Worldwide brochure 2022-2023

EUROPE • RUSSIA
St Petersburg:
Pictures & Palaces
Duration • 6 days & 5 nights
Category • Superior
Expert-led group tour • From £1,695 (incl. flights)
Art • Architecture • History
Tour overview
St Petersburg has remained almost
unchanged since it was built in the 18th
and 19th centuries. Conceived by Peter
the Great as a 'window to the west', the
city became a living exhibit of Russia’s
status as an important European
nation. Designed to impress visitors,
St Petersburg is home to sumptuous
palaces, impressive cathedrals and
numerous museums, including one
of the world's largest and finest – the
Hermitage.
Signature Experiences
Visit the Fabergé Museum to marvel
at the tsars’ jewels
Learn about the restoration of the
Amber Room at Catherine Palace
Full day at the Hermitage museum
and private tour of the Gold Room
Visit Yusupov Palace for a special
viewing of the lavish gala rooms
Expert lecturers
Lydia Bauman is an art
historian and professional
artist with an MA in
art history from the
Courtauld Institute of Art.
She has lectured at the
National Gallery and has
wide experience of teaching the history of
western art.
Andrew Spira graduated
from the Courtauld
Institute of Art before
working at the Temple
Gallery, London, and as
a curator at the Victoria
& Albert Museum. He
was a programme director at Christie’s
Education for 14 years and has led
numerous cultural tours to Europe
and beyond.
Day 1: Fly to St Petersburg
Fly from London (regional connections
available) to St Petersburg with Aeroflot and
transfer to the hotel. After an introductory
lecture and welcome dinner, stay 5 nights
at the centrally located Ambassador Hotel
(or similar), which offers comfortable
accommodation in a historic 19th-century
building. (D)
Day 2: St Petersburg
Take a morning city tour, starting at Peter and
Paul’s Fortress – the oldest building in
St Petersburg – which contains the tombs of
the tsars and tsarinas, from Peter the Great
onwards. Continue to the Church of Our
Saviour on Spilled Blood. Built on the spot
where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in
1881, the church is noted for its riot of colour,
with more than 20 types of mineral used in
its decoration. This afternoon, visit the State
Russian Museum, which contains a magnificent
collection of Russian art, beautifully displayed
in one of Rossi’s finest neoclassical creations,
the Mikhailovsky Palace. (B)
Day 3: St Petersburg
Spend the whole day visiting the Hermitage,
with its opulent staterooms and exceptional
collection of European masterpieces and
impressionist paintings. Your visit includes
a private tour of the Treasure Gallery (Gold
Room), subject to confirmation. (B, D)
Winter Palace interior, St Petersburg
Day 4: St Petersburg
This morning, visit the neoclassical Shuvalov
Palace, home to the Fabergé Museum, the
world's largest single collection of Fabergé
artefacts. Continue to the baroque Menshikov
Palace, built for Peter the Great’s advisor.
Spend your afternoon at leisure or revisit the
Hermitage independently. (B)
Day 5: Pushkin • Pavlovsk
Drive to Pushkin on the outskirts of the city
to visit Catherine Palace (Tsarskoe Selo),
including the Amber Room. Listen to the
story of the room’s restoration and watch
amber being worked while enjoying a
glass of wine. Continue to the Palace at
Pavlovsk, designed by Charles Cameron and
subsequently expanded by several highly
accomplished architects, including Quarenghi
and Rossi. Return to your hotel for a farewell
dinner. (B, D)
Day 6: Fly to London
In the morning, visit Yusupov Palace, which
sits on a quiet stretch of the Moika river and
was the scene of Rasputin’s murder. A special
visit to the private apartments of Zinaida
and Felix has been arranged (subject to
confirmation). Transfer to the airport for a
flight to London. (B)
Meal basis: As per itinerary – B: Breakfast,
L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meals.
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