Tour operating company UTS has been successfully working in the travel industry for over 15 years. Our prior segments are business travel, sport & events travel, online hotel reservation and incoming to Russia & the former USSR. Our company has experience of more than 6 years in arranging shore excursions for cruise passengers coming to St. Petersburg.
The Baltics & Northern Europe cruise ships which arrive in St. Petersburg usually spend at least two days here (one overnight). We offer you a typical 2 days program.
2 Days Package
DAY 1
08.00 Meet and greet at the cruise port * City orientation tour
Excursion to Peterhof
(Great Palace, Park)
Lunch at restaurant
Excursion to Pushkin
(Catherine’s Palace and Park)
18.00 Return to the ship
DAY 2
08.00 Meet and greet at the cruise port
Visit to the Hermitage
Lunch at restaurant
Visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress
17.00 Return to the ship
The 2 Days Package includes:
Tour Ticket processing service *
English speaking or Spanish speaking guide
Transport services
2 lunches
Guided tours:
City orientation tour
Peterhof: Great Palace in Peterhof, Park in Peterhof
Pushkin town: Catherine’s Palace in Pushkin, Park in Pushkin
The Hermitage
The Peter and Paul Fortress
* Note: A Russian visa is needed for the passengers who disembark and see the city alone (without a guide). Cruise ship passengers who visit St. Petersburg under the guidance of a licensed local guide do not need a Russian visa. The Tour Ticket issued by UTS Travel must be shown at the passport control in order to prove the purchase of the tour and the dates of stay. The Tour Ticket cost is included in the shore excursion packages provided by UTS Travel.
The price for 2010 packages is under development.
Contact us:
Maria Dyakova
Manager of Incoming Department
Office: +7 (812) 324 33 93, ext. 124
Fax: +7 (812) 324 33 31
E-mail: incentivespb@utsrussia.ru
Rivers and Canals Boat Tour (duration of excursion: 1hour) A ride on the canals of St.Petersburg is an excellent way to see the city and to understand why it is often called the "Venice of the North". The city was built on water, on numerous islands in delta of Neva River. You will travel on the Neva river, as well as Fontanka and Moika canals. You will gain a new perspective on the city from water-level and will discover that all the St.-Petersburg embankments, faced with granite, have their own distinctive character and a special charm. The magnificent architectural ensembles, churches, cathedrals and monuments seem to exist in astonishing harmony with the watery elements.
Evening Entertainment Options: Performance at the MariinskyTheater Better known in the West as the Kirov (the name it received during the Soviet era), this historic theatre recently restored its original name (which honoured Alexander II's wife Maria). The Mariinsky was built in 1860 as an opera house, but its reputation rests largely on the ballet that was added to its repertoire two decades later. The list of the most prominent stars includes Vatslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Catching a performance at the Mariinsky is an integral part of any visit to St. Petersburg.
Evening Entertainment Options: Performance at the Hermitage Theater The Hermitage Theatre is one of the buildings of the State Hermitage Museum. It was created by Giacomo Qarenghi in the 1780s. The first performance was held on its stage on November 16, 1775. The theatre is connected to the Old Hermitage by an arch, designed by Yuri Felten. The Audience Hall was built in the shape of an amphitheatre. For more than a hundred years it was a private theatre of royal family. Nowadays it is used as a lecture hall of the Hermitage Museum and as a stage for ballet and opera performances, chamber music recitals. Ballet performances worth seeing in the Hermitage Theatre: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker.
Evening Entertainment Options: Folklore Show at Nikolaevsky Palace “Feel Yourself Russian” One of the best folklore shows in the city performing in a former royal palace located in the very historic centre of St.Petersburg. A two-part concert includes folk songs, folk dancers and world-famous musical compositions, songs and dances of the North and South of Russia.
The show lasts 1 hour 50 min (including a 30 min break).
During the intermission the guests are offered different beverages (vodka, wine, Russian champagne, juices, mineral water) and canapés (topped with caviar, ham, cheese). Souvenir stores are open.
Hall capacity: 300 persons.
