A premonition of Christmas in St. Petersburg

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Feel like a part of the imperial family in Rozhdestvensky St. Petersburg. Exclusive walks through the private chambers of the grand ducal palaces and private residences are waiting for you, where stories about the fate of the Romanovs come to life. In the evening, you will be captivated by the magic of a thousand candles at a concert in the mansion and the magical ballet "Cinderella" at the famous Mikhailovsky Theater.

Take a walk through the snow-covered parks of Peterhof and unravel the main illusion of Russian art. This tour will open up to you the private, family Peterhof of the Emperors and give you an encounter with the mystery of Kuindzhi's genius. You will decide for yourself what is the secret of the glow of his legendary "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper" in the walls of the Russian Museum.

Location

Saint-Petersburg

Sightseeing tours

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Classics in candles

Immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere of a romantic concert in one of the most luxurious mansions in St. Petersburg, where music sounds in the warm glow of the fire

Closed halls

You will learn the secrets of grand ducal life in Vladimir's Palace on an exclusive tour of the state halls, where ordinary visitors cannot access.

The private life of the Romanovs

You will visit the cozy family residences of Peterhof — the Cottage and the Farmer's Palace, where the atmosphere of the personal space of the imperial family is preserved.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Excursion to the Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. The concert "#in_ candlesticks
You arrive at the hotel on your own.
A transfer to the hotel from the train station/ airport is available for an additional fee and must be booked in advance: from 2,300 rubles/car.
Check-in at the hotel from 15:00.
From 14:00 to 15:30 in the lobby of the hotel you will be greeted by a guide with a sign "About Petersburg". You can approach at any convenient time in this interval. He will answer all your questions and provide you with updated tour programs.
15:30 Meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby. Departure to the program in a comfortable minibus.
16:00 Excursion to the Palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich ("House of Scientists"). An exclusive route with a visit to the indoor halls in a mini-group!
The "Small Imperial Court" was the name given to this palace before the revolution, one of the most famous grand ducal palaces in the city. It was built in the eclectic style that was fashionable at the time.
Here, in the halls decorated with the richest collections of art objects, social life literally "boiled": balls, literary and musical evenings were organized.
During the tour, you will be able to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of grandeur and luxury, so characteristic of imperial times, admire the magnificent interiors and hear a story about the fate of its inhabitants.
18:15 Dinner at the restaurant.
20:00 Concert "#in candlesticks: Classical masterpieces in Polovtsov's Mansion". The series of events in candlesticks transforms the most beautiful and unusual halls of St. Petersburg into cozy concert venues, filling the space of the halls with the warm light of thousands of candles, which creates a unique atmosphere and an ideal background for making music.
This evening, one of the most luxurious palace halls in St. Petersburg will be filled with the sounds of timeless, popular classical music by such composers as P.I. Tchaikovsky, A. Vivaldi, J. Massenet, S.V. Rachmaninov and others.
Category A tickets (3-5 rows of stalls).
Recommended dress code: cocktail.
End of the program: hotel.
Program duration: ~6.5 hours (ending at ~22:00).
Day 2 - Bus tour "Unexplored Peterhof". Ballet "Cinderella" at the Mikhailovsky Theater
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby. Departure to the program in a comfortable minibus.
Bus tour "Unexplored Peterhof". We will dedicate this day of the tour to the family of Emperor Nicholas I, who is rightfully considered the "second father" of Peterhof after Peter the Great.
Under Nikolai Pavlovich, the number of parks of the Peterhof country residence expanded, a Cottage and a Farm Palace were built, which were used for the private life of the imperial family, where we will visit today.
Excursion to the Farm Palace in Alexandria Park. The charming summer residence of the imperial family in Alexandria Park, the only palace in Russia that was built specifically for Alexander II.
Initially, it was a modest pavilion with a farm, but gradually turned into a vast two-story palace.
On the ground floor of the building, the imperial chambers have been restored, telling about the private country life of the Romanov family.
The second floor of the palace is devoted to the historical and cultural project "Peterhof summer residents", where more than 300 museum objects give an idea of the nature of the country culture of these places at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries.
Excursion to the Cottage Palace in Alexandria Park. The "Family hearth" of Emperor Nicholas I and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna. The interiors of the palace, filled with authentic things, preserve the atmosphere of family comfort and warmth.
The cottage has survived to this day with almost no alterations. And this is its uniqueness.
Lunch at the restaurant.
16:00 Return to the hotel.
Free time, preparation for the evening event.
17:00 Meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby. Transfer to the theater by comfortable minibus.
18:00 Ballet "Cinderella" at the Mikhailovsky Theater. Are you ready for a miracle? An unforgettable evening awaits you at the famous Mikhailovsky Theater. We will go to the magical ballet "Cinderella" - a story about kindness, dreams and true love!
The hallmark of the production was a successful combination of good ballet antiquity and modern stage technology. Computer-generated visual effects peacefully coexist with traditional costumes and props.
Seats in the stalls, duration: 2 hours 15 minutes (2 intermissions).
Independent return to the hotel after the performance.
The place of completion of the program: the city center, Mikhailovsky Theater (Arts Square, 1).
Program duration: ~11.5 (ending at ~20:15).

