Whether you want to live the high life with helicopter rides and palaces, or enjoy simpler activities such as mushroom picking and ice fishing, we would be delighted to organise a personal tour for you. St Petersburg has plenty to offer and we can show you not only the sights but also share local knowledge from where to buy real Russian caviar to the latest Russian designer-wear. Take a look at our selection of excursions to inspire you and then let us combine them together in the most appropriate form by emailing us with your name and telephone number.

The prices we use are for small chauffeur driven tours with a guide. The number of tickets required and the type of vehicle required for your party will change the prices so please be sure to also state how many people you are.

City Tour

Our chauffeur-driven city tour includes all of St Petersburg's major attractions, including the beautiful domed St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the outrageous Church on the Spilled Blood, the majestic Kazan Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress with a chance to see the royal tombs, and the Battleship Aurora, the cruiser whose guns signalled the start of the Russian Revolution in 1917.

Price*: Guide services cost €17 per hour, and the car itself costs €16 per hour (depending on the type of vehicle). You can also opt for the pedestrian version of the tour. This costs €16 . Entrance tickets to the museums are extra. The tour usually takes from 3 to 5 hours depending on how many stops you make – at the end of the day it's up to you!

Tips: We recommend that you do not take the city tour on Wednesdays, as most museums are closed. Weekends are best when there is less traffic.

* All prices quoted are per tour (not per person), based on one to three people in a car. Larger groups to be quoted separately.

Architecture and Monuments of St Petersburg

Undeniably, St Petersburg contains some of the most varied, attractive and interesting architecture in the world. With this tour, you can marvel at masterpieces designed by Rastrelli and Rossi, who are accredited with designing many of Petersburg's most striking buildings.

Price: A guide costs €16 per hour and a car from €15 per hour, depending on the type of the vehicle. The tour usually takes 3 – 5 hours depending on how many stops you make.

Please Note: The Architecture Tour is not available on Monday and Wednesdays, as most cathedrals are closed. Weekends are best when there is less traffic.

Literature

St Petersburg is widely considered to be the cultural capital of Russia. Many famous writers hailed from the Northern Capital. You can walk the same routes as the characters in Dostoevsky's books; or go and see Pushkin's favourite spot in the city and where his fatal duel took place. We can arrange an ideal tour for the lover of Russian literature.

Price: A guide costs €16 per hour, and a car from €15 per hour (depending of the type of the vehicle). Part of tour will be by car and part will be on foot. The tour lasts 6 – 7 hours.

Tips: The Dostoevsky House is closed on Mondays. Pushkin's House is closed Tuesdays and the last Friday of every month.

Shopping Tour

Want to try the best Russian wines, furs and latest fashion items? Want to find out where to buy caviar and vodka without being ripped off? Let us take you to the best shops and boutiques and you can shop till you drop in one of the finest shopping centres in the world.

Prices: A guide costs €16 per hour, and a car from €15 per hour (depending of the type of the vehicle). The tour takes 3 hours.

The Hermitage

What stay in St Petersburg would be complete without a visit to the world renowned Hermitage museum? One of the world's largest and oldest collections of art and artefacts is fortunately only a few minutes walk from the hotel. The collection is housed within the beautiful baroque Winter Palace, as well as 5 other buildings. See works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso, Renoir, Cezanne, van Gogh, Picasso and Matisse.

Price: A 3 hour guided tour in English for 2 people costs €85, including entrance tickets. Every additional person costs €16 each.

Tips: We recommend priority admission tickets that allow you to jump the queues at busy times. Closed on Mondays.

Russian Museum

A visit to the Russian Museum is an integral part of every visit to the Northern capital. The main exhibition is housed in the Mikhailovsky Palace, which was built for Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, the youngest son of Paul I. Every year about 30 exhibitions take place in the other buildings that form the Russian Museum – the Stroganov Palace, the Marble Palace and the Mikailovsky Castle. 

Price: The price for a trip to the Russian Museum is €70 for two people and an additional €8 for every other person. This price includes entrance tickets and a three-hour guided tour in English.

Tips: We recommend getting priority admission tickets that allow you to jump the queues at busy times. The Russian Museum is closed Tuesdays.

