Expect temperatures in the middle 70-deg F
HIGHLIGHTS OF ST. PETERSBURG (3.5 HRS DAY#1)
The ultimate overview of St. Petersburg, the city founded by Peter the Great in 1703, this tour takes in all the great landmarks. Leaving from the pier by coach, one of the first sites you will pass is the stunning, pale blue and .white Baroque façade of St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Mariinsky Theater, the home of Russia's most .fabled ballet company.
After a brief stop to photograph St. Isaac's Cathedral, whose gleaming dome is covered with 200 pounds of gold, you will drive through resplendent Palace Square, a vast open space surrounded by Italianate buildings that once housed the Tsarist ministries. From here, you can easily see the soaring golden spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which lies within a fortress across the Neva River. While stopping at the cathedral, be sure to notice the tombs of the Romanov monarchs.
Continuing your scenic city drive,the beautiful Field of Mars and the Marble Palace will come into sight, en route to the extraordinary Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood a wonderful setting for more picture taking. Returning to the ship, you will drive along the famed Nevsky Prospect, St. Petersburg's main thoroughfare, where you can glimpse the neoclassical Kazan Cathedral.
THE HERMITAGE, A WEALTH OF ART AND HISTORY (3.8 HRS Day #2)
No visit to St. Petersburg would be complete without a tour of the world-famous HermitageMuseum – the “Crown Jewel” on the museum list in St. Petersburg. Founded in 1764 as a private museum of Catherine the Great to which only she and her closest courtiers had access, today it is Russia’s largest art museum that houses an astounding collection of art. The collection occupies four buildings: the Winter Palace, former official residence of the imperial family, the Small Hermitage, the only custom-built museum which served as Catherine’s retreat from the bustle of the court, the Old Hermitage and the New Hermitage opened to public in 1852.
The Jordan staircase is the grand entrance to the Winter Palace. It will strike you with its splendor, the glimmer of the golden stuccowork and the dazzling whiteness of the marble statues. Reaching the upper landing, you'll walk through the Winter Palace superb staterooms: the Field-marshal’s Hall, the Small Throne Room meant to commemorate Peter the Great and his deeds, the Emblem Hall with its vast gilded columns, the Gallery of 1812 displaying portraits of Russian military heroes of the Napoleonic war, and the Hall of St. George fitted in Cararra marble and gilt bronze. The floor parquet made up of 16 varieties of wood is a reflection of the ceiling motif.
Next, you will proceed to the Small Hermitage and find yourself in the Pavilion Hall with its slender marble columns supporting an elegant gallery and twenty-eight scintillating cut-glass chandeliers. A real gem in the Hermitage collection is the famous Peacock Clock in a glass cage made by a celebrated English clockmaker in the middle 18th century and presented to Catherine II by her favorite, prince Potyomkin. The "clock" represents a peacock on a gilded tree branch (completed with gilded leaves), an owl in a cage, and a rooster.
Continuing on, your tour moves from one building into another via covered galleries. Thus, you enter the Old Hermitage which is devoted to the 13th – 18th century Italian art collection. Here on display are two paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci: the Madonna with a Flower and the Litta Madonna, an early work by Rafael – the Connestabile Madonna and a later work by him the Holy Family. The Crouching Boy is the only work by Michelangelo in Russia. The Venetian school of art dominates with Judith by Giordgione and an array of works by Titian: Repentant Mary Magdalene, Danae and St. Sebastian.
Proceed from here into the New Hermitage, a 19th century building first opened for public in 1852. The Spanish collection features all Spain’s golden age leading artists from El Greco to Murillo, Zurbaran, Velasquez and Goya. The Hermitage is proud of its vast Rembrandt collection. Within a short period of time Rembrandt produced the dramatic Abraham’s Sacrifice, the gentle Flora and the brilliant Descent from the Cross. You will find here his psychological portraits including the stunning Old Man in Red. One of his last works was The Return of the Prodigal Son painted with an emotional depth unseen before.
There are also over 40 works by Rubens that include religious subjects, such as The Descent from the Cross, and scenes from classical mythology - Perseus and Andromeda, as well as landscapes. Another world famous painting is a subtle and poetical portrait of Infanta’s Maid. Walking through the ensemble of buildings, you will marvel at the seemingly endless exhibitions. You might see Leonardo da Vinci's "The Little Madonna," "Abraham's Sacrifice" by Rembrandt, and a Scythian gold stag from the 2nd century B.C.
Upon leaving the museum, you will walk through the Palace Square, passing the red-granite Alexander Column, a monument that commemorates Russia's victory over Napoleon before re-boarding your coach for the return transfer to the pier.
Please note: When possible, the local operator will try to arrange an early opening one-hour before the museum opens to the general public, but there is no guarantee that will be the case. Large carry bags, umbrellas and heavy jackets must be checked before entering the Hermitage museum.