St.Isaac’s Cathedral (duration of excursion: 1 – 1,5 hours) The Cathedral, designed by the French architect Montferrand, is one of the finest monuments of the XIXth century, the former principal cathedral of the Russian capital. The largest cathedral in the city is able to accommodate about 13000. A characteristic feature of its decoration is the combination of monumental sculpture, painting and mosaic to form an overall artistic unity of the great power. The interior is richly adorned with marble, malachite, lapis lasuli, and porphyry. Approximately 220 pounds of precious metal were used for gilding its magnificent golden dome. The series of documents, plans, engravings and models show the history of the cathedral’s construction.
The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood(duration of excursion: 1 – 1,5 hours)
The Temple of the Resurrection of the Christ, better known as the Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood, stands on the bank of the Griboyedov Canal, in the very centre of the city. Its 5-cupola building, designed in neo-Russian style by the architect Alfred Parland, is a superb example of Russian architecture and monumental and decorative art of the late 19th century. The church was built on the place where the Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881 by members of the revolutionary and terrorist organization “People’s Will”. This accident gave the second and more widely used name to the temple. Inside and outside the church is richly adorned with Russian mosaics, precious stones, enamel and colored tiles.
The Yussupov Palace (duration of excursion: 2 hours)
The most sumptuous non-imperial palace in St. Petersburg was the home of the rich and powerful Yussupov family, who from the mid-18th century until the Revolution, moved in the most powerful circles in Russia. The Yusupovs were great collectors of art, and after 1917 most of the collections were moved to the Hermitage and Russian museum, but the interiors are still impressive: the various reception rooms, state rooms used for entertaining Russian aristocrats, the beautiful private theatre that looks like a cosy version of the famous Mariinsky theatre. The palace contains an exhibit dedicated to an event which occurred in the palace in 1916: the assassination of Rasputin. It is one of the most well-known stories of Russian history and the exhibit retells the story and shows the two rooms where it all happened.
Visit to Pavlovsk town (duration of excursion: 3 hours) Pavlovsk is located within 3 km from Pushkin. The land was originally used as royal hunting grounds. The site was given by Catherine the Great to her son Paul I in 1777. The classical style palace was designed by Charles Cameron and completed by Vincenzo Brenna and Carlo Rossi, after Paul’s accession to the throne in 1796 it was used as an official imperial residence.
Saint Petersburg Metro Tour
The Saint Petersburg Metro is the underground railway system in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It has been open since 1955. The system exhibits many typical Soviet designs and features exquisite decorations and artwork making it one of the most attractive and elegant metros in the world. Due to the city's unique geology, the Saint Petersburg Metro is one of the deepest subway systems in the world and the deepest by the average depth of all the stations. The system's deepest station is 105 metres below ground. Serving nearly three million passengers daily, it is also the 13th busiest subway system in the world.
The Russian Museum (duration of excursion: 2 hours)
This museum contains the world’s largest and richest collections of Russian art. It is located in the Mikhailovsky Palace built by Carlo Rossi in 1825 for the youngest son of Tsar Paul I – Grand Duke Mikhail - and turned into the museum by Alexander III in 1898. The collection of Russian art spans from the icons of the 13th century to the Avantgarde paintings of the early 20th century including those by Kandinsky, Malevitch, Shagal and Altman. Also on display there is a wide collection of ceramics, iron works, porcelain, wood carvings, and lace.
