Small Group 2 Day Discovery St. Petersburg Tour (Visa Included)

All cruise clients taking tours in St Petersburg will require a Visa, Cruising Excursions will arrange this for you at no extra cost.

This is a small group tour with a maximum of 16 passengers.

You will be met at the port by your Cruising Excursions representative who will then escort you to your air conditioned/heated coach.

DAY 1

Board your motor coach for a narrated drive to the suburbs of St Petersburg: to the South to see the Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) and to the West to Peterhof, passing Stalin-era buildings, modern residential apartments and dachas (country houses). Heading west to Peterhof, you will see the industrial and residential areas of St. Petersburg, some former mansions of the Russian Nobility, Alexandria Park and the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Peterhof.

This comprehensive full day tour gives you a unique opportunity to admire the most splendid palace and park ensembles of the 18th Century that belonged to the Russian Tsars.

WHAT YOU VISIT:

Catherine Palace - Designed by Rastrelli, the ornate Baroque Palace is over 1,000 feet long and features an ornate blue facade. Gold onion domes crown the palace's north end, the site of the chapel. Your tour visits the White Vestibule, Grand Hall, the Amber Room, the Portrait Hall, the Crimson Pilaster Room and more.

Please be advised, during the high tourist season the Catherine’s Palace welcomes tourists every day except Tuesday's. However, this may also apply to certain 'Events' also taking place in St. Petersburg. In these instances, the Palace of Paul might be visited instead of the Catherine’s Palace.

Palace of Paul - The ensemble's fame rests on the splendour of its interiors and great art collection as well as on the beauty of one of the largest landscape parks in Europe. Admire elegant rooms of the Emperor Paul I and charming rather than grand rooms of his wife Maria.

Peterhof Park - Travel to another former summer Imperial residence. Set in magnificent gardens, Peterhof is reminiscent of Versailles. It was almost completely destroyed by the Nazis in World War II but has been restored to its full splendour. The gardens are dotted with countless fountains, charming pavilions and summer houses. 14 Exclusive rates for wholesalers, host agencies and

The fountains of Peterhof are one of the most famous tourist attractions. The diversity of fountains in the park is surprising. From monumental ensembles like the Samson Cascade to the ever-popular Joke Fountains, including one which sprays anyone who steps on a particular paving stone.

Take a Metro (Underground) ride. The stations are worth seeing for their beautifully decorative interiors. Many are adorned with crystal chandeliers, marble vestibules and beautiful frescoes.

With this tour (if weather permits) - you get a one-way trip by hydrofoil. This is the fastest and the most enjoyable way of travelling between Peterhof and St. Petersburg. Hydrofoil is a safe and fast boat which rises above the surface of the water. The trip takes 30 minutes.

DAY 2

One of the World's most magnificent Cities, St Petersburg stretches over forty-four islands. The City was built by Peter the Great in the 18th Century to rival the splendour of Paris and combines a wealth of palaces, churches and museums.

A full day of sightseeing includes a general sightseeing tour of the City along with visits to the Hermitage, the World-famous Art Treasury, Peter & Paul Fortress, the place where the City started and the Church of our Saviour on Spilled Blood, one of the City's landmarks, as well as several photo stops and shopping.

WHAT YOU VISIT:

The Hermitage - The Tsar's former Winter Palace and four other buildings that house one of the world's premier art collections. Your 1.5 - 2 hour guided tour visits the display of rooms, which contain over three million art works, including paintings by Da Vinci, Rafael and Rembrandt. Designed by Rastrelli. The Baroque Winter Palace boasts patterned parquet floors, ornate staircases, moulded and decorated ceilings.

Peter and Paul Fortress - Originally built to protect the city from Swedish attack, the fortress soon became Russia's Tower of London, a place for political prisoners - including Peter the Great's own son.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral - The city's tallest structure in the days of Peter the Great and even today only the television tower exceeds it in the height. The ornate interior boasts gilded iconostasis, 18th century paintings and icons - and the tombs of many Tsars and Tsarinas, including Peter the Great and Catherine the Great.

