Imperial Waterways of Russia

Arrive at Pulkovo International Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.

With its grand Italian architectures and austere Nordic setting, St. Petersburg is a city of canals, palaces and cathedrals that presents a glorious juxtaposition of East and West. See the sights by land as well as water, then experience an art form that is quintessentially Russian—an evening at the ballet. The brainchild of Peter the Great, St. Petersburg was built on 42 islands on the Neva delta, in what was essentially a swamp. The tsar lavished on it all the might, ambition and money at his disposal, importing the finest architects from Italy, the greatest decorative artists and the most celebrated painters: The result is an extraordinarily beautiful city.

Spend your day in St. Petersburg at what many experts consider the finest art museum in the world, the legendary Hermitage, a former residence of the tsars that’s now home to a massive and mind-boggling collection of priceless works of art. Your final day in St. Petersburg finds you with an appropriately imperial excursion: a guided tour through the world-famous Hermitage Museum. It is the crown jewel of the city and is located in the former home of the tsars, the Winter Palace.

Cross the threshold of the summer residence of the tsars—the lavishly decorated Catherine Palace—where you’ll see opulent staterooms and the near mythic Amber Room, meticulously restored to its former glory. Dine on traditional Russian fare at a local restaurant, then spend the rest of the day exploring on your own. On your second day in St. Petersburg, you’ll enjoy a guided tour through splendid Catherine Palace and Park. Once the summer residence of the tsars, it is a masterwork of rococo architecture. Then, spend the rest of your day on your own exploring more of this beautiful city or join a tour to Peterhof Gardens—a treat for anyone interested in landscape design.