Contact us:
Maria Dyakova
Manager of Incoming Department
Office: +7 (812) 324 33 93, ext. 124
Fax: +7 (812) 324 33 31
E-mail: incentivespb@utsrussia.ru
Saint-Petersburg is a city of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city's other names were Petrograd (1914–1924) and Leningrad (1924–1991). Founded by Tsar Peter I (a.k.a. Peter the Great) of Russia on 27 May, 1703, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713–1728, 1732–1918). Saint Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917. It is Russia's second largest city after Moscow with 4.7 million inhabitants. Saint Petersburg is a major European cultural centre, and an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea. Saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia. Among cities of the world with over one million people, Saint Petersburg is the northernmost. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Russia's political and cultural centre for 200 years, the city is sometimes referred to in Russia as the northern capital. A large number of foreign consulates, international corporations, banks and other businesses are located in Saint Petersburg. Saint-Petersburg is often called the Venice of the North thanks to the numerous small rivers and canals all over its area. The city was built on 101 islands which are joined with more than 366 bridges. St.Petersburg is rich of architectural treasures, such as:
Peter & Paul Fortress, located on an island at the Neva River, first construction in town and former political jail of the tsars; in its cathedral most of the Russian tsars are buried, among them is also the last one, Nicolas II and his family. The Hermitage, the biggest art museum of Russia and a world treasure of fine arts, paintings especially.
The Nevsky Prospect, Vassilievsky Island and the banks of the Neva with their numerous splendid palaces, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood, the Winter Palace Square and Alexander Column are among the other places to be seen or visited.
The Catherine’s Palace in Pushkin town.
The Summer Palace in the Tsar’s Village, a town 25 km south of St. Petersburg (renamed after famous Russian poet Pushkin) was created in the early 18-th century for Catherine I - the wife of Peter I, later expanded and redesigned for Empress Elizabeth and remodelled again for Catherine the Great. The baroque Catherine’s Palace was left in ruins by the Nazi at the end of World War II, and is today a masterpiece of restoration. The exterior features golden domes and blue and white facade mouldings, while the interior positively gleams and glitters with mirrors, chandeliers and gilded woodcarvings. The famous Amber Room is a must see when visiting the Catherine’s Palace. The parks of the estate with the enchanting Grotto and Hermitage Pavilions add to the splendour of the palace.
The Grand Palace in Peterhof.
The spectacular Peterhof Palace is located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, 34 km from St.Petersburg. Set in magnificent gardens, Peterhof is reminiscent of Versailles and was only used by royalty for State occasions. The Grand Palace, built for Peter I, enlarged by Rastrelli for Empress Elizabeth and later remodelled for Catherine the Great, was almost completely destroyed by the Nazis in World War II but has been restored to its full splendour. The pendulous chandeliers, paintings, china dinner sets are originals; as they were fortunately removed before the German occupation. The gardens are dotted with the fountains, charming pavilions and summerhouses facing the sea.
The Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an inland sea located in Northern Europe, bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. The Baltic sea is about 1600 km (1000 mi) long, an average of 193 km (120 mi) wide, and an average of 55 m (180 ft) deep. The maximum depth is 459 m (1506 ft), on the Swedish side of the center. The surface area is about 377,000 km² (145,522 sq mi).
The touristic cruise route connects countries along the Baltic Sea: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Saint Petersburg (Russia) is the biggest coastal city with population 4,700,000 (metropolitan area 6,000,000).
The ports in Saint-Petersburg
The Ocean Cruise ships usually dock at 5 different ports of St. Petersburg, located in different parts of the city.
The Marine Facade (Morskoy Fassad) on Vassilievsky Island The Marine Facade is a brand new, modern passenger port opened in 2008 on the west of Vassilievsky Island, rather far from the downtown of St. Petersburg. The new port is part of the city's "Marine Facade" development project and is due to have seven berths in operation by 2010. Additionally, this newly reclaimed territory will be home to a new business district for the city. This new district will be focused on building offices and headquarters for large companies, as well as business-class and deluxe apartments.
The Marine Terminal (Morskoy Vokzal) on Vassilievsky Island
The Marine Terminal is the official, rather outdated, passenger port terminal of St. Petersburg, where international cruise liners have been served. It is located on the south-west of Vassilievsky Island at the mouth of the River Neva, further away from the city towards the sea, and far from the downtown of St. Petersburg. Around the terminal there are residential buildings and the Expo Center. The distance to the beginning of the Nevsky Prospect and the Palace Square is almost 5 km, about 4 miles.
