ST. PETERSBURG RUSSIA
A Leisurely Visit to This Most Historic and Beautiful City
We’ll stay seven nights at one of St. Petersburg’s best hotels, centrally located in the historic city center. The tour includes five opera and concert performances at Mariinsky Theater (the Kirov Opera) and Philharmonie Hall. We’ll also visit the Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace, the Catherine Palace, the Peterhof Palace and Garden, the Yusupov Palace, the Peter and Paul Fortress and much more.
This tour is expected to sell out, so advance registration is encouraged.
All deposits are fully refundable until 8 weeks prior to departure.
Monday May 7
Depart your home city for St. Petersburg, arriving the next day after an overnight flight.
Tuesday May 8 – Dinner
Arrival in St. Petersburg, then transfer to our private motorcoach for the short ride to our hotel, the Taleon Imperial. The Taleon is the only luxury hotel created from an 18th century palace in the city, and is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. Its central location and spacious and luxurious rooms will make us very comfortable for our week in this historic city. The afternoon is free to relax after our flights. Tonight we enjoy a Welcome Dinner at the hotel, a chance to meet other tour participants.
Wednesday May 9
Full buffet breakfast at the hotel, included each morning at the hotel. This morning we meet for a guided tour of this historic city, including the Peter and Paul Fortress, the final resting place of the czars from Peter the Great to Nicholas II; the magnificent St. Isaac's Cathedral, the largest Russian Orthodox church in the city; and the Church of Spilled Blood, erected on the site of the assassination of Alexander II in 1881. We'll drive down Nevsky Prospekt, the city's great boulevard lined with palaces designed by French and Italian architects, stopping at the city's famous cemetery to see the graves of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and Rubenstein. The balance of the afternoon is free. PERFORMANCE: to be announced.
Thursday May 10 – Lunch
Today a full day excursion to Pushkin and the Catherine Palace, the elegant summer residence of the Russian czars. Finished in 1756 in Rococo style, the palace has a lavishly ornate exterior and beautifully restored interior. We will see the legendary Amber Room, which has been faithfully replicated after disappearing in the German Occupation of the palace. If time allows, we will also visit Pavlovsk, built by Scottish architect Charles Cameron in the late 18th century in neo-classical style for Paul I, the son of Catherine the Great. Lunch will be included. The balance of the afternoon is free. PERFORMANCE: to be announced.
Friday May 11
This morning we go to the renowned Hermitage Museum, the Winter Palace of the Russian czars. A museum since the 1770's, the collection is known for its antiquities, sculpture and decorative objects, as well as its impressive collection of paintings. Our tour will include the fabulous State Apartments of the royal family and the highlights of the collection. Lunch is on your own at the museum. After returning to the hotel, the balance of the afternoon is free. PERFORMANCE: to be announced.
Saturday May 12
This morning we visit the Yusupov Palace, made famous as the site of the assassination of Rasputin in 1916. The palace, home of a wealthy noble family, features magnificent interiors and a lovely small theatre. Then a visit to the Rimsky-Korsakov Museum, the only museum in the city devoted to a composer. This small museum is housed in the former apartments of the composer, and remains much as it was in Rimsky-Korsakov's time. The afternoon and evening are free. (There will be an optional performance available if you wish to attend.)
Sunday May 13
A late morning performance at the Mariinsky Theater, followed by a canal cruise on the Neva River. St. Petersburg was built on 100 islands, with the Neva flowing through the heart of the city, and a canal cruise offers the opportunity to see the city from the perspective of its many canals and waterways. The evening is free.
Monday May 14
Today a full-day excursion to Petrodvorets to see the Peterhof Palace, the spectacular Baroque summer palace built by Peter the Great in about 1720. Modeled after Versailles by the architects LeBrun and Rastrelli, the palace garden features elaborate fountains and canals. We'll see the incredible system of outdoor fountains known as the Grand Cascade, the palace and the lovely grounds and gardens. Lunch will be on your own. After our return to the city the balance of the afternoon is free. PERFORMANCE: to be announced.
Tuesday May 15 – Dinner
Our last day in St. Petersburg is free for your own activities. In the evening, a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Wednesday May 16
Depart St. Petersburg for your home city.
Land Cost (double occupancy) $5280.00
Single Supplement $977.00
Airfare is not included.