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Private Tour: Pushkin Day Trip From St Petersburg Including Catherine Palace
Arrange your Pushkin day trip to start at a time that suits your schedule, and then relax with a hotel pickup by luxury minivan. As you travel south, chat with your guide about the small yet impressive town, and the things that you want to see there. Your itinerary is tailored to your preferences, so if there’s something you are really interested in, just let your guide know.
After a journey of roughly 45 minutes, arrive in Pushkin and set out by foot to explore Tsarkoye Selo Parks – the stunning gardens that surround the town’s Rococo centerpiece: Catherine Palace. Take a stroll around the Great Pond while hearing tales of Pushkin’s history, learning how the town’s name was changed from Tsarkoye Selo on the centenary of the death of Alexander Pushkin, the celebrated Russian poet.
Enjoy a break for lunch in a nearby cafe (own expense), and then head inside Catherine Palace for a look around. The building’s sumptuous design was the brainchild of Francesco Rastrelli, a French-born artist whose work centered around Imperial Russian architecture. Touches of his genius are flaunted inside the palace, and your guide will show off his finest creations as you walk around. Admire the Great Hall with its frescoes and floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and then marvel at the jaw-dropping opulence of the replica Amber Room. Covered with mirrors, gold and mosaics, the original room was plundered by the Nazis, and later destroyed in a fire.
Catherine Palace was the summer home of Catherine I, and it was from here where she ruled after her husband – Tsar Peter the Great – passed away. Hear about her life in the palace as you explore the different rooms, and then browse exhibits about the building’s history in the Zubov Wing.
At the end of your tour of Catherine Palace, return to your minivan for the journey back to St Petersburg. Your day finishes with a drop-off at your hotel.
