St. Petersburg was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great and designed by Italian and French architects. Built on more than 100 islands and linked by 600 bridges, it is often called "the Venice of the North".
Programme
Tuesday
# Departure from Helsinki for St. Petersburg early in the morning by Finnish train Sibelius
# Arrival in St. Petersburg in the afternoon
# City tour with a visit to Peter and Paul Fortress around which the city originally grew up, and to its cathedral, the site of the burial vault of the Russian czars
# Overnight
Wednesday
# Breakfast at hotel
# Comprehensive tour of the Hermitage Museum featuring Old Masters, State Rooms of the Winter Palace and Impressionists' Exhibition
# Lunch at local downtown restaurant
# Transfer back to hotel
# Afternoon free
# Overnight
Thursday
# Breakfast at hotel
# Excursion to Pushkin - one of the former Imperial summer residences and visit the beautiful Catherine's palace
# Lunch at restaurant Podvorie in traditional Russian style
# Visit to St.Isaac's Cathedral
# Transfer to the hotel
# Overnight
Friday
# Breakfast at hotel
# Free time
# Transfer to the railway station in the afternoon
# Departure from St.Petersburg in the afternoon by Finnish train Sibelius
