Tour St Petersburg with us
Explore Russia's Northern Capital
with A local Guide and Feel Part of the City
Want to tour St Petersburg individually? Looking for a unique personalized tour? If you have not yet found what you're looking for, then let us help you.
If you are about to come to Saint Petersburg and you’re thinking of touring the city, then don’t look further! You’ve just landed in the right place with the right people.☺
We, Davide and Anastasia, can help you organize and customize a private tour of Saint Petersburg and its environs according to your time, needs and interests. We can provide you with a knowledgeable and friendly local guide who speaks your language and loves the city as much as we do.
Thanks to our local connections you can Tour St Petersburg the way you want without following a horde of fellow tourists. When you book a private tour with us we'll take care of everything so that you can enjoy the sights stress-free.
Whether you come by plane, by ship, by train, or by bus, it doesn't matter! If you are a small or large group of people, no problem! If you are a young or an old couple, solo traveler or family with kids, no worries! Whatever your travel needs are we'll work with you to make your visit a lifetime experience.
TOUR ST PETERSBURG WITH US
Interested? If so, find out more below and send your tour request today.
WHY TOUR ST PETERSBURG WITH US
Simply because we are different and enthusiastic about showing you, your friends, and family our beautiful city.
If you don't know yet we are not a travel agency! Our independent travel website
is for self- travelers or anyone who prefer to organize things
on their own, and wish to tour the city at their own pace of life with the help of a local, or someone who has been there and done that.
Our primary goal was, is now, and always will be, provide free first-hand information to help travelers like you to plan a trip to St Petersburg Russia and enjoy their stay. But as people often ask us for recommendations about tours, we've decided to challenge ourselves and have also started to organize private tours together with a selective team of local guides who have shared their knowledge and experience with us up to now.
We've been doing that for the past 5 years, and as you can check here for yourself, all the people we served in the past were satisfied with our service. Today, we do still organize tours, and in order to do that, we continue to collaborate with a number of great licensed guides who are recognized by the local tourism office and have worked in the tourism industry for many years.
Of course, you can find many other city's tours that you see advertised on Trip Advisor, Viator, or elsewhere, the competition is really huge, but we believe that only with us you can experience the city like a local, and enjoy a high-quality private tour tailored to your taste.
Why? Because we adopt a unique approach, which differs from any other tour companies in the city, and our customer's reviews speak for themselves.☺
what you get
Now, to impress you a little more, we are happy to tell you that when you tour St Petersburg with us you can expect to...
- ...be entertained, engaged and have fun;
- Learn much about the history of St Petersburg, its architecture and monuments;
- Get the best value for your money. We'll buy special entrance tickets to every museum, park, or palace you wish to see so that you skip the crow. Arrange your tour vouchers, if you come by ship; and/or assist you with your visa application. Also, we'll supply you with a modern and comfortable car, van, or bus with a professional driver, depending on the size of your group;
- Enjoy your tour in your native language. Currently we offer tours in English, Italian, German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Chinese, Bulgarian, with more languages to come);
- Plunge into the atmosphere of the Northern Capital with friendly and professional guides who won’t only give you bare facts, dates, and names, but also introduce you to the mysterious world beyond the city guidebooks;
- Discover sides of the city that many people never get to see;
- Get a real inside view into Russian life;
- Be treated as individuals in a setting which easily allows all of your questions to be answered;
- Have detailed and authentic information from our knowledgeable experts who will help you to put all you see into a clear context;
- Be able to personalize your tour based on your schedule, budget, preferences and of course your places of interests.
Our tours are perfect for:
- Cruise ship passengers;
- Visitors with special interests;
- Individual travelers;
- Couples;
- Families with kids;
- Large or small groups;
- Senior travelers or disabled people;
- Educational groups;
- VIP travelers.
ABOUT OUR TOUR GUIDES
Finding a local tour guide in St Petersburg is not that difficult, but finding one who is enthusiastic about sharing their city with you it is hard.
There are many young and middle-aged tour guides ready to work with you. Some are qualified and experienced and they are eager to share their interesting stories, cultural knowledge and love for the city, others are not.
We, at St
Petersburg Essential Guide, have managed to find not only
local guides that have many years of experience and have
successfully passed their exams at the first attempt and got licenses to the museums, but also individuals who hold a degree in
Russian literature, art, and history, and have traveled abroad.
Our team is made up of people that along with their well-earned certificate have a solid university background and a deep knowledge of the city who enthusiastically love to share it with visitors like you. This undoubtedly add an enormous value to the tour!
That's why we believe that if you're going to tour St Petersburg with us, you'll be impressed as much as we were by the insight, competence, and personality of our tour guides.
Why do we think so?
