Itinerary

Day 1
June 5 Sunday
St. Petersburg
Arrival into St. Petersburg and transfer to your deluxe hotel in the center of the city.
This afternoon meet your guide in the lobby for a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress -
the birthplace of St. Petersburg. As Peter the Great’s original outpost against the
Swedes, St. Petersburg was born from this fortress and its historical significance is felt
to this day by the presence of every Romanov tomb from Peter the Great.
End with an overview city tour of St. Petersburg including Nevsky Prospect,
Vasilevsky Island for the best views of the city, the "prep school" to Russia’s noble
class and St. Petersburg’s beautiful Grand Synagogue.
Evening
Tonight enjoy a welcome dinner. Dinner consists of three courses, two glasses of
house wine or beer and unlimited mineral water, coffee and tea.
Exeter Services: Transfer; Half-Day Vehicle, Driver & Guide
Hotel: Rocco Forte Astoria
Meal Included: Dinner

Day 2
June 6 Monday
St. Petersburg
This morning is at your leisure to relax and enjoy some down time before touring. This
afternoon you will tour the famed Yusupov Palace on the Moika Canal. This elegant
city mansion of the Yusupov family is best known as the site of Rasputin’s murder.
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Later, you will be invited backstage for an exclusive and rare tour of the historic
Mariinsky Theater. Starting from the Tsar’s Box, you will explore the sets, costumes
and technology of the theater. You may also see firsthand the backstage
preparations for tonight’s performance.
Evening
Prime tickets to a White Nights Festival Performance. Please note that the White
Nights performance schedule will not be released until approximately 4-6 weeks
prior to departure.
Exeter Services: Half-Day Vehicle, Driver & Guide; Theater Transfers
Hotel: Rocco Forte Astoria
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3
June 7 Tuesday
St. Petersburg
Today you will travel out to Peter the Great’s summer palace, Peterhof, to see firsthand
the palace’s countless fountains and gardens.
Exeter International has a special early admission time confirmed for touring today.
You will tour the Grand Palace, Gardens and Grottos of Peterhof. When you walk to
the upper gardens, you can enter the Grand Palace. This stately palace overlooks
the gardens and smaller palaces, as well as the Baltic Sea. The ornate baroque
interiors or the Grand Palace will no doubt amaze you and no one soon forgets the
unique Chinese Room filled with lacquer and ancient silk.

Later you will visit the Grottos of Peterhof. The tremendous variety of fountains is one
of the principal features of Peterhof where their extravagance and playfulness
indicate the atmosphere of early 18th century Russia. You will journey underneath
the fountains and learn of their remarkable engineering and history.
Lunch today is casual and will be at one of the restaurants on the grounds of
Peterhof. Lunch consists of two courses, mineral water, and coffee or tea.
After touring, you will return to the city via the express hydrofoil. This one-hour ride
takes you out of the city traffic and into the Baltic Sea. Your guide will go with you
on the hydrofoil and your driver will meet you back in the city.
Evening
Prime tickets to a White Nights Festival Performance. Please note that the White
Nights performance schedule will not be released until approximately 4-6 weeks
prior to departure.
Exeter Services: Vehicle, Driver & Guide; Theater Transfers
Hotel: Rocco Forte Astoria
Meals Included: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 4
June 8 Wednesday
St. Petersburg
A day outside of the city to see two of the grandest palaces in Europe: Catherine’s
Palace in Pushkin and Pavlovsk in the nearby countryside. Both are extraordinary
examples of Russian and European architecture.
Your first stop will be Pavlovsk Palace, built by Paul I and his wife Maria. This is the
understated summer palace of the tsars. Started by Catherine the Great’s favorite
architect, Cameron (a Scot), the palace was later finished by Paul’s and his wife
Maria’s preferred architect, Andrei Voronykhin- a Russian serf who later became
one of the greatest architects ever to work in Russia. (For those interested in Russian
history, with a focus on architecture and design, you won’t want to miss reading
Suzanne Massie’s Pavlovsk: the Life of a Russian Palace.)
Lunch today is in the village of Pavlovsk at the restaurant, Podvorye. This charming
restaurant is made of wood and features lively folk entertainment and delicious
simple food. Lunch consists of two courses, mineral water, and coffee or tea.
Afterwards, visit Catherine Palace and its fabled Amber Room. This palace was
started by Catherine I (Peter the Great’s second wife and not Catherine the Great)
and it bears her name. The baroque design is truly a masterpiece and this palace,
with its striking blue and gold exterior, is one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. Russian
Baroque means gilded statues, gilded mirrors and gilded wall, ceilings and picture
frames! The gardens are laid out in the highly stylized French fashion and are
definitely worth a stroll.
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While visiting Catherine Palace, you will be invited into the Amber Room workshops
where craftsmen rebuilt the famous amber panels lost in World War II.
Evening
Prime tickets to a White Nights Festival Performance. Please note that the White
Nights performance schedule will not be released until approximately 4-6 weeks
prior to departure.
Late Evening
In the late evening you will go to the Neva River that runs through the center of St.
Petersburg and board your private boat for a cruise complete with champagne!
Exeter Services: Vehicle, Driver & Guide; Evening Transfers
Hotel: Rocco Forte Astoria
Meals Included: Breakfast; Lunch

