Saint Petersburg including the Faberge Museum Private Tour

Explore the most notable places in Saint Petersburg with a private local guide. This tour will give you a rare glimpse into the history of Saint Petersburg from its founding in 1703 all the way to modern times. You will learn about the culture and the people of the city that has become the cradle of Russian civilization. This tour is especially well suited for those who have a short time in St. Petersburg, as it will provide you with the basic understanding of the city and its people.

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel/cruise ship and head toward the Nevsky prospect, main artery of Saint Petersburg. While admiring the beauty of the Nevsky Prospect and the hundreds of canals and streets coming of it, your guide will provide you the brief history of the founding of the city and how it became the capital of the Russian empire. After you reach the famous Hermitage Museum on the Palace Square and admire the architectural wonders of Bartolomeo Rastrelli, you will head down the Palace Embankment toward the statue of the Bronze Horseman (Peter the Great) on the Thunder Stone. From here you will be able to enjoy a beautiful view seeing the Vasilyevsky Island and The Menshikov Palace on the other side of Neva River. From the monument, your guide will take you to the Kazan Cathedral, which was modelled on the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

You will continue down Griboyedov Embankment past the Singer House (also known as the House of Books) toward another famous Church – Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, a truly unforgettable sanctuary that reminds many of the St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. After visiting the cathedral you will step into Mikhailovsky Sad (Michaels Garden) – one of the most beautiful parks of Imperial Russia. The fresh air, trees, a pond with a bridge and the two styles of park landscape (French and English) will give you a break from Saint Petersburg's architecture. As you pass through the park you will head toward another memorable destination – Field of Mars (Marsovo Pole). The park is named after the Roman god of War – Mars. The park was established almost simultaneously with the founding of Saint Petersburg. The park currently serves both as a memorial and as a reminder of the victories of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. "The Field of Mars" was the first park to ignite the "Eternal Flame" which became the symbol of commemoration of the soldiers that died during World War II.

After a stroll through these two parks you will head to the famous Faberge Museum. The museum has a collection of over 4,000 works of decorative and fine arts, including paintings, porcelain and bronze. The highlight of the museum's collection is the group of nine Imperial Easter eggs created by Fabergé for the last two Zar's of Russia. Your guide will show the most notable pieces of this remarkable collection – we promise you that the Blue Room of the museum will take your breath away.

At the end of the tour – your guide will be happy to answer any possible questions that you still may have, suggest a place to eat or just take you back to your place of stay.