Arriving in an unfamiliar city, tourists usually buy one or several guided tours. It can be a sightseeing tour by bus or a thematic excursion dedicated to a place or a specific topic. What excursions in St. Petersburg can be recommended for tourists coming to the city? We tried to make a small review.
A trip on a pleasure boat
Summer is the best time to visit St. Petersburg. The most popular type of guided tours at this time is a trip along the rivers and canals on a pleasure boat. Petersburg was built on the banks of the Neva River and the best views of the city open from the river. During a short trip you can see many interesting architectural and historical sights from the water. These tours are offered by various travel companies, have different routes and duration. It is also possible to see the breeding of bridges from the deck of the boat (night excursions).
Where to buy?
Buy a boat trip along the rivers and canals in many places in St. Petersburg. For example: the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt with the rivers Fontanka and Moika and the Griboedov Canal.
On the embankment of the Neva River next to the Palace Bridge and next to the monument to the Bronze Horseman.
Sightseeing tour in St. Petersburg
Sightseeing tours allow for a short time to see almost all the most famous sights of the city. Usually such excursions are carried out by bus. During the trip, a professional guide will tell you about the history of the city and about the most interesting places. You can visit the selected sights later on your own.
Routes of sightseeing tours can have slight differences. Tourists, as a rule, have the opportunity to see: St. Isaac's Square, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Bronze Horseman, the Admiralty, the Winter Palace, the Savior on the Blood, the Field of Mars, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Aurora, the Peter I small house, the arrow of the Vasilievsky Island, the Rostral Columns, the Exchange building . Bus sightseeing tour is the most popular way of first acquaintance with St. Petersburg.
Bus excursions can also include in the program and the cost of visiting museums.
Pedestrian excursions are also very popular on days with good weather. Sightseeing walking tours include a tour of the main sights of the city. You can not see as much as during bus excursions. But you can better view the sights. Also tourists will have more time to take photos and buy souvenirs. Do not forget to prepare comfortable shoes.
Where to buy?
You probably can buy a sightseeing tour at your hotel. Points of sale are available in many places in the city center. For example, one of the points of sale of excursions is next to the department store Gostiny Dvor.
Thematic tours
There are excursions that are devoted to a topic or place. You can call them thematic. After exploring the city on a sightseeing tour, you might want to get to know Petersburg better.
There is a wide variety of thematic excursions. In addition, new topics appear, and some become irrelevant. Therefore, it is impossible to give complete information on this topic. Here are just a few examples.
Excursion "Unusual monuments of St. Petersburg". You will see little-known sights and monuments.
Excursion "St. Petersburg through the eyes of local residents." You will pass along the non-tourist routes of the city and see the St. Petersburg courtyards.
Excursions on the roofs of St. Petersburg have become particularly popular in recent years. You can see the city's sights from an unusual perspective. There are several safe routes. You can visit the roofs of several ancient houses and even climb to the dome of the House of Singer, which is also known as the Book House. Walking on the roofs became so popular that there even arrange dinners, weddings, photo sessions.
The suburbs of St. Petersburg
If you have enough free time (if you came for a few days), then we strongly recommend that you go to the nearest cities to St. Petersburg.
The most popular place near Petersburg is Peterhof. Fountains in the lower park usually operate from the beginning of May to the middle of October.
The city of Pushkin and the Catherine Palace is another popular destination in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. The parks of this royal residence are especially beautiful in summer. The luxurious palace and the Amber Room attract tourists at any time of the year.
At a distance of about 200 kilometers from St. Petersburg, the city of Vyborg is located. The trip will take you all day, but you can stroll through the medieval city and see the famous Vyborg Castle.
Individual program and personal guide
You may want to make the program of your stay in St. Petersburg more flexible, more suitable for you and more interesting. In this case, you may be interested in an individual tour and the help of a personal guide. You can order the services of an English-speaking guide in St. Petersburg online.