St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is Russia’s most beautiful city! St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia until the Revolution of 1917, but remains Russia's most dynamic and amazing city. With the canals of Venice, the palaces of Paris, and the churches of Rome, you will not be disappointed by its beauty and culture.

Peterhof or "Peter's Yard" is considered to be the fountain capital of the world, an absolute architectural gem of St. Petersburg. This royal residence on the outskirts of St. Petersburg is  most famous for its Versailles-inspired fountain park. It was the official summer residence of Russian tsars and played host to such ruler as Peter the Great. Visit magnificent Grand Summer Palace, lavishly decorated with the two white pavilions with gilded cupolas at the end of the wings. Stroll in the vast Lower Park with 176 glorious fountains of various forms and styles and four cascades, majestic palaces, numerous gilded statues of ancient gods and heroes, including the famous Samson Fountain. Many of Russia's noble families were reluctant to move their residences to Peter the Great's new northern capital, and the Tsar was forced to issue a decree banning to build elsewhere in the country, so as to ensure that the nation's wealth and construction skills were transferred to St. Petersburg. Only a century later, the city could boast a huge number of palaces, including some of the grandest residences not just in Russia, but in the whole Europe. Explore Peterhof

Catherine Palace was a gift from Peter the Great to his beloved wife Catherine. Located in the town of Pushkin (also known as Tsarskoe Selo), the Palace is a striking example of baroque architecture with its gorgeous interiors that are more than spectacular. The so-called Golden Enfilade of state rooms, designed by Rastrelli, is particularly renowned and forms the focus of the Palace tour. The Catherine Palace is famous for its Amber Room which was looted in World War II by the Germans during their 300 day siege of St. Petersburg. It took more than 50 years to reconstruct the legendary room.

Interesting facts:
* In the period of Elizabeth's reign it took over 100 kg of gold to decorate the Palace exteriors.
* Tsarskoye Selo is also associated with Russia’s greatest poet Alexander Pushkin, who studied in the town’s Lyceum from 1811 to 1817.

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was built to commemorate one of Russia's greatest emperors, Alexander II. It stands on the spot of the emperor’s infamous assassination at the hands of a radical dissident who threw a bomb into his carriage. Alexander II is most famous for liberating the Russian serfs two years before the abolition of slavery in the US. This tour will focus on the exterior of the cathedral, but if you would like to explore inside the church, you may visit it on your own.

Peter and Paul Fortress was designed to defend the city from naval attacks, but was used as a political prison for dissidents of the tsarist regime and as a museum during the soviet era. The fortress now stands as the tomb for the Russian imperial family. Read on