Day 5
June 9 Thursday
St. Petersburg
The greatest museum in the world deserves plenty of time to experience. Today’s
visit to the Hermitage Museum will take you to another world- the tsars’ Winter
Palace with its collection of the world’s finest art. Your guide will escort you through
the main section of the museum, including the Imperial living quarters, the famous
Malachite Room and beyond.
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While visiting the Hermitage, your guide will take you into the exclusive Gold
Treasures Rooms of the Hermitage. Here you will see some of the great treasures of
the museum, including Peter the Great’s ancient Scythian Gold Collection. These
special tours are conducted by Hermitage Guides. Some Hermitage guides speak
English, but the tour may be in Russian with your Exeter guide translating. Please
note that these special rooms require an advance appointment. Once confirmed,
appointments cannot be rescheduled.
This afternoon is at your leisure to explore on your own. Perhaps you would like to
take a stroll down Nevsky Prospekt to view the fabulous architecture of the city’s
main boulevard. Alternatively, for a bird’s eye view, you may wish to climb the stairs
at St. Isaac’s Cathedral, right outside your hotel.
Note: All touring today is on foot. Please wear appropriate footwear.
Evening
Prime tickets to a White Nights Festival Performance. Please note that the White
Nights performance schedule will not be released until approximately 4-6 weeks
prior to departure.
Later, you might want to take a romantic late evening stroll on the banks of the
Neva River- the famous bridges of St. Petersburg are raised just before 2AM and it’s
near daylight at midnight. It’s the magic of the White Nights season.
Exeter Services: Half-Day Guide; Theater Transfers
Hotel: Rocco Forte Astoria
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 6
June 10 Friday
St. Petersburg
This morning will be left open for shopping and personal exploration.
At 2:00 PM, you’ll meet your guide in your hotel lobby and it’s off to the Russian
Museum in the city center to view one of the greatest collections of exclusively
Russian artists, including an extraordinary Repin collection. The Russian Museum also
houses one of the world’s largest collections of ancient Russian icons. Around the
corner you will stop into the Church on Spilled Blood.
Evening
Farewell dinner tonight in one of St. Petersburg’s finest restaurants. Dinner consists of
three courses, two glasses of house wine or beer and unlimited mineral water,
coffee and tea.
Exeter Services: Half-Day Vehicle, Driver & Guide
Hotel: Rocco Forte Astoria
Meals Included: Breakfast; Dinner

Day 7
June 11 Saturday
St. Petersburg
Morning at leisure until your airport transfer and flight onward.
Exeter Services: Transfer
Meals Included: Breakfast

More information from Exeter International:

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  www.exeterinternational.com/Journeys/SmallGroups/WhiteNights/…
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• View all of their trips