St.Petersburg

CITY TOURS

Here is a selection of city tours that we know to be nice and reliable.

St.Petersburg Overview City Tour: http://citytourspb.ru/en/
Duration & cost: day excursion – 500 rubles (the ticket can be acquired directly in the bus and it is valid within the whole day).
Nearest bus stop: St.Isaac’s Cathedral (The stop is located at a public transport stop in front of the building at Isaakievskaya sq. 4).

Boat tour: http://anglotourismo.com/
Duration & cost: 11.00, 13.00, 15.00, 17.00, 19.00, 21.00 tours run for 1 hour and cost 600 rubles; 00.20 tour runs for 1 hour 20 min and costs 750 rubles.
How to take a tour: http://anglotourismo.com/#how.

Walking tour: http://anglotourismo.com/walking-tours/
Duration & cost: This tour is available daily at 10.30 and normally runs for 3 hours. Price: free (tips welcome).
Meeting point: Tavern Athens (Таверна Афины), 27 Nab. Reki Fontanki.

The best place to look at the city from above is St.Isaac’s Cathedral:

St.Isaaс’s Cathedral: http://eng.cathedral.ru/
Ticket prices: 250 rubles (350 rubles – evening admission – from 18.00) – Entry ticket; 100 rubles – Audio guide in St.Isaac’s Cathedral; 400 rubles – all-in ticket (Cathedral and audio excursion on the colonnaded walkway) – till 18.00; 300 rubles – The Colonnaded Walkway of St Isaac’s Cathedral evening and night.
Opening hours:  St.Isaac`s Cathedral: 10.00 – 22.30; Colonnaded walkway: 10.00 – 4.30. The Museum is open daily, except Wednesday.

TWO MOST IMPORTANT MUSEUMS

The Hermitage museum: http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/02/hm2_0.html
Ticket prices: 400 rubles – Entry ticket; 200 rubles – ticket for taking photographs and videos for personal use (entrance ticket required). You can avoid a long line at the ticketing office at the museum by purchasing Hermitage tickets online http://www.hermitageshop.org/page.php?pagename=tickets (ticket price – US $17.95).
Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10.30 – 18.00; Wednesday: 10.30 – 21.00; Monday: closed.

The Russian Museum: http://www.rusmuseum.ru/eng/home/
Ticket prices: 350 rubles.
Opening hours: Monday – 10.00 – 17.00. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday – 10.00  – 18.00. Thursday – 13.00 – 21.00. The Museum is closed on Tuesday

BALLET, OPERA AND CLASSICAL  MUSIC

Mariinsky theatre: http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/

Mikhailovsky theatre: http://www.mikhailovsky.ru/en/afisha/2013/6/

St.Petersburg Academic Philharmonic: http://www.philharmonia.spb.ru/eng/indexi.html

SUBURBAN RESIDENCES

St.Petersburg is famous for its suburban emperor residences. We would suggest going to Peterhof or to Tsarskoye Selo.

Peterhof: http://peterhofmuseum.ru/index.php?lang=eng
Ticket prices:  450 rubles – The Low park and fountains. Palaces: http://peterhofmuseum.ru/page.php?id=11
Opening hours: daily 09.00 – 20.00
How to get to Peterhof: by hydrofoils «Russian Cruises» (from the embankment next to the Hermitage museum): One way ticket – 500 rubles, roundtrip – 800 rubles (departures daily 10.00 – 19.00 every 30 minutes).
By public transport: http://peterhofmuseum.ru/page.php?id=14

Tsarskoye Selo: http://eng.tzar.ru/
Ticket prices:100 rubles – park, 350 rubles – Catherine Palace
Opening hours: Catherine park: open daily 07.00 – 23.00; Catherine palace individual visitors hours: Wednesday to Sunday: entry 12.00–16.00, Mondays: entry 12.00–16.00 and 19.00–20.00
Getting here: http://eng.tzar.ru/info/transport