per person)
5 person - US$ 960 (US$ 192 per person)
6 person - US$ 1056 (US$ 176 per person)
7 person - US$ 1148 (US$ 164 per person)
8 person - US$ 1240 (US$ 155 per person)
9 person - US$ 1332 (US$ 148 per person)
10 person - US$ 1430 (US$ 143 per person)
Price for persons: 1 - 9

Our flexible payment options allow you to pay 20% of a deposit first and the remaining 80% in 14 days prior to your tour date - payment can be done both online or over the phone. This gives you the peace of mind knowing your spaces are booked on the tours and that you do not miss out on making the most of your time in Russia.

Also you get the best, top-rated and most experienced and knowledgeable hand-picked tour guide appointed on a priority basis.
In our experience, exceptional travel experiences are almost always delivered by exceptional people. With that in mind, we utilize a comprehensive approach to select and employ the best tour guides only. Multilingual and well travelled, each possesses deep insight into the diverse attractions and cultural patterns throughout the region. With us guides undergo a rigorous selection process, achieving outstanding knowledge of local culture and language. Rest assured that the best tour guides only will be working on the tours to give you excellent opportunity to explore the best of the sights during both short and long-term stay in Russia.

Once you complete your reservation, we will send you a booking confirmation email. As the day of the tour approaches, our logistics team will provide you with all relevant information for your tour.

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Speak to an expert
Call us now

+1 (888) 845-8877

Book now Email us Back to top
2 person - US$ 582 (US$ 291 per person)
3 person - US$ 678 (US$ 226 per person)
4 person - US$ 864 (US$ 216 per person)
5 person - US$ 960 (US$ 192 per person)
6 person - US$ 1056 (US$ 176 per person)
7 person - US$ 1148 (US$ 164 per person)
8 person - US$ 1240 (US$ 155 per person)
9 person - US$ 1332 (US$ 148 per person)
10 person - US$ 1430 (US$ 143 per person)
Price for persons:
1581
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