Cruise ship passengers who visit St Petersburg should always choose the visa-free option. Everyone else who visits Russia must obtain a visa, which is complicated and expensive too.
Cruise ships shore excursions qualify for visa-free tours, but independent tours can also offer an excellent Visa-Free 2 day Tour of St Petersburg. Cruise ship passengers can purchase Visa Free tours, but the tour operator actually obtains a visa and assumes responsibility for your visit.
The Hermitage Museum is one of the largest and oldest museums in the world. The Winter Palace is closed Mondays, so plan accordingly. After visiting the Winter Palace, walk to the Admiralty , which is the former naval headquarters. The cathedral dominates the skyline of Old Town St Petersburg. You can pay extra to climb the stairs to the cupola for views of the city. Heading east instead of west will quickly lead you to the Nevsky Prospect, which is a very popular area.
The name Stroganov Palace is related to beef Stroganoff, because the dish was invented by one of the cooks at the palace in the s. Along the street you will find Kazan Cathedral. Across the street from the cathedral is the Singer House with its distinctive art nouveau architecture.
Finish off your visit to the Nevsky Prospect at the Elyseyev Emporium, which is a shopping center and a great place to grab a bite to eat on your St Petersburg walking tour. The church was built over the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated at this spot in March The church was built in memory of Tsar Alexander II, who was assassinated at this location. Arts Square gets its name from the large number of museums, theaters and concert halls that share this area with the Russian Museum.
