ST. PETERSBURG

St Petersburg is one of the biggest and most beautiful cities in Europe. This Baltic city was founded by Peter the Great to drag Russia into the modern age. Still today it remains the ìWindow to the westî, with its European architecture, the lifestyle and the incredible artistic vibe.

HISTORY AND ART

• Founded by Emperor Peter the Great in 1703, St. Petersburg was the capital of the Russian Empire until 1918. The city has attracted talented and ambitious people from all over Europe. Rich in history, art and culture is famous for its vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere and some of the most beautiful architecture in the world.

• Exclusive opening of the State Hermitage Museum, visit the main collection outside normal hours, the second-largest art museum in the world,  founded in 1764. Its collections incorporates over 3 million items, including the largest collection of paintings in the world and now the permanent home of the Hermitageís exceptional collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. Exclusive demonstration of the Peacock Clock, one of the most prominent and enchanting pieces of the Museum.

• Unique private guided tour with an art historian at the State Russian Museum, formerly the Russian Museum of His Imperial Majesty Alexander III. The worldís largest collection of Russian art, housed in a unique architectural complex in the historical center.

• Explore the first stone building in the city, The Menshikov Palace, a Petrine Baroque edifice situated on Vasilyevsky Island. Since 1981, it has served as a public museum, a branch of the Hermitage Museum with a collection of Russian art of 17th and 18th century.

• With a professional architect visit St. Isaacís Cathedral with Colonnade, built by order of Tsar Alexander I, one of the largest churches in Saint-Petersburg and one of the most impressive buildings in the city center. Inside the cathedral, explore an exhibition telling the incredible story of its construction, reach the summit of the cathedral in order to discover one of the best panoramic views of the city.

• Indulge in Faberge Museum, settled in a perfectly restored palace that will plunge you in the magnificence of the Imperial times, privately visit the museum that boasts one of the richest and biggest collection of artworks by the famous jeweler Peter Carl Faberge. A highlight of the museumís collection is the group of nine Imperial Easter eggs created by FabergÈ for the last two Russian Tsars. The collection includes refined everyday objects, tableware, master paintings, and Russian icons.

• With a professional architect visit to Peterhof Park, former residence of the Emperors and the home of several palaces with the Grand Palace as its main landmark.  Be amazed by the halls, brightly decorated with gold, marble and numerous mirrors.  In summer get enchanted by the incredible collection of fountains in the gardens.

WHITE NIGHTS FESTIVAL

The White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg is an annual international arts festival during the season of the midnight sun and consists of a series of classical ballet, opera and music events. Due to the latitude, St. Petersburg is well known for the remarkable natural phenomenon ìwhite nightsî, which lasts from late May until mid-June. It became a symbol of the city and a time rich with festivals, entertainment, and cultural events. During the festival, there are daily evening performances at the Mariinsky Theatre (either ballet or opera) and almost daily evening performances at the newly built Mariinsky Concert Hall – one of the best-sounding halls in the world.

• Assist to one of the most spectacular performance sitting in VIP seats for a unforgettable experience.
• Exclusive access to sneak behind the scenes of the legendary Mariinsky Theatre.
• Attend to an unique and exclusive dinner with an international celebrity guest.
• Assist to a private performance where celebrities perform on the stage and attend a ballet with the best Russian dancers at the Hermitage Theatre and  at Yusupov Palace Theatre.
• Travel along river and canals with a private VIP Cruise, breathtaking views from the water and bridges over the city architecture, travel along the canals and from a unique perspective explore the city, making your visit unforgettable.
• With your private transportation discover the highlights of the city to get a bright impression of St. Petersburg: Nevsky prospect, the Kazan Cathedral, the Winter Palace, Vasilievsky Island, St. Isaac Cathedral, the Senate Square and the Palace Square, and a special stop at Peter and Paul Fortress.
• Experience the comfortable hydrofoil Meteor that from Peterhof Park will take you back to the city center across the Gulf of Finland to the heart of Saint-Petersburg.
• Enjoy an exclusive trip back in time on a historical locomotive from Saint Petersburg to Tzarskoe Selo (Pushkin)
• In Puskin park enjoy a private picnic as the Russian Tzars used to do during summers since the end of 18th century.
• Travel back in time by stepping on board the memorial Aurora Cruiser, currently preserved as a museum ship, which played an important role in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Get access to the engine room.
• Fire the cannon at noon at Petropavlovskaya Fortress. This tradition originates from Peterís epoch, when the cannons announced the beginning and the end of the working day, alerted the local citizens about the floods and marked important state events.

