Petersburg cruise ship terminal! Air conditioned, fully licensed and insured private transportation! Bilingual professional private St. Petersburg shore excursion guide! Other languages speaking guides available, please check notes! Admission fees to all the sites visited! Services of a licensed local driver! Tasty typical Russian and local lunch included! All port fees, local taxes and the cost o
f blanket Russia tourism excursion visa! Guests will visit: Peterhof Palace (Grand Palace and Lower Gardens), Summer Palace Restaurant, Isaac Cathedral and Peter and Paul Cathedral! Experience the grandeur and scenic splendor of St. Petersburg during this memorable and private all day sightseeing excursion. Your blanket visa is also included on this private palace and cathedrals excursion. The cruise lines will try to tell you that the only way get off of the ship in Russia is on one of their excursions...this is FALSE. As part of your private Peterhof and St. Petersburg Cathedrals Excursion, you will receive a blanket visa. It is simple, easy and a great way to see the sights. Don't get slowed down with a bus full of cruise ship guests. Enjoy a private day with your own guide and private transportation. You will be both entertained and educated with stories and history shared by your English speaking guide. You will get to see some of Saint Petersburg's most famous sites - the Peterhof Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Peter and Paul Cathedral along with lunch. Your first excursion stop will be the Peterhof Palace, commissioned by Peter the Great. This 300-year-old palace is known as 'Versailles by the Sea', and served as one of the summer residences of the royal family. The spectacular grounds of Peterhof are comprised of the Upper and Lower Park, and feature a number of delightful little palaces built as private residences of the tsars. Crowning the hill is Peter's Grand Palace, which features a commanding view over the Lower Park and the Gulf of Finland. Upon arrival at Peterhof, proceed to the Upper Park, designed as a French formal garden. After a guided stroll of the park, proceed for a visit inside the breathtaking Grand Palace. Enter the palace from the main staircase adorned with gilded carvings, then take a guided visit of the elegant staterooms, Dancing Hall, Audience Hall, Drawing Rooms, Chesma Hall, the opulent Throne Room, the White Dining Room, and Peter's Oak Study. Next, descend into the Lower Gardens, a 300-acre (121-hectare) fountain park with a number of pavilions and palaces overlooking the Gulf of Finland. The park comprises about 150 fountains and four cascades that include the Grand Cascade, the largest fountain ensemble in the world and the highlight of the grounds. You will then board your private shore excursion transportation for the 30-minute transfer to the restaurant Summer Palace located half way to St. Petersburg in Strelna. The restaurant is located in a unique, newly restored palace built in the 18th century by architect Antonio Rinaldi. After your lunch, board the transportation for a 30-minute transfer to the city center and continue exploring the splendid art, architecture and beauty of the Russian Orthodox churches of St. Petersburg. Your first stop in the city will be a visit to St. Isaac's Square, which is dominated by the expansive St. Isaac's Cathedral. The opulent interior of this spectacular cathedral spans 43,000 square feet (4,000 square meters), and is filled with hundreds of impressive 19th-century works of art. The cathedral took 40 years to construct, and nearly 900 pounds (409 kilos) of pure gold were used to gild the interior and dome, which is visible approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) away in good weather. The cathedral features interior walls faced with 14 different kinds of marble, and three 20 ton (18,143 kilo) oak and bronze doors adorned with carved reliefs. Your final sightseenig excursion stop is at the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which stands in the heart of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Designed and built between 1712 and 1733, it was designed by Peter the Great, who also decreed it to be the tallest structure in the city. After his death in 1725, the cathedral became the burial place of subsequent tsars. Following your visit you will board your transportation one last time for the approximate 30-minute return drive back to your St. Petersburg cruise ship terminal. Please note, your “blanket visa” is only applicable when you are with your guide and only during the excursion. Please note that the transportation used will depend on your group size ranging from a luxury car to a minivan to a deluxe motor coach. Peterhof is closed on Mondays. Isaac's is closed on Wednesdays. Guests must book this St. Petersburg excursion a minimum of 72 hours prior to their date. At the end of your booking, after you make the payment, you will be redirected to another page to fill out all the necessary passport information about each guest. Your booking cannot be started until we receive the complete information.
