Half-day excursions in St.Petersburg

City Tour

Feel Local # 1
This tour will give you an opportunity to go off the beaten track and feel local. You will be transferred to Puskinskaya metro station to travel to Vladimirskaya metro station. St.Petersburg metro was started in 1954 and is still being extended today. The stations are richly decorated with marble, statues, mosaics, crystal… It’s a real underground palace! The stations you will see belong to the oldest and most beautiful line. On exiting the metro, you will visit Kuznechny farmers’ market, located in the adjacent building, where a lot of locals prefer to shop for food. You can’t miss the impressive displays of fruits and vegetables, meats and fish, flowers and dairy products, Russian pickles and honey. According to the Russian tradition, you will be offered to try almost everything you see. After the farmer’s market you will cross Vladimirskaya Square on foot and go to the Land supermarket to continue familiarization with the everyday life of the city. Approximate duration: 3 hours

Feel Local # 2
This tour will give you an opportunity to go off the beaten track and feel local. You will be transferred to Puskinskaya metro station to travel to Vladimirskaya metro station. St.Petersburg metro was started in 1954 and is still being extended today. The stations are richly decorated with marble, statues, mosaics, crystal… It’s a real underground palace! The stations you will see belong to the oldest and most beautiful line. On exiting the metro, you will visit Kuznechny farmers’ market, located in the adjacent building, where a lot of locals prefer to shop for food. You can’t miss the impressive displays of fruits and vegetables, meats and fish, flowers and dairy products, Russian pickles and honey. According to the Russian tradition, you will be offered to try almost everything you see. After the farmer’s market you will be transferred to a Russian family and have tea with them. This will give you a chance to meet Russians “face to face”, see how they live, discuss their everyday joys and problems as well as taste home-made specialities of the Russian cuisine. Approximate duration: 3 hours (tea)

 City Tour with a visit to Peter and Paul Fortress
The tour will take you round the historic center of the city included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will see the most important sights: Nevsky Prospect, the main street; Palace Square with the imposing buildings of the Winter Palace and the General Staff Headquarters; Isaac Square with St.Isaac's Cathedral, the 4th largest in the world; Decembrists’ Square with the Bronze Horseman, the symbol of the city; the Spit of Vasily Island with Rostral Columns and the Stock Exchange, the spot with the breathtaking view of the Neva River embankments. As a part of the tour you will visit Peter and Paul Fortress, the birthplace of the city, founded by Peter the Great in May 1703. While walking across the grounds you will see St.Peter-and-Paul’s Cathedral, the tallest building of St.Petersburg, the still functioning Mint and the impressive bastions. You will visit the beautiful baroque Cathedral of St.Peter-and-Paul, the burial place of the Russian Tsars from Peter the Great to Nicholas II. Approximate duration: 4 hours

City Tour with a visit to St.Isaac’s Cathedral
The tour will take you round the historic center of the city included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will see the most important sights: Nevsky Prospect, the main street; Palace Square with the imposing buildings of the Winter Palace and the General Staff Headquarters; Isaac Square with St.Isaac's Cathedral, the 4th largest in the world; Decembrists’ Square with the Bronze Horseman, the symbol of the city; the Spit of Vasily Island with Rostral Columns and the Stock Exchange, he spot with the breathtaking view of the Neva River embankments. As a part of the tour you will visit the splendid St.Isaac's Cathedral, the main cathedral of Russia in the past, where you will see the stunning murals, extraordinary bronze doors covered with reliefs, walls decorated with multicolored marbles and the Iconostasis framed with majestic columns of malachite and lapis. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

City Tour with a visit to the Church on Spilled Blood
The tour will take you round the historic center of the city included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will see the most important sights: Nevsky Prospect, the main street; Palace Square with the imposing buildings of the Winter Palace and the General Staff Headquarters; Isaac Square with St.Isaac's Cathedral, the 4th largest in the world; Decembrists’ Square with the Bronze Horseman, the symbol of the city; the Spit of Vasily Island with Rostral Columns and the Stock Exchange, the spot with the breathtaking view of the Neva River embankments. As a part of the tour you will visit the stunning Church on Spilled Blood, built in the early 20th century in the ‘Old Russian’ style, as a memorial to the Russian Emperor Alexander II, you will see the amazing 7,000 m2 of glass mosaics more than anywhere else in the world. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

