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Options for maximizing time in Hermitage?


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I haven't seen this specific question come up before. There are two of us traveling to St. Petersburg later this year, and we'd both like to not be rushed through the highlights, and to have some choice in what we see, which in any case seems rather limited in 2 hours. We're leaning toward a 2-day group tour, but the longest time at the museum we've seen is a separate tour for 4 hours, and that particular tour had a review saying that it was also very rushed with no flexibility... it just covered more buildings.

 

Is our only likely option to hire a private guide? We'd considered obtaining a visa so we could go out on our own one day, but being on a cruise ship, we don't have a sponsor. Do any of the tour operators host visa applications for people who book a tour on another day? It seems like it would be relatively straightforward to get from the pier to the museum and back, and the museum sells tickets online. Ages ago, I studied Russian, so while it's terribly rusty, I should be able to exchange simple directions.

 

Thanks!

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I haven't seen this specific question come up before. There are two of us traveling to St. Petersburg later this year' date=' and we'd both like to not be rushed through the highlights, and to [b']have some choice in what we see[/b], which in any case seems rather limited in 2 hours. We're leaning toward a 2-day group tour, but the longest time at the museum we've seen is a separate tour for 4 hours, and that particular tour had a review saying that it was also very rushed with no flexibility... it just covered more buildings. Is our only likely option to hire a private guide? We'd considered obtaining a visa so we could go out on our own one day, but being on a cruise ship, we don't have a sponsor. Do any of the tour operators host visa applications for people who book a tour on another day? It seems like it would be relatively straightforward to get from the pier to the museum and back, and the museum sells tickets online. Ages ago, I studied Russian, so while it's terribly rusty, I should be able to exchange simple directions. Thanks!

 

Welcome to these Cruise Critic boards. Lots of great ideas and people are here on these boards and they are happy to help. Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It is very helpful.

 

The two quick answers to your question is:

 

1.) Have a private tour. You don't have to worry about a visa, reading signs, figuring out things in this large, confusing city, etc. On your ship roll call, do postings there in order to attract another couple or two to join you and keep the cost range good for seeing this city via private tours.

 

2.) Do as we did in having an early admission to the Hermitage. That allows more time and avoids some of the crowds there. And your YOUR CHOICES and priorities for what you want to see, for how long, etc.

 

Finding the right firm and making it work?

 

The honest truth is that there are a number of very good to excellent firms in St. Petersburg. It is my suggestion to write to four or five of the top firms, tell them exactly what you want, seek and love. See what you get back and which one is the "best fit" for your specific personal needs and travel style. Some people are very happy and satisfied with the basic, standard "formula" tour that is offered up. I am NOT, however, a big fan of "one size fits all".

 

Others, like us, want things to be a little more custom. In our "planning process", I asked lots of questions (after doing some advance reading and research) and got back many good replies (quickly) from Anastasia that helped me get my arms around the many options in St. Petersburg. Getting your trip "flow" and "pacing" is very important for St. Petersburg. We were super happy with how it all worked in having a great mix for what we saw and how it fit together. Another key factor is their "flexibility". Once in Russia and doing the first day, we asked about a couple of "schedule adjustments" and they got things done in a smooth and excellent manner. One item was a request to stop at a shop to buy a Russian-style military hat and I asked about getting an early admission at the Hermitage to avoid some of the bus/mass crowds at the regular hour. Making things custom and personal was very important to us. Some firms are flexible and very responsive. Others are not that way, nor interested or caring. You need to determine what you want and need.

 

Just like there are many different sizes, styles and types of shoes, the same is true with private tour companies. We don't all wear and have same types of shoes for all occasions and purposes. Below are a few of my visual samples to get folks prepared and excited for the great glories that are there in St. Petersburg.

 

The Hermitage is a big, big museum. Five buildings in total. BUT, with a good private tour you can see most all of the "super-stars" there in a decent flow and at a reasonable pace. What are your specific interests and needs for visiting the Hermitage?

