Private Gems of St. Petersburg (Visas Included)

Experience overview

Treat your senses and trust your English-speaking guide to reveal why the sights along "The Gems of St. Petersburg" route are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your tour of this world class city begins in the heart of St. Petersburg, proceeding to the Hermitage Museum based in the Winter Palace. Aside from Paris' Louvre, no other collection rivals the size and quality of the Hermitage Museum. Originally designed by Italian F.B. Rastrelli for the Tsars, this Baroque style Winter Palace features over 1,057 lavish halls and rooms. Since 1764, it has housed the main portions of the Hermitage Collection. Founded by Catherine the Great upon purchasing 255 paintings from Berlin, the Hermitage now has over 2.7 million brilliant displays. With masterpieces by Da Vinci, Rafael, Monet, Rembrandt, and Renoir, it's regarded as a marvel both inside and out. The next leg of your St. Petersburg tour brings you to the Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral. Erected in 1703, it was the keystone building in the Tsar Peter's Great Northern war against the Swedes. This grand 18th century ecclesiastical structure served as the city's central place of worship, defense, and burial (serving as the burial place for Romanov nobility). However, the fortress soon became Russia's own Tower of London for political prisoners-including Peter the Great's own son. Finally, you'll encounter the stunning romantic-style Church of our Savior on Spilled Blood. Erected in 1883, following the assassination of Emperor Alexander III on its location, the stunning church (with its 7500 beautiful mosaics) was completed in 1907. Unique in its ability to showcase this elegant port city's key sights, your Visas Included St. Petersburg tour covers all fees and permits, plus provides a welcome pack and bottled water. Snacks are available for purchase and restaurant recommendations are made by your professional guide. Touring April - October; not operating on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please Note: All of our tours in St. Petersburg are operated by authorized guides, and you therefore do not need to secure an independent visa in order to participate in this tour. However, in order to book this tour, you must provide us with full names, dates of birth, nationality, and passport numbers for each tour participant so that our guides can secure the proper tour visas on your behalf. Note also that, if you wish to explore St. Petersburg on your own while not accompanied by one of our guides, you will need to secure an independent visa.