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Day 3 - Walking tour to Benoit Building. Guided tour of the Arkhip Kuindzhi exhibition. The illusion of light"
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Room release before 12:00 (before or after the end of the program — at your discretion). You can leave your belongings in the hotel's luggage room.
09:00 Meeting with the guide in the hotel lobby. Departure for a walking tour.
We provide headphones for your convenience and a comfortable walk.
Walking tour to Benoit Building. Our hotel is located in the very center of St. Petersburg, so it will take no more than a 20-minute walk to the museum.
Along the way, you will find unforgettable decorations of festively decorated St. Petersburg. You will walk along the shiny Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street past the elegant DLT House of Leningrad trade, admire the Spas—on—Blood from the Italian Bridge, and cross the mystical Griboyedov Canal.…
Russian Russian Museum's branch, the Benoit Building, will end our little trip, where the big event of this cultural season awaits you — a monographic exhibition by one of the most unusual Russian artists, known for his technique of creating impressive lighting effects in landscape painting.
Guided tour of the Arkhip Kuindzhi exhibition. The illusion of light." The exhibition is based on the Russian Museum's own collection, which is the largest and most representative collection of Arkhip Kuindzhi's works in the world.
The works of the Russian Museum, which reflect all periods of the brilliant artist's life and work, will be complemented by works from other leading museums in the country.
The main secret of the artist's works, such as "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper", lies in experiments with pigments, the use of contrasts between light and dark tones and the peculiarities of applying layers of paint.
His technique was so unique that his contemporaries tried to unravel its secrets, but other artists could not repeat it.
Your opinion: the magical glow of the "Moonlit night on the Dnieper" – maybe there is a light bulb behind the canvas after all?
The place of the end of the program: museum, city center.
Program duration: ~2 hours (ending at ~11:00).
After visiting the museum, you will return to the hotel on your own.

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

2 nights

Comfort

Upscale

The tour includes hotel accommodation.

The cost of the tour for 1 person under the "Burning Tour" promotion, RUB.:

Room category	Adult 1/2 DBL	Child under 13 1/2 DBL	The third in the room is a child under 13 years old	The third person in the room is an adult	Single room
classic	51150	51150	-	-	64310
superior	52770	52770	48020	48020	67850

The cost of the tour for 1 person without a special offer, RUB.:

Room category	Adult 1/2 DBL	Child under 13 1/2 DBL	The third in the room is a child under 13 years old	The third person in the room is an adult	Single room
classic	53840	53840	-	-	67690
superior	55550	55550	50550	50550	71420

A new hotel in a top location. "Helen Hotel" is a modern story in monochrome tones, effectively filled with all the necessary attributes of comfort

108 functional rooms in neoclassical style with private bathroom with shower. The rooms vary in size and configuration and are presented in categories: Luxury, Deluxe, Superior, Modern, Classic, Standard. Several rooms have a balcony. The windows overlook Bolshaya Morskaya and Gorokhovaya streets, as well as the courtyard.

Tillander restaurant with buffet breakfast, Suzor Lobby bar.

Conference room for 30 people.

The very center of St. Petersburg. 500 m to St. Isaac's Cathedral, 600 m to the Admiralty and 700 m to the Hermitage, within walking distance to all major attractions.

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Tour conditions

Group

From 8 to 14 tourists

Minimum age

16 years old

Duration

3 days 2 nights

Group meets at

Saint-Petersburg

Included in price

hotel accommodation;
meals included in the program: 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner;
tour service; entrance tickets to museums;
theater ticket (seats in the stalls);
business class minibus according to the program (departure from the hotel).

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to St. Petersburg and back;
meals not included in the tour program: 2 lunches and 2 dinners;
meeting and departure at the railway station or airport;
personal expenses.

It's important to know

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification

$735

2 – 4 Jan, 2027 3 days 2 nights

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Reviews Leave a review

VM
Valentina Matyushina

about provider

14 Apr, 2026

I was impressed by the views of the palaces
VM
Varvara Malikova

about provider

1 Mar, 2025

I had no idea what to expect from this tour. I came across a website online and decided to fill out the booking form, though I was quite nervous about whether it was trustworthy. I was contacted via Telegram by Yulia, who guided me through every step of the process. She provided all the details about the tour I had initially chosen, and when I realized it didn’t quite fit my budget, she asked about my interests in St. Petersburg and personally selected alternative tour options for me. She also helped me find suitable accommodation within my price range. The payment was made in two installments. I really appreciated how they sent all necessary documents promptly at each stage. Yulia was incredibly responsive, answering all my questions quickly—both via the Telegram bot and email. I’m so grateful to her for her support and incredible patience! After completing the payment, I received a contract, which I signed and returned. They also sent me a ticket with all the tour details, and one day before the trip, I received a voucher. A huge thank you to Yulia for her outstanding assistance! And many thanks as well to Big Country! Now, I won’t hesitate to book another tour.
E
Eleanora

about provider

27 Feb, 2025

The excursions were organized in an excellent way!