Tour to the Musical Festival “Stars of the White Nights in Saint Petersburg”

Arrival at Pulkovo airport in Saint Petersburg to start a music tour in Russia. We will begin with a sightseeing tour for the first acquaintance with the Northern capital of Russia. Drive along the Neva river to watch the fascinating panorama of the city, admire numerous mostly Baroque style palaces, see the impressive Russian Orthodox churches, stop at the warship “Aurora” that gave start to the Russian revolution in 1917 and, finally, drive along the famous Nevski avenue with its numerous shops, restaurants, and theatres. After the arrangements in the hotel and the rest a welcome dinner at the hotel.

After the breakfast visit to Peter and Paul fortress built by Peter the Great in 1703. Visit Petropavlovskaya Cathedral, its spire of 122.5 m has become a symbol of St.Petersburg. The crypts of all Russian tsars tell the history of the Russian Empire throughout 200 years. Continue to the Old Stock Exchange and Rostral Columns on Vassilyevsky island. We will see the first University in Russia, the Academy of the Fine Arts, “Kunstkamera” – the first museum in Russia and other sites.

Cross the Neva river to admire the Bronze Horseman monument of Peter the Great. We will walk by Nevsky Avenue and visit the impressive Kazan Cathedral. In perfect scenario will finish the tour of the day by visiting Yusupov Palace that belonged to one of the wealthiest noble families in Russia.

We want you to learn about the way of life of Russian nobility and the mysterious story of Rasputin’s murder.  Drive to the hotel for rest. In the evening we will enjoy opera or ballet performance of the festival “Stars of the White Nights in Saint Petersburg” at the famous Mariinsky Theatre.

Start the day at the spectacular Anichkov bridge with its famous four Horse Tamers’ sculptures. Then continue to Ekaterininskiy garden with the monumental sculpture of Catherine the Great and enjoy the classicist architecture of the street after Carlo Rossi.

Visit the historic Yeliseyevsky store, one of the oldest food stores in the city designed in Art Nouveau style. Afterward visit the State Hermitage, one of the greatest art museums in the world. We will spend few good hours admiring the masterpieces of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian, El Greco, Velázquez, Monet, Renoir Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, and many, many others.

In the evening enjoy a classical ballet performance in Mikhailovski Theatre or concert at Petersburg Philharmonic.

In the morning we plan to drive to “Russian Versailles” – Peterhof Palace and Gardens Ensemble, UNESCO World Heritage site. There we will visit the most spectacular Russian Baroque Grand Palace. Will admire Monplaisir and Marly palaces and especially the Great Cascade of gorgeous fountains decorated with the gilded statues of biblical images. We’ll also enjoy the beautiful examples of Peterhof Garden design.

After this experience, we head to St.Petersburg to visit Smolny Convent of the Resurrection.  Its Cathedral in blue-and-white is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces of the Italian architect F.B.Rastrelli who has built a lot in the city, including the Winter Palace. Rest at the hotel before the musical event of the festival “Stars of the White Nights in Saint Petersburg”.

After the breakfast visit to Alexander Nevsky Lavra (resting place). The monastery cemetery holds the remains of many of Russia’s outstanding cultural figures, their gravestones are pieces of art themselves. We’ll pay tribute to the great Russian composers Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glinka, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Balakirev, Rubinshtein; novelist Dostoevsky, choreographer Petipa,  and many others.

Next is the visit to the State Russian Museum containing over half a million pieces of the Russian fine arts. We will get acquainted with the rich collection of Russian icons of the XII c., paintings of the artists of XIX c. such as Brulov, Aivazovsky, Repin, Levitan, Surikov, Serov, Vrubel, Antokolski.

We will admire the masterpieces of the Russian “modern” artists: Petrov-Vodkin, Kandinski, Chagall, Malevich, and others. Finish the day at the extremely colorful “Church of the Spilt Blood” – a memorial church built on the spot of the assassination of Tsar Alexander II. Dinner in the Russian National cuisine restaurant with folklore performance.

In the morning visit the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad which commemorates the victims and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad by the Germans that lasted 878 days. We’ll listen to the extracts from the 7th Symphony of Dmitri Shostakovich, dedicated to the defenders of Leningrad.

Back to the city center to visit the huge Saint Isaac’s Cathedral the fourth largest domed cathedral in the world. Its interior is richly decorated with paintings of the leading Russian artists. Its mosaics can hardly differ from a painting. 14 types of different colors of Italian marble were used for interior decoration.

Continue to Saint Petersburg Subway, its stations, decorated in Socialist Realism style tell the visual history of the Soviet Union. In the evening performances at the Mariinsky theatre are waiting for us. After the performance at we offer an option to see spectacular night bridge openings.

Today we continue to follow the lives of the great Russian composers. The first stop will be at the memorial plaque of the last stay of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Continue to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Memorial Museum-Apartment, where one can learn about the composer’s every-day life, see his real belongings and even play on the authentic piano of Rimsky-Korsakov.

Next will be walking in Letny Sad (Summer Garden), where we will enjoy the fabulous combination of the numerous plants with the classical sculptures and fountains. Visit Fabergé Museum, containing more than 4,000 works of decorative applied and fine arts, including gold and silver items, paintings, porcelain, and bronze.

The highlight of the collection is the group of Imperial Easter eggs created by Carl Fabergé for the Russian Tsars. Back to the hotel for rest before the last music event of the festival.

Our music tour to the festival “Stars of the White Nights in Saint Petersburg” is coming to the end. This morning we’ll devote to the fascinating Art Nouveau (Modern in Russia) architecture. Visit Vitebsky railway station, the first in Russian Empire. We will be impressed by the ornate frontage, floriated Jugendstil detailing, semicircular windows, opulent Art Nouveau interior and sweeping staircases.

Its foyer with stained glass and spacious halls boasts a series of painted panels describing the history of Russia’s first railway. We’ll finish our stay in St.Petersburg by exploring the city from quite another angle – from the water. We will take a cruise along the rivers and canals under the numerous bridges of the city admiring the splendid architecture of “Northern Venice“.

Free time for independent activities. In the evening a farewell dinner.