Grand Hotel Europe
St. Petersburg was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on May 27, 1703. From 1713 to 1728 and from 1732 to 1918, Saint Petersburg was the Imperial Capital of Russia. It remains Russia’s cultural centre, with numerous museums and art galleries as well as the famous Mariinsky Theatre where we will enjoy an opera or concert.
HIGHLIGHTS in St. Petersburg include:
• Dinner with entertainment, at one of the finest hotels in the world!
• City tour of St. Petersburg which includes Spit of Basil Island, Spilled Blood Church, Peter and Paul Fortress (founded in 1703 by Peter the Great and the burial place of most of Russia’s Tsars and Tsarinas from the eighteenth century onwards, including Peter the Great), St. Isaac Cathedral and a drive through Nevsky Prospekt.
• Visit to the Fabergé Museum housing the world’s largest collection of works by Peter Carl Fabergé, including nine Easter eggs commissioned by the Russian royal family.
• Attend a specially arranged performance by the Russian Army Choir, then celebrate a welcome dinner at one of St. Petersburg’s finest restaurants.
• We have arranged early entrance to the State Hermitage Museum, before official working hours to avoid heavy crowds to see one of the greatest collections of art in Europe. Part of our time will be with a guide, the rest will be free time to explore at leisure. Following the Hermitage, we enjoy high tea at a five-star hotel.
• Travel to Tsarskoye Selo (Catherine the Great’s Palace) which houses the extraordinary Amber Room, its six tons of solid amber deftly carved and framed in gold leaf. Once deemed the “eighth wonder of the world,” the room was stripped by the Nazis in 1941, but majestically reconstructed in honour of St. Petersburg’s 300th birthday.
• Folklore concert at Nikolaevsky Palace.
• Opera or ballet performance at the famous Mariinsky Theatre.
• A classical concert at the outrageously ornate Yusupov Palace. The private theatre is an elaborate yet intimate venue and was the home entertainment centre for one of the city’s foremost aristocratic families.
• Swan Lake at the Hermitage in Catherine the Great’s private theatre.
• Explore at leisure one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is home to many other great museums or you may like to revisit one of the places we have already experienced such as the Hermitage and delve deeper into the treasures of this incredible city.
• Canal cruise of the waterways of St Petersburg to experience the glorious architecture from the canals and see many buildings you simply cannot see from simply driving around.
• Imperial Porcelain Factory - painting class.
• Tour of Peterhof, St. Petersburg’s most famous and spectacular Imperial estate, often cited as the Versailles of Russia. Stroll in the vast Lower Park with 176 fountains of various forms and styles and four cascades, majestic palaces and numerous gilded statues of ancient gods and heroes.
• Tour of the General Staff Building, built in 1819, this is the iconic bow shaped building situated in front of the Winter Palace.
• Final night dinner with entertainment at our magnificent hotel.