Höhepunkte St Petersburg inkl Peter-und-Paul-Festung (kleine Gruppe)

Start your small-group tour with a pickup from your central St Petersburg hotel. Board your air-conditioned minivan or car and drive to St Basil Island, the original city center as planned by Peter the Great when he founded the city in 1703.

As you travel, hear how, despite its relatively short, 300-year old history, St Petersburg has presided over many world-shattering events, including three revolutions and the rise and fall of Tsarist Russia.

On arrival, walk to the eastern tip of the island, known as the Spit of St Basil Island, and absorb the panoramic views over the Neva River, Palace Embankment and glorious Winter Palace across the water. See also the two 18th-century Rostral Columns on the spit that were originally used as lighthouses.

Drive on to the Peter and Paul Fortress, St Petersburg’s oldest building. Enter the complex and discover how it was first built to protect the city in 1703, only to become a notorious prison for political rebels under the Tsars.

Next, head for the Peter and Paul Cathedral inside the fortress walls. The burial place of many of Russia’s Romanov dynasty, this ornate church boasts a richly gilded interior. See the tombs of Peter the Great and Russia’s last Tsar, Nicholas II, whose remains were interred here in 1998.

Take in Nevsky Prospekt, the city's busiest street, and if time allows, stroll along the sidewalks, passing the neo-classical palaces and buildings that line this famous boulevard.

Stop at stunning Palace Square to take pictures of the green-and-white Winter Palace, and and visit St Isaac’s Square to snap photos of the gold-domed St Isaac’s Cathedral.

Later, make your way to the Cathedral of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Marvel at the colorful onion domes of the church and view its mosaic-coated interior as you hear how it was built where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in 1881.

After your roughly 3-hour tour, enjoy a drop-off back at your hotel, where your experience ends.