City Tour with visits to Peter and Paul Fortress and Log Cabin of Peter the Great
The tour will take you round the historic center of the city included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will see the most important sights: Nevsky Prospect, the main street; Palace Square with the imposing buildings of the Winter Palace and the General Staff Headquarters; Isaac Square with St.Isaac's Cathedral, the 4th largest in the world; Decembrists’ Square with the Bronze Horseman, the symbol of the city; the Spit of Vasily Island with Rostral Columns and the Stock Exchange, the spot with the breathtaking view of the Neva River embankments. As a part of the tour you will visit the Log Cabin of Peter the Great, the first house of the city with only three rooms, built for him in May 1703. After that you will go to Peter and Paul Fortress, the official birthplace of the city. While walking across the grounds you will see St.Peter-and-Paul’s Cathedral, the tallest building of St.Petersburg, the still functioning Mint and the impressive bastions. You will visit the beautiful baroque Cathedral of St.Peter-and-Paul, the burial place of the Russian Tsars from Peter the Great to Nicholas II. Approximate duration: 4,5 hours

 Cathedral Tour # 1
This tour will take you to the three most splendid Russian Orthodox Cathedrals. In St.Isaac's Cathedral, the main cathedral of Russia in the past, you will see the stunning murals, extraordinary bronze doors covered with reliefs, walls decorated with multicolored marbles and the iconostasis framed with majestic columns of malachite and lapis. In the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, built in the early 20th century in the ‘Old Russian’ style, as a memorial to the Russian Emperor Alexander II, you will see the amazing 7,000 m2 of glass mosaics more than anywhere else in the world. The third cathedral you go to is a St. Nicholas Cathedral, a beautiful example of Russian Baroque style of the second half of the 18th century. It has been a functioning cathedral throughout its history, including the Soviet period, due to which you will be able to see the authentic collection of old icons. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours. As you will be visiting a functioning Russian Orthodox church, the following dress code applies: you should have your shoulders and knees covered; men should not wear shorts; women are recommended to have a head dress.

St.Isaac’s Cathedral and Peter and Paul Fortress
This tour will take you to Peter and Paul Fortress, the birthplace of the city, founded by Peter the Great in May 1703. While walking across the grounds you will see St.Peter-and-Paul’s Cathedral, the tallest building of St.Petersburg, the still functioning Mint and the impressive bastions. You will visit the beautiful baroque Cathedral of St.Peter-and-Paul, the burial place of the Russian Tsars from Peter the Great to Nicholas II. After the fortress you will go to St.Isaac's Cathedral, the main cathedral of Russia in the past, you will see the stunning murals, extraordinary bronze doors covered with reliefs, walls decorated with multicolored marbles and the iconostasis framed with majestic columns of malachite and lapis. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

Church on Spilled Blood and Peter and Paul Fortress
This tour will take you to Peter and Paul Fortress, the birthplace of the city, founded by Peter the Great in May 1703. While walking across the grounds you will see St.Peter-and-Paul’s Cathedral, the tallest building of St.Petersburg, the still functioning Mint and the impressive bastions. You will visit the beautiful baroque Cathedral of St.Peter-and-Paul, the burial place of the Russian Tsars from Peter the Great to Nicholas II. After the fortress you will go to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, built in the early 20th century in the ‘Old Russian’ style, as a memorial to the Russian Emperor Alexander II, you will see the amazing 7,000 m2 of glass mosaics more than anywhere else in the world. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