Yusupov Palace

The Yusupov Palace, a unique historical landmark, is a stunning example of architecture inside and out. Five generations of Russia's most elite aristocratic dynasty, the Yusupovs, owned the palace between
1830 and 1917 and many important historical events in Russian history were in some way linked with the Yusupov family.
The palace went down in Russian history as the place where the mysterious Grigory Rasputin, a Siberian peasant who became the spiritual mentor and friend of the Royal Family, was assassinated. This took place on the night of December 17, 1916 in the private annex of the young Prince Felix Yusupov, now housing a historical exhibit recreating the assassination scene.

Price: A guided tour in English for 2 people starts from €80, including entrance tickets. Every additional person costs €16 each.

Theatre Performances

The Russian ballet and opera are well-know around the world. The Mariinsky and Hermitage theatres are probably the most famous in Russia. We provide the opportunity for you to go and see a range of traditional Russian performances, from classical operas to folk dancing. We are confident you will come away with a deeper appreciation of Russian culture.

Price: Ticket prices depend on performance and type of seat.

Tips: You can inquire about shows up to a month in advance, when we receive details of upcoming performances.

Feel Yourself Russian at Nikolaevsky Palace

Without the folk show 'Feel Yourself Russian' at Nikolaevsky Palace a visit to St Petersburg would not be complete. The show is a unique opportunity to experience the history and spirit of Russia during one evening.

Price: A ticket costs €30 for a buffet table with Russian vodka, red and black caviar all included.

Tips: Shows start at 18:30 or 21:00 and last 2 hours. 

Vodka Distillery

Mention Russia to anyone in the world, and they will undoubtedly think of vodka. Along with Matryoshka dolls, caviar and bears, it is one of the many symbols associated with our country. Within 5 minutes walk from Casa Leto is the Vodka Distillery, where you can shop for souvenirs made by skilled craftsmen or consult vodka experts!

Price: For a group of 20 or more we can organize an excursion to the distillery, where you can see first-hand how genuine Russian vodka is made. The total price on demand. This also will include a talk on the history of the Russian national drink and the technology involved in production. There is also the chance to do some vodka-tasting.

Boat Trip

One can only fully appreciate the unique and enchanting St. Petersburg architecture when admiring the city from her rivers and canals.  Petersburg's many canals – the Fontanka, Moika and Griboedov – are as famous as the main river – the Neva, and all of them are interconnected.

Price: The standard tour lasts about one hour and costs from €90. This is the total price including a guide.

Tips: In return for additional payment, this tour can be extended. A little buffet on board the boat with grilled Russian shashlik and vodka can be arranged for you.

Helicopter Tours

For our VIP clients there is the unique opportunity to admire St.Petersburg from the air.

Price: A private helicopter trip above the city starts from €1800 and depends on the type of the helicopter, duration (minimum one hour) and number of people (maximum 20).

Tips: Please be warned that helicopter rides are subject to weather conditions. Please also note that if government VIPs are visiting the city helicopters are not allowed to fly.

Pushkin and Pavlovsk

The pretty town of Pushkin is the location of the Summer Palace of Catherine the Great, famous for its Amber rooms and stunning park. The town of Pavlovsk is just to the south of Pushkin, so a visit to the palace residence of the Russian Emperor Paul I, a stunning World Heritage site, is also highly recommended.

Price: A 7 hour guided tour in English by car for 2 people costs €300, including entrance tickets. Every additional person costs €34 each.

Tips: As the palaces are near the airport, why not leave the hotel early on the day of your departure and squeeze this tour in before an afternoon flight? This saves on transfers and avoids the city traffic too. Please note: the Catherine Palace is closed on Tuesdays.

Velikiy Novgorod

During your visit, why not take a tour to Velikiy Novgorod? The historic city is only 189km from Petersburg, and contains such sights as the 11th Century St. Sophia Cathedral, the St. George Monastery and the old city walls. Novgorod also has its own Kremlin, containing the oldest palace in Russia.

Price: The tour to Velikiy Novgorod costs from €360 and takes one day. The price includes: a driver and an English-speaking guide.

Tips: We recommend that you leave the hotel at 6 – 7am. You will then arrive to Velikiy Novgorod at around 11am.

