ITINERARY : TOUR IH08: ST PETERSBURG – Russia’s Cultural Tapestry
(any day throughout the year)
Stay-a-while City Stopover: One stop holiday in central St Petersburg. 4 full days, 5 nights.This imperial city on the banks of the Neva River is aptly described as home to a rich cultural tapestry of the highest standards. Its wealth of artistic, cultural, historical and cosmopolitan assets is personified in the pride of its people and makes it a memorable city to experience. With no city skyscrapers, continuing restoration programs of its numerous historical buildings, and its wealth of cultural performances of world class standards, this city provides a continuous array of marvelous sights that will inspire you to return. On this stopover you will experience extraordinary city museums, churches and palaces; the country park-and-palace complexes of the former tsars; busy cosmopolitan shopping streets and markets; a canal cruise; and a special range of evening entertainment: all in just four full days!
Departures: Throughout the year at a time which suits you, provided there are at least two travellers.
A special itinerary can be drawn up to match the interests and needs of individuals, whether it be a focus on art galleries; crafts; music; historical buildings; cultural performances; folklore; or a general mixture with a touch of most major sights.
This holiday can also be taken as an addition to other Imperial Holidays' tours advertised in these itineraries.
Sample Detailed Program:
DAY 0: Arrival at Pulkovo Airport. Meet, greet and transfer to your central city accommodation. The evening is free for you to unpack and relax – perhaps dinner in your hotel would be convenient.
DAY 1: There will be a “get acquainted Tour” of the city to include views of Nevsky prospect, Decembrist Square, The Bronze Horseman, Field of Mars, the Winter Palace, Engineers’ Castle and the Summer Palace and Gardens. The city tour will conclude with a visit to the Peter & Paul Fortress (the burial site of the Romanov Tsars, including the recent tombs of Nicholas, Alexandra and three of their children). Next there will be a stop for a light lunch (coffee, etc). After this break there will be a visit to the Russian Museum which today houses a vast collection of Russian Art. This evening there is a special treat with dinner within the Nikolaevsky Palace and a typical Russian Folkloric performance.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 2: Today you will leave fo a visit into the Russian countryside to visit Peterhof and the Palace of Fountains on the Gulf of Finland. This extraordinary complex covers 1,500 acres of parks, canals and gardens; one display alone is a sequence of 37 gilded bronze sculptures, 64 fountains and 142 water jets cascading from the terrace of the Palace to the sea. Lunch today will be at The Orangerie in the palace grounds. In the afternoon you will return to the city for a visit to St Isaac’s Cathedral, built to accommodate 10,000 people. The Cathedral has 112 solid granite columns weighing up to 114 tons each. But it is the exquisite interior of mosaics, reliefs and bronze sculptures which make this such a memorable sight.
This evening’s entertainment is an optional visit to the Mariinsky Theatre to see a ballet performance. This can be pre-booked and included in the total cost which includes transfers to and from the Theatre or it can be an option for those who are interested. Programs will not be known until a few weeks before the tour begins.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 3: This morning the highlight is your visit to The Hermitage and The Winter Palace. You will be given a guided tour to the general exhibitions and State Rooms for about two hours and then you will have time to visit exhibits of special interest with or without your guide. Remember that there are over 3 million exhibits so you only have time to see a select few. Your guide will assist you. Inside The Hermitage there is a small coffee shop where you can purchase a light snack at your leisure. This afternoon there is a visit to the magnificent family home/palace of the Yussupov Family. In the Yussupov Palace on the Moika Canal in December 1916 there occurred the gruesome murder of Rasputin (some say he was the man who brought about the downfall of the Romanov dynasty). You will visit the murder scene as well as explore the amazing art collection and private rooms of this sumptuous home.
The final visit today is to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery and necropolis of many of Russia’s famous artists (Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsokov, etc). Evening is free.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 4: Today you will head out of town past the Pulkovo Hills (the line at which the Nazi invaders were halted) to Tsarskoe Selo (Tsar’s Village) now also known as Pushkin. You will first visit the Alexander Palace and the extensive grounds – this was the favourite home of Nicholas & Alexandra, but also their place of house arrest before they were transported to Siberia and their brutal deaths in 1918. Your guide will then walk with you a short distance to the amazing Catherine Palace with its famous amber room now completely restored. Lunch today is at the Podvorie Restaurant in Tsareskoe Selo with its rustic architecture, genuine Russian food and entertainment. After lunch you will drive on to Pavlovsk and its fully restored Palace. This will be a long day and you will return to the city in the late afternoon. There will be farewell dinner in a local restaurant with gypsy music and entertainment. Evening: Dinner and performance
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 5: After breakfast, you will be provide with transfer to the airport and your onward flight.
Prices: from $4,723 per person twin share: 5-star
Single: from $6,536
Features of this Holiday
4 full days, 5 nights central city accommodation
All transfers and private transport daily
Two days of exploring the Russian countryside
and three park-and-palace-complexes
Folkloric Show and dinner
Optional Ballet Performance
Farewell dinner
All major city sights – The Hermitage, Russian
Museum, St Isaac’s, Necropolis of Russian artists
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