What would you skip in St. Petersburg? Catherine's Palace or inside of St. Isaac's?

[OurDogCisco]

Our cruise stops in St. Petersburg on a Mon-Tues. As a result Catherine's Palace is closed Tuesday and the Hermitage is closed Monday. Plus, our ship only stops 1 1/2 days in St. Petersburg. So, we are limited in visiting everything. We can either see the inside of St. Isaac's or Spilled Blood? But not both. Many private tour companies are skipping St. Catherine's Palace all together. They all claim not enough time to see everything. Which would you eliminate?

[sbhdmh]

By half day what time do you mean you have to finish on day 2? If it is earlier than 2 pm it will be very hard to fit everything in. Day 1 do either Catherine's Palace or Peterhof as well as the city tour and churches. (I would suggest interior of Spilled Blood as an absolute essential. We did only exterior photo op at St Isaac's to save time for other things.) If you do early admission to the Hermitage on Day 2 you may be able to visit the churches after the museum and then try to squeeze both Peterhof and Catherine's Palace on Day 1. It will be very rushed though...

 

Usually day 2 starts later than day 1. If you have only 1 1/2 days I would start as early as possible on both days to try to see as much as you can.

[OurDogCisco]

By half day what time do you mean you have to finish on day 2? If it is earlier than 2 pm it will be very hard to fit everything in. Day 1 do either Catherine's Palace or Peterhof as well as the city tour and churches. (I would suggest interior of Spilled Blood as an absolute essential. We did only exterior photo op at St Isaac's to save time for other things.) If you do early admission to the Hermitage on Day 2 you may be able to visit the churches after the museum and then try to squeeze both Peterhof and Catherine's Palace on Day 1. It will be very rushed though...

 

Usually day 2 starts later than day 1. If you have only 1 1/2 days I would start as early as possible on both days to try to see as much as you can.

 

Day 1 starts at 12:30 pm. We would have lunch on the ship and then, join our tour. And, have a snack on the actual tour. Most private tour companies are having us end around 7 pm that night.

 

Day 2 we have to be back on the ship by 11 pm. So, we do have some flexibility here. I just don't want to stay out until 10 pm. Most tours are starting around 9 am and ending at 7:30 pm which would be a long day

 

We are skipping Berlin so, we should be well rested. I just didn't want to spend 3 hours each way in transport so, we decided to stay onboard and visit the local port in Germany. So, we should be well rested even though there is a sea day in between.

[sbhdmh]

Oh, that's a completely different schedule than I was imagining! I would try the following:

 

Day 1: Catherine's Palace and city tour. If Spilled Blood or St Isaac' are open after 5 go inside. You can do an evening canal cruise if no other sites are open at this time. Maybe see the ballet or folk show.

 

Day 2: Start EARLY - by 8 am. I'm not sure what time the churches open but at the very least do outside photo op of St Isaac's on your way to the Hermitage. If it's open and you didn't see it on Day 1 get inside Spilled Blood. 2 hours or so at the Hermitage. Hydrofoil to Peterhof. Back to your ship.

 

This way you will see the major sites of The Hermitage, Peterhof, Catherines Palace, Spilled Blood and St Isaac's along with a city tour and canal cruise. A very full day and a half. If they are saying you can see Catherine's Palace if you skip the interior of St Isaac's I think that is the better way to go.

 

Hope this helps.

[OurDogCisco]

Oh, that's a completely different schedule than I was imagining! I would try the following:

 

Day 1: Catherine's Palace and city tour. If Spilled Blood or St Isaac' are open after 5 go inside. You can do an evening canal cruise if no other sites are open at this time. Maybe see the ballet or folk show.

 

Day 2: Start EARLY - by 8 am. I'm not sure what time the churches open but at the very least do outside photo op of St Isaac's on your way to the Hermitage. If it's open and you didn't see it on Day 1 get inside Spilled Blood. 2 hours or so at the Hermitage. Hydrofoil to Peterhof. Back to your ship.

 

This way you will see the major sites of The Hermitage, Peterhof, Catherines Palace, Spilled Blood and St Isaac's along with a city tour and canal cruise. A very full day and a half. If they are saying you can see Catherine's Palace if you skip the interior of St Isaac's I think that is the better way to go.

 

Hope this helps.

Thanks... I can't seem to get anyone to start before 9 am on day 2. I really want to see Catherine's Palace so, I do think we might just have to skip the interior for St. Isaac and then, if time permits go back like you said and see it. Your comments really help and so did the picture down below. Amazing... I can't wait to see all especially since I'm 1/2 Russian.

