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The Winter Palace / Hermitage imageThe Winter Palace / Hermitage

Day Schedule

➤ Breakfast

➤ Guided Tour of the Winter Palace and Hermitage

➤ City Sightseeing Tour: St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Kazan, the Church of the Spilled Blood

The Winter Palace / Hermitage imageThe Winter Palace / Hermitage

Hermitage Tour


The State Hermitage Museum is often called St. Petersburg’s most important site - a title we think is well deserved. The Winter Palace, the main building of the Hermitage, was home to the Russian Tsars and royal family. There is no better way to understand the heart and soul of St. Petersburg than by roaming the grounds of the Hermitage. Come face to face with history, and the majestic splendor of this unapologetically baroque Palace.

St. Isaac Cathedral imageSt. Isaac Cathedral

St Isaac's Cathedral & Kazan Cathedral


After enjoying some traditional Russian food at a "stolovaya", or a ‘canteen’, take a short walk past St. Petersburg’s most iconic churches. St Isaac’s Cathedral is one of the world’s largest cathedrals, and its dome is unmissable from any vantage point in St Petersburg. If you’re looking for ornate, this is it. The best views of the city are from the colonnade of the cathedral. The number of steps is 262. About the same number would make it to reach the 28th floor in a residential building, only the height of the steps here is less. The smallest doorway is 70 cm. The height of the colonnade is 43 meters. This is about 14 floors along with floors.


Surprisingly, St Petersburg is one of the leading gastronomic destinations in Europe. Original and varied, Russian cuisine is famous for exotic soups, which are eaten for lunch. Amongst soups, we should first of all mention "schi" made of sourcrout and "solyanka", made of assorted meats. Russians are great lovers of pelmeni, small Siberian meat pies boiled in broth. Those are very similar to Italian ravioli but larger in size, more like Chinese dumplings. Mushrooms are one of the most abundant gifts of Russian woods. Those are eaten fried, pickled, salted or boiled. We should also mention "pirozhki" and "bliny" - pancakes, the later became a symbolic Russian food every serious traveler has to try with the caviar.


St. Isaac Cathedral Colonnade imageSt. Isaac Cathedral Colonnade

Construction of beautiful Kazan cathedral commenced at the start of the 19th century, and this neoclassical beauty has stood tall and proud ever since. Often commended as having some of the most beautiful features of any cathedral in the world, the scale of Kazan is something you must experience for yourself.

Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood imageChurch of the Savior on the Spilled Blood

The Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood


Built in the 19th century, the Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood is a dramatic feast for the eyes, with an intriguing history. It’s shrouded in mystery and legend, stemming from the assassination attempt on Tsar Alexander II. Designed in the quintessential Russian Orthodox style of extravagant color and texture, it’s not difficult to see why the Church of the Spilled Blood took 24 years to complete.


During the late Soviet era, the church permanently stood in a falsework. This was lasting for so, so long that finally St. Petersburg residents made an ironic belief that as soon as falsework was removed, the entire USSR would be removed as well. Believe it or not, but the fact is: in 1991 the temple’s falsework was finally taken away and the same year, in August 1991, the end of the Soviet power has come.


St. Petersburg drawbridges’ opening and closing is a magnificent show, spectacular and captivating. What’s interesting it’s not a tourist attraction, but a purely technological procedure, the fact which adds flavor to the experience. St Petersburg has 9 out of 10 world's big bridges that are lifted regularly. The remaining one is the London’s Tower bridge. Optional midnight drawing bridges cruise is seasonally available, please inquire.


Yusupov Palace imageYusupov Palace

We will be happy to suggest optional tours in St Petersburg. This palace on the banks of the Moika River belonged to five generations of the Princes Yusupov. It is called the "encyclopedia" of the St. Petersburg aristocratic interior. They come here to see the decoration of the front halls and living rooms. Among them are strict apartments in the classical style, the Mauritanian living room in the magnificent oriental style, the living room in the style of Henry the Second, a library with caches. In the chambers where Prince Felix Yusupov lived, in 1916 famous Grigory Rasputin was killed.

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