You will see famous symbols of the city: St. Isaac's and Kazan Cathedrals, Peter and Paul Fortress, Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, Palace Square, Hermitage (Winter Palace), Bronze Horseman, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Summer Garden, cruiser "Aurora" and much more.
During the bus excursion (1.5 hours) there is a 10-minute exit for sightseeing: the cruiser "Aurora", St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island (there is WC at this stop).
After the bus tour you visit the Hermitage(2 hours) – one of the largest museums in the world, with a collection of about three million works of art. Accompanied by an experienced Hermitage tour guide, you will take a walk through main halls of the Winter Palace: Alexander, Armorial, White Marble, Large and Small Throne Halls, Gallery of the War of 1812, Malachite Living Room; see world famous Peacock watch and wonderful Hanging Garden! The guide will take you to the main masterpieces of the Hermitage - works Leonardo Da Vinci("Madonna Litta", "Madonna Benois"), Rembrandt(“Danae”, “Return of the Prodigal Son”) and other collections of painting and sculpture.
- Ticket to the Hermitage included included in the cost of the excursion.
- Entrance to the museum is provided without a queue.
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Why choose this excursion:
Our modern tourist buses They will delight you with their comfort, and large panoramic windows will allow you to see all the beauty of the city.
- A professional guide will give you maximum interesting information. Our requirements for a guide include not only a license, but also a great love for St. Petersburg. The museum tour is accompanied by experienced Hermitage tour guide.
The optimal route that will allow you to see the main attractions of the city and visit one of the largest museums in the world!
- Three stops with access for a more detailed examination of architectural ensembles and monuments. A great opportunity to take unforgettable photos.
Ticket to the Hermitage included included in the cost of the excursion. You won't waste time in line! IN you can see even more on your own, as uhThe tour ends at the Hermitage! *For example, we recommend that you visit the halls of the Ancient World and Ancient Egypt, admire paintings by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro at the Impressionist exhibition, as well as sculpturesthe inimitable Rodin.
In the city on the Neva, you can’t help but visit one of the most grandiose museums in the country - the Hermitage. Experience the riches of world history collected in the famous Winter Palace complex, the former residence of the Emperor of Russia, and five other museum buildings with an experienced guide. On an excursion to the Hermitage you will find yourself in the mesmerizing imperial halls and see masterpieces from antiquity to the present day. Acquaintance with the Hermitage takes place in large and small excursion groups. GoRu contains the most interesting excursions around the Hermitage in St. Petersburg for children and adults: book offers from the best organizers and immerse yourself in the world of art together with professionals.
Which tour of the Hermitage should you choose?
From the private collection of Catherine II, the Hermitage became one of the largest museums in the world. It contains monuments of art and everyday life of Eastern and European cultures from various eras, from collections of Egyptian and ancient antiquities to exhibitions of contemporary art in the General Staff Building. St. Petersburg's tours of the Hermitage are all very different: thematic, for children, with an emphasis on antiquities, imperial halls, impressionist paintings or masterpieces of the 18th-19th centuries.
- Guided tours of the Hermitage. These can be either individual excursions to the Hermitage or group ones. The guide will take you to the most famous works: “Madonna and Child” by Leonardo da Vinci, “The Holy Family” by Raphael, “Saint Sebastian” by Titian, “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt, “Apostles Peter and Paul” by El Greco and other world masterpieces await visitors Hermitage. Also visit the expressionist exhibitions in the General Staff Building, where the guide will tell you about the paintings of Van Gogh, Cézanne, Degas, Monet and other great artists. On excursions around the Hermitage, art critics and historians of St. Petersburg who possess oratory skills and a sense of humor introduce you to the life of the most valuable art collections.
- Sightseeing tour of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The Hermitage Museum is located in 6 buildings: the famous Winter Palace, the General Staff, the Winter Palace of Peter I, the Menshikov Palace, the Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, and the restoration and storage center “Old Village”. An excursion to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, therefore, can take place at several addresses, sometimes quite distant from each other. A sightseeing tour to the State Hermitage will show in a few hours the masterpieces that are so treasured by the Russian museum community.