Simply because we have met each one of them, talked to them, and had a short excursion with them too. But, most of all, if our previous clients were happy and satisfied with our private tours, we believe you too will be, at least we hope so.☺
HOW we PLAN your TOUR
Wondering how we plan your tour? Here's how...
- Firstly, start browsing around our large section of St Petersburg Russia Tours so that you can get an idea of what kind of tours we offer.
- Secondly, choose the tour that you'd like to do or gather any ideas or interests you have in mind for creating a completely new tour itinerary.
- Thirdly, fill out the form below accurately with all the details requested, including any extra information you want to add. The more info you give to us, the better it is!
- After sending your tour request we will look over your message, and later we'll deliver to you a first draft of your tour itinerary along with an estimated cost of it.
- From there on we'll gather additional information from you in order to adjust the tour according to your interests, time and budget.
- Once you're happy with the tour we've designed for you we'll proceed with the reservation, which consists of sending us a small deposit via PayPal or Wire Transfer as a confirmation of your attendance.
Please keep in mind that in order to organize your private tour we need a notice well in advance. The more time you give us, the better your tour will be!
SEND A TOUR REQUEST TODAY
Ready to tour St Petersburg with us? If so, request a Free Tour Quote today by filling out the yellow form below in all its parts.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Have you got a question? If so, take a look below at our most frequently asked questions.
WHEN TO BOOK A TOUR?
We recommend that you make a reservation in advance as our tours can fill up quickly, and extra time is really needed to take care of the whole organization of your tour, such as find a tour guide, arrange a transportation and tour vouchers, book a restaurant, buy tickets to museums, etc. So reservations for a 1, 2 or 3 days should be booked from 14 to 180 days in advance. While reservations for bike tours, boat tours, and walking tours, or anything else that does not entail in buying admission tickets can be accepted within 3 days.
HOW & WHEN TO PAY?
If you're interested in booking a tour with us, we ask that you pay a deposit in advance to secure the booking. The deposit can be paid via PayPal, Bank Transfer, or Western Union. Once the first payment has been cleared, you'll pay the balance due upon your arrival to the guide and driver. Our guides accept Euro, Dollars, and Rubles, but not credits cards! Further details will be given upon your confirmation if you tour St Petersburg with us.
WHY PAY A DEPOSIT?
The deposit serves as a sign of confirmation from your side and helps us to cover the initial expenses of your tour. It includes admission tickets to museums, entrance port fees and parking, visa tour vouchers, and our service fee, etc. Further details will be given upon your confirmation if you tour St Petersburg with us.
HOW CAN I CANCEL THE TOUR?
You can cancel your tour reservation by sending us an email no later than 7 days prior to your arrival. When you cancel a tour the payment sent to cover the initial cost of the tour is not refundable. Why? Because tickets have been already bought, and they are not refundable.
ARE YOUR GUIDES LICENSED?
Of course they are! All our tour guides are registered at the Federal Agency of Tourism of the Russian Federation.
SHOULD I TIP THE GUIDE & DRIVER OR NOT?
Gratuities are up to you and are not included in the price! If you've enjoyed the tour feel free to give a tip to the guide and driver. Sure they'll be happy! We recommend 10% of the tour cost to the guide, and 5% to the driver to be given separately.
WHY DO YOU ASK FOR A SKYPE ID?
We can answer all your questions and discuss the planning of your tour via Skype. Our chat will be led in English, Italian, Portuguese or Russian and it will last less than an hour. For a one to one Skype/Phone consultation, I may have to charge you a fee of 45Euro. Further details will be given upon your confirmation if you tour St Petersburg with us.
DO YOU PROVIDE VISA SUPPORT?
Yes! If you are applying for a Russian visa we can provide you with the compulsory invitation letter or so-called visa document support. Find out more Here! While, for visitors coming by ship we provide you with tour vouchers, but only if you book a tour with us. For your information, the tour voucher operates as a legal document and replace the need of applying for a Russian visa, if you stay less than 72hrs in the city. A copy of your passport is required in order to make the tour vouchers if you tour St Petersburg with us.
WILL THERE BE TIME TO DO SHOPPING?
Of course Yes! When you tour St Petersburg with us there is time for chilling, eating, and shopping. Just ask and we will include extra time to let you buy Russian souvenirs or make shopping or anything else you wish. Further details will be given upon your confirmation if you tour St Petersburg with us.
CAN I TAKE A BREAK WHEN TOURING WITH YOUR GUIDES?
Certainly! But it depends on which tour you take and how much time you have left. If you are booked on a group tour, it will be difficult for you to take more than a few moments to rest. This is because it is hard for a guide to manage all of the needs of all of the people in your group. For this reason, we recommend that you consider booking a private option, where your unique needs can be easily accommodated.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Written by Davide C.
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