St. Petersburg Getaway for Senior Travelers

Group Tour (7 days / 6 nights)
April 24 - 30, 2008
July 3 - 9, 2008
October 2 - 8, 2008

Day 1, Thursday
Arrive in St. Petersburg, Russia; Airport pick-up and transfer to St. Petersburg Hotel; Check-in and Welcome dinner at the Hotel.

Day 2, Friday
Morning (after buffet breakfast): City tour of St. Petersburg shall introduce us to the former administrative center of Imperial Russia. St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) has an unsurpassed blend of Russian and Western European Architecture. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703 as "Sankt Peterburg", a forward military base exposed to Swedish attacks, the town became the capital of Russia as early as 1712. For over 200 years St. Petersburg was the epicenter of Russia's politics. The imposing architecture reflects the city's significance - the fabulous sweep of the golden colored General Staff Headquarters, the sea-green Winter Palace, the Senate Square where stands one of the best known symbols of the city - the Bronze Horseman, and much more. There shall be plenty of stops during the tour to videotape and photograph. In 2008 the city will look its best after several years of restoration preparing for its 300th Anniversary (celebrated in 2003) and the G8 Meeting in 2006. Even if you have visited St. Petersburg before, you will not recognize it, for all the Imperial historic center now looks splendid and colorful.
Afternoon: Tour of St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress and
Cathedral - the birthplace of St. Petersburg. The Fortress occupies the entire island, and was meant to secure the capital of Russia from the Swedes. We shall also visit the St. Peter & St. Paul Cathedral where the Russian Tsars starting from Peter the Great were buried. The slim, sharp spire of the Cathedral became the leitmotif of St. Petersburg.
Evening: Dinner at the Hotel.

Day 3, Saturday
Morning (after buffet breakfast): Tour of the State Hermitage Museum will go through the State Rooms of the Winter Palace, the former residence of Russian Tsars, and the Picture Galleries of the Imperial Hermitage Museum. The Hermitage was initially set up as a private picture gallery for Catherine the Great in the 18th century when the establishment of a royal picture gallery was seen as an affair of national importance in Western European countries. Such collection was needed to enhance the prestige of the Russian court and, after the acquisition of the first Dutch and Flemish canvases, both individual painting and whole private collections were bought. Today the Hermitage accommodates over 2,700,000 artifacts. Majority of the picture collection is Western European, and most important names in European Art History are represented: Madonnas by Raphael and Leonardo, Judith by Giorgione, Rembrandt's Saskia as Flora, to name only a few of the more famous ones, as well as numerous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. These treasures are set in magnificent surroundings - jasper, agate, marble and malachite adornments to the building provide a fabulous backdrop.
Afternoon: Souvenir shopping on the Palace Square. You will encounter a superb variety of items to choose from: paintings, wood carvings and sculptures, lacquer boxes, Easter eggs, nesting dolls of all shapes and sizes, porcelain, hats, t-shirts, jewelry... the list can go on and on. We are certain you will find something special here to take home with you as a reminder of St. Petersburg.
Evening: Dinner at the Hotel and Russian Folklore Dancing Company concert.

Day 4, Sunday
Morning (after buffet breakfast): Today we will visit Palace-and-Park Ensemble Pushkin — former summer residence of Russian emperors, it is a fascinating monument of the world’s architectural and gardening arts of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Our tour will go inside the world-famous baroque style Catherine's Palace, designed by architects Rastrelli and Cameron. This Palace is also the site of Russia's greatest post-WWII restoration project. The interiors of the Palace are truly breathtaking - from the majestic grandeur of the Great Hall to the sumptuous Chinese Blue Drawing Room. Also very impressive are the works of art that adorn living quarters of the Palace. The sensation of 2003 was the opening of the world-famous 'Amber Room'.
Evening: Dinner at the Hotel.

Day 5, Monday
Morning (after buffet breakfast): Tour of the Prince Yusupov Palace - built in 1760's to the plans of Vallen de la Mothe, the building is famous both as the most ostentatious aristocratic residence of St. Petersburg and as the place where in December of 1916 Rasputin was murdered by Prince Felix Yusupov. The majestic interiors of the palace are perfect settings for the artifacts exhibited. You will be thrilled by the display of the room with expressive wax figures showing the reproduced scene of Rasputin's murder.
Evening: Dinner at the Hotel and theatre performance (ballet, symphony or opera).

Day 6, Tuesday
Morning (after buffet breakfast): Tour of St. Isaac's Cathedral - one of the city's premier landmarks. Built to the design of French architect August Monferan, it took 40 years to complete this majestic church visible from way out in the Gulf of Finland. The Cathedral was dedicated to St. Isaac of Dalmatia, a Byzantine monk whose feast day fell on the birthday of Peter the Great (May 30). St. Isaac's Cathedral is famous not only for its Russian classical architecture and construction technology, but also for its interiors decorated with paintings, mosaics and sculptures of Russian and Italian masters.
Evening: Farewell Dinner at the Hotel.

Day 7, Wednesday
Morning: Buffet breakfast at the hotel; airport transfer for your departure flight from St. Petersburg.

Although every effort will be made to follow the itinerary closely, St. Petersburg Travel, Inc. reserves the right to make changes if necessary.

TOUR PRICE (per person, based on double occupancy; land program only - air fare and Russian visa not included):
Standard Accommodations (double occupancy): $1,325 per person
Single Accommodations Supplement: please add $455
Upgrade to Renovated Room (double occupancy): please add $225 per person
Upgrade to Renovated Room (single occupancy): please add $345 per person

TOUR INCLUDES:
Double occupancy 3-star hotel accommodations at the St. Petersburg Hotel, breakfast and dinner daily served at the hotel, services of a fully-licensed English-speaking tour guide, sightseeing program as listed in the itinerary, group transportation, airport arrival and departure transfers in St. Petersburg, museum entrance fees, tickets and best seats available for evening performances.

FOR INDIVIDUAL SENIOR TRAVELERS:
If you prefer to travel on your own (not during “group dates” listed above), the St. Petersburg Getaway for Senior Travelers itinerary can be scheduled as an individual package for dates that are convenient to you. To reserve the individual package, please add to the Tour Price (as listed above):
$355 per person (based on double occupancy)
$545 per person (based on single occupancy)

Above prices include land program only - as listed in the itinerary; Russian visa and air fare costs are not included.