EPICUREAN

• Lunch at Terrassa Restaurant nestled on the top of one of the tallest building in the city center, it is all about breathtaking views and delicacies.

• Exclusive and private dinner in Peterhof Palace, former residence of the Tsars, a soirÈe of magic atmosphere and entertainment to delight all senses.

• Experience a private cruise to Peterhof along Neva River, on the Volga-Volga, a first class restaurant located on a motor boat with an open deck.

• Taste and reimagine the traditional Russian cuisine at the Petrusha Restaurant. Discover the classic dishes and their history, compare them with the latest surprising gastronomic inventions.

• Dinner at the Repa Restaurant, where authentic dishes of national cuisine come with a unique selection of Russian wines and distillates curated by a star chief sommelier.

MOSCOW

The spiritual and political heart of Russia, the epicenter of Russian power, a dynamic metropolis with its remarkable architectural monuments, superb museums and a rich cultural life. Itís home to the commanding presence of the Kremlin, the apex of Russian politics, and the countryís most staggering buildings.

HISTORY AND ART

• With a history professor visit the Mausoleum where rests the founder of the Soviet State, Vladimir Lenin, an in-depth immersion into Russian modern history.
• Guided VirtualReality tour walking through the city center, Red Square, and around the Kremlin, explore the unknown architectural masterpieces of Moscow through state-of-the-art VR glasses.
• Discover the St Basilís Cathedral with an art historian, one of the most famous landmarks of Red Square and see its unique wall paintings, impressive collection of ancient Russian icon painting and masterpieces of ecclesiastical applied art.
• Enter the Kremlin and its red brick walls, discover the 20 towers holding their own unique history and the power of the country, learn about the anecdotes and the secrets of this incredible complex.
• Visit the Tretyakov Gallery the worldís most important collection of works by Russian artists that holds the finest collection of Russian icons the most completed permanent exhibition of the art of the 20th century.

ENTERTAINMENT

• Dive into the diverse and colourful Russian culture and go through the bread and salt ceremony delighted by musicians performing traditional pieces on balalaika and accordion.
• At Bolshoi Theatre, the largest theatre in Russia and one of the most significant in opera and ballet, assist from your VIP seats to one of the most amazing performance of operas or ballets.
• In the Red Squareís St. Basil Cathedral delight your hears with an exclusive and private performance of Choral singing.
• Usually open solely to military personnel and with a strict permit system, get access to the Star City: the famous Cosmonaut Training Center; learn about the history of the Center, visit the largest cosmic centrifuge and the extraordinary hydro testing laboratory.
• Get initiated to the Russian Steam Bath ritual and discover the sacred meaning of the Russian sauna; for centuries Russians believed that in banya they would get purified in body and soul.

EPICUREAN

• Dinner at Pushkin CafÈ  where an award-winning chef will guide you through the most delicious meals of the Russian and French 19th-century cuisine, using some of the immortal novels by Tolstoy and Chekhov.
• Gourmand lunch at the new restaurant of Alexander Rappoport in Park Zaryadye. Voskhod restaurant is out of time and fashion, explores the dishes of the cuisines of the USSR in a familiar, close and native culinary space.
• Unforgettable dinner at the White Rabbit restaurant,  one of The Worldís 50 Best Restaurants, it celebrates the latest trends with fascinating gastronomy shows.
• Exclusive dinner at Beluga Restaurant, get mesmerized while choosing between dozens varieties of caviar, fish from Russian regions and one of the worldís widest choices of vodka