1-Day Tour of Catherine Palace and City Tour with 2 Must-Visit Sights

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Savior on the Spilled Blood, Griboyedova Kanala Emb., 2B/A, St. Petersburg 191186 Russia

The tour starts off with a meet and greet with your guide in your hotel lobby. The route will be customized depending on your hotel location. A private guide will accompany you throughout the duration of the tour. Walk from your hotel to the first point of interest. At the Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood, the gem of St. Petersburg, admire the colorful decor and towering onion domes. Inside, too, you’ll find an ornate sanctuary adorned with richly hued mosaics. Belying its cheery facade, this magnificent church was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: The Museum Complex The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Isaakiyevskaya Sq., 4 Nevskiy Prospekt metro station, St. Petersburg 190000 Russia

The tour continues with your guide escorting you to the next sight on foot. Visit St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Named for the patron saint of Peter the Great; its soaring gold dome tops the fourth largest cathedral in the world. You’ll have time for photos at St. Isaac’s Square. The cathedral's central gold dome is one of the largest in the world, and covered with 220 pounds of gold. It was commissioned by Alexander I in 1818 and took more than three decades to complete.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Catherine Palace and Park, Sadovaya St., 7 Tsarskoye Selo, Pushkin, St. Petersburg 196601 Russia

After a short lunch break you jump in a private car and drive to the town of Tsarskoye Selo, or “Tsar’s Village,” home of the Palace. Upon arrival, follow the Great Staircase to the lush staterooms on the first floor, where the interior’s baroque and neoclassical brilliance shine. Admire the opulence of the Great Hall, lined with mirrors, gilded carvings and 12 glittering chandeliers. Pause to take in the Amber Room, once described as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” for the shining amber panels lining its walls. Later, there will be time to stroll the gardens, totaling 1,400 acres of manicured grounds with a tranquil lake at its center. As you explore, you’ll see the impressive Hermitage Pavilion, which provided a private place for royalty to dine with guests and visiting diplomats. You will be taken back to your hotel.

Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes