Founded by tsar Peter the Great, St.Petersburg was literally willed into being. Cut by the flowing Neva River and crisscrossed
with canals, St.Petersburg is the supreme monument to the Russian people; to
the sovereigns who supervised the
construction, to the artisans and workers who built it, and to
the millions who died defending the city during World War II. As you
tour the incomparable “Pearl of the Baltic”, you will be dazzled by beauty at every turn. Though much has changed
since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the majesty of Peter’s “Window to Europe” will enchant you for years to come.
Peter & Paul Fortress
The birth-place of St.Petersburg, and the formidable bastion were founded by Peter the Great along the Neva
river in 1703. The Peter
& Paul Cathedral is the official burial place of the Russian tsars.
The fortress now holds the museum dedicated to the history of
St.Petersburg.
St.Isaac’s Cathedral
St.Petersburg’s largest church, and one of the world’s biggest domed structures
can
accomodate about 7000 people. The vast interior is decorated with gilded stucco, mosaics, paintings, sculptures, and
bas-reliefs.
The State Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage ranks among the best and most famous art museums in the world.
The grandiose Winter Palace, the former residence of the Russian tsars, and four adjacent buildings house
one of the finest art collections in the world consisting of over two million paintings and
exhibits.
Hermitage and theGolden Treasury
The Hermitage is one of a handful of museums in the world where the history and magnificence of the building match
the richness of the art collection within. The Golden Treasury with its displays of the riches of pre-revolutionary Russia,
including Scythian Gold and the royal family’s jewels, is one of the best collections of the Hermitage.
Russian museum
The largest museum of Russian Art was founded in 1898. It is housed in the former Mikhailovsky Palace and contains
works by the great Russian artists numbering about 400.000 exhibits
ranging from ancient icons to vanguarde paintings of the
XX century.
Yusupov Palace
You get a special look at Russia’s mysterious past when you visit
the opulent Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin (also known as the “Mad Monk”
and the “Holy Man“) was murdered in 1916. The palace is now included in the list of
the most interesting sights of
St.Petersburg and represents a rare combination of
architecture and art.
Pushkin ( Tsarskoye Selo )- Palaces & parks
Tsarskoye Selo, a former country residence of the Russian emperors is a facinating monument
to the architectural and
gardening art of the XVIII-XIX centuries. The centre of the
Tsarskoe Selo ensemble is the Catherine
Palace which contains exquisite decorative objects, furniture, Russian and European painting, unique collections of
porcelain, amber, arms, decorative bronze and sculptures.
Pavlovsk - Palaces and parks
Pavlovsk is a superb palace-and-park ensemble dating back
to the XVIII-XIX centuries. It was originally used as a summer residence by
the Russian emperor Paul I and his family. The collection of the
palace contains a large number of antique sculptures
from Italy and gifts from European royal courts. The landscape park, one of the largest in Europe, covers the area of 600
hectares.
Peterhof Palace
Formely known as Peterhof, Petrodvorets is 30 km to the west of St.Petersburg. A
baroque spectacle of incomparable
beauty, the Big Palace, was built to rival Versaille; it is famous for its beautiful fountains and gardens.The
architectural complex includes the “Monplaisir” and “Marli” Palaces and the Hermitage Pavillion.
River cruise ( May-October )
A cruise along the city canals and waterways offers guests
an unusual view of St.Petersburg.The river boat will take
you up the Neva river to view the oldest part of the city:
The Academy of Fine Arts, Menshikov Palace, the Hermitage and the magnificent Winter Palace,
The Rostral Columns, Peter & Paul Fortress and the Summer Garden (oldest park in the city
laid out in1704 based on the order of Peter I).
Novgorod ( 200 km from St. Petersburg) - full day tour
Novgorod (which means “New Town”) is one of Russia’s oldest cities,
it was founded, according to popular belief, by the Varangian
(Scandinavian) prince Ruric in 862 AD.
By the end of the tenth century, it had developed into an important commercial centre due to its favourable location on
the river Volkhov. The city remained proudly independent – it beared the name “Lord Novgorod the Great” - until
1475, when tsar Ivan III managed to bring it under the administrative control of Moscovia. St.Sophia’s Cathedral is the earliest
and by far the largest church on the territory of the city’s
kremlin. Besides the kremlin ensemble, the tour includes Yaroslav’s Court, the Yuriev Monastery and
the Museum of Wooden Architecture. Lunch can be arranged inside the
Kremlin or in the downtown area.
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