The Cargo Port of St. Petersburg
This is the huge port where all the biggest cruise ships dock (Princess Cruises, P&O, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean). It is totally built for the purpose of handling cargo and freight, however, it is used for the cruise ships and passengers because for the time being there are no other docks large enough for them to park. The port is located in the western part of St. Petersburg, far from the downtown. The distance to the center of the city is about 10 km or 7 miles. All in all, it takes about 30 minutes to drive from the port to downtown.
The English Embankment (Angliskaya naberezhnaya) The English Embankment (on the River Neva) is located literally in the heart of the city, within the walking distance from the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Museum, from the Nevsky Prospect and the entire downtown area. The distance to the Palace Square and to the beginning of Nevsky Prospect is about 1,6 km, or 1 mile, straight along the river embankment street, which is one of the most picturesque walks in the city.
The Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment (naberezhnaya Leitenanta Shmidta)
The Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment is across the river from the English Embankment (see above), however this is already part of another region of the city, called Vassilievsky Island. The distance to the Palace Square and to the beginning of Nevsky Prospect will be about 3 km, or less than 2 miles.
Our guests’ comments:
Outstanding service. Helpful & knowledgeable. Will recommend to friends & family! Tour exceeded our expectations!
John Gourley (May 2009, Norwegian Jewel ship)
Everything was great. Our guide Julia was extremely knowledgeable & helpful. The driver was very courteous & drove safely to beautiful sites. I will recommend this tour!
Daisy Gourley (May 2009, Norwegian Jewel ship)
When we met our guide I was pleasantly surprised we were in a small group & a van. The driver was friendly, helpful and always checked to make sure we were comfortable. He made sure we were safe but got us to our destinations as quickly as possible.
Christine Primka (May 2009, Norwegian Jewel ship)
Our guide was excellent & really informative. I enjoyed the tour & really saw so much. Our driver was good too. I will recommend this tour to my clients. Thank you.
Viviann Julas-Bryant (June 2009, Century ship)
We loved our guide & our driver was great. They both did everything possible to accommodate our requests and were extremely well prepared.
Bill & Joanna Ric (June 2009, Century ship)
It was a delightful two days, informative, comprehensive, interesting and caring.
Walt & Lilly Hangold (June 2009, Century ship)
Well thought-out itinerary. Disappointed by lengthy traffic jam which shortened time of viewing (not UTS fault). It was a pleasure to visit your beautiful city and to enjoy the many treasures & historic sights.
Joyce E. Rich (May 2009, Emerald Princess ship)
Our guide gave us an interesting introduction to my first visit to beautiful St.Petersburg which I enjoyed very much.
Owen Hall (May 2009, Emerald Princess ship)
Most enjoyable two days. Would have loved third day. Thank you.
Lesley Lonsdale (May 2009, Jewel of the Seas ship)
I enjoyed the town. Excellent driver! Excellent tour guide – interesting, well-informed and entertaining.
Jon Powel (May 2009, Emerald Princess ship)
UTS Travel is very fortunate to have such a knowledgeable, excellent guide. Her English is very clear and she has a wonderful personality! Thanks for giving us 2 wonderful and very interesting days in St.Petersburg!
Frank Norman (July 2009, Constellation ship)
Our guide was superb! Ten stars knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, courteous, cheerful. Thanks for providing the tour!
John Hutchings (July 2009, Constellation ship)
Wonderful experience – well worth doing. Guide knowledgeable, terrific driver. Thanks.
Joe & Jan Rigert (July 2009, Norwegian Jewel ship)
This was a terrific tour. I will recommend it to all my friends. Our guide was very patient, involved and awesome.
William Atteberg (May 2009, Norwegian Jewel ship)
Our tour guide was wonderful. I’ve never seen and enjoyed so much and learned so much in such a short amount of time. All the attractions were excellent and well-chosen, beautiful, interesting and exciting. I got wonderful pictures.
Elfreda Mann (August 2009, Jewel of the Seas ship)
Super service!
L. Tamayo (August 2009, Jewel of the Seas ship)
Maintain the good work!
Isabel Keane (August 2009, Vision of the Seas ship)
The best tour guide and driver I have had in Europe! I have been to many cities and she is the most friendly, knowledgeable, honest, helpful and accommodating guide. The driver is learning English and was able to communicate effectively.