- Tour of the halls of the Hermitage. These can be excursions to the diamond storeroom of the Hermitage, excursions to the gold storeroom of the Hermitage, an excursion to the knights' hall of the Hermitage and other excursions through the halls of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. You will see the imperial library, office decoration, and a hall with a throne. Gold all around and rare trees underfoot with views of the Neva from the windows recreate the palace atmosphere of the times of the Russian Empire.
- Tour of the Egyptian halls of the Hermitage. Separately, let's talk about the halls with antique sculptures, Egyptian sarcophagi, mummy and other household items of ancient peoples. These are unique collections that are definitely included in children's excursions to the Hermitage. On excursions for schoolchildren around the Hermitage, children will see what kind of dishes they ate from before our era, what kind of jewelry they wore, and learn about the features of ancient art and life. Children's excursions to the Hermitage are held for different age groups: excursions for children 5, 6, 7 years old and older.
- Sightseeing tour with a visit to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The Winter Palace is the main ensemble of the Hermitage, together with the General Staff Building, located on Palace Square. The famous Alexander Column rises on it. The place itself is memorable; it is not for nothing that it is called the “heart” of St. Petersburg. If you want to see ceremonial St. Petersburg in all its grandeur, then go on a sightseeing tour of the city with a visit to the Hermitage. As a rule, this is a bus tour with a visit to the Hermitage, on which you can see the entire city in a few hours. Everything is planned out, so an excursion to the Hermitage without a queue is a familiar task for a guide. The center with its embankments and palaces, combined with the luxurious halls of the Winter Palace of the Hermitage, will transport you to the capital of the Russian Empire.
- Excursions to the Hermitage storage facility. Many collections and rare masterpieces of art are not exhibited in the main buildings of the Hermitage. At a distance from the center, the modern building of the Hermitage was built - the restoration and storage center “Old Village”, or the Hermitage storage facility. Excursions are also held there, and exhibitions are open to visitors. It is also interesting to see what modern technologies are used in museums to preserve valuable monuments.
Book any of the excursions to the Hermitage now! Buying tickets online on GoRu takes only 4 minutes. We sell tickets without extra charges or commissions. The rubricator and search engine will help you choose a specific tour. On the excursion page you will find reviews from people who have already visited it and photographs from the route.
Choose any of 8 excursions to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg: the current schedule and prices for November – December 2019 are already on the website.
We will send paid tickets by email and duplicate them in an SMS message. In some cases, you may need to print your tickets and take them with you before your tour. We kindly ask you to arrive at the meeting point 15-30 minutes before the start of the program.
The Hermitage is the pearl of St. Petersburg and has repeatedly taken first place in ratings of the best museums in Europe. The recognizable facade of the Winter Palace in the Baroque style overlooks Palace Square and the Neva embankment. The museum complex includes 4 more buildings: the Small, the Bolshoi, the New Hermitage and the Hermitage Theater. Three million exhibits are exhibited in 365 halls, which can only be fully viewed in 11 years. On self-guided tours of the Hermitage you will be able to see the most famous masterpieces of a unique collection.
How the museum was created
The history of the Hermitage began with the private collection of Catherine II. In a secluded outbuilding (which gave the museum its name), the empress enjoyed masterpieces of painting. The museum was opened for ordinary visitors by Nicholas I in 1852. Here are the main milestones in the formation of the exhibition:
- 1764 - Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky transfers a collection of paintings to Catherine II as a debt.
- 1769 - acquisition of the exhibition from the minister of the Polish king.
- 1772 - annexation of the gallery of Baron Pierre Croz. It was then that the famous paintings by Titian, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Rubens and Raphael moved to the museum.
Throughout her life, Catherine the Great bought paintings from private collections in Europe. Alexander I and Nicholas I continued the work they had begun. In the middle of the 19th century, the last important acquisitions were made: the Tatishchev collection and masterpieces from the collection of the King of the Netherlands.
After the revolution, many impressionists and classic paintings from nationalized collections “moved” to the Hermitage.
