Enjoy this full-day comprehensive excursion with a professional guide. You will start the tour with a sightseeing city tour by comfortable, the air-conditioned vehicle. Begin with a peek at Vasilievsky Island, from here, catch sight of Old St Petersburg Stock Exchange, located at the Spit (Strelka), across from the Winter Palace. Next, head to Nevsky Avenue, St Petersburg’s main road and one of most well-known streets in Russia. Your guide will point out the famous Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood and other monuments of iconic Russian architecture, including Peter and Paul Fortress. Listen to commentary as you learn about St. Petersburg’s fascinating history!

Following the city tour, head to the State Hermitage Museum, once the residence of Russian tsars and today one of the world’s greatest museums, boasting more than 2.7 million exhibits and displays. Explore the galleries with your guide as you admire the impressive art collections. Then, enjoy an elegant lunch in one of the best Russian restaurants in the city centre (own expense).

In the afternoon, discover the spectacular imperial estate of Peterhof on a tour of the famous fountains and park complex located on the shores of the Neva River. As long as St.Petersburg was built as a 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, a perspective most people will never see. It is the best place which offers you an unobstructed view of the banks, for there are a number of remarkable sites to look at. The hydrofoil trip itself from St.Petersburg to Peterhov will take you only 45 minutes, which is three times faster than if you travel there by car and definitely more exciting!  Peterhof Park and Fountains Complex - 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. 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. Stop at the impressive Grand Cascade with its golden statue of Samson holding open the jaws of a lion. Once you’ve seen all three cascades, including one with a chessboard design and another featuring Chinese dragons, you’ll understand why Peterhof is referred to as the “Russian Versailles.”  From here, stroll through the Upper Garden, a typical French-style formal layout with five fountains, including one depicting Neptune – God of the Sea. Watch out for the whimsical creations designed to soak visitors, such as the umbrella fountain that sheds water whenever someone takes a seat underneath!

After you finish exploring Peterhof, take a hydrofoil ride back to St.Petersburg, admiring the beauty of the surroundings from the water. Here you say goodbye to your guide and proceed to enjoy the city on your own!

ITINERARY

9:00 – Meeting your guide

9:00-11:00 – City tour including driving and photo stops in the most beautiful, historical places in St Petersburg

11:00-13:00 – Excursion to the Hermitage Museum

13:00-14:00 – Lunch (optional)

14:30-15:15 – Hydrofoil ride to Peterhof (weather permitting)

15:30-17:30 – Upper Park and Lower Park with Fountains

18:00 – 18:45 – Hydrofoil ride back to St.Petersburg

Tour ends at hydrofoil pier