St. Petersburg

DAY ONE – 10 ½ HOURS                           
06:30 AM    Ship's arrival in St. Petersburg    
08:00 AM    Ship’s arrival in St. Petersburg
07:00 AM    Start from the pier for a city orientation drive: Drive through Vasilievsky Island with Arts Academy, Menshikov Palace, University, Academy of Sciences, Kunstkamera, photo stop at “Strelka” with Stock Exchange, Rostral Columns and with the most beautiful view of Peter-and-Paul fortress, Winter Palace and other buildings of the Hermitage Museum and Admiralty. Drive along Admiralty Embankment. Photo stop at Decembrists Square with “Bronze Horseman” – the most famous monument to Peter the Great, photo stop at St. Isaac’s Square, drive along Palace Square with Winter Palace and Alexander Column, photo stop at “Field of Mars”, drive along Nevsky Avenue, the central street of the city.
09:45 AM    Early admission    is included in the cost    - Tour of the Hermitage Arts Museum

•    Excursion to the West-European Masters’ collection (Rembrandt, Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, El Greco, Murillo, Van Dyck etc.)
•    Living and gala halls of the Winter Palace,
•    French Impressionists and art of XX century
•    Optional visit to the Gold Rooms (Treasury) of the Winter Palace for additional $220 per party

OPTIONAL:
01:00 PM    Inside visit to the Savior on the Spilled Blood Cathedral built in 1907 as memorial church to honor Russian Emperor Alexander II murdered on the spot by the terrorists. It is a sample of "Russian style" architecture and decorative art of the edge of the XIX-XX centuries.  Mosaic attire of the church (over 7.000 sq. m) was created by the most famous Russian artists of the epoch – extra charge USD 20 per person.
01:30 PM    LUNCH AT A CITY RESTAURANT- included in the cost.  
03:00 PM    Visit to Yusupovs’ Palace on Moika river Embankment, one of the 4 palaces Yusupovs had in St. Petersburg. Yusupovs were one of the richest families of Russia in XIX century related by family ties to the Romanovs, for instance, the last owner of this palace Felix Yusupov was married to Irina, niece of Nicholas II. Yusupovs were famous Maecenas and their theater was the most popular of the private theaters in St. Petersburg.

•    Gala and living rooms of the palace, beautifully decorated, one can see unique musical instruments there.
•    Golden Theater – copy of the Bolshoi of Moscow, the most famous actors, dancers and singers considered an honor to perform on this stage (bass Fiodor Shaliapin, world famous Anna Pavlova and others)
•    Visit to the cellar where in December 1916 Felix Yusupov, Grand Duke Dmitry and other monarchists – conspirators murdered Grigory Rasputin, morose and mysterious figure in Russian history.

04:30 PM    Inside visit to St Isaac's Cathedral (architect Montferrand), one of the finest architectural monuments of the XIX century, the former principal Cathedral of the Russian capital, the largest cathedral in town able to accommodate about 10,000 audience. The cathedral is  beautifully decorated inside: marble of 13 colors, malachite, lapis-lazuli, paintings and mosaics made by the most famous Russian artists, impressive stained-glass image of Christ seen through the open doors of the magnificent Icon-Stand  etc.
05:00 PM    Drive back to the pier
05:30 PM    Return  on board

OPTION A:
07:15 PM – Start from the pier
08:00 PM - Folklore at one of the concert halls which is available on your date
11:00 PM – Return to the ship

OPTION B:
07:15 PM – Start from the pier
08:00 PM – Ballet at the Palace Theater or at the Hermitage Theater or Alexandrinsky Theater or at Mikhailovsky Theater
11:00 PM – Return to the ship


DAY TWO – 9 ½ HOURS
07:30 AM    Departure for Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin), drive 25km/15 miles south of St. Petersburg
08:30 AM    Arrival in Tsarskoye Selo, official residence of Russian Tsars.
08:45 AM    Visit to the Catherine Palace founded by Peter I for his wife Catherine I and re-built and enlarged for their daughter Empress Elizabeth by Italian architect F.B.Rastrelli; the striking luxury of the interior decoration of the palace was created by the best artists of XVIII and XIX centuries. The most famous Amber Room with the walls paneled with amber was completely lost during the WWII is restored completely
09:45 AM    Stroll in the beautiful Catherine park with its numerous pavilions and small palaces, ponds and canals, marble statues and monuments.
10:30 AM    Drive to Peterhof
11:30 AM    Arrival in Peterhof: “Russian Versailles”, official Summer Residence of Russian Tsars. Stroll through the “Upper Garden”

NOON OPTIONAL    Inside visit to the GRAND PALACE famous by the unbelievable splendor and beauty of its interior decoration – extra charge USD 25 per person. NO LUNCH: we would recommend you to bring box-lunches from the ship.

01:00 PM    Stroll through the wonderful “Lower Park” with its fountains.
02:30 PM    Drive back to St. Petersburg. OPTIONAL: Hydrofoil at extra charge USD 25 per person.
04:00 PM    Shopping  opportunity at a souvenir shop of St. Petersburg – (wooden dolls of various dimensions and quality, authentic lacquer boxes from Palekh, Mstera etc., splendid amber, china, Russian shawls etc.)
05:00 PM    Return to the ship
06:00 PM    Ship’s departure