If you are coming in by cruise ship, the ships will port at the industrial shipping port. So, prior to departing on your cruise, you will either need to 1) purchase a shore excursion or 2) provide your visa.  If you do not have a pre-arranged shore excursion, you WILL NEED a visa here.  They are not difficult to obtain, you will just need a little pre-planning, a little bit of time and $125.

A must see while you are in St. Petersburg is the Church of Spilled Blood and Peterhof.  Peterhof contains a series of gardens and fountains, built on the orders of Peter the Great and is sometimes called the Russian Versailles.  The most amazing thing about this area are the fountains themselves.  The fountains operate without the use of electricity or pumps.  Water is supplied from natural springs collects in the Upper Gardens and the difference of elevation between here and the Lower Gardens operates the fountains.

When planning to go to St. Petersburg, make sure you have enough time to do so.  It is usually an overnight stop for cruise ships, so take advantage of the chance to spend 2 days in the area.  Although you have alot of time to take advantage of, it will more than likely be an expensive stop.  You cannot wander around on your own, so we prefer to set up private tours to make the cost more reasonable.  But, you'll need a group of 8-10 folks, so grab your friends and let's go!