Private Tour: Stroll Through Russian Art and History

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Savior on the Spilled Blood, Griboyedova Kanala Emb., 2B/A, St. Petersburg 191186 Russia

Your friendly local guide will meet you in the city center, where your 4-hour walking tour begins. Setting off at a leisurely pace, stroll through this enrapturing city listening to tales and trivia about St Petersburg, its culture and, of course, its legendary art scene.

First stop is the eye-catching Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood – St Petersburg’s multi-domed showstopper. Modeled on St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, the extravagant cathedral looks so ostentatious that it almost seems out of place in St Petersburg, outshining the more subtle architecture that surrounds it. After stopping for a photo, head inside with your guide to admire its similarly astounding interior.

After a period of neglect, the inside of the cathedral took longer to restore than it did to build. While walking around, your guide will point out intricate details highlighting why this was; see lines of tiny mosaics that cover the walls and its opulent marble floors. Learn about Tsar Alexander II who was assassinated on the ground that the cathedral is built on, and see the canopy that marks the spot of his death.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: State Russian Museum, Inzhenernaya St., 4 Metro: Gostiny Dvor, Nevskiy Prospekt, St. Petersburg 191011 Russia

Head back outside and stroll over to St Petersburg’s next cultural gem -- the Russian Museum -- for a guided tour. Dedicated to Russian art, the museum houses a spellbinding collection with more than 400,000 pieces of art that date from the 10th century to the present day. The main building is known as Mikhailovsky Palace and as you walk through it with your guide, see art from just about every genre, including paintings, sculptures and graphics, as well as some of the world’s finest Russian avant-garde creations.

Your tour ends in the Russian Museum, where you can continue exploring independently if you wish.

Duration: 2 hours