Day 1: St Petersburg
Meet your private guide at the Port of St Petersburg, and then set off to explore the city on your full-day tour. Your first stop is the Hermitage, St Petersburg’s prestigious art museum that started as a private collection by Empress Catherine II. Enjoy a 2-hour tour of its main rooms and learn about paintings by the likes of Da Vinci, Monet and Rembrandt, as well as the impressive architecture of Rastrelli — the building’s designer.

Travel into the city and, after a stop for lunch (own expense), head inside Peter and Paul Fortress, one of St Petersburg’s oldest structures. Built to protect the city against invasions, the fortress went on to become a feared prison, instead. See Trubetskoy Bastion — the one-time political prison of the Russian Empire — and St Peter and Paul Cathedral, home to the tomb of Tsar Peter the Great.

Your day then finishes with a port drop-off.

Overnight: your cruise ship at the Port of St Petersburg

Day 2: St Petersburg  Pushkin  St Petersburg
After a port pickup, travel to Pushkin to visit Tsarkoye Selo Parks and Catherine Palace. Head inside the stately building and admire its Rastrelli-designed architecture on a tour while learning all about Catherine I who lived there.

Stroll around the Great Hall, marveling at its frescoes, and then gaze in awe at the Amber Room — a replica of the original. Bedecked with mirrors, gold, gilt and mosaics, the original room was plundered by the Nazis and later burned to the ground. Other highlights that you may see include the White Vestibule, Pilaster Room and the Portrait Hall.

Stop for lunch (own expense), and travel to Peterhof, one of Russia's striking Tsarist palaces. Explore the vast estate with your guide and marvel at impressive water features such as the Samson Cascade and Joke Fountains. Watch where you walk; the Joke Fountains spray anyone who step on a certain paving stone!

After walking around Peterhof, travel into St Petersburg for a metro ride, and discover the lavish underground metro stations with their decorative interiors. Your tour then finishes with a port drop-off.

Please note: if Day 2 falls on the last Monday of the month, Catherine Palace is closed. The visit to Pushkin will be replaced with a visit to Pavlovsk Palace, an 18th-century Russian Imperial residence.

Worry-Free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your timely return to the Port of St Petersburg for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of-call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.