 

Reactions and added questions?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 89,789 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 73,804 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here is an overall view of the size and scale of St. Isaac's interior in St. Petersburg. It is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in this historic city and was dedicated to Saint Isaac of Dalmatia, a patron saint of Peter the Great. The cathedral took 40 years to construct, 1818 to 1858, under direction of a French architect. During Soviet rule, it was nearly destroyed and was made into a Museum of Scientific Atheism. It has been restored to its religious beauty/role. The cathedral's main dome tops out at 333 feet and is plated with pure gold.:

 

1A-StP-StIsaacInt.jpg

 

 

Private, personal tours can be worth it, especially in St. Petersburg. Here our group of four, with our guide, Jane or Zhenya from Anastasia, we are viewing one of the two da Vinci masterpieces (Madonna Litta or Madonna and Child) at the Hermitage after an early admission. There are only 14 such painting by this artist existing in the world. We did an early admission at the Hermitage, adding to the enjoyment in this spectacular place AND museum. It is both!:

 

1A-StP-HermitageDaVinciViewing.jpg

 

 

Examining one of the highly-detailed tables in the vast Hermitage collection that includes much more than just paintings and sculptures.:

 

1A-StP-HermitageTableViewing.jpg

 

 

Here are some of the fountains and water at the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.: : [/b]

 

1A-StP-PeterhofFount2.jpg

 

 

As we entered Catherine's Palace outside of St. Petersburg, here was the welcoming band.:

 

1A-StP-WelcomeCath.jpg

 

 

Inside Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg with our personal guide, we view this spectacular reception room, painted ceiling, gold, etc., at our pace and timing schedule.:

 

A-StP-CathPal.jpg

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We were on a private tour earlier this month. Just four of us with a guide for the 2 days. Please note that the early admission REQUIRES THE GUIDE BE WITH YOU. It was my impression that we may have even been limited to certain rooms / exhibits during that time. We explained to our guide in advance that we would like some independent time once we were inside and she agreed that as soon as the museum was "open," we could go off on our own. (But she kind of forgot and we ended up with only about 35 minutes independent time.)

 

The early admission time allowed us to be in some rooms without any other people, which was pretty exciting. But there were other rooms where large groups were gathered with their "early admission" guides as well (i.e. seeing the DaVincis). And our guide spent that first hour giving us details about the artwork, the rooms and the history of the building.

 

We enjoyed similar "special entry" to Catherine's Palace. We were literally just the four of us in many of the rooms. Even though there was a line outside, our guide went to an alternate door, obtained permission and we entered there, seeing small sites that were not part of the usual tour...or at least that's the impression we were given.

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P.S. If the Hermitage is your top priority and you are hiring a private tour company, then please make that known and be sure you lower your priorities for the other sites. You will not be able to see "all of the super stars" or even all of the buildings, as was suggested, unless you allot enough hours. In our case, 2 hours was not enough time to even scratch the surface of the place.

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I haven't seen this specific question come up before. There are two of us traveling to St. Petersburg later this year' date=' and we'd both like to not be rushed through the highlights, and to have some choice in what we see, which in any case seems rather limited in 2 hours. We're leaning toward a 2-day group tour, but the longest time at the museum we've seen is a separate tour for 4 hours, and that particular tour had a review saying that it was also very rushed with no flexibility... it just covered more buildings.

 

Is our only likely option to hire a private guide? We'd considered obtaining a visa so we could go out on our own one day, but being on a cruise ship, we don't have a sponsor. Do any of the tour operators host visa applications for people who book a tour on another day? It seems like it would be relatively straightforward to get from the pier to the museum and back, and the museum sells tickets online. Ages ago, I studied Russian, so while it's terribly rusty, I should be able to exchange simple directions.

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

We also wanted extra time at the Hermitage for our visit later this year. What we ended up with was we will be doing Day One and the morning of the first day on a standard tour. Then for the Hermitage a private guide will join us for an extra two hours for a total of four hours. We could have had 7 hours but I thought that would be too much for me in one shot. After the Hermitage we will do Peter and Paul before going back to the ship. We are paying more for this option over the standard tour, $50 more per person. This is with TJ Travel. We emailed several of the other companies that are high rated and TJ Travel were the most flexible. The other companies wanted a minimium of eight people or double the price of the standard tour. I doubted I could put together a group of eight. TJ Travel was willing to do it for as few as us two and at a reasonable price.

