St. Petersburg Russian Art & Ballet
4 days / 3 nights, Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Helsinki | Superior first class, semi-escorted tour to St. Petersburg, Russia, with your private driver / guide! Enjoy the expertise of your local English speaking tour guide from the moment you arrive to your departure! St. Petersburg entices the visitor with a legacy of history, the arts and striking beauty. St. Petersburg, built on 101 islands, is a city of canals and rivers, joined by 350 graceful bridges over the Neva River, thus earning the name "Venice of the North". The city, once the capital of Russia, is a bustling world capital of art, culture, history, music and luxury. Travel by first class train "Sibelius" from Helsinki. Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, your private car and English speaking guide will meet and escort you on all excursions and sightseeing tours. Visit the dazzling Hermitage Art Museum, Summer Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral and Peterhof. Enjoy an evening Ballet performance at one of the famous theaters or a Russian Folklore show. There is much enchantment in St. Petersburg waiting to take visitors into a time gone by, which will live in the hearts and memories forever.
| Departure | Daily all year |
| Price | BELVEDER NEVSKY MINI-HOTEL May - Sep 2009 $1,595 per person in double room $2,635 single room Oct - Dec 2009 $1,555 per person in double room $2,525 single room D'ANGLETERRE HOTEL May - July & Sep 2009 $2,325 per person in double room $3,8555 single room Aug, Oct 2009 $2,075 per person in double room $3,325 single room |
| Included | 3 nights first class hotel Scandinavian breakfast buffet daily 1 x luncheon Train Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Helsinki Seat reservations in standard class Transfers and local transportation by private car & driver Half-day city tour including entrance to St. Isaac's Cathedral Visit to Peterhof including entrance to the Palace & Park Visit to the Hermitage Art Museum &Winter Palace Visit to Pushkin, including entrance to Catherine's Palace Private English speaking guide on all excursions Ballet performance Luggage handling |
| Not Included | Airfare & airport taxes Gratuities Russian Visa Personal items Travel insurance $25 service fee |
| Please Note | This is an independent tour program. You will be met at the train station in St. Petersburg by your private driver/guide. All excursions as per itinerary are with private driver/guide. Winter program includes visit to Peter & Paul Fortress and Pavlovsk instead of Peterhof. |
| Tour Options | First class seat reservations available upon request Upgrade to Hotel Astoria or Radisson SAS Royal Additional nights in St. Petersburg Folklore Evening, including transfers Additional nights in Helsinki Extension to Moscow Extension to Tallinn Baltic Cruise to Stockholm |
Day 1 HELSINKI - ST. PETERSBURG Early morning departure by Finnish train "Sibelius" to St. Petersburg. Upon arrival, your private car, driver & guide will meet you at the St. Petersburg Train Station. Private Transfer including city sightseeing with entrance to St. Isaac's Cathedral with its stunning and unique Russian mosaics, sculptures and gold icons. Enjoy the fabulous view over the city center before being transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at Hotel Moskva***, located opposite Alexander Nevsky Square on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt, in view of the river Neva. A perfect location in the historical and architectural centre of the city.
Day 2 ST. PETERSBURG - PETERHOF - HERMITAGE (B, L) Today your driver and guide will escort you to Peterhof, lavish Summer Palace of Peter the Great. Founded in the beginning of the eighteenth century by Emperor Peter the Great not far from his new northern capital St. Petersburg, Peterhof was intended to become the most splendid official royal summer residence. Its wonderful parks, 176 fountains and four cascades, majestic palaces, numerous gilded statues of ancient gods and heroes, make Peterhof, often called "Capital of Fountains", unique in the world. Enjoy a delicious lunch before your visit to the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum and Winter Palace. Transfer back to your hotel. Evening at leisure. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 3 ST. PETERSBURG - PUSHKIN - BALLET (B) Breakfast at the hotel. Today your excursion will take you to the town of Pushkin south of St. Petersburg, where Catherine I built a surprise palace for her husband, Peter the Great. Visit Catherine the Great's Palace, surrounded by lavish park with fountains, bridges, terraces and galleries. Afternoon at leisure. Perhaps a visit to the Russian Art Museum or shopping on Nevsky Prospect. This evening you will be picked up and transferred to one of the famous theaters for a Ballet performance. Return transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the your hotel.
Day 4 ST. PETERSBURG â€" HELSINKI (B) Breakfast at your hotel. Morning transfer by private car and driver to the Train Station. Depart for Helsinki full of fun-filled memories and deep lasting impressions. The program ends with afternoon arrival in Helsinki.