Itinerary

Day 1: Helsinki - St. Petersburg

Depart Helsinki in the morning on the Sibelius Rail to St. Petersburg, Russia. Upon arrival, enjoy a transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city, as well as an orientation tour of the city. See the famous Bronze Horseman, Admiralty, Nevski Prospekt and the Palace Square where you can admire the harmonious unity of the city. A visit to Peter and Paul Fortress as well as St. Isaac's is also included. Return to your hotel for the evening.

Day 2: St. Petersburg

Meet your guide for a full day tour to Pavlovsk and Pushkin, one of the most magnificent and richest residences in Europe. Catherine's Palace was built between 1752 and 1756 and the grounds extend to Catherine's Park including the Great Pond and intriguing Pyramid where she buried her favorite dogs. Continue to Pavlovsk's Park, designed by Charles Cameron. The park was built between 1781 and 1786 and is one of the most exquisite in Russian. Some of the highlights include the Great Palace, Treble Lime Alley, the statues of Justice and Peace, and the Classical Temple of Friendship. Return to St. Petersburg in the evening and explore more of the city on your own.

Day 3: St. Petersburg

Enjoy early admission to the world famous Hermitage Museum this morning. Founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great, the museum comprises eight departments, located in 6 palaces and over 350 halls containing 15 thousand paintings, 12 thousand sculptures, 600 thousand drawings, 600 thousand monuments of archaeology and one million coins and medals. Spend the morning experiencing this vast collection before returning to your hotel in the afternoon. If you would like to spend more time at the museum, arrangements can be made. In the evening attend an optional ballet, opera or folklore performance. These are quite popular and advance bookings are highly recommended.

Day 4: St. Petersburg

Today is a 5 hour tour to Petrodvorets (Petergof). The Estate was built by Peter the Great and was basically destroyed by the Germans during WWII. Since then the buildings have been reconstructed and remodeled. The centerpiece of the estate is the Grand Cascade and Water Avenue featuring over 140 fountains and canals. Past the Upper Garden is the Grand Palace. Peter's stuffy is not only the most exquisite room in the estate, but the only one to have survived the bombings. A visit to Monplaisir, Peter's Villa, is also included. Enjoy the tour and return to St. Petersburg for your last evening.

Day 5: St. Petersburg - Helsinki

The morning is yours to enjoy more of the city's parks and gardens or to do some shopping. An afternoon transfer back to the rail station is included. Enjoy the journey to Helsinki. Contact Runic Travels for options to extend this tour to Moscow or another charming destination within Scandinavia.