Russia & Scandinavia
St. Petersburg, Russia
Formerly Leningrad, St. Petersburg lies at the east end of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. Until the Russian Revolution of 1917, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for over 200 years. Peter the Great’s “Window on Europe” is known as Russia’s artistic and intellectual center. The city that was begun by Peter the Great and was completed a century later by Catherine the Great is a legacy of architectural and artistic opulence that has never been equaled.
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Cruises That Visit This Port:
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Highlights of St. Petersburg
Tour Code: LED-001
Duration: 3 1/2 hours
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The ultimate overview of St. Petersburg, the city founded by Peter the Great in 1703, this tour takes in all the great landmarks. During the initial drive, you will pass the stunning, pale blue and white Baroque façade of St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Mariinsky Theater, the home of Russia's most fabled ballet company. After a brief stop to photograph St. Isaac's Cathedral, whose gleaming dome is covered with 200 pounds of gold, you will drive through resplendent Palace Square, a vast open space surrounded by Italianate buildings that once housed the Tsarist ministries. From here, you can easily see the soaring golden spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which lies within a fortress across the Neva River. While stopping at the cathedral, be sure to notice the tombs of the Romanov monarchs. Next, you will pass the Aurora, the cruiser that signaled the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution by firing a single round from its bow gun. Soon, the beautiful Field of Mars and the Marble Palace will come into sight, en route to the extraordinary Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood and the magnificent Smolny Cathedral, both wonderful settings for more picture taking. Returning to the ship, you will drive along the famed Nevsky Prospect, St. Petersburg's main thoroughfare, where you can glimpse the neoclassical Kazan Cathedral.