Highlights of St.petersburg
Duration: 3 1/2 hours
Tour Code: led-001
The ultimate overview of St. Petersburg, the city founded by Peter the Great in 1703, this tour takes in all the great landmarks.
Leaving from the pier by coach, one of the first sites you will pass is the stunning, pale blue and white Baroque façade of St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Mariinsky Theater, the home of Russia's most fabled ballet company. After a brief stop to photograph St. Isaac's Cathedral, whose gleaming dome is covered with 200 pounds of gold, you will drive through resplendent Palace Square, a vast open space surrounded by Italianate buildings that once housed the Tsarist ministries. From here, you can easily see the soaring golden spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which lies within a fortress across the Neva River. While stopping at the cathedral, be sure to notice the tombs of the Romanov monarchs.
Next, you will pass the Aurora, the cruiser that signaled the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution by firing a single round from its bow gun. Soon, the beautiful Field of Mars and the Marble Palace will come into sight, en route to the extraordinary Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood and the magnificent Smolny Cathedral, both offer wonderful settings for more picture taking. Returning to the ship, you will drive along the famed Nevsky Prospect, St. Petersburg's main thoroughfare, where you can glimpse the neoclassical Kazan Cathedral.
Please note: This tour includes approximately 45-minutes of walking standing at the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The tour is available to wheelchair guests who have a collapsible wheelchair, are able to make their own way on and off the coach and have an able-bodied companion to assist them. Those guests with mobility concerns are cautioned only to participate to the extent of their personal stamina and ability and may make arrangements with the guide to not participate in the walking portion of the tour. Weather appropriate clothing; sun cap; sunglasses; and flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.The streets and squares in the city center are subject to unexpected closures due to high-level visits, road repair works, etc. The tour route and the order of sights visited may change depending on the traffic situation on the day of the tour.