How to find your way inside
To navigate this huge world of art you need to have a special education. We provide a general layout of the halls and a description of the most significant places in the museum:
- Pavilion hall, famous for its luxurious interior.
- Raphael's Loggias is a complex of 13 buildings filled with paintings and sculpture on biblical themes.
- The Armorial Hall of the Winter Palace, which previously served for ceremonial receptions of emperors.
- Alexander Hall, which presents the history of the Patriotic War.
- The Malachite Living Room (formerly the Jasper Living Room), decorated with precious stones and recognized as the most expensive room in the palace.
- Maria Alexandrovna's living room is a small room, striking with ornate ornaments and rich interior decoration.
- A concert hall famous for its sculptural decoration and unique collection of silverware.
- White Hall with an exhibition of French masters of the 18th century.
The New Hermitage, in rooms 100-131, houses exhibits from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. And you will linger for a long time in the Knights' Hall if you come to the museum with children. In the halls of the Great Hermitage, the most famous rooms contain works by Titian and Leonardo da Vinci.
What to see first
Tourists in St. Petersburg are usually limited in time, so information about the main attractions of the museum that are worth seeing first will be important to them:
- Collection of 17th century Dutch art located on the 2nd floor.
- Exhibition of impressionists and post-impressionists.
- A collection of works from the Renaissance, led by the Leonardo da Vinci hall. Two paintings by Raphael Santi and a sculpture by Michelangelo are also kept here.
- “Diamond” and “Golden” storerooms, where you will see the jewelry of the royal family and numerous gifts to the imperial court.
It is forbidden to be alone in the storerooms. You will have to order a separate ticket and pay for the services of a guide.
Most tourists imagine the Hermitage as a classical collection of paintings and sculptures, but the true face of the museum is more lively, interesting, and mysterious. Here are just some facts:
- For a long time, the museum opened its doors exclusively to selected visitors. Even A. Pushkin had to ask the influential Zhukovsky for permission to admire priceless works of art.
- This is the only government agency where cats officially “work.” Today there are about seventy of them, they are sent letters and gifts, films and reports are made.
- In the museum’s storage rooms you can still find a previously unknown exhibit, “lost” in the archives.
- During the time of Nicholas II, a collection of cars that the Emperor collected was exhibited in the Hermitage.
- The ghosts of the Hermitage are an important part of the mythology of St. Petersburg.
- Every year the museum is visited by 5 million people.
- To pass all the buildings, you need to cover 24 km.
Excursions to the Hermitage
Excursions to the Hermitage are becoming the best way to see the most interesting things without wasting time queuing at the ticket office and wandering around the halls on your own. Depending on the duration, you can choose the following options:
- An hour-long walk for organized groups is suitable for tourists with limited time. You will get an overview of the museum and see some of the main masterpieces of the collection.
- Private three-hour tour. You will study the main exhibits in detail and will not lose valuable time. After all, a professional guide will offer you a pre-planned route. In addition to the name and authors of works of art, you will learn a lot about the history of the museum and its exhibits.
- Thematic excursion dedicated to the most mysterious exhibits (duration one and a half hours). The ancient civilizations of Egypt and Greece hide many secrets and mystical coincidences that are difficult to examine on their own. The guide will lift the veil over the beliefs of our distant ancestors. You will learn the sacred meaning of mummification and how to read the tattoos of ancient mummies.
- A two-hour program of exploring lesser-known exhibits “The Hermitage without traffic jams”. The tour is suitable for connoisseurs of painting and sculpture who have thoroughly explored the most popular rooms of the museum. You will rediscover this treasure trove of culture by seeing little-known paintings by the Dutch and Flemings. The guide will tell you about the features of the interior and architectural solutions of the building.
- Excursions for children in an interactive form. The guides take into account the age of the listeners and present information in a language they understand.
On the official website of Sputnik you can purchase a ticket to the Hermitage without queues at the same cost as at the box office. For detailed descriptions of routes and schedules, please check the portal pages or contact managers by phone.
