SAMPLE PROGRAM FOR 100 GUESTS
Day One
Arrival to St. Petersburg by plane. Meet and greet by the guides. Your luggage goes directly to the hotel while coaches make a brief panoramic drive of the main embankments of the powerful Neva River on the way to our hotel.
Express check-in at the Grand Hotel Europe - the historic deluxe hotel built in the 19th century in the heart of the city, One The Leading Hotels of the World. One of the oldest city hotels, Grand Hotel Europe was carefully renovated in 1991 and preserved the charm of the old hotel with traditions in combination with latest modern conveniences. The main city avenue - Nevsky Prospect and the largest department store - Gostinny Dvor are just a few steps from the hotel.
Tonight welcome cocktail and dinner are served in the elegant Krysha Ball Room, located on the top floor of the hotel, under the beautiful stained-glass ceiling. Russian balalaika trio entertains… Overnight.
Day Two
Buffet breakfast. Start the day with a very special tour of the famous Hermitage museum. By special arrangement we enter the museum one hour prior to the official opening hour. You admire the State Rooms of the Winter Palace in full privacy and then proceed to the priceless masterpieces exhibited in other Hermitage buildings. The residence of Russian Emperors in the past, nowadays the Hermitage comprises 5 palaces and is one of the largest museums in the world.
Panoramic city tour. Discover St. Petersburg - a city of infinite charm with its majestic palaces, churches and cathedrals, river embankments, beautiful parks and innumerous bridges - a city of imperial proportions and romantic vistas which has been a source of inspiration for the generations of artists. Visit Peter and Paul Fortress - a historical nucleus of the city. Enjoy St. Peter & Paul's Cathedral, which is the burial place of all Russian Emperors, and then proceed to the main Bastion of the fortress to see one of the most beautiful panoramas of the city.
Gourmet dinner with welcome champagne and wines is served on board the comfortable restaurant-ship "New Island". Return to hotel and overnight.
Day Three
Buffet breakfast. This morning we drive to the environs of St. Petersburg where Russian Emperors and heirs of the throne built magnificent gala residences. First, we visit Catherine's Palace & Park in the town of Pushkin. It was built for the Empress Elizabeth - daughter of Peter the Great and later became the summer residence of the Empress Catherine the Great. Combination of white and blue, the facade is the longest in Europe (more than 1000 m). The interior design abounds in gilded carvings and mirrors. Apart from the breath-taking Throne Hall one of the most interesting rooms here is the Amber Room. Looted by the Nazi during World War II it has been recently restored back to its original design.
Genuine Russian lunch at Podvorie restaurant. The restaurant is located in the neighboring town of Pavlovsk. It is a huge typical for North-West Russia wooden log-house reminding of a fortress. Enjoy simple and tasty Russian cuisine, local wine and free flowing Russian vodka. Listen to the folklore Cossack's singing and try to play yourself with some traditional wooden musical instruments.
Return to hotel for rest and time for independent exploration of the city.
One more unique event awaits you in the evening - Russian ballet performance in the unique Hermitage Theatre - the private theatre of the Czars in the past. Built by the order of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great the theatre is connected by the arch with the buildings of the Old Hermitage. It has amphitheatre shape according to the fashion of the 18th century. The famous and the most dramatic ballet "Giselle" by Adam is performed privately for the group by the soloists of the world-known Mariinsky Theatre (formerly Kirov ballet). The performance takes 2 hours with one intermission.
After the performance have a short walk along the Winter canal to the historical building on Moika River - the former palace of a nobleman Abamelek-Lazarev. Built in 1915 the palace has got the name "The Last Palace" because the October Revolution broke out in 1917. A gourmet dinner is served in the White Hall of the palace with classical entertainment by chamber string quartet. Overnight.
Day Four
Buffet breakfast. This morning we drive to the most famous summer residence of Russian Emperors - Petrodvorets (also called Peterhof). It is located 25 km west on the Gulf of Finland. It history begins in 1704 when Peter I built a wooden house on the Gulf. In 1723 the enlarged palace became official summer residence, later it was expanded by Empress Elizabeth and called Grand Summer Palace. We enter the Palace before its official opening hour to avoid crowds and enjoy the beauty of the gala rooms in private. At 11:00 guests enjoy the solemn ceremony of the fountains start-up. After a pleasant stroll over the Lower Park decorated with more than 170 fountains guests approach the shore of the Gulf and board a hydrofoil to make a return to the center of the city (approx. 30 minutes).
Lunch is served at the Senate restaurant located in the basement of the former Senate building.
Vaulted ceiling and gastronomic cuisine.
After lunch visit St. Isaac's cathedral - the fourth highest cupola cathedral in the world with a breath-taking interior design. The cathedral can accommodate 13000 worshippers at a time. The tour will end with guided shopping in the best shops of the city… Return to hotel early to have a rest before gala dinner.
Gala Dinner at the Yusupov Palace
Guests arrive to the palace by 7:00 PM. The tour of the palace starts from the private chambers of the family - the richest family of Russia after Czars. One of the most interesting rooms here is the room where notorious Rasputin was shot by the young count Yusupov in 1916. The guests split in smaller groups visit the room in the maze of the palace where the assassination took place. They listen to the dramatic story and see wax figures of Rasputin, count Felix Yusupov and other conspirators.
On the main stairs guests are greeted by the costumed hosts of the palace and proceed to the suite of beautiful gala rooms. A string quartet entertains…
An elegant cocktail of champagne, black label Russian vodka and canapes is served in the Precioza and Antique halls before guests are invited to the unique Home Theatre of the Yusupov family where a live opera concert is given by the soloists of St. Petersburg Opera (30 min). After the concert guests proceed to the White Column Hall for the most outstanding Imperial dinner reminiscent of those of Yusupov's time. A group of 18th century dancers opens the evening with a polonaise or minuet and the exquisite four-course dinner under heavy chandeliers starts...
Day Five
Buffet breakfast.
Free time to buy your last memorable souvenirs.
Depart to the airport to your flight.
