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
Friday
# Departure from Helsinki for St. Petersburg in the morning by Finnish train Sibelius
# Arrival in St. Petersburg early in the afternoon
# Lunch at local restaurant
# Visit to Peter and Paul Fortress
# Overnight
Saturday
# Breakfast at hotel
# Visit to the Hermitage Museum featuring Old Masters, State Rooms of the Winter Palace and Impressionists' Exhibition
# Panoramic city tour featuring the major highlights such as the Admiralty, St.Isaac's Cathedral, St.Nicholas Cathedral, Palace Square, Smolny Convent (no inside visits)
# Overnight
Sunday
# Breakfast at hotel
# Excursion to the small town of Pushkin and visit to the Catherine's Palace - a magnificent imperial palace, located some 25 km south of the city, concidered a pearl of the Russian Baroque architecture and interior design of the 18th century
# Traditional Russian style lunch at local restaurant
# Transfer to the railway station for the Sibelius train
# Departure from St. Petersburg for Helsinki in the afternoon
# Arrival in Helsinki in the evening
