3 nights in St Petersburg, 3 in Moscow, Private tour vs. Group?
May 29th, 2016, 04:48 PM
#21
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Thanks again, everyone. I decided to call the Westin and booked a 3 hour tour of the Hermitage. For everything else, I decided to just wing it. When I check in to the hotels, I'm just going to ask them if there's a biking tour, a guided city tour, whatever. I hate booking stuff in advance so just showing up at a hotel and playing it by ear seems to be the most freeing and fun for me at this point. Can't wait! I'm going to cut and past a bunch of your "just back" reports from Fodors and try to do some of the stuff on your lists.
May 29th, 2016, 04:59 PM
#22
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I was back in Moscow for the first time since '89 for just four days after a trip to Armenia. It's been a couple years now, but this might give you some ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-to-moscow.cfm
The free walking tour was a great re-intro, and their other tours were good too. I still haven't learned Cyrillic after three trips but didn't get too lost (after my first evening, anyway.)
Have a great time; I envy your North Pole trip!
The free walking tour was a great re-intro, and their other tours were good too. I still haven't learned Cyrillic after three trips but didn't get too lost (after my first evening, anyway.)
Have a great time; I envy your North Pole trip!
Jul 23rd, 2016, 06:37 PM
#24
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Thanks y'all. Got back a week ago. Best trip of my life. If you were curious what the North Pole, St Petersburg, Moscow and Helsinki looked like a few weeks ago, here you go...
https://picasaweb.google.com/stever5...90678333151105
https://picasaweb.google.com/stever5...90678333151105
Jul 24th, 2016, 08:12 AM
#25
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stever, Thanks for sharing your photos. Please tell us what you did about tours in St Pete and Moscow. Which places did you visit and were the tours what you expected? Any that you felt were outstanding? Any you felt were not worth it?
Jul 25th, 2016, 10:36 PM
#26
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Stever, amazing photos! Especially it was very cool to see the Polar experience in photos. Something to look forward to one day! If it's not a secret, can you share what are the costs involved in this tour? If not in a forum message, you could send me a private message.
By the way, in your Bolshoi theater photo you said "not sure what it says". In russian the sign says "2nd Level, Left Side"
))
By the way, in your Bolshoi theater photo you said "not sure what it says". In russian the sign says "2nd Level, Left Side"
))
Sep 5th, 2016, 07:22 AM
#27
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Sorry, I got really busy and was out of town in Montana for a while attempting my 49th state high point! To answer your q's, the link for the pics changed by the way. It's here now.
https://get.google.com/albumarchive/...1gZrxK40qu6NF9
So, what did I do on my tours? I can barely remember and it's pretty much in the pics but I did a double deck bus tour in Moscow, a walk through the Kremlin on my own (stupid, I had no idea what I was seeing but I was a bit rushed so it was fine), toured the Armory on my own with the headset thing, a pretty bad tour with a private tour guide (ughhh, I trusted my hotel to pick someone great - she was not) - we went to the Space Museum (EXCELLENT!!!!), and she drove around showing me stuff, and then I just walked around and around.
In St Petersburg, I did the hydrofoil to the palace - amazing, and all done on my own, I just didn't want to be on a tour. I didn't know much of what I saw, but I didn't care. It was still really cool and I read about it later and a bit before. I visually enjoyed much of things and didn't do an organized tour. I did take a Hermitage tour that was just OK. Private guide, not cheap, I don't think he did a great job, the hotel recommended him. I really enjoyed exploring on my own, the newer section in the other building with the Realist art and Impressionists. I could walk through at my own pace, super fast if I wanted, and just soaked it all in.
As far as what tours are worth it or not? I couldn't say since I only tour a few. I'd say just go and wing it! It doesn't matter what you do or see or don't see, it's all good. The churches were some of the best parts of the trip. I'm Jewish, but found the churches beyond words, especially the insides. Truly amazing. I only wish I had taken a long Kremlin tour so I knew more of what I was seeing but in the end, it was all fantastic.
In Murmansk Russia I took the tour from Quark Expeditions. It was just Ok as well. Fascinating and sad place. Thanks for the info on my Bolshoi Ballet sign, as well! I was wondering about that and figured it read something like that.
Polar trip is online from Quark. I think it was $28k but I got a $1700 or something discount for booking early. It was the best trip of my life, or at least up there. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT if they are still doing it. It may stop at some point in the next few years. The Russians are a bit unpredictable in this regard.