The Church on Spilled Blood - was built on the spot where the Emperor was mortally wounded. The interior of the Church is decorated with incredibly detailed mosaics designed and created by the most prominent Russian artists of the day.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Bottle of Water
• Air-conditioned Vehicle
• Entry Fees - Hermitage, Catherine’s Palace, Church on Spilled Blood, Peterhof Gardens, Peter and Pauls Cathedral
• Photo permits
• Visa Free Visit
• Hydrofoil (weather permitting)
• Port Fees
• Local Taxes
• English Speaking Guide

NOT INCLUDED:

• Lunch (your guide will be able to give you recommendations on where to eat)
• Tipping
• Metro Fare (1$)

Some of our vehicles have WIFI however we cannot guarantee this as there is limited availability

Please Note: Tour start time is 9am which is usually 2 hours after your Cruise Ships porting times, if your ship ports later, then the start time will be adjusted to suit your arrival.

Please be aware that you may be advised you cannot disembark the ship until 90 minutes after arrival, we set our times to accommodate this.

Currency: Russian Rubles (Most places accept credit card as payment, a few places will accept Euro or USD Dollar - although this is very limited). Depending on what you are wanting to buy, you may use your credit card in most places (your guide on the 1st day will give you the best advice regarding currency).

There is a lot of walking involved in this tour, please ensure you wear comfortable footwear. You will be provided with a complimentary bottle of water for each day by your guide. Please do not forget your camera, there are plenty of photo opportunities (Please note: your guide will inform you where you are not allowed to take photographs).

When visiting the underground system, the entrance fee is 1 ruble (this is not included within the tour price), do not worry if you do not have rubles you will be able to pay in euro or USD.

Lunch is not included within the tour; however the guide will give a good suggestion of where to eat.

The same professional tour guide will be with you on both days of your tour.

BASIC ITINERARY:

Day 1.

• Pick-up from the port
• City tour
• Catherine Palace or Palace of Paul on Tuesdays
• Peterhof Park
• Take a metro ride
• Hydrofoil ride (weather permitting)
• Drive back to the port

Day 2.

• Pick-up from the por
• Visit Hermitage Museum
• Peter and Paul Fortress
• Peter and Paul Cathedral
• Church on Spilled Blood
• Drive back to the port

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How much is the metro ticket? The cost of metro is around one ruble which is to be paid locally, your guide will assist with obtaining the metro tickets.

The cruise lines are telling me they will disembark their tours first, how will that affect this tour? Cruising Excursions generally start the tours at 9am, please do not worry, a lot of the cruise line tours have generally departed by then, our guides will be waiting for you at the port.

Is the meal included within the tour price? No, we do not include lunch on this tour, however there will be plenty of opportunity to get something to eat around the different venues you are visiting, your guide on hand will be able to suggest some restaurants to use.

If your cruise ship arrives on a Monday when the Hermitage is closed does that mean, we will not be able to visit the Hermitage? Please do not worry, in this instance we will reverse the order of the days, so you will get to see the Hermitage on the 2nd day. This will be the same with other venues where possible.

Can I do this tour if I am in a wheelchair? This tour is not recommended for wheelchairs, we would highly recommend a private tour for your comfort, as there is a lot of walking involved.

What currency do I need to take on the tour? A lot of the shops will accept Euro or USD, however, some of the smaller souvenir stands only accept Russian Rubles. Most of the shops and venues for lunch will accept credit cards where stated.

What time will my tour start? We will start this tour around 9am (depending on your cruise ships arrival time). You will need to pass through security with your tourist tickets (visas) we have provided for you, our guide will be waiting within the terminal with a Cruising Excursions sign. Please do not forget your tourist tickets as you will not be allowed to pass through security without these.

This states a small group tour, how many people will this tour be for? The tour can run with as little as 2 guests and a maximum of 16 guests, however this will depend on number of guests reserved.