St Petersburg - Ballet or Canal Boat Ride or Neither? Opinions???

[ajgardner]

I don't have an opinion on the Ballet vs Boat (well I do, but ...)

However, I do hope that you have scheduled time at Peterhof. Even if you don't tour the palace, you should see the grounds and by grounds I mean the fountains. They are spectacular!! (as are the gardens) Our DCL excursion to Catherine's Palace and Peterhof was the highlight of our St. Petersburg days.

We do have Peterhof scheduled. We currently do not have Catherine’s Palace on the itinerary. We had to make choices and with the drive it took up three hours of the day. I know it’s one of the highlights but it’d mean missing other highlights...

 

[jrabbit]

We do have Peterhof scheduled. We currently do not have Catherine’s Palace on the itinerary. We had to make choices and with the drive it took up three hours of the day. I know it’s one of the highlights but it’d mean missing other highlights...

Just like on the cruise - the hardest part is deciding what NOT to do!!

 

[flowsoul]

Just like on the cruise - the hardest part is deciding what NOT to do!!

I agree! St. Petersburg has so much to offer and it's really impossible to visit all the highlights in just 1 day or even a 2-day tour. We asked the help of a local tour operator, Anastasia Travel to help us create a tour that made the most out of our limited time in St. Petersburg. We had to miss out on some sights but we are glad we chose the places that really interest everyone in the group.

 

[leannak]

We did the ballet and it was extraordinary! If you go, make sure and bring little binoculars. It made things more interesting for my kids. The height those dancers got was unbelievable. Depending on which venue, the theater can be an interesting destination in itself. We were fascinated with the ambiance during intermission and we felt like Russian citizens out for a night on the town. Afterward, we drove along the canal in our private car back to the ship and the lights and buildings were spectacular. A canal cruise would be gorgeous. I’m in the “you can’t lose either way” camp.

 

[DahliaRW]

We do have Peterhof scheduled. We currently do not have Catherine’s Palace on the itinerary. We had to make choices and with the drive it took up three hours of the day. I know it’s one of the highlights but it’d mean missing other highlights...

When we went last summer our tour company suggested NOT doing Catherine's Palace. I can't remember exactly why other than it was insanely crowded so you couldn't see much. I remember there were other legitimate issues with going there and we wouldn't get as much out of it as Peterhof. Peterhof was one of the highlights of the trip. If you go with kids, have them wear their swimsuit under their clothes or bring a change of clothes. Our kids LOVED playing in the trick fountains!