Samantha Wilder (August 2009, Vision of the Seas ship)
Contact us:
Maria Dyakova
Manager of Incoming Department
Office: +7 (812) 324 33 93, ext. 124
Fax: +7 (812) 324 33 31
E-mail: incentivespb@utsrussia.ru
City orientation tour
08.00 Meet and greet at the cruise port
A ride on the canals of St.Petersburg is an excellent way to see the city and to understand why it is often called the "Venice of the North". The city was built on water, on numerous islands in delta of Neva River. You will travel on the Neva river, as well as Fontanka and Moika canals. You will gain a new perspective on the city from water-level and will discover that all the St.-Petersburg embankments, faced with granite, have their own distinctive character and a special charm. The magnificent architectural ensembles, churches, cathedrals and monuments seem to exist in astonishing harmony with the watery elements. 
Better known in the West as the Kirov (the name it received during the Soviet era), this historic theatre recently restored its original name (which honoured Alexander II's wife Maria). The Mariinsky was built in 1860 as an opera house, but its reputation rests largely on the ballet that was added to its repertoire two decades later. The list of the most prominent stars includes Vatslav Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, Mikhail Baryshnikov. 
The Hermitage Theatre is one of the buildings of the State Hermitage Museum. It was created by Giacomo Qarenghi in the 1780s. The first performance was held on its stage on November 16, 1775. The theatre is connected to the Old Hermitage by an arch, designed by Yuri Felten. The Audience Hall was built in the shape of an amphitheatre. For more than a hundred years it was a private theatre of royal family. Nowadays it is used as a lecture hall of the Hermitage Museum and as a stage for ballet and opera performances, chamber music recitals. Ballet performances worth seeing in the Hermitage Theatre: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker.
One of the best folklore shows in the city performing in a former royal palace located in the very historic centre of St.Petersburg. A two-part concert includes folk songs, folk dancers and world-famous musical compositions, songs and dances of the North and South of Russia.
The Cathedral, designed by the French architect Montferrand, is one of the finest monuments of the XIXth century, the former principal cathedral of the Russian capital. The largest cathedral in the city is able to accommodate about 13000. A characteristic feature of its decoration is the combination of monumental sculpture, painting and mosaic to form an overall artistic unity of the great power. The interior is richly adorned with marble, malachite, lapis lasuli, and porphyry. Approximately 220 pounds of precious metal were used for gilding its magnificent golden dome. The series of documents, plans, engravings and models show the history of the cathedral’s construction.
(duration of excursion: 1 – 1,5 hours)
The most sumptuous non-imperial palace in St. Petersburg was the home of the rich and powerful Yussupov family, who from the mid-18th century until the Revolution, moved in the most powerful circles in Russia. The Yusupovs were great collectors of art, and after 1917 most of the collections were moved to the Hermitage and Russian museum, but the interiors are still impressive: the various reception rooms, state rooms used for entertaining Russian aristocrats, the beautiful private theatre that looks like a cosy version of the famous Mariinsky theatre. The palace contains an exhibit dedicated to an event which occurred in the palace in 1916: the assassination of Rasputin. It is one of the most well-known stories of Russian history and the exhibit retells the story and shows the two rooms where it all happened.
Pavlovsk is located within 3 km from Pushkin. The land was originally used as royal hunting grounds. The site was given by Catherine the Great to her son Paul I in 1777. The classical style palace was designed by Charles Cameron and completed by Vincenzo Brenna and Carlo Rossi, after Paul’s accession to the throne in 1796 it was used as an official imperial residence. 
The Marine Facade is a brand new, modern passenger port opened in 2008 on the west of Vassilievsky Island, rather far from the downtown of St. Petersburg. The new port is part of the city's "Marine Facade" development project and is due to have seven berths in operation by 2010. Additionally, this newly reclaimed territory will be home to a new business district for the city. This new district will be focused on building offices and headquarters for large companies, as well as business-class and deluxe apartments.
