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ShoreTrips says...

Using our knowledge and personal experience, we have executed the perfect two day adventure, allowing you to see and hear it all without a hitch. Our guides are the best, and their narration will fascinate you. We have facilitated early entrance and admissions to help you glide past the incredible lines that form in the high season.

This excursion is a non-visa tour for cruise ship passengers. According to Russian Federation law, visas are not required for shore excursions if you book through companies that are officially licensed and authorized by the Russian government to receive foreign cruise passengers and to operate inside St. Petersburg port areas. We will supply you with the tour ticket, which is called a blanket visa or booking confirmation, and you will pass the customs/immigration offices.

Day 1
The Jewish portion of your tour may be done on either day. Your guide will suggest which day would be best based on what is happening in the city. Your tour begins in the old district of Kolomna, which was the center of Jewish life in the 19th century. It was here that the Great Choral Synagogue was built and, amazingly, functioned continuously throughout WWII. The second largest synagogue in Europe, it contains a main hall for Sabbath services, rooms for the rabbi and cantor, a lovely wedding hall, a meeting hall for community members, a library, and a mikva in the basement. Next to the main building is a small synagogue for daily services. Outside, there is a stunning feature: a lifesize photograph of the Jerusalem Wailing Wall that has been transferred to fabric and hangs on a long brick wall.

Next to the synagogue is a restaurant and shop with kosher food, as well as beautiful Russian-made souvenirs. The St. Petersburg Conservatory, founded by Anton Rubinstein in the 19th century, claims many outstanding Jewish graduates such as Heinrich Veniavski, Leopold Auer, Yasha Heifetz, Yefrem Cimbalist, and Misha Elman, to mention just a few.

Downtown St. Petersburg also has some historical sights associated with the first Jews of the 18th century. You will see the ornate palaces of the Ginzburgs and the Polyakovs--the two powerful dynasties of Jewish bankers and industrialists. Nevsky Prospect, the city’s central shopping street, boasts the Vavelberg Bank building constructed for the Vavelberg family, the wealthiest bankers of Poland, along with other famous structures.

During this tour you will learn a lot about Jewish organizations, of which there are 40 in this city. One of them is the well known Hesed Avraam, the Jewish Cultural Center, which features a range of activities, including social programs, medical care, a foreign language club, a handicrafts club, and more. Your guide may not be Jewish, but will have connections to the Jewish community.

This portion of your day will take up to three hours, depending on your interests. Much of the cultural aspect of St. Petersburg will overlap with the regular introduction to the city. You will work with your guide to arrange to see those attractions that are of most interest to you. The order in which you will do them will be different than below.

You'll travel to Peterhof for a visit of Fountain Park, often called the Russian Versailles. It is here that we will share some options for a quick and reasonably priced lunch with enough time to rest your feet and perhaps ask some questions about daily life in Russia.

From here, you'll travel to Pavlovsk Palace. This 18th-century Russian Imperial Neo-classical residence was built by the order of Catherine the Great for her son, Grand Duke Paul. You'll enjoy both the beautiful interiors and the interesting stories this palace holds.

You'll find the balance of the day easy and not overwhelming, and you'll return to your cruise ship after an amazing day of discovery.

Day 2
The familiar face of your guide will again greet you at the ship and begin your immersion into the city. Today, you will tour the Hermitage Museum (one of the largest museums of art and culture in the world), the Jewish section at the Russian Museum of Ethnography (which will give you a comprehensive life of the Jewish people on the territory of Russia).

Your guide will also take you to see everyday life in the city, including some shopping, a subway ride and visit to the farmers market if you like. A late afternoon return to your ship will find you satisfied that your time was wisely spent, as well as wondering when you might be able to return to this city of energy and magic.

If you wish to add an evening activity, such as a theatre performance, a folkloric show, a boat trip, or even a typical Russian dinner experience, we can arrange that per your request at extra cost.