EVENING OF RUSSIAN SONG AND DANCE (3.5 HRS)
Russia is an immense and vast land which stretches from Asia all the way to Europe. Russian folkloric dance, just like folkloric dance forms from many other countries, is a mixture of traditional music and dances done in villages and cities, on the streets and in ceremonial situations, in parties and celebrations, combined with classical movement forms such as ballet, modern dance, and sometimes gymnastics or acrobatics. By mixing these genres, dances are created which use the stories, music, and costumes of different regions of Russia, yet which have integrated aesthetic styles which are popular on the international stage with varied audiences.
Arriving at the theater, a large troupe of talented singers, dancers, and musicians will enthrall you with their performance, which is exclusively for Regent guests. By means of music, dance and songs you will become acquainted with the treasure of Russian folk art and its cultural traditions. Accompanied by the orchestra of Russian folk instruments, you will hear world-famous songs and dancers will present their mastery in the kaleidoscope of folk bright costumes.
A glass of Russian sparkling wine and mineral water in the intermission. Photo and video fees are not included in the tour price. Photo is Euro 3.00 pp (approx $4.00) and video is Euro 10.00 (approx. $13.00 pp). Smart casual clothing is recommended. The performance is not exclusive to Regent guests.
YUSUPOV PALACE & CANAL CRUISE (3.8 HRS, Day#3)
The Yusupov family line goes back at least as far as the Romanovs'. Crimean merchants of Tartar extraction, the family's wealth rivaled that of the Tsar himself, with some believing the Yusupovs to be richer. Fortunately there was always an heir apparent in the family dynasty, and the palace was almost continuously expanded and reconstructed during the family's ownership. As a favorite of Felix Yusupov, the palace was decorated lavishly exemplifying his wealth and eccentric lifestyle. It was in the Yusupov Palace that Prince Felix conspired to kill Rasputin, a man whom he regarded as a threat to the future of the Russian Empire. A peasant who had gained extraordinary control over the tsar's family through his alleged supernatural powers, Rasputin was killed at the Yusupov Palace and as part of this tour, the murder will be recreated in the cellar.
Following your visit at the Palace, you will board a local boat for a relaxing cruise along some of St. Petersburg's loveliest waterways, passing under several beautiful, ornate bridges. One of the most spectacular sights along the way is the onion-domed Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, a church so elaborate it took almost 25 years to build. A cruise along the Moika and the Fontanka Rivers is another chance to appreciate history and splendid architecture of this beautiful city. In the beginning the city's bridges were usually known by their color: Red, Blue, Green. The Blue Bridge at 328 ft. wide is the widest. The area around the Moika River boasted a number of riverside mansions and was one of the city's most fashionable addresses.
Your cruise along the Moika has you passing such notable landmarks as St. Isaac Cathedral, a famous gambling club that Pushkin, the eminent Russian poet, described the club in his novel "The Queen of Spades". Also seen is a group of yellow buildings that form the Teachers' Training University. At the time of Catherine the Great it used to house the orphanage instituted by the empress. Before leaving the Moika, you'll pass by the Stroganov Palace, a baroque masterpiece of Rastrelli. Count Stroganov who owned the palace in the late 18th century was the president of the Academy of Arts and a noted collector. The Stroganovs amassed their huge fortune through the monopoly they held on salt, which came from mines in their vast territories in the north.
Your boat cruises under the Choir Bridge, which takes its name from the Choir Hall located nearby and then turns onto the Fontanka or Fountain River. Its name goes back to the early 18th century when the water of the river used to feed the fountains of the Summer Gardens. On the right bank of the Fontanka stands the Summer Palace of Peter the Great. Peter had his rooms on the ground floor and his wife's rooms on the first floor. The Summer Gardens and the Summer Palace used to be the center of the city's social life. On the left bank you'll see the former Law School which counts Peter Tchaikovsky as one of its first graduates.
Continuing on, you'll pass the "Salt Town" - a former warehouse for storing salt which dates back to the 18th century. The present day building was erected in 1870 for an All-Russia industrial exhibition. Further along, St. Panteleimon's Bridge across the Fontanka is Russia's first chain bridge. It is decorated with double-headed eagles perched on laurel wreaths. At this point, your boat turns back onto the Moika River where you will the Engineers' Castle built for Paul I. The castle originally had drawbridges and moats since Paul was afraid of assassination. Unfortunately, soon after moving in he was killed by
a group of his courtiers. On the right is the Swan Canal leading into the Neva. It is named after swans that were once drawn to its peaceful waters. Next is the Field of Mars square. It used to be a military parade ground for Russian troops.
One of the last landmarks you will see is considered one of the most beautiful churches in St.Petersburg - the Church of the Spilled Blood. This marvelous Old Russian-style church was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated on March 1, 1881. Built in 1883-1907, the church is designed in the spirit of the sixteenth and seventeenth century Russian architecture, inspired particularly by St. Basil Cathedral in Moscow's Red Square. The best Russian painters, masters of stone carving, ceramic and enamel took part in the decoration of the Church and it is truly magnificent.
