PRIVATE: ST. PETERSBURG CLASSIC 3 DAY SHORE EXCURSION
PRIVATE: ST. PETERSBURG CLASSIC 3 DAY SHORE EXCURSION
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ShoreTrips says...
Three days in St. Petersburg will allow you to see those historic spots that are musts, but you will also have the time to see some of the lesser-known places that really give you a sense of St. Petersburg's past and its cultural achievements. We have created a balance so you are not overwhelmed with cathedrals but, instead, will enjoy a great mix of worthwhile sights.
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
Your pickup at the ship will bring you into St. Petersburg for an introductory tour of the city. You can expect to see the most beautiful, historical places in St. Petersburg, with photo stops along the way. Your English-speaking guide is well-acquainted with his/her native city and will prove to be an excellent escort as you see Nevsky Prospekt; the National Library, Kazan Cathedral; the Square of Arts, including the Russian Museum, the Ethnographical Museum, and Michael's Castle; The Admiralty; Theatre Square with the famous Mariinsky Theatre; and St. Nicholas Cathedral.
If you're lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the brides and grooms dressed in full regalia and lined up at the government building for their weddings, as marriages take place all day long, almost every day.
You'll receive a guided tour of the Peter and Paul Fortress, the city's original citadel and the cathedral located within, the final resting place of many czars.
For a unique view of the city and its many landmarks, you'll board a boat for a ride through the rivers, canals, and channels that bind St. Petersburg together.
It's time to break for lunch. Your guide will suggest a few places offering typical, reasonably priced options before getting back to enjoying the sites of the city.
Your next stop is the colorful Yusupov Palace, a lush home with spectacular interiors and the location of the assassination of the infamous Rasputin. From here you'll visit one of the city's most stirring monuments, the Church of the Spilt Blood. Its vivid colors, fine craftsmanship, and splendid architecture will take your breath away and provide long-lasting memories.
From here, you'll travel to the Shuvalov Palace, located on the Fontanka River and receive a shared, guided tour of the world-famous Faberge Museum. You'll marvel at the largest collection of Faberge works in the world, including the famous Imperial Easter eggs.
The tour concludes with a return to your cruise ship, unless you have booked an optional theater performance, folkloric show, boat trip, or even a typical Russian dinner experience for the evening with ShoreTrips.
Day 2
The familiar face of your guide will again greet you as you begin your morning with a stop to admire one of St. Petersburg's fabulous, sparkling clean subway stations, complete with chandeliers, en route to the suburb of Peterhof. Here you'll receive a guided tour of one of the small Peterhof palaces, either Monplaisir, Marly Palace, or Bath Block as well as a guided walking tour of the magnificent Fountain Park. The entire complex is a marvel of beauty and engineering, dating from the 1700's.
From here, you'll travel to Pushkin, where your guide will suggest a spot for a quick and tasty lunch that is fairly priced. Refreshed, you'll head to the Tsars Village and tour Catherine Palace, including the opulent Amber Room.
As your busy day draws to a close, you'll be taken back to your ship, or you may choose to participate in an evening activity prearranged by ShoreTrips.
Day 3
By now, you'll feel that it is your good friend meeting you at the ship. Today you will spend your time in the city, starting with a visit to a Russian food market or grocery store for a taste of local culture. From here you'll tour the incomparable Hermitage Museum, the 2nd largest art museum in the world with early admission to help you avoid the crowds.
You'll be ready for a break, including lunch, before visiting the General Staff Building. This immense, bow-front building is home to a vast collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art that will leave you...impressed.
A guided tour of St. Isaac's Cathedral, with its large central dome, rounds out the day. This Neo-classical church is the 4th largest cathedral in the world and currently houses an Orthodox Museum.
A late afternoon return to your ship will find you satisfied that your time in St. Petersburg was wisely spent, as well as wondering when you might be able to return to this city of energy and magic.
- This tour includes:
- Round trip transportation from the cruise ship pier in A/C vehicle
- English-speaking driver and guide
- Blanket visa
- Standard admission to all museums listed in the itinerary
- Permit for photo and/or video use in palaces and museums (except Yusupov Palace)
- Metro (subway) visit
- shared boat trip through rivers and canals
- One bottle of water per person per day
- Headsets for groups of 5 or more
- You will take an inside, guided tour of:
- St. Peter and Paul Fortress--burial site of many tsars
- Yusupov Palace--a unique historical landmark
- Church of the Spilt Blood--a marvelous Russian-style church
- Faberge Museum -- largest collection of Faberge works in the world, including the famous Imperial Easter eggs
- St. Isaacs's Cathedral--originally the city's main church
- Fountain Park--also known as "the Russian Versailles"
- One of the smaller palaces at Peterhof
- Tsars Village--filled with lavish, imperial palaces
- Catherine Palace--home of the legendary Amber Room
- Hermitage Museum--special early entry to one of the largest museums of art and culture in the world
- You will drive by/see the outside of:
- Nevsky Prospekt--main street filled with cathedrals and boutiques
- National Library, Kazan Cathedral, Square of Arts
- Ethnographical Museum, Michael’s Castle, The Admiralty
- Theater Square-Mariinksky Theatre
- Summer Garden and Log Cabin of Peter the Great
- Extra fee options:
- Gold Room--guided tour of this world famous exhibit within the Hermitage Museum
- Diamond Room--guided tour of Russia’s most spectacular collection of rare jewels
- Additional Languages Available
- Arabic
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese($)
- Korean
- Mandarin($)
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- *Possible upcharge at checkout for languages denoted with ($) symbol.
