Walking Tour of Vasilyevsky and Hare Islands

Itinerary

Greet your guide in front of the Alexander Column, in the centrally-located Palace Square, and start your walking tour by crossing the Palace Bridge to Vasilyevsky Island.

Head to the east of the island and admire the stunning panoramic views of St Petersburg from the two Rostral Columns. These monoliths pay tribute to the four main rivers of Russia: Neva, Dnieper, Volga and Volkhov. In this part of the city, you’ll admire numerous academic buildings, including the Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Mining Institute and the striking Russian Academy of Fine Arts Museum. In front of the Fine Arts Museum is a charming staircase leading into the Neva River, with two pillars crowned with Egyptian sphinx, which provide unparalleled views of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral and its enormous golden dome.

Cross the Kronverksky Strait on the Exchange Bridge (Birzhevoy) to visit the surprising Zayachy Island. Follow your knowledgeable guide around Peter and Paul Fortress, which houses the stunningly decorated Peter and Paul Cathedral. While you discover the oldest landmark in St Petersburg, finished in 1733, you’ll learn about the painful history of the island, where prisoners such as Dostoievski or Trotsky were imprisoned.

Leave the island on Ioannovsky Bridge. A few minutes later you’ll wander past the Cabin of Peter the Great, the first palace in Saint Petersburg, which was made of wood. It was built in three days when the city was first founded. Continue your 3-hour walking tour along the banks of the Neva River to the Russian cruiser Aurora, which served during the Russo-Japanese War.

Your tour will come to an end next to the Gorkovskaya subway station, only 15 minutes’ walk from the Aurora.​

Private tour

If you prefer to book a private tour of the city, we recommend our St Petersburg Private Tour, in which you can visit your favorite parts of the city. Our private tours take place daily and at any hour of the day.