St. Petersburg with kids

[ksbear]

I have read through many threads and have come up with the following itinerary for St. Petersburg. We will be going with our 8 year old son and 11 year old daughter and my folks, so a total of seven people. I'm going to book a private tour but haven't chosen a company yet. First I wanted to figure out the itinerary.. We aren't art museum people, honestly, so I was going to skip that but would still like to see the buildings as it sounds lovely. We'd like to focus on history and culture. I've tweaked this itinerary (questions bolded within) - any thoughts? I may change the timings on day 2, if possible, so we won't be doing three tourist sites in a row.

day 1

8.00- meeting at the ship

8.00-10.00 first drive around the city to give you the first impression of it

10.00-10.30 hydrofoil to Peterhof

10.30-12.00 walk through the famous park with fountains and visit to one of the small palaces in the garden (Monplaisir or another one)

12.00-13.00 lunch time

13.00-14.00 drive to Pushkin

14.00-16.00 Catherin’s palace with the famous amber room (the palace which has more gold than any other places)

16.00-17.00 drive back

17.00-17.30 shopping for handicrafts

18.00 end of the day program/ back to the ship

Evening program (optional) I thought the kids could stay on the ship with one of us to rest while the others go out, but since we are getting a visa from the tour company, don't we have to go to a preplanned cultural program? Can we just hang out on the main street without a tour guide?

Day 2

8.00- meeting at the ship

8.00-10.00 drive around the city (famous food market, grocery store - subway ride! other ideas?)

10.00-11.00 St. Isaac’s Cathedral

11.30-13.30 Hermitage museum from OUTSIDE only and church of the spilt blood

13.30-14.30 lunch time- pie shop?

15.00-16.00 boat trip

16.00-16.30 shopping and/or walking around the center

17.00 back to the ship

[lmg1230]

We were in St. Petersburg with our daughters two years ago when they were 12 and 6. We had a private tour for our family and our 2 day itinerary was very similar to yours. We went to Catherine's Palace and Peterhof the first day although we drove both directions. On the second day we went to The Hermitage, St. Nicholas' Cathedral, The Church on Spilt Blood and St. Isaac's. We also went shopping and went for a walk in the park where the Bronze Horseman statue is. If you would like to read more details about what we did then you are welcome to read my blog at www.gonewiththefamily.*****.com

 

We toured inside The Hermitage for about 2 hours. It was very, very busy and it was probably the only time during the two days that my children weren't very happy. Our tour guide ended up taking us to a less crowded part of the museum and the girls were much happier there. I am still glad that we went because I really wanted to see inside the Hermitage. If your family isn't keen on art to start off with then you might prefer just to walk around the square outside.

 

Regarding evening activities - if your visa is with a private tour company then you must be with your guide at all times. If you want to be able to walk around on your own in the evening then you will have to apply for a visa on your own.

 

I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have.

 

Lisa

[lmg1230]

We were in St. Petersburg with our daughters two years ago when they were 12 and 6. We had a private tour for our family and our 2 day itinerary was very similar to yours. We went to Catherine's Palace and Peterhof the first day although we drove both directions. On the second day we went to The Hermitage, St. Nicholas' Cathedral, The Church on Spilt Blood and St. Isaac's. We also went shopping and went for a walk in the park where the Bronze Horseman statue is. If you would like to read more details about what we did then you are welcome to read my blog at www.gonewiththefamily.*****.com

 

We toured inside The Hermitage for about 2 hours. It was very, very busy and it was probably the only time during the two days that my children weren't very happy. Our tour guide ended up taking us to a less crowded part of the museum and the girls were much happier there. I am still glad that we went because I really wanted to see inside the Hermitage. If your family isn't keen on art to start off with then you might prefer just to walk around the square outside.

 

Regarding evening activities - if your visa is with a private tour company then you must be with your guide at all times. If you want to be able to walk around on your own in the evening then you will have to apply for a visa on your own.

 

I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have.

 

Lisa

[CintiPam]

Your itinerary looks pretty good; I know your children will enjoy the Peterhof gardens, with some sneaky fountains to make them wet! That is the place I saw the most children during my four-day visit four years ago.

 

The subway ride is a very good idea, as well as a visit to a grocery store to see how different (or same) it is.

 

Two suggestions: (1) perhaps a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, where it all began; the prison cells there, as well as the Romanov tombs. (2) Also, perhaps a tour of the light cruiser Aurora, which fired the opening shot which signaled the storming of the Hermitage for the October 1917 revolution. We did not tour it, just stopped and strolled alongside it, but my children never passed up a ship visit when they had the opportunity. I still remember my son falling down a flight of stairs on the Intrepid in NYC.

 

BTW, my husband just suggested a visit to the Artillery Museum, which I know nothing about and personally have no desire to visit, but I know he would!:)

[Giantfan13]

I agree with Pam, in that you should not miss the Fortress of Peter and Paul.

 

Since you mentioned you want to spend more time with some of the history, this place, where Peter the Great, as well as the Romanov's are buried, is a must see for any history buffs.

Also, I would not dismiss the Hermitage as just a museum. It is a whole lot more than that. If you are doing a private tour, you can suggest that they skip the art displays, and spend more time viewing the exhibits that deal with the history of the country. Even if you spend a couple of hours there, there are things even the kids will find interesting. They have a marvelous 'Mummy' part that the children should enjoy.

 

here are a few of my pix of St Petersburg to help get you acclimated

 

Outside of Catherine's Palace, you will be greeted by a Russian band to entertain you

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe671.jpg

 

One of the small Palaces at Peterhof

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe718.jpg

 

The hydrofoil boat ride is great and the kids will love it

http://s834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/?action=view&current=europemaster843.mp4

 

On the Canal Boat ride, you will go down many narrow canals with very low bridges

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe774.jpg

 

In the Church of Peter and Paul you will view the resting places of Peter the Great

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe878.jpg

 

In the Hermitage, you can view many 'Mummies'

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster962.jpg

 

Cheers

 

Len

[SJ27]

Hi ksbear,

Which cruise are you on?

fyi we have drawn up a child-friendly itinerary with the help of Alla, pretty similar to yours, and she was very good in tailoring an itinerary rather than trying to get us to stick to "preplanned" itineraries like one or two of the other companies did. (Incidentally she also said Peter and Paul Fortress is a must for the kids!)

I definitely think this is the way to go - it will cost us a bit more p.p. than the bigger (12-20 pax) private tours but still less than the ship's tours, and we get to do what we want when we want. (Yours would work out cheaper than ours p.p. as you have more in your party)

[ksbear]

Thanks everyone for the GREAT information and inspiring pictures. I will include the Fortress of Peter and Paul. I've gone back and forth on the Hermitage.. if we had more time, I'd include it. My son (who is a science fanatic) called the Smithsonian "the Jail of Science" so you can imagine! :) It would be different if any of the adults were keen to do it..

 

img1230, loved your blog!! I will probably be contacting you.

 

SJ27, we're on the NCL Sun, July 10.

 

I'm trying to figure out how to include the fortress. Perhaps we can do an evening canal ride on day 1 and see the fortress during day 2. Does it take long to get from one sight to the next?

[jokskot]

Suggest you send Alla a link to this thread and ask for her proposals

J