St Petersburg Holidays with Exeter International

To get the most out of your city break to St Petersburg, we will discuss your specific interests with you and design a itinerary for you. Alternatively, leave it to us to suggest the highlights, and spend more time exploring independently. We can tell you which museums and experiences you can discover independently, and which would be better with a guide. The choice is yours.

There are many museums and palaces that are of course a must: Peter & Paul Fortress, signifying the founding of the city and the best place to learn about the Romanov dynasty as you gaze at their tombs, wondering what if Anastasia had survived?; The Hermitage, not only because of the art on the walls, but the pivotal point that the Winter Palace played in Russian History; The Yusupov palace, to see how a noble family lived and to learn about Rasputin and his influence over Tsarina Alexandra that would ultimately lead to his death. Catherine Palace, part of what we like to call the Hollywood Romanov’s, gaudy and over the top, much like some of the Russia of today.

Peterhof, Pavlovsk and Catherine Palace were all completely destroyed during WWII – virtually razed to the ground. Even though the entire city had suffered incredible damage, The Soviets respected their history enough to painstakingly restore them and as Suzanne Massie, author of Pavlovsk: The Life of a Russian Palace says it was a ‘restoration not only of buildings, but of their country’s memory and soul, a startling human achievement accomplished against superhuman odds. It is unique’ See here for more culture and history.

We can also pre arrange a number of Extraordinary Experiences which are by appointment only and include:

• A private tour of the Hermitage, one of the world’s greatest museums.
• Exclusive entrance to the storerooms of the Hermitage.
• A VIP tour to the Amber Room Workshops of Catherine Palace.
• Exclusive access to the Gold Rooms at the Hermitage.
• A private backstage tour of the Mariinsky Theatre.
• A private tour of the Vaganova ballet academy.

See more recommendations

Once you have booked, we will send you our full travel tips (a few here) and current restaurant suggestions. All of which we have experienced ourselves, not just pulled out of a guide book.

Find out more about Exeter International’s bespoke city breaks. All tours are tailor-made, but as a guideline for costs have a look at our seasonal winter and summer offers.

For more details: 020 8956 2756 email enquiries@exeterinternational.co.uk