4 days in St Petersberg, Russia with or without a guide?
 

I am going to St Petersberg with my family in the new year , -(cold yes, but hopefully the city will be adorned with snow.)
I have read a lot about the main architectural sights. Is it necessary to go with a guide as I see that many tours have free afternoons where you can wander at your own leisure. Whilst being wary and alert for pickpockets etc, and in a group of 4 is it conisdered safe to walk around the city without a guide?
If you recommend a guide which companies are reputable?
All advice welcomed.

I was in St. Petersburg on my own, and did not feel unsafe. You do need to master the Cyrillic alphabet. It might be worth having a guide for one day or a half day, just to get oriented. A local I had met on the train from Vilnius took me to Pushkin on a microbus, but there's also a local train. I went to Peterhof on my own by fast boat.

How long did it take you to get a Russian visa?

St Petersburg is an easy city to get around with alot of sights within walking distance of Nevsky Prospect. Having a guide is a personal thing, I/we have never ever found it necessary to have one in Russia but some prefer to have one if they are out of their comfort zone or have particular interests in various sights. Some sights outside the city would need transportation, a car & driver might suffice for some, whilst others would like the full tour and find this adds to their enjoyment. With mastering Cyrillics, great if you can but certainly not essential. And the safety thing, no more risky than any city anywhere in the world. Jan is a great time to go, can be cold but stunning on a sunny day. Beginning of Jan is the Orthodox Christmas. If there is time, a trip to Novgorod is recommended.

I'd take at least one tour of the city. And I'd probably hire a guide for the Hermitage for a couple of hours at least.

Sorry dutyfree, I don't remember, it was in '04. I think I used a visa service - probably CIBT or Travisa.

I was in St. Petersburg without a guide and saw the sights with relative ease. The only place I regretted not having a guide was during the visit to The Hermitage and this is why: it was the summer, crowded beyond belief and the museum is ENORMOUS. Even if you are going in December, take a guided visit at a minimum to get the highlights and then go back on your own. BTW, I never felt unsafe.

Graftongal, I spent three days in Saint Petersburg last summer with my family of four and my parents. We hired guide through MIR Travel (based in Seattle, but offices in SP and throughout Russia)...we also had a driver for a little bit of each day. I need to point out that we are committed independent travelers, NEVER wanting to do tours.

It was worth EVERY penny...Olga designed an itinerary for us that was flexible, but unique -- some smaller churches that we would not have known about, a private river tour that was beautiful and outstanding, and quick entrances to the Hermitage and Peterhof when it was super crowded. She also took us on a fun tour of her favorite (most beautiful) subway stations...which I'm quite sure I would not have done without someone to show us the ropes. One of the best parts was having my teenage daughters hear about Olga's grandmother's experiences during the siege of Leningrad. I think a local guide enriches your experience in a way guidebooks don't. Enjoy this marvelous city!

I think for a short (and, perhaps, one time) visit, a guide is essential and worth every penny. You'll see and enjoy much more. Just getting around on your own can be quite the challenge.

I found a private guide, also named Olga, here on the forum and could not have been more pleased.

Not only can a licensed guide get you into the venues quickly, you receive a comprehensive tour in English.

We had a half day visit at Hermitage with our tour group (Viking Rivers), but returned another day with Olga and saw much more than we could have accomplished on our own. She was also thoroughly knowledgeable of the history and architecture of the other venues we visited with her, and took us places we wouldn't have known about otherwise.

One of our favorites was the canal cruise, with Olga's commentary in English (these tours are available only in Russian). She knew the best boats with the longest and best route. She also had wonderful restaurant (and shopping) recommendations.

http://www.tourservice.sp.ru/

"quick entrances to the Hermitage " - waiting to enter the Hermitage I was approached by a guy with an offer to get me in at the "group" entrance - for slightly more than the usual entrance fee, of course! I took him up on the offer, and got in without a wait. I then went round on my own. I'm sure this is a standard "scam".

Winter is not like it used to be....dark, cold and quiet.
For recent years the temperatures have been relatively warm, little snow or ice and the rivers/canals only becoming frozen in mid January and not thick enough for ice fishing.
We only had 40 days of temperatures under -6C, most were 0 to -5 last winter. I am an American living full time here and love it, even the weather, but I do wish it snowed more than it has the last 3 years. When it does snow the city is stunning partly because many 10s of thousands of accent lights have been install on city center buildings so the effect is really stunning, snow or no. In the city center the snow on the streets and main street sidewalks turns to a brown slush that is anything but attractive or clean however. If there is a sudden thaw the backed up snow/ice in the gutters and ice clogged drains means wading in 10 inches of icy water to cross the street;>( That has not been a problem in the last 3 years however since there is so little snow accumulation.
Winter is a great time to visit because the natural pace of the city is experienced, it is slower, more social and less crowded in theaters and museums...except cloakrooms which limit museum capacity. Some like the Russian Museum limit entrances to the number of coat rack spaces and you might have to wait in lines waiting for coat rack space to be freed up when people leave.

The restaurants, theaters, concert halls are all busy but tickets and good seats are easy to get. If you can handle weather in New York City in the winter you will feel quite comfortable.
It is NOT a city to visit if you are an animal rights person who is offended by furs keeping people warm. Almost every woman, even teens, have at least one nice mink, fox or sable coat, and they are worn often because people dress nicely and more stylishly here than most visitors would be used to.

I have read that anyone can go to another office window in the Hermitage and be put in a group to avoid the lines.. now I have to find that post and the good instructions where to find this "office".

I visited last November without a guide. Learned Cyrillic (lifesaver!) and did the entire trip independently. Best decision I ever made. I even managed to take a marshrutka (minibus) out to Pushkin to see the palaces. In the summer I can understand maybe needing a guide to get you in past the lines at the museums and palaces, but in January there shouldn't be any problems.

One word of warning about St. Petersburg winters. They don't shovel the sidewalks, which depending on where you are, can make for icy, slippery walks. Be careful walking.

Many thanks to everyone for posting your advice. Sounds like at least one guided tour will help with orientation and learning the cyrillic alphabet is a benefit. I will look up Olga if she is available!
Graftongal

we got back a month ago
it rained every day - june

we had no guide but we did do a city bus tour
it was ok
not the best bus tour but it did clarify some things for us- like where stroganoff was first served supposedly and did lead us to having a really nice afternoon tea at the literary cafe where pushkin had his last coffee before his duel
we later stumbled on to the metro where his statue is - the place he had the duel and died

we did a five hour bus trip out to peterhof
only four of us
and an eye rolling smuglette of a guide

naughty girl was so disinterested in us that it cost us the tip we intended to give her
the other two didnt tip her either

hate hate tours but sometimes you gotta do the day trips - esp when the weather is wet and miserable

i dont think we will do another palace in this lifetime
its the same ole theme of greed and indulgence while the nation suffers so the gilt and glamour fails to impress

i wouldve liked to have lingered longer at the markets at peterhof
thats the trouble with tours
had a lovely meal at the kiosk though
plov
a meat and rice dish
absolutely tasted home made and delish!!!!

bought some pewter soldiers for my son
who was very impressed


we loved the pies - pirogi at piroghof
yummy fillings

oh did try to get to novgorod
but rang to check time of trains
no luck
only the slower train was running so it involved 10 hrs of travelling

i did my visas recently by sending them to nyc via fedex and they were returned to me within 14 days also by fedex..