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If you do spend several hours in the Hermitage, I just wanted to let you know that there is a cafe in there, (which I retreated to when I just couldn't take any more... the temperature being about 100 degrees!).

 

That is why I cut our projected time from seven hour to four hours!

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Thanks for the answers so far. Great information!

 

Tell us more specifics on your personal interests' date=' past Europe travels, museums/art likes, etc.. Then, with more detailed information from you, we can make many better, more specific suggestions on what best fits your needs and interests.

 

[b']THANKS![/b] Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 89,789 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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Tell us more specifics on your personal interests, past Europe travels, museums/art likes, etc.. Then, with more detailed information from you, we can make many better, more specific suggestions on what best fits your needs and interests.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 89,789 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

I like many styles of art, with the exception of much modern art, though the other traveler I'm trying to look out for is fond of Rodin, Matisse, and Modigliani.

 

In addition to Renaissance and Baroque art (especially Italian and Spanish) and French impressionism, which I'd guess would be part of the standard whirlwind tour, we're partial to Japanese art. Beyond that, it's hard to narrow down, because we like so much. Just to mention a few: We're also interested in seeing Byzantine art; I'd also like a peek at art of antiquity, including Macedonian and Mongol. There may be gems of Aztec and other American art, too.

 

We've both been to other parts of Europe and make a point of visiting art museums. We've traveled most within England, Italy, and Turkey, in addition to three water-based trips to Greece. This is our first visit to the Baltics.

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I like many styles of art' date=' with the exception of much modern art, though the other traveler I'm trying to look out for is fond of Rodin, Matisse, and Modigliani. In addition to Renaissance and Baroque art (especially Italian and Spanish) and French impressionism, which I'd guess would be part of the standard whirlwind tour, we're partial to Japanese art. Beyond that, it's hard to narrow down, because we like so much. Just to mention a few: We're also interested in seeing Byzantine art; I'd also like a peek at art of antiquity, including Macedonian and Mongol. There may be gems of Aztec and other American art, too. We've both been to other parts of Europe and make a point of visiting art museums. We've traveled most within England, Italy, and Turkey, in addition to three water-based trips to Greece. This is our first visit to the Baltics.[/quote']

 

You have an excellent range of interests and experiences. The Matisse collection in the Hermitage is among the best in the world. Some areas of your interests are limited and/or not there at the Hermitage. BUT, there are lots from the Renaissance, Italian and Baroque, etc. Lots of great craft work in the facilities, furniture items, etc. Below are some more examples for what we saw and I took pictures of while in the Hermitage.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 89,789 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, here is just one of the many, many great galleries with so many great architecture details, soaring ceilings, dramatic floors, etc., in areas where the Czars entertained and impressed other Royals and nobility.:

 

1A-StP-HermitageGalleries.jpg

 

 

Here is the other Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece in The Hermitage. It is “The Benois Madonna”.:

 

StPHermitage2ndDaVinci.jpg

 

 

Almost as famous as the two Madonnas by da Vinci at the Hermitage is this one with the same subject by Raphael. It is called The Conestabile Madonna. It was acquired by Czar Alexander II of Russia in 1871. It was believed painted around 1502-04 and was likely the last work painted by Raphael in Umbria before moving to Florence. Our guide told us that the wood frame was made by Raphel’s father. Both the art piece and frame are very unique.:

 

StPHermitageRaphelMadonna.jpg

 

 

One of the two dozen or so paintings by Rembrandt inside the Hermitage. This is his famed Return of the Prodigal Son that was done shortly before his death in 1669. Our guide explained that this painting reflected his normal power of realism, but added more psychological insights and spiritual awareness at this period in his personal history.:

 

1A-StP-Hermt-RemProd.jpg

 

 

Here are two more contemporary examples from the Hermitage. First is by Henri Matisse called ''La Danse'' or The Dance from the late 1909. Seoond, is "Memory of the Garden at Etten (Ladies of Arles)" by Vincent van Gogh. Many other late 19th and early 20th Century pieces by Paul Gauguin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas and Claude Monet.:

 

HermitageMatisseBodiesBlOrange-1.jpg

 

 

HermitageVanGoghOlderWomen.jpg

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There is an excellent website for those who wish to further explore some of the most well-known art museums of the world.