[sbhdmh]

That's odd - who have you contacted? We worked with a private guide named Masha and she asked us what time we wanted to start on day 2. The main ones mentioned on this board are Alla, Anastasia, SPB as well as the big ones Denrus and Red October. Masha and TJ are both new but have been receiving great reviews. I am betting that one of these operators will accomodate your need for an earlier start time on Day 2.

[dopeyngrumpy]

A trip to St Isaacs whilst in city centre is 15 to 30 mins - a trip to St Catherines, is 40 to 45 mins each way plus an hour to look round. Only tip though is if you want a snack ask for cake and coffee or crepes, don't ask for sandwiches, it isn't something they do as snacks. They took us to a big log cabin restaurant near St Catherines for a snack and it took 2 hours!

 

I know it doesn't necessarily answer your question but make sure you see inside the Church of the Spilled Blood, I'd choose this over St Isaacs.

 

Re Germany - if you are docking at Warnemunde - be on deck for sail away - you get a great send off. We booked a hertz rent a car online and picked it up in the restaurant next to the terminal building and drove to Scwerin in East Germany - amazing place then onto Lubeck in the West. A piece of both and hit the autobahn all the way back. Plenty of time and we were not rushed.

 

Jan

[Giantfan13]

Day 1 starts at 12:30 pm. We would have lunch on the ship and then, join our tour. And, have a snack on the actual tour. Most private tour companies are having us end around 7 pm that night.

 

Day 2 we have to be back on the ship by 11 pm. So, we do have some flexibility here. I just don't want to stay out until 10 pm. Most tours are starting around 9 am and ending at 7:30 pm which would be a long day

 

We are skipping Berlin so, we should be well rested. I just didn't want to spend 3 hours each way in transport so, we decided to stay on board and visit the local port in Germany. So, we should be well rested even though there is a sea day in between.

 

Have you contacted ALL the tour groups that are mentioned here. Most of the groups will tailor a package to your needs, so I just cannot see anyone not wanting to use your specific schedule and not book a tour wit you.

Have you contacted Viktoria at SPB tours. She is so helpful and will try her best to get you to see whatever you wish to see in the time allowed.

 

I would say Catherines's Palace is a must see. It is a spectacular all in itself, with the band playing, and the Amber Room.

Again, personally try and contact some of the tour groups. If none of the 'major' players wants to handle your particular tour, there are other, smaller companies that have also been mentioned here, that would like nothing better than to have you tour with them.

 

Len

[Lvtocruize2]

Does it cost to tour the Amber room at Catherine's Palace? Our guide didn't mention this to us.

[LHT28]

If you do a ship's tour they usually get into Catherines Palace even though it is closed to the public

[TLCOhio]

Have you contacted ALL the tour groups that are mentioned here. Most of the groups will tailor a package to your needs, so I just cannot see anyone not wanting to use your specific schedule and not book a tour wit you. Have you contacted Viktoria at SPB tours. She is so helpful and will try her best to get you to see whatever you wish to see in the time allowed. I would say Catherines's Palace is a must see. It is a spectacular all in itself, with the band playing, and the Amber Room.

Again, personally try and contact some of the tour groups. If none of the 'major' players wants to handle your particular tour, there are other, smaller companies that have also been mentioned here, that would like nothing better than to have you tour with them. Len

 

Len and others made lots of good points. Your timing in St. Petersburg is unique and challenging. One advantage to consider is that the two key Cathedrals, St. Isaac's and Spilled Blood, are open later to about 7 pm. As you consider tour companies, it's about quality and responsiveness! First, outline, in detail, what you need, like and want in what you will send as a request to each potential tour firm. Make clear your special time frames and that you don't want a "standard formula" tour plan. Ask questions, etc. Make it personal and custom to your interests, timing and needs! Don't grab the first firm you write to and assume "that's it" after reading a couple of positive reviews for only one firm. We used Anastasia after contacting the top five firms, seeing what they said, how flexible they were, etc. Anastasia would e-mail back a detailed spreadsheet that outline showed the various detailed costs and options. We made a number of revisions to the schedule in order to get the "FLOW" and timing order right.

 

You cannot see it "ALL" in even two days. You need to establish your personal priorities and needs. Many of the key places are not open till around 10 am which limits what you can do early in the morning. Tell us more about what you most want to see and do. Since the days are long in the summer in St. Petersburg, you have more flexibility see some of the general sights around town during that first evening and earlier in the morning of your second day. Below are some samples of those great options you must consider for what priorities you place in what order to see and do.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

A St. Isaac's ceiling view, including part of the upper dome:

 

 

 

A wider shot of the Spilled Blood interior:

 

 

 

Fountains and water at spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg:

 

 

 

As we entered Catherine's Palace, here was the welcoming band.:

 

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, just one of many, many great galleries:

 

 

 

More beautiful church towers and buildings in St. Petersburg: