3 DAYS IN ST. PETERSBURG - a PREMIUM Shared Van Tour
3 DAYS IN ST. PETERSBURG - a PREMIUM Shared Van Tour
Vendor claims they meet CDC Compliant Guidelines
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 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.
ShoreTrips' PREMIUM van tours are a perfect choice if you are looking for a deluxe tour that's economical but without the crowds of a big bus.
We will confirm your reservation when we have at least 6 passengers booked. You will be notified about two weeks prior to the start of the cruise with options of more expensive private trips if we are not able to run the shared tour.
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; and Theatre Square with the famous Mariinsky Theatre.
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, board a boat for a ride through the rivers, canals, and channels that bind St. Petersburg together.
It's time for a break with a delicious lunch, which is included in your tour. Refreshed, your day continues with a tour of the colorful Yusupov Palace, a lush home with spectacular interiors and the site 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.
Next, you'll travel to the Shuvalov Palace, located on the Fontanka River and receive a 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. You'll receive a guided tour of one of the small Peterhof palaces, either Monplaisir or Marly Palace, or Bath Block as well as a visit to the magnificent Fountain Park. The entire complex is a marvel of beauty and engineering, dating from the 1700's.
Moving on, your driver will proceed to the suburban town and administrative district of St. Petersburg, Pushkin. This is a great place to take a lunch break, after which you will stop at the Tsars Village and receive a guided tour of Catherine Palace and 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, beginning with a visit to a Russian food market or grocery store for a taste of local culture.
Continuing on, a guided tour awaits at the incomparable Hermitage Museum, the second-largest art museum in the world, with early admission to avoid the crowds and enhance your visit.
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 for 3 days
- Blanket visa
- All port fees and local taxes
- Standard admission to all museums listed in the itinerary
- Permit for photo and/or video use in palaces and museums (except for Yusupov Palace)
- Metro (subway) visit
- Boat ride on St. Petersburg's rivers and canals
- Lunch on all 3 days
- 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
- Church on the Spilt Blood--a marvelous Russian-style church
- Yusupov Palace--a unique historical landmark
- 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
- General Staff Building -- impressionist and post-impressionist art collection
- Faberge Museum -- largest collection of Faberge works in the world, including the famous Imperial Easter eggs
- St. Isaac's Cathedral
- 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
Days of Operation
Departures (local time)
- 8:30 AM (25 hrs) Days 1 & 2: 8:30am-5:00pm. Day 3: 8:30am-4:30pm
Transfer / Meeting Instructions
No Taxi Required Specific pick up or taxi instructions will appear on your voucher after you purchase your trip.Special Instructions
• Maximum number per vehicle is 12.
• 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 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, lunch for 3 days, guide's services for 3 days, driver's services for 3 days, vehicle, all port fees.
• Though we have included admissions, there is often an optional charge for photo and/or video use in palaces and museums.
• There is a nominal fee for photo and video use in Yusupov Palace, which must be paid upon entry.
• Gratuity is not included. We suggest a 10% gratuity to your guide and 5% to your driver.
• Please keep in mind that this is a shared tour. It is not private. The tour operator must maintain his schedule for a fair and successful day for all.
Restrictions
• PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU OPEN YOUR RUSSIAN TOURIST TICKETS ON A LAPTOP OR REGULAR COMPUTER AS MOST SMARTPHONES OR TABLETS DO NOT SUPPORT PDF FORMAT AND WILL SHOW UP AS 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 and local traffic. You will visit all of the sites listed in the tour description.
• In order to minimize the flow of tourists inside the museum, the Hermitage authorities reserve the right to adjust the entrance time slot.
• The Gold Room is not available on shared services.
• 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.
• This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
• You are purchasing a shared tour and you will be expected to maintain the pace of the group. If you use a walker, wheelchair or scooter or if you have mobility problems you will be refused service and not refunded. We suggest that you purchase a private tour for your best enjoyment.
• 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.