Hope some of this helped. Steve R
https://get.google.com/albumarchive/...1gZrxK40qu6NF9
So, what did I do on my tours? I can barely remember and it's pretty much in the pics but I did a double deck bus tour in Moscow, a walk through the Kremlin on my own (stupid, I had no idea what I was seeing but I was a bit rushed so it was fine), toured the Armory on my own with the headset thing, a pretty bad tour with a private tour guide (ughhh, I trusted my hotel to pick someone great - she was not) - we went to the Space Museum (EXCELLENT!!!!), and she drove around showing me stuff, and then I just walked around and around.
In St Petersburg, I did the hydrofoil to the palace - amazing, and all done on my own, I just didn't want to be on a tour. I didn't know much of what I saw, but I didn't care. It was still really cool and I read about it later and a bit before. I visually enjoyed much of things and didn't do an organized tour. I did take a Hermitage tour that was just OK. Private guide, not cheap, I don't think he did a great job, the hotel recommended him. I really enjoyed exploring on my own, the newer section in the other building with the Realist art and Impressionists. I could walk through at my own pace, super fast if I wanted, and just soaked it all in.
As far as what tours are worth it or not? I couldn't say since I only tour a few. I'd say just go and wing it! It doesn't matter what you do or see or don't see, it's all good. The churches were some of the best parts of the trip. I'm Jewish, but found the churches beyond words, especially the insides. Truly amazing. I only wish I had taken a long Kremlin tour so I knew more of what I was seeing but in the end, it was all fantastic.
In Murmansk Russia I took the tour from Quark Expeditions. It was just Ok as well. Fascinating and sad place. Thanks for the info on my Bolshoi Ballet sign, as well! I was wondering about that and figured it read something like that.
Polar trip is online from Quark. I think it was $28k but I got a $1700 or something discount for booking early. It was the best trip of my life, or at least up there. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT if they are still doing it. It may stop at some point in the next few years. The Russians are a bit unpredictable in this regard.
Hope some of this helped. Steve R
Sep 21st, 2016, 12:14 AM
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Hi Steve! Sorry, I didn't notice that you posted a reply until just now. Thank you! Lots of investing details and useful information.
I'm really glad you had such a terrific time in Moscow and Russia. I agree that having a good guide really adds to the experience, but the place that you visited even without guides (or with less than perfect guides)) are so impressive, that it still was very much wroth it.
I've been to most of the places in Moscow and St. Peter that you mentioned ,with a few exceptions (e.g. the Space Museum). And I could see them in my mind's eye as I was reading your report. Never been to Murmansk or the Polar circle though. But after reading your report that was something that piqued my interest. But! Definitely not for the full price of $28
) Will poke around and see what I can find. Thank you for providing the name Quark. A good start for research.
I'm really glad you had such a terrific time in Moscow and Russia. I agree that having a good guide really adds to the experience, but the place that you visited even without guides (or with less than perfect guides
)) are so impressive, that it still was very much wroth it. I've been to most of the places in Moscow and St. Peter that you mentioned ,with a few exceptions (e.g. the Space Museum). And I could see them in my mind's eye as I was reading your report. Never been to Murmansk or the Polar circle though. But after reading your report that was something that piqued my interest. But! Definitely not for the full price of $28
) Will poke around and see what I can find. Thank you for providing the name Quark. A good start for research.
Sep 21st, 2016, 03:56 PM
#29
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Your pictures are stunning! We've been to St Pete, Moscow and Helsinki, so it was easy to recognize things we saw on those trips. The North Pole looked amazing! And weren't you brave to take that drip in the ocean. Oh my! Thanks for sharing your remarkable adventure! My wanderlust is now in overdrive!
Oct 21st, 2016, 09:19 PM
#30
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Hi Minamax10. There is a cheaper way to get to the North Pole. The flight to the Barneo Ice Camp, and then a helicopter to the N Pole for an hour, then back. 3 day trip, $21k. But, the nuclear Russian Ice breaker and the full day at the N Pole kicked a** compared to that. It was worth every bit of the $28k. Since I never had kids, didn't have to pay for any school for kids, bar mitzvahs for kids, weddings for kids, etc, the trip was basically free compared to all that.
Now I REALLY want to go to the S Pole. I have to save $11000 a year for 5 years to do it. Crazy high pricing but as I said, not having kids saved me TONS of money over the 21 years it would have taken to raise them, feed them and send them off to college. So in a way, the S Pole trip will be free too. Cheers.
Now I REALLY want to go to the S Pole. I have to save $11000 a year for 5 years to do it. Crazy high pricing but as I said, not having kids saved me TONS of money over the 21 years it would have taken to raise them, feed them and send them off to college. So in a way, the S Pole trip will be free too. Cheers.
