Walking Tour of St. Petersburg - PZ47
Transfer pier to St. Petersburg. Enroute, enjoy views of Russian Orthodox Church, St. Isaac's Cathedral & Bronze Horseman. From square, start walk along Neva River towards main square of city. On way, enjoy sights on Neva's opposite bank of Academy of Arts, Menshikov Palace, Academy of Sciences & Chamber of Curiosities. Proceed to Palace Square. Reboard coach & proceed across River to view walls of Peter & Paul Fortress. Debark coach for walk along canal to Square of Arts. Coach waits on square for return to ship. Note: must walk approx 2 miles over even surfaces, inclines & steps. Have approx 30 mins for shopping. See full description for important & complete notes.
Transfer from the pier to the downtown area of St. Petersburg, and en route you will enjoy views of a unique 18th century Russian Orthodox Church, St. Isaac's Cathedral, and finally the Bronze Horseman, the most famous monument to the founder of St. Petersburg - Peter the Great, an equestrian statue created by the famous French sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet. The monument was meant to be a tribute by Catherine the Great to her famous predecessor. According to a 19th century legend, enemy forces will never take St. Petersburg while the "Bronze Horseman" stands in the middle of the city. During the Second World War, the statue was not taken down, but was protected with sand bags and a wooden case. In that way, the monument survived the 900-day siege of Leningrad virtually unhurt.
From this square, you start your walk along the Neva River embankment towards the main square of the city. On your way, you will enjoy the sights on the Neva's opposite bank including the Academy of Arts, the Menshikov Palace, the impressive building of Peter the Great's 12 Ministries, the Academy of Sciences, and The Chamber of Curiosities which houses the Museum of Ethnography and Anthropology. Pass by a monument to Peter the Great making a boat that was erected on the sight of the 18th century Admiralty Shipyard where Peter I himself used to work every day.
Proceed to Palace Square, which is considered the city's main square and serves as an example of the marriage of different styles in the most elaborate way. On the northern side of the square stands the Baroque Winter Palace (built in 1754-62 by Bartalomeo Rastrelli). Across the square, on the southern side, there is a classical yellow-and-white building of the former Imperial Army General Staff (built in 1819-29 by Carlo Rossi), whose triumphant chariot announces victory over Napoleon, the theme enhanced by the Alexander Column in the center of the square, dedicated to Alexander I.
Reboard the coach and proceed across the Neva River to view the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress - the birthplace of St. Petersburg, and later the most severe Russian political prison. You will pass by the Field of Mars, the famous Summer Gardens of Peter the Great and Emperor Paul's Mikhailovsky Castle and to finally reach the Cathedral of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood. This Old Russian-style church was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated on March 1, 1881. Built in 1883-1907, the church is designed in the spirit of sixteenth-and-seventeenth century Russian architecture, inspired particularly by St Basil Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow.
Debark the coach for another walk along an 18th century canal to the Square of Arts dominated by the famous monument to Alexander Pushkin by sculptor Mikhail Anikushin. The square itself is a remarkable architectural ensemble and has become one of the most important cultural centers of the city. There you will find the world-known Russian Museum, the Museum of Ethnography, Academic Maly Theater of Opera and Ballet, and the State Philharmonic Society. The coach will be waiting on the square to take you back to the ship along the city's main street - Nevsky Prospect.
Note: Guests must be able to walk approximately 2 miles over even surfaces, inclines and steps. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Due to its nature, this tour is not suitable for guests with walkers or wheelchaires. Time permitting; guests will have approximately 30 minutes for souvenir shopping during the tour.