City Tour with a visit to Synagogue
The tour will take you round the historic center of the city included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will see the most important sights: Nevsky Prospect, the main street; Palace Square with the imposing buildings of the Winter Palace and the General Staff Headquarters; Isaac Square with St.Isaac's Cathedral, the 4th largest in the world; Decembrists’ Square with the Bronze Horseman, the symbol of the city; Vasily Island with Rostral Columns and the Stock Exchange, the spot with the breathtaking view of the Neva River embankments and Peter and Paul Fortress, the birthplace of the city. During the tour you will visit the Big Choral Synagogue, an architectural monument of importance to all of Russia built in the 19th century in the Moorish style. The Synagogue is located in the so called Kolomna district of St.Petersburg, a thriving Jewish neighborhood in the past. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

Hermitage Museum
 The tour will take you to the State Hermitage Museum, one of the world's greatest museums, which occupies six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva. Put together throughout two centuries and a half, the Hermitage collections of works of art (over 3,000,000 items) present the development of the world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century. You will see the lavishly-decorated reception quarters of the Winter Palace, the former official residence of the Russian Emperors; the highlights of the Old Masters’ Collection: Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Rafael, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Poussin and others and the highlights of the famous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections: Renoir, Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso and others. Approximate duration: 4 hours

Hermitage Museum with a visit to Gold Room
The tour will take you to the State Hermitage Museum, one of the world's greatest museums, which occupies six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva. Put together throughout two centuries and a half, the Hermitage collections of works of art (over 3,000,000 items) present the development of the world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century. You will see the lavishly-decorated reception quarters of the Winter Palace, the former official residence of the Russian Emperors; the highlights of the Old Masters’ Collection (Italian, Dutch, Flemish) and the famous Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. As a part of the tour you will visit the Gold Room, where you will see the breathtaking collection of antique gold, including Scythian gold, and Imperial jewellery. Approximate duration:4 hours

Yusupoff Palace
This tour will take you to the most elegant former private palace of the Counts Yusupoffs, where they lived from the beginning of the 19th century till the revolution of 1917. The palace is included in the Registry of the best private palaces of Europe published in London. The Yusupoffs were one of the richest families not only of Russia but of Europe as well. Their annual income in the early 20th century often exceeded the income of the Russian Royal family. You will see not only the elegant and fascinating reception quarters, but you will also have a rare opportunity to look at the private rooms of the family, which preserve their original charm till nowadays. The palace is also closely associated with the name of Grigory Rasputin, as he was murdered there in December 1916, since one of the plotters was Felix Yusupoff, the last owner of the palace. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

Russian Art Museum
The tour will introduce you to the Russian Museum, the world's largest collection of Russian fine art covering the entire history of Russian fine art from the tenth century to the present day, numbering over 400,000 works. This famous collection is exhibited in the Mikhailovsky Palace, a splendid residence of Grand Duke Michael Romanov. You will see unique Russian icons, including icons by Andrey Rublev, Simon Ushakov; paintings of 18th-20th centuries, including the outstanding works by Repin and Aivazovsky; as well as the world's finest collection of Russian avant-garde, represented by Malevich, Kandinsky and others. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

Russian Art Museum and Church on Spilled Blood
The tour will introduce you to the Russian Museum, the world's largest collection of Russian fine art covering the entire history of Russian fine art from the tenth century to the present day, numbering over 400,000 works. This famous collection is exhibited in the Mikhailovsky Palace, a splendid residence of Grand Duke Michael Romanov. You will see unique Russian icons, including icons by Andrey Rublev, Simon Ushakov; paintings of 18th-20th centuries, including the outstanding works by Repin and Aivazovsky; as well as the world's finest collection of Russian avant-garde, represented by Malevich, Kandinsky and others. The tour will continue to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, built in the early 20th century in the ‘Old Russian’ style, as a memorial to the Russian Emperor Alexander II, you will see the amazing 7,000 m2 of glass mosaics more than anywhere else in the world. Approximate duration: 4 hours

Menshikov Palace
This tour will take you to the Menshikov Palace, the first stone palace in the city, commissioned by the first governor of Saint Petersburg and close associate of Peter the Great Alexander Menshikov. It is the most luxurious building of St.Petersburg of Peter's time, where you will see the original interiors of the early 18th century, including the rooms decorated with the world famous Delft tiles. Approximate duration: 3,5 hours

