2 Day Complete Shore Excursion +Free Time Visa-Free Small Group Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: First day of port call

Stop At: The Museum Complex The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Isaakiyevskaya Sq., 4 Nevskiy Prospekt metro station, St. Petersburg 190000 Russia
The church itself is an architectural marvel. Built by the French-born architect Auguste Montferrand to be the main church of the Russian Empire, the cathedral was under construction for 40 years (1818-1858), and was decorated in the most elaborate way possible. When you enter the cathedral you pass through one of the porticos - note that the columns are made of single pieces of red granite and weight 80 tons (about 177,770 pounds) each. Inside the church, many of the icons were created using mosaic techniques and the iconostasis (the icon wall that separates the altar from the rest of the church) is decorated with 8 malachite and 2 lapis lazuli columns. The cathedral, which can accommodate 14,000 worshipers, now serves as a museum and services are held only on significant ecclesiastical holidays. For those who don’t mind the 330 steps to the middle colonnade, you can make the trek up to be treated to the awe-inspiring views and photo opportunities during your free optional 3-hour extension in the evening of the first day..

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Savior on the Spilled Blood, Griboyedova Kanala Emb., 2B/A, St. Petersburg 191186 Russia
Its official name is Resurrection of Christ Church but more commonly called The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood and refers to its construction on the exact spot where the reform-minded Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in March 1881.
The construction of the church was almost entirely funded by the Imperial family and thousands of private donators. Both the interior and exterior of the church is decorated with incredibly detailed mosaics, designed and created by the most prominent Russian artists of the day. Interestingly, despite the church's very obviously Russian aspect, its principal architect, A. Parland, was not even Russian by birth.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Catherine Palace and Park, Sadovaya St., 7 Tsarskoye Selo, Pushkin, St. Petersburg 196601 Russia
If any proof is needed for the extravagance of Russia's Imperial rulers, then it can be found in the fact that, in less than two centuries, the Romanov Tsars established not one but two suburban estates - at Tsarskoe Selo and Pushkin - that, in terms of grandeur and excess, outstrip even Versailles. What is more, at Tsarskoe Selo, the 18th century saw the construction of two vast and truly exceptional palaces, both surrounded by extensive landscaped gardens with diverse and fascinating decorative architecture.
The Catherine Palace is named after Catherine I, the wife of Peter the Great, who ruled Russia for two years after her husband's death. Originally a modest two-storey building commissioned by Peter for Catherine in 1717, the Catherine Palace owes its awesome grandeur to their daughter, Empress Elizabeth, who chose Tsarskoe Selo as her chief summer residence. Starting in 1743, the building was reconstructed by four different architects, before Bartholomeo Rastrelli, Chief Architect of the Imperial Court was instructed to completely redesign the building on a scale to rival Versailles.
Besides the main palace, you will explore the vast grounds and gardens of Imperial Park.
Duration: 2 hours

Pass By: Bronze Horseman, Monument To Peter I, Dekabristov Square, St. Petersburg Russia
The iconic symbol of St Petersburg, The Bronze Horseman is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great in the Senate Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Commissioned by Catherine the Great, it was created by the French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: Day 2 of your Group Tour

Stop At: The State Hermitage Museum, Palace Square, 2, St. Petersburg 191055 Russia
The Hermitage museum is located in 5 buildings of the Winter Palace. From the 1760s onwards the Winter Palace was the main residence of the Russian Tsars. Magnificently located on the bank of the Neva River, this Baroque-style palace is perhaps St. Petersburg's most impressive attraction. Many visitors also know it as the main building of the Hermitage Museum. The green-and-white three-story palace is a marvel of Baroque architecture and boasts 1,786 doors, 1,945 windows and 1,057 elegantly and lavishly decorated halls and rooms, many of which are open to the public.
The Hermitage is one of the top museums in the world not only for its great art collection, which includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a unique collection of Rembrandts and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Manet, Monet and Pissarro, numerous canvasses by Van Gogh, Matisse, Gaugin and several sculptures by Rodinbut as a general museum covering many topic from antiquities to uniforms, jewels and the worlds largest coin collection and its staff is known as the experts in art restoration and curation within the world museum community. Sometimes the art is overshadowed by the spectacular interior. Be sure to bring your camera. Your guide is an expert on the collection and history so ask any questions that come to mind.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Peterhof State Museum Preserve, Razvodnaya ul., d. 2, Peterhof, St. Petersburg 198516 Russia
One of St. Petersburg's most famous and popular visitor attractions, the palace and park at Peterhof (also known as Petrodvorets) are often referred to as "the Russian Versailles", although many visitors conclude that the comparison does a disservice to the grandeur and scope of this majestic estate.
Versailles was, however, the inspiration for Peter the Great's desire to build an imperial palace in the suburbs of his new city and, after an aborted attempt at Strelna, Peterhof - which means "Peter's Court" in German - became the site for the Tsar's Monplaisir Palace, and then of the original Grand Palace. The estate was equally popular with Peter's daughter, Empress Elizabeth, who ordered the expansion of the Grand Palace and greatly extended the park and the famous system of fountains, including the truly spectacular Grand Cascade. This fountain system became the main attraction and a tour of the Lower Fountain Park is a must experience for visitors and locals. The most famous ensemble of fountains, the Grand Cascade, which runs from the northern facade of the Grand Palace to the Marine Canal, comprises 64 different fountains, and over 200 bronze statues, bas-reliefs, and other decorations. At the center stands Rastrelli's spectacular statue of Samson wrestling the jaws of a lion. The vista of the Grand Cascade with the Grand Palace behind it, the first sight to great visitors who arrive in Peterhof by sea, is truly breathtaking. All told, there are 157 fountains in the park.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: St. Petersburg Metro, St. Petersburg Russia
It might seem unusual to include a subway system visit for international visitors but the St Petersburg Metro, as the subway is called, is not just underground trains but unique ornate architecture for each station makes each station a popular destination. The nickname for the Metro is the People's Palaces because of how ornate they are, with marble floors, extensive use of bronze castings and statues. The system opened with one line in 1955 and has regularly expanded adding stations and long sections of track. The system is spotlessly clean and each station has a design that features a theme of the art and architecture. One feature is that it is deepest in the world and many of the early stations were designed to serve as bomb shelters in not only the stations but along the 120 km of track providing that function. The average time between stations is 2.5 minutes and the depth is up to 320 feet deep. The newest stations opened in 2018.
Duration: 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.