Wartime St Petersburg

This tour includes a visit to the Blockade Museum and the Piskarevskoe memorial cemetery.
The Blockade Museum focuses on the defence of Leningrad (1941-44), life in the city as well as the history of the 900-day siege. There are more than 35,000 exhibits, including the personal belongings of residents, army newspapers, diaries, soldiers’ letters from the front, photographs and weapons. Also on display is a typical Leningrad flat of the blockade era.
The Piskarevskoe Cemetery is the main site of mass burials of Leningrad residents who starved to death or were killed during the siege, and soldiers of the Leningrad front who fell during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. The cemetery is a reminder of the heroic Leningrad defence of 1941-44, and of the acts of courage that its citizens demonstrated in surviving the unprecedented 900-day siege. The cemetery is situated in the north-eastern part of St. Petersburg, in the district of Piskarevka. Over 470,000 civilians and 50,000 soldiers lie in the mass graves of Piskarevskoe Cemetrey.

Price: A tour for 2 people starts from €130, including a driver, an English-speaking guide, and entrance tickets.

The End of the Siege of Leningrad

During this tour you will see where the most ferocious battles for Leningrad took place.
Near the towns of Marino and Kirovsk the armies of the Volkhovskly and Leningradsky fronts closed up after brutal fighting and the siege was broken, much to the relief of Leningrad residents.
The Diorama: The main events of the seven days of the 'Iskra' ('Spark') operation January 12 – 18, 1943 are recreated by a model located on the left hand side of the Ladozhky bridge across the Neva. It was designed by Leningrad artists in conjunction with war veterans, and has a haunting effect on visitors through a combination of painting and modeling.
On approaching the model, you will see a memorial T-34 tank facing east as if it is rushing towards divisions of the Volkhovdky front after a forced crossing of the Neva.
Also worth visiting is the Nevskii Pyatachok, a small piece of land on the banks of the Neva reconquered from the Germans in September 1941. Several attempts were made to break the siege on this site up till January 1943. To commemorate those that fell, the entire site was made into a memorial.
The Oreshek (Nutlet) Fortress is situated where Ladoga Lake meets the river. Here, a small group of Soviet solders defended the fortress for almost 500 days.

Price: The price of the tour is on demand

Tips:  This tour is only available 1 May – 31 October.

Dacha Outing

We are also able to organise a trip to an authentic Russian dacha when you are staying with us. You will be able to take a close look at the traditional life of Russian dachniki, have lunch and drink tea from a samovar.

Price: The cost of the tour is €340, including: travel there and back, English interpreter, forest walk, lunch, Russian vodka and tea with boubliki. The tour takes 6 hours.

Tips: We recommend a dacha visit in spring, summer or autumn.

Mushroom hunting

Russia's coniferous and deciduous forests are well-known in the world and are ideal locations for mushrooms to grow. Mushroom hunting with a local expert is a great way to enjoy the forest and take in some fresh air. We also organise a picnic on the riverbanks.

Price: The cost of the tour is €184, including: an English interpreter and driver all in one, mushroom hunting and lunch. The tour takes 4 hours.

Troika at Pushkin

The Russian Troika is a sledge drawn by three horses, and is an integral part of Russian history and culture. Sledge-riding on a Russian Troika in the snow-covered parks in Pushkin is one of the most enjoyable winter activities in St Petersburg.

Price: The Troika ride costs €80, and the ride lasts approximately 15 minutes.

Tips: Our organised trip to Pushkin is the ideal time to try a ride on a Troika.

Winter Sports

The 'Red Lake' Winter Sport Complex in St Petersburg has 4 ski lifts, a junior slope with a lift, ski & snowboarding slopes and cross country, a skating rink, a snowboarding school and even floodlights for night-skiing.

Price:  A trip to the ‘Red Lake’ Winter Sports Complex for 2 people costs €226. This includes: transport there and back, an English-speaking driver and a packed lunch. The trip takes 6 hours. Usage of equipment and entrance tickets to the Sport Palace is not included and must be paid for on arrival.

Tips: Sport complex is open: Monday – Thursday 11:00 - 20:45, Friday 11:00 - 22:45, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 - 22:45.  Entrance tickets and equipment are cheaper on weekdays.

Sledge Ride

Visiting one of St Petersbug's beautiful suburbs and riding a horse-drawn sledge is a fantastic way to see the parks in winter.

Price: Pushkin: for 2 people costs €280
Pavlovsk & Pushkin: for 2 people costs €375
Yelagin Island: for 2 people costs €330

This includes: a driver and English-speaking guide, entrance tickets to park and an hour-long sledge-ride. The trip takes 5 hours for Pushkin, 7 hours for Pavlovsk & Pushkin and 4.5 hours to Yelagin Island.