Days of Operation
Departures (local time)
- 9:00 AM (23 hrs) 9am start each day. Return by 5pm on day 1 and 2... 4:00pm on day 3.
Transfer / Meeting Instructions
No Taxi Required Specific pick up or taxi instructions will appear on your voucher after you purchase your trip.Special Instructions
• 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, called a blanket visa or booking confirmation, which you will pass to the customs/immigration offices. Due to the length of time needed to acquire these tour tickets, we ask that you please MAKE YOUR BOOKING NO LESS THAN 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE DAY YOU LEAVE HOME. Thank you.
• We will need the following information at the time of booking: Each passenger's full name as it appears in their passport; Citizenship; Date of birth; Passport number; Passport issue date; Passport expiration date; Arrival date into St. Petersburg; Departure date from St. Petersburg.
• Any information forwarded to ShoreTrips that is necessary to obtain a visa must be exact. We will pass on a $10 processing fee if corrections are necessary after we receive the visa. This is a per person fee, charged for each visa that requires changes.
• This includes standard admission to all museums in the program, guide's services for 3 days, driver's services for 3 days, car or minivan (Mercedes), permit for photo and/or video use in palaces and museums (except for video use in Yusupov Palace), and all port fees.
• There is a nominal fee for photo and video use in Yusupov Palace, which must be paid upon entry.
• Cost of food and beverage is not included. Suggestions will be supplied by your guide for lunch that will be quick and typical.
• Gratuity is not included. We suggest a 10% gratuity to your guide and 5% to your driver.
Restrictions
• PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU OPEN YOUR RUSSIAN TOURIST TICKETS ON A LAPTOP OR REGULAR COMPUTER AS MOST SMART PHONES OR TABLETS DO NOT SUPPORT PDF FORMAT AND YOU WILL SEE THEM BLANK.
• You are not able to move around St. Petersburg alone. Your blanket visa requires you to travel only with a guide.
• SHORETRIPS WILL SEND YOUR BLANKET VISA AFTER THE BOOKING IS CONFIRMED. THIS IS A DIFFERENT DOCUMENT THAN YOUR PRE-PAID VOUCHER, AND YOU MUST HAVE A PRINTOUT OF YOUR TRAVEL TICKET/BLANKET VISA BEFORE YOU DEPART. If you cancel your trip after the travel tickets have been issued, a $75 per person fee will be charged.
• Please note: When necessary, we will adjust your itinerary in response to museum closings. You will visit all of the sites listed in the tour description.
• The Treasure Gallery has 2 sections. The first, called the Gold Room has works from Eurasia, the Black Sea Littoral in antiquity, and the Orient. It consists of around 1,500 works made from gold and dating from the 7th century B.C. to the 19th century A.D. The main idea of the second section, which is called the Diamond Room, is to show the development of the jeweler's craft over the course of mankind's many centuries of history from the third millennium B.C. to the start of the 20th century. THE DURATION OF EACH OPTIONAL ADD ON IS 1 HOUR. THIS MEANS THAT IF YOU BOOK THE GOLD ROOM OR THE DIAMOND ROOM, YOU WILL SPEND LESS TIME AT THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM SEEING PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES, ETC.
• If you would like to visit the Gold or Diamond Room, please book it during check out. Please note that it is the same price if there is one person in your party or 8 people, as it is a charter rate, not per person. If you are unsure of how to book it please contact ShoreTrips. This extra fee is charged by the museum for a pre-arranged visit.
• RESERVATIONS FOR THE GOLD ROOM AND/OR DIAMOND ROOM IN THE HERMITAGE MUST be booked by the 15th of the month PREVIOUS to your visit. No reservations will be accepted after that date.
• Please note: The Faberge tour is not private.
• If you wish to add an evening activity, such as a theater performance, a folkloric show or even a typical Russian dinner experience, please choose one from the add-on options.
• If you arrive late for the tour, you will need to be transferred to meet your group. By the time you meet up with them, you will most likely have missed a portion of the tour.
• Guests with pacemakers might be asked to show a pacemaker ID card for security purposes at the entrances to museums. Please bring your card along if applicable.
• Guests must be able to stand and walk a few steps in order to visit Yusupov Palace or Catherine Palace.
• Guests who use wheelchairs will need to transfer into wheelchairs with white wheels provided by Catherine Palace.