Practical information
Address
St. Petersburg, Palace Embankment, 32-38
Operating mode
Museum opening hours from Tuesday to Sunday: from 10:30 to 18:00, on Wednesday doors are open until 21:00. Closed - Mon.
How to purchase tickets
There are several ways:
- At the museum box office. They close an hour before the complex closes. All types of tickets are sold here, including discounted ones.
- Through the Internet. Today this is the most convenient and fastest way to get to the museum without queuing. Entrance for such visitors is through Shuvalovsky Proezd (from Millionnaya Street or from Dvortsovaya Embankment).
- Terminals in the courtyard. Here you will quickly buy a ticket, but will not receive the required benefits. In this case, you need to enter through the Saltykovsky entrance (passage along the left side of the Big Courtyard).
The cost of a discount ticket (for citizens of Russia or Belarus) is 400 rubles, a regular ticket (entrance to the Hermitage and the General Staff) is 700 rubles. Special expositions are paid additionally - 300 rubles for the Diamond and Golden Pantry.
If you want to purchase discounted tickets through the box office, arrive at least an hour before opening. To purchase, you will need to present a Russian or Belarusian passport.
On the third Thursday of every month you always visit the museum for free. The same right is enjoyed by children (preschoolers and schoolchildren), students (must present a student ID) and pensioners (Russian citizens with a pension certificate).
How to get there
The State Hermitage is located in the very center of the city. Below is a map of the main attractions of the city to make it easier for you to navigate the routes.
You can get there by metro (stations “Nevsky Prospect”, “Admiralteyskaya”, “Gostiny Dvor”); by bus No. 7, 10, 24,191; by trolleybus No. 1, 7, 10, 11. Ground transport stop "State Hermitage".
Note:
- Inside, all visitors can borrow a floor plan of the halls for free.
- You will have to leave the water in the cloakroom, but there are shops and cafes inside where you can have lunch.
- You can take amateur photos for free; for professional photo and video shooting, purchase a special sticker, which is better to stick on the camera.
Prepare for a long journey through the halls; shoes and clothes should be comfortable. Those interested can use an audio guide (available with a deposit in the Jordan Gallery and at the Jordan Staircase site).
Luxury and architecture of the halls of the Winter Palace
Our tour will begin at the Jordan Stairs and move on to the halls of the ceremonial suite of the Winter Palace: Field Marshal's, Petrovsky, Armorial and Throne Halls. We will observe how eras and architectural styles replace each other, how the tastes of the Russian nobility change from room to room, how the Russian culture of that time is reflected in their interiors. Let's talk about the creation and practical use of each room. We will see the Pavilion Hall, the Big and Small Spanish Skylights, the Knights' Hall, the Terebenev Staircase, the Gallery of Ancient Painting, the Raphael loggias - symbols of the empire, combining luxury, monumentality and airy lightness.
Works by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters
We will look at the works of the great Dutch - Hugo van der Goes, Frans Snyders and, of course, Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, the largest collection of whose works is presented in the Hermitage. You will see the artist’s most important paintings – “Danae” and “The Return of the Prodigal Son”, and learn their artistic features and creation stories. We will trace how Rembrandt's creative path intersects with his personal life, how the artist's style changes under the influence of the tragic events of his life.
Masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance
Traveling through Italy, we will talk about the masterpieces of Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian and Leonardo. I will help you understand the key works of the Renaissance and their cultural value, tell you about the history of the paintings and the personalities of the artists. We will pay special attention to the legendary “Madonna Conestabile” - one of Raphael’s iconic works and a symbol of beauty that inspired Pushkin, Dostoevsky, as well as artists of different eras. Recently, the masterpiece was transferred from wood to canvas: you will find out how this painstaking process takes place and what other works of the Hermitage are currently undergoing such restoration.
Who is this excursion suitable for?
Travelers over 14 years of age who are interested in art and want to learn to understand it. If there are children in the group, we can slightly shift the emphasis of the excursion to the knightly and ancient halls: weapons, medieval stories and ancient myths.
