St. Petersburg Deluxe
4 days / 3 nights, Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Helsinki | A semi escorted, independent tour by train allowing you to explore the "Venice of the North" at your own pace. The comfortable ride through the countryside of southeastern Finland takes less than seven hours by the Finnish "Sibelius" train to St. Petersburg, Russia. This magnificent city of St. Petersburg entices 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. The city, once the capital of Russia, is a bustling world capital of art, culture, history, music and luxury. For the traveler who wishes a short deluxe introduction to St. Petersburg - in Style!
| Departure | Daily on request |
| Price | Grand Hotel Europe, Belle Chambre Rooms Oct 01 - 15, 2008 $3,295 per person in double room $5,155 single room $1,775 extra bed Oct 16, 2008 - Mar 31, 2009 $2,945 per person in double room $4,450 single room $1,775 extra bed Apr 01 - 30 & Aug 01 - 31, 2009 $3,685 per person in double room $5,760 single room $2,260 extra bed May 01 - Jul 31 & Sep 01 - 30, 2009 $4,855 per person in double room $8,035 single room $2,260 extra bed Oct 16, 2009 - March 31, 2010 $3,330 per person in double room $5,070 single room $2,260 extra bed Hotel Astoria, Superior Rooms Nov 01 2008 - Mar 31, 2009 $2,430 per person in double room $3,185 single room $1,790 extra bed |
| Included | 3 nights accommodation at Grand Hotel Europe in belle chambre double-bedded rooms or Hotel Astoria at superior rooms with bath or shower 3 x ;p buffet breakfast Finnish train "Sibelius" Helsinki - St. Petersburg - Helsinki, first-class compartments Transfers in St. Petersburg by private car and local guide 3,5 hour sightseeing tour with visit to St.Isaac's Cathedral 3-hour visit to Hermitage Art Museum 7-hour excursion to Pushkin and Pavlovsk 3-hour visit to Yusupov Palace with local guide Service charges and taxes on included items |
| Not Included | Airfare & airport taxes Gratuities Visa for Russia Personal items |
| Please Note | This is an independent, non-escorted tour. No tour escort is provided. You will be met at the train station in St. Petersburg by private car and driver. Local sightseeing is with guide. More Information: Departures daily on request Booking fee: 35 € is added to the tour price per person Departure Point and Time in Helsinki: Board the early morning "Sibelius" train at the main Helsinki Railway Station. Visa for Russia A visa is required for all passengers on the tours to Russia. Each passenger must apply for the visa in his/her country of domicile. The visa application must be accompanied by confirmation documents provided by Finland Travel Bureau. To obtain the necessary visa support letter, we need the personal data of each passenger at the time of booking (i.e. surname, first names, date of birth, gender, nationality and passport number). There is a 25 € handling fee for the support letter, which is charged per party traveling together. Five Stars of Scandinavia will be happy to assist you in obtaining your visa. |
| Tour Options | Additional nights in St. Petersburg Additional nights in Helsinki |
Day 1 HELSINKI - ST. PETERSBURG (B) Enjoy breakfast on the train. On arrival in St. Petersburg, a local guide will accompany your transfer by private car to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this exciting city on your own. Former czarist palaces, extravagant mansions, and richly decorated churches create an imperial ambience all around the city, which used to be the home of the Russian czars for two hundred years. Overnight at at chosen hotel.
Day 2 ST. PETERSBURG - GUIDED CITY TOUR (B) Breakfast at the hotel. The guided sightseeing tour covers the most essential sights of this magnificent Russian city, such as the Peter-and-Paul Fortress, the city's landmark monument; the brilliant St. Isaac's Cathedral (inside visit), decorated with more than 500 paintings, sculptures and mosaics by Russian masters; and the onion-domed Church of the Bleeding Saviour. After the morning tour you will visit the Hermitage Art Museum. Overnight at at chosen hotel.
Day 3 ST. PETERSBURG - PUSHKIN (B) Breakfast at the hotel. Today we have a full day tour to the surroundings of St. Petersburg and 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, and Pavlovsk with Paul's Palace. Overnight at your chosen hotel.
Day 4 RETURN TO HELSINKI (B) After breakfast at the hotel you will have a tour to visit the Yusupov Palace with the Rasputin Chamber. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to do some last minute shopping before the transfer by private car to the railway station and return to Helsinki with arrival late in the evening.