Day 1: Airport pick-up, City tour of St. Petersburg
Welcome to St. Petersburg, also known as 'the Venice of the North'. On your arrival at the airport, your driver and guide will pick you up in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel for checking in. After a short break, today's 3-hour St Petersburg tour will start with a visit to Peter and Paul fortress, which was built in 1703 as a defensive fortress. Inside the majestic fortress, we will witness the baroque-style Peter and Paul Cathedral, featuring the grandiose inner designs, which includes over 40 exquisitely carved sculptures; and Trubetskoy Bastion Prison with rich history. Afterwards, we will move to the historical Palace Square, featuring the iconic Alexander Column and the Senate Square, where you will see the oldest sculpture in Russia - Bronze Horseman, which took 12 years to complete. Before driving back to your hotel, we will stop by St Isaac's Cathedral to take some photos of its magnificent façade. Accommodation: Courtyard St. Petersburg Vasilievsky or similar (4 stars)
Peter and Paul Cathedral Bronze Horseman
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Day 2: St. Petersburg tour with Hermitage Museum & St. Isaac's Cathedral
After breakfast, our guide will take you to the Hermitage Museum, one of the world's four museums with a history of over 250 years. Storing more than 2.7 million exhibitions covering the collections from prehistoric to modern, it allows visitors to learn about a wide range of culture and art from Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia and so on. In the afternoon, we will proceed to visit the 19th-century St. Isaac's Cathedral, whose construction consumed 40 years. Considered the essence of Neo-classical architecture, this splendid cathedral is characterized by the golden dome topped façade supported by the Hellenic-style columns and the baroque decorations inside, where you will also see numerous Mosaic artworks. After the visit, we will transfer you to your hotel. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Courtyard St. Petersburg Vasilievsky or similar (4 stars)
Hermitage Museum St. Isaac's Cathedral
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Day 3: St. Petersburg highlights tour
In the morning, we will continue to Yusupov Palace, a luxury private palace containing over 40,000 artworks and dazzling structures. Next, we will take a leisurely stroll at the historic center of St. Petersburg, which is packed with ancient forts and palaces. After this, we will visit the 200-year-old Kazan Cathedral, an Orthodox church that was dedicated to Our Lady of Kazan and modelled on the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Lastly, we will admire the 19th-century Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood from outside, which features the over 7,000-square-meters mosaic, and then escort you back to the hotel. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Courtyard St. Petersburg Vasilievsky or similar (4 stars)
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Day 4: Drive to Tsarskoye Selo & Visit Catherine's Palace
After breakfast, we will set off to Tsarskoye Selo, which is 25 km from St. Petersburg. On arrival, we will start at the Catherine's Palace and Park, once the summer resort of the Russian Emperors that comprises over 100 elaborately-decorated structures. Walking through its baroque-style park, we will enter the luxurious palace featuring the Amber Room, full of amber and golden decorations, the Drawing Room covered with numerous paintings, the Blue Formal Dining-Room with silk wallpapers, the Green Dining Room carved with reliefs in the Roman style and so on. Finishing the visit, we will drive back to St. Petersburg. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Courtyard St. Petersburg Vasilievsky or similar (4 stars)
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Day 5: Peterhof day tour from St. Petersburg
In the morning, we will go to Peterhof Palace by a 30-kilometer drive. Built in 1714 Peter the Great, this gorgeous summer palace, also known as 'the Russian Versailles', is a prominent example of architecture that perfectly combined the coastal views with the ornate structures. The over 200 fountains in the garden, especially the Samson Fountain with a 5-meter sculpture, will make you excited. The extravagant of its largest palace inside - the Grand Palace, decorated with Venetian mirrors and large paintings, will bring great enjoyment to your eyes. We will escort you back to your hotel in St. Petersburg. The rest time is free for you. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Courtyard St. Petersburg Vasilievsky or similar (4 stars)
Peterhof - Summer Palace Garden of the Palace
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Day 6: St. Petersburg city free at leisure
We leave this full day for you to arrange your own exploration of St Petersburg city. After breakfast, you will enjoy a leisurely day at your wish. Lots of wonderful sites like the Russian Museum, the most beautiful metro station and Smolny Institute are worth a visit. Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Courtyard St. Petersburg Vasilievsky or similar (4 stars)
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Day 7: Visit Faberge Museum, Departure from St. Petersburg
After breakfast, we will head to the last stop - the Faberge Museum, an elegant museum located nearby the beautiful Fontanka River. Collecting over 1,500 crafts designed by Russian jeweler Carl Faberge, including nine delicate Imperial Easter Eggs, this museum will bring you a fancy experience. When the visit concludes, we will escort you to the airport by comfortable vehicle and see you off there. We wish you a safe trip home! Meals: Breakfast
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