2 Day St Petersburg Shore Excursion

St Petersburg Shore Excursion Itinerary

Day 1

Between 8:30 am and 9 am, we'll pick you up from the cruise terminal in Saint Petersburg and head into the beautiful Russian city for a panoramic tour. We'll make a stop to take in the views of the iconic sphinxes on Vasilyevsky Island - the perfect place to see the Neva River!

Our tour will continue with a guided tour of the Hermitage Museum with early entry so you get a 30 minute head start on visiting one of the world's greatest art collections. Marvel at the works of Titian, Monet, Van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci exhibited in the Winter Palace: the former official residence of the Russian Tsars.

After visiting the Hermitage, we'll enter the Church of the Saviour on Spilt Blood to admire its superb decoration. Did you know that this temple was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated? We'll then enjoy a relaxing cruise along the rivers and canals of Saint Petersburg.

Following our boat trip, we'll head to a local restaurant to enjoy a tasty traditional Russian meal. The menu consists of three typical dishes and a dessert, accompanied by mineral water, tea, or coffee (other drinks not included).

In the afternoon, we'll head to Peterhof, which was the residence of the Tsars until 1917. Here we'll explore the Peterhof Gardens and its beautiful fountains as well as admiring the palace from outside. Finally, we'll return to your hotel or the port in St Petersburg for around 7 pm.

Day 2

On the second day you choose one of the following two tours: St Petersburg Tour without Pushkin and Catherine Palace or tour of Pushkin and Catherine Palace.

St Petersburg Tour

After picking you up at 9 am, we'll embark on a tour of the St Petersburg Metro, where you'll soon discover why the station architecture is considered a museum in itself. We'll then head to St Isaac's Cathedral, a majestic church crowned with the largest golden dome in Russia. Our tour will continue with a guided walk aloing Nevsky Prospect, or if you prefer, with two hours of free time to go shopping at your leisure.

Afterwards, we'll enjoy a lunch of typical Russian delicacies before visiting the Peter and Paul Fortress, one of the most famous bastions on the Baltic Sea, in the afternoon. At around 5 pm, you'll be dropped back off at your hotel or the port.

Pushkin and Catherine Palace Tour

We'll pick you up at 9 am and head for Pushkin, the town where Catherine Palace is located. Visit its world-famous Amber Room, a masterpiece of art and architecture. After exploring the spectacular historic palace, we'll return to St Petersburg for lunch. 

After eating, we'll visit the Peter and Paul Fortress, a marvel of defensive architecture. At the end of the day, you'll be dropped off at your hotel or the port for around 5 pm.

If you are not a cruise passenger

Even if you are not arriving in the city by cruise, you can still reserve this tour. When making the reservation, you must indicate the name and address of your hotel in Saint Petersburg.

Why you should book with us

• Our tours are done every day and are open to everyone, regardless of the cruise company you are travelling with.
• A small group size of no more than 18 people is guaranteed.
• When you reserve with us, you will not need a visa to visit Saint Petersburg. We will prepare all the necessary documents for you to present at border control.

Important information

• Although our tour is aimed at cruise passengers and designed to fit with the cruise timetables, it is important that you check the arrival and departure time of your cruise, and the duration of the trip to ensure you have time to complete the tour.
• Cruise passengers must bring a valid international passport. If you are a cruise passenger who would normally need a visa to enter Russia, you can avoid this requirement by requesting a "tour ticket" when making your reservation. These allow you to enter Russia to do the tour and then return to the ship again afterwards. If you have a visa (or are allowed into Russia without one) you can continue exploring St Petersburg at your own pace after the tour.

Itinerary changes

• If you take the tour during the low season, from November to April, the boat trip on the Neva River (day 2) will be replaced by a visit to the Fabergé Museum. In addition, instead of touring the Peterhof Gardens (day 2), we will visit the Grand Peterhof Palace.
• However, the dates considered as low season may vary according to the calendar of sailing the St. Petersburg canals and the opening of the fountains in Peterhof. In 2019, the fountains will be opened on April 27th, so from that day onwards it will be possible to visit the Peterhof Gardens. 
• The Hermitage Museum is closed on Mondays. In the case that your reservation begins on a Monday, the itinerary will be adapted to include the museum visit on the second day.
• The order of the itinerary may change depending on schedules or closures of the monuments visited.