3 days tour of St. Petersburg "Russian Fairy-tale"

Day 1

Sightseeing tour

Option 2: By car

meet the guide in the city center (or at the hotel if it's centrally located)

The guide and driver will meet you at the hotel.

Morning: Walking tour in the Old city

Duration: 2,5-3 hours

walk along Nevsky prospect, pass by the department store Gostiny Dvor, Square of Arts, pass by the Russian museum, the Moika river embankment, stop by Church-on-the-Spilled-Blood (inside visit is optional, tickets can be purchased at the booking-office), walk down the Griboedov canal, pass by the House of Books, visit inside Kazan cathedral, walk up Nevsky prospect  passing by Stroganov palace, along Malaya Morskaya street, reach St.Isaac's Square, stop by St.Isaac's cathedral (inside visit is optional, tickets can be purchased at the booking-office), walk to the Bronze Horseman monument, then along the Neva river embankment by the Admiralty, stop by the Palace bridge to see Peter & Paul fort and cathedral across the river and St.Basils island (Vasilievsky ostrov) with Strelka and Rostral columns, reach the Palace square with the Hermitage and Alexander Column. 

Morning: City tour, stop for photos in the historic sites

Duration: 2,5-3 hours

drive along Nevsky prospect, pass by Grand Hotel Europe, the House of Books, Kazan cathedral, further along the Malaya Morskaya street to St.Isaac's square (a photo stop), stop at St.Isaac's cathedral (inside visit is optional, tickets can be purchased at the booking-office), drive to the Mariinsky Theatre, the Synagogue (optional), visit inside St.Nicolas church, pass by Yusupov palace, New Holland island, over Lieutenant Shmidt bridge, reach St.Basil's island (Vasilievsky ostrov), pass by the Egyptian sphynxes, Academy of Fine Arts, Menshikov palace, Kunstkamera, the Academy of Sciences, Zoological museum, the Strelka with Rostral columns (a photo stop), Research Institute of Pavlov, stop in front of the University, drive over the Palace bridge, along the Palace embankment by the Hermitage, turn to the Moika river, stop at the Church-on-the-Spilled-Blood (inside visit is optional, tickets can be purchased at the booking-office), drive to the Square of Arts (a photo stop), pass by the Russian museum, Philharmonic of Shostakovich, along Sadovaya street, by Michael's Castle, Summer Garden, Field of Mars, drive over the Trinity bridge, along Petrograd side, Peter's Log cabin, Cruiser Aurora (a photo stop), pass by Peter & Paul fort and cathedral, pass by Zoo and return to the city center. Depending on traffic, you can continue driving to Smolny cathedral.

Tour of the Hermitage

Option 1: Walking

Afternoon:

Duration: 2,5-3 hours

During the few hours spent at the Hermitage you will definitely become an art-connoisseur. The guide will take you through the rooms of Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Michelangelo, Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck, Velasquez, Murillo, El Greco, Caravaggio, Renoir, Monet, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso etc, show the former state rooms of the Winter Palace where Russian royal family lived in winter and where Bolsheviks captured Provisional Government on the 25-26th, October in the course of 1917 Revolution. Nowhere else you can find so much history, luxury, abundance of shining gold, silver, marble, bronze, and precious stones. You'll leave full of impressions and knowledge ...

Evening (optional): performance (ballet, opera, circus or folk performance) - extra charges apply

Afternoon:

Duration: 2,5-3 hours

Itinerary same as in Option 1. Transportation by car  is needed if you prefer comfort or your hotel is far from the Hermitage.

Evening (optional): performance (ballet, opera, circus or folk performance)  - extra charges apply

Day 2

Tour of Catherine palace & Pavlovsk

Option 2: By car

Guide and driver meet you at the hotel lobby.

Morning: Catherine's palace in Pushkin town (Tsarskoye Selo)

Duration: 4 hours

You will see the most gorgeous palace of all Russian royal residences, see the legendary Amber Room that was stolen by Nazis and restored anew in 2003, walk through the gala-rooms richly decorated with shining gold, numerous mirrors, candles and precious furniture,  learn the stories about Russian royal family, their life and amusements, walk in a peaceful area of Catherine's Park full of flowers, ponds, ancient sculpture.

Afternoon: Emperor Paul's Palace in Pavlovsk

Duration: 1,5 hours

Conveniently located just 2 miles away from Catherine's Palace, this summer residence will let you 'kill two birds with one stone' and add more impressions to your tour in Tsarskoye Selo. You will see an intimate and cozy palace of one of the strangest Russian emperor's Paul who made Pavlovsk his family residence.  The palace fascinates visitors with its atmosphere of harmony, abundance of authentic family belongings that were hidden from Nazis during the siege of Leningrad.

Evening (optional): performance (ballet, opera, folk performance, circus)

Boat trip along canals (extra)

Option 1: Walking

Option 2: By car

Evening (summer): Boat trip along canals and rivers of St.-Petersburg

Duration: 1 hour

As the city is often called Northern Venice or New Amsterdam, you should see it from the water side, pass under hundreds of its bridges, admire the churches, palaces, former houses of Russian nobility rising above the water.

As an option there can be a night boat trip, when you see opening of bridges across the Neva river (unforgettable experience!), meet the caravans of sailing ships, sail along illuminated embankments and streets.

Evening (summer): Boat trip along canals and rivers of St.-Petersburg

Duration: 1 hour

Itinerary is same as in Option 1. Transportation is needed if you prefer comfort or your hotel is far from the city center. So you'll need a transfer back to the hotel after all tours.

Day 3

Tour of Peterhof & Yusupov palace

Option 2: By Car

Guide and driver meet you at the hotel lobby.

Morning: Peterhof fountains

Duration: 4 hours

Travelers often call Peterhof Russian Versailles for abundance of sparkling fountains, gilded bronze sculpture, splendid gardens, shady alleys leading to the Gulf of Finland.

The tour will include visit to the Grand Palace or one of the smaller palaces (the latter is recommended in high tourist season), stroll in the Upper and Lower Park with fountains.

Afternoon: Visit to the Yusupovs' Palace

Duration: 2 hours

You will visit the palace of the richest Russian noble family, who for centuries remained owners of big factories, manufactures, estate, served as diplomats and ministers, politicians and powerful senators. Besides statesmen, they were also art-connoisseurs who for years collected works of art competing in number with royal collections. After Bolshevik revolution they left Russia forever. Their property was nationalized and turned into museums. Besides palace tour, you will visit the chambers where Gregory Rasputin, favourite of the last emperor Nickolas II, was assassinated at night 16-17th, December 1916.