 

Googleartproject allows users to view collections through the web. Navigating the site takes some getting used to but there are some features that are very interesting; providing the ability to zoom in so close you can see actual brush strokes and cracks, 360 tours of tha galleries (click on the little person icon), saving your favorite works to your own gallery, details on works of art, etc. It certainly is no substitute for seeing the real thing, but can enrich your experience or aid in your planning and preparation. Unfortunately, the content on the site from the State Hermitage is quite limited but if you plan on travelling to other art museums worldwide, you may find the site worth bookmarking.

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Hi Terry,

 

I've been trying to find you for a few days and will try and reach you in this thread!! I'm not stalking you! honest!!

 

First of all, thank you for the great information and fabulous pictures yourpost on CC. I know I speak for many others as well when I say what a great resource you are!

 

The reason I've been trying to find you is thta I saw a post (with pics) on the Dubrovnik thread and had asked you a question, but obviously you don't read every thread every day!

 

My question is about the Panorama taxi Tour you did in Dubrovnik - did you arrange it in advance? did you just walk off the ship and get a cab? My husband and I have some mobility issues and therefore cannot walk the wall, but I'd love to go to the panoramic spot where you took the great photo!

 

Many thanks for any help.

auntdot

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Hi Terry, I've been trying to find you for a few days and will try and reach you in this thread!! I'm not stalking you! honest!! First of all, thank you for the great information and fabulous pictures yourpost on CC. I know I speak for many others as well when I say what a great resource you are! The reason I've been trying to find you is thta I saw a post (with pics) on the Dubrovnik thread and had asked you a question, but obviously you don't read every thread every day! My question is about the Panorama taxi Tour you did in Dubrovnik - did you arrange it in advance? did you just walk off the ship and get a cab? My husband and I have some mobility issues and therefore cannot walk the wall, but I'd love to go to the panoramic spot where you took the great photo! Many thanks for any help. auntdot

 

Hi, auntdot!! Don't worry about "stalking" me. At my age and condition, any and all "attention" is good. Appreciate you tracking me down. Been tied up the past couple days with both work items and a computer hard drive that blew up and needed to be replaced. Fortunately, it was fully covered and has been replaced by Apple at no added cost. BUT, it takes time to re-build things, get everything back in order.

 

On the Dubrovnik Panorama taxi, NO, we didn't arrange it in advance. Just walked off the ship, saw the signs on this option, talked with the driver and realized it could work well. It served our interests and needs super well. Glad we did it. Hope it works well for you and your husband, especially since he can't do the wall walk. GOOD LUCK!!

 

THANKS for your kind comments on the pictures, posts, etc.! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 90,221 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

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On the Dubrovnik Panorama taxi, NO, we didn't arrange it in advance. Just walked off the ship, saw the signs on this option, talked with the driver and realized it could work well. It served our interests and needs super well. Glad we did it. Hope it works well for you and your husband, especially since he can't do the wall walk. GOOD LUCK!!

 

THANKS for your kind comments on the pictures, posts, etc.! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Many thanks for your reply. I think we'll just take our chances in Dubrovnik and in Gibraltar.

 

Where are you off to next? Wherever it is, have a wonderful cruise!

Dorothy

 

PS Sorry to hijack this thread. I promise this will be my last post here.

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Re Gibraltar: You'll have no problem on your own, spontaineously, in Gibraltar. Mobility issues aside, you can walk the whole thing in 20 minutes from one end to the other, plus taking the lift up to the top of the Rock. And taxis offering a ride-around tour are everywhere, in fact when you leave the ship you'll be fighting them off.

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Re Gibraltar: You'll have no problem on your own, spontaineously, in Gibraltar. Mobility issues aside, you can walk the whole thing in 20 minutes from one end to the other, plus taking the lift up to the top of the Rock. And taxis offering a ride-around tour are everywhere, in fact when you leave the ship you'll be fighting them off.

 

Many thanks for the info, hoftraveler. I feel better with the reassurance that we can do these ports at pur own pace. A taxi would be perfect!

 

Now I'm outta here! And will not be hijacking the thread anymore!

Cheers,

Dorothy

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