2013 At-A-Glance This exclusive winter program features the Hermitage as a destination unto itself. With special access and private tours by Hermitage scholars, this is a rare occasion for art aficionados to discover one of the world s greatest museums. Exhibit specialists guide you through featured collections, affording you the privileged opportunity to experience a side of the Hermitage not open to the public. Your discoveries away from the museum allow you to immerse yourself in the glories of St. Petersburg, touring famous sights, dining at St. Petersburg s finest restaurants, seeing a ballet or orchestral performance and mingling with your host family at a communal apartment. Dates available: January to April and October to December 2013 St. Petersburg 12GOH 3.19.13 CST: 2052644-40
Included Features Accommodations for 7 nights at deluxe Grand Hotel Europe*, a cultural and culinary landmark located on Nevsky Prospekt, adjacent to Arts Square Private expert-led Hermitage tours including privileged access to the state-of-theart Storage Facility 4 guided tours visiting sights in St. Petersburg Most meals: 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 5 dinners, including meals at some of St. Petersburg s finest restaurants Tours & lectures led by Hermitage curators & historians Culture Curriculum SM : lectures on the Hermitage and Palace of Peter the Great; performance at the Mariinsky or Mikhailovsky Theatre or Philharmonic Society Intimate group size limited to just 12 guests of like-minded travelers. * Hotels are subject to change without notice at which time, a comparable alternative will be offered. Included Tours: Hermitage tour of popular galleries St. Petersburg by night Hermitage s Hidden Treasures exhibition Egyptian collection Hermitage s Treasury II Panoramic city tour Hermitage s Treasury I Kommunalka visit Hermitage s Storage Facility Catherine s Palace excursion
Journey Highlights Hermitage s Storage Facility Visit the Hermitage s off-site state-of-the-art Storage Facility. With only about one tenth of the three million pieces on display at the museum, our exclusive behind-the-scenes visit allows you to see how the world-class collections are stored when not on display. See paintings by great Masters, a collection of imperial carriages and furniture, sculptures, icons and much more. Your afternoon is at leisure followed by a Farewell Dinner at the Old Customs House, widely regarded as one of St. Petersburg s best restaurants. Private Hermitage Visit Enjoy a private and privileged full-day visit to the Hermitage while it is closed to the public. Explore the most popular galleries, free from other visitors. Begin with a guided survey of the Museum s many rooms including the Peter the Great Memorial Throne Room, Armorial Hall, main Throne Room and the Military Gallery of 1812. See the famous Peacock Clock and continue touring the Italian Galleries with various pieces by Leonardo and Titian. The visit also includes a private lunch in the Hermitage Staff Canteen, which is not open to the public. Kommunalka Visit Visit a traditional Kommunalka, a communal apartment, where your host family invites you to see their home and enjoy a light lunch of tea accompanied by typical Russian pierogi.
St. Petersburg Itinerary Day 1 St. Petersburg, Russia St. Petersburg airport transfer* Hotel check-in Free time to explore St. Petersburg Day 2 St. Petersburg, Russia Full-day at leisure Afternoon lecture by a Hermitage historian or curator Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Day 3 St. Petersburg, Russia Exclusive tour inside the Hermitage s most popular galleries when closed to the public Lunch in the Hermitage Staff Canteen St. Petersburg by night tour Day 4 St. Petersburg, Russia Tour the Hermitage s Hidden Treasures exhibition, Egyptian collection & the Treasury II Panoramic city tour of St. Petersburg Evening at leisure Day 5 St. Petersburg, Russia Tour the Hermitage s Treasury I Visit to a traditional Kommunalka Lunch with host family Day 6 St. Petersburg, Russia Behind-the-scenes tour of the Hermitage s Storage Facility Farewell Dinner Day 7 St. Petersburg, Russia Catherine s Palace excursion Free time to explore St. Petersburg at your leisure Included Meals: Breakfast Day 8 St. Petersburg, Russia Morning at leisure St. Petersburg airport transfer* Included Meals: Breakfast * Airport transfers included when air is purchased from Viking River Cruises. Transfers must be with flights that arrive/depart on hotel check-in or check-out day only.
The Viking Experience General Physical Fitness Our tours and cruises are not physically demanding, however, because of the nature of many of the sites you will be visiting, this tour may not be appropriate for guests with certain medical conditions and physical restrictions. Walking tours are often on uneven ground or cobblestones and may include stairs and steep inclines. If you have concerns or questions, please discuss the nature of your itinerary with your Viking River Cruises Travel Consultant.
Before You Go Visit our website at vikingrivercruises.com (or vrc.com) where you can not only learn more about all the places you might go with Viking, but you can also immerse yourself in the experience from the comfort of your own home. There is information abound and you can watch videos of destinations, take a virtual tour of a cruise ship or get a list of recommended readings. Passports & Visas Passports and visas are necessary and required for U.S. citizens for this itinerary. Non-U.S. citizens, please check your consulate for visa information. Viking s All-Inclusive Airfare & Transfers For your convenience, you can purchase roundtrip trans-oceanic air travel directly from Viking in conjunction with your river cruise or cruisetour. Viking s air packages are a great value because they include your transfers between airport and ship or hotel. And, when you reserve your air with Viking and purchase Viking s all-inclusive travel protection policy, your air travel is covered by the policy as part of your Viking itinerary. Select from more than 165 different gateways (additional gateways available) in economy or the upgraded service of Business Class (trans-oceanic portion); once your reservation has been made, we will confirm your flight schedules 75 days before departure. E-Check Program Viking offers special incentives when you pay via e-check (electronic debit to your checking account) a quick and convenient way to pay for your vacation. Ask for details when making your reservation. Viking Travel Protection Viking Travel Protection allows you to cancel your trip for any reason. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that whatever may arise even a pre-existing medical condition you retain 100% of your travel value. Premiums are based on trip cost and start at only $249 per person! Climate Average High/Low Temperature ( F) Destination Jan Feb Mar Apr Oct Nov Dec St. Petersburg 23/12 23/12 34/18 45/30 45/37 36/28 28/19 *Information contained in this document is subject to change without notice.