 Catherine’s Palace and Park
This tour will take you outside St.Petersburg, to the town of Pushkin (Tsar’s Village). The town is associated with the great poet Alexander Pushkin who studied at the local Lyceum. You will visit Catherine’s Palace, the largest summer palace of the Russian Royal family, famous for the splendor of its Baroque interiors, including the stunning Gold suite of rooms and the unique Amber Room, the 8th wonder of the world. After the tour of the palace you will have a walk in the park, featuring both the landscape design and the numerous pavilions. Approximate duration: 4 hours

Peterhof: Upper and Lower Gardens
This tour will take you to the suburban town of Peterhof, located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, 30 km south-west from St.Petersburg, famous for its palaces, parks and fountains. It was an official royal summer residence founded by Peter the Great in 1704 and meant to beat Versailles. The museum complex of Peterhof is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will walk in the famous Upper and Lower Gardens, the elaborate grounds featuring over 150 fountains, among which you will see the breathtaking Great Cascade, the largest fountain ensemble in the world, the Checker Board Cascade, the Monplaisir Garden and the popular trick fountains, illustrating the love of Peter the Great for practical jokes. Approximate duration: 4 hours

Peterhof Monplaisir Palace and Lower Garden
This tour will take you to the suburban town of Peterhof, located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, 30 km south-west from St.Petersburg, famous for its palaces, parks and fountains. It was an official royal summer residence founded by Peter the Great in 1704 and meant to beat Versailles. The museum complex of Peterhof is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will walk in the famous Lower Garden, the elaborate grounds featuring over 150 fountains, among which you will see the breathtaking Great Cascade, the largest fountain ensemble in the world, the Checker Board Cascade, the Monplaisir Garden and the popular trick fountains, illustrating the love of Peter the Great for practical jokes. While in the Monplaisir Garden you will visit the Monplaisir Palace of Peter the Great, where he actually lived in the summer time. In the palace, overlooking the Gulf of Finland, you will see not only the interiors typical for Russia in the first quarter of the 18th century, but also the personal belongings and collections of Peter the Great. Approximate duration: 4.5 hours

Peterhof Royal Bath House and Kitchen and Lower Garden
This tour will take you to the suburban town of Peterhof, located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, 30 km south-west from St.Petersburg, famous for its palaces, parks and fountains. It was an official royal summer residence founded by Peter the Great in 1704 and meant to beat Versailles. The museum complex of Peterhof is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will walk in the famous Lower Garden, the elaborate grounds featuring over 150 fountains, among which you will see the breathtaking Great Cascade, the largest fountain ensemble in the world, the Checker Board Cascade, the Monplaisir Garden and the popular trick fountains, illustrating the love of Peter the Great for practical jokes. While in the Monplaisir Garden you will visit the Royal Bath House and Kitchen, where you will learn about traditional Russian sauna, equally popular among commoners and royalty, and the gastronomic tastes of the Romanovs. Approximate duration: 4.5 hours

Naval St.Petersburg
The tour will take you to the legendary Cruiser Aurora, launched in St.Petersburg in 1900, and then it was the largest cruise in the world. Throughout its history it participated in all the major military operations, including the defense of Leningrad during World War II. The cruise is also closely associated with October Revolution of 1917, when the cannon of the ship signaled the beginning of the revolution by a blank shot. The visit to the cruiser will be followed by the tour of the Naval Museum of Russia, one of the largest maritime museums of the world with a collection of over 700,000 exhibits, including the Russian Navy’s “grandfather”, the boat of Peter the Great; models of Russian ships, samples of weapons, marine paintings, etc. Approximate duration: 4 hours

Summer Palace of Peter the Great in the Summer Gardens
This tour will take you to the first summer residence of Peter the Great in St.Petersburg. It was built in 1712 and survived without major alterations. You will visit the palace where Peter the Great spent his summers till 1725. In this small cozy house, consisting of 14 rooms only, you will see the typical interiors of the early 18th century and the personal belongings of the Emperor. Closed for reconstruction.

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