Russia · Boating

River Boat Tour in St. Petersburg with Private Guide - Drawbridge and Jazz Boats

3 Hours Round trip from Pickup service provided in Saint Petersburg. Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Private guided city experience with a public river boat cruise
  • 02 Choose from regular, drawbridge night, or evening jazz boat options
  • 03 See Saint Petersburg landmarks from the water
  • 04 Cruise past Peter and Paul Fortress and Saint Isaac’s Cathedral
  • 05 Enjoy views of canals, embankments, palaces, and bridges
  • 06 Experience the city’s famous drawbridges on the night tour option
  • 07 Evening jazz cruise available on board the City Blues boat
  • 08 Hotel meeting included in Saint Petersburg

See Saint Petersburg from the water on a private guided experience that combines city history, elegant architecture, and some of the city’s most memorable river views. Cruise past landmarks such as Peter and Paul Fortress, Stroganov Palace, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, and the grand embankments and bridges that give the city its "Venice of the North" reputation.

Choose the boat experience that suits your style: a regular river cruise, a late-night drawbridge boat tour, or an evening jazz cruise on the Neva. With your private local guide accompanying you before and during the experience, this tour offers a relaxed and insightful way to enjoy Saint Petersburg from a different perspective.

See Saint Petersburg from the water on a private guided experience that combines city history, elegant architecture, and some of the city’s most memorable river views.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Hours
Tour type Private
Activity level Moderate
Accommodation Included
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access No
City Saint Petersburg
Languages English, Russian

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Stop At: Moika Embankment

Timing is flexible and you can start the tour any time you prefer.  

This tour can be customized to make it a unique experience for you. Your private local guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at about 10am and discuss the tour itinerary with you at the beginning of the tour. Start time can be customized.

You can book any of the 3 options (all boats are public with other passengers on boat): • Regular River Boat Tour • Drawbridge Night Boat Tour • Evening Jazz Boat Tour

10.30am Take the 2-hour Cruise along the Golden Ring of the Northern Venice with the views on the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Mariinsky Theatre, Moika River Embankment, New Holland island, Stroganov and Mariinsky Palaces, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, General Staff Building, Vasilyevsky and Aptekarsky Islands, Peter and Paul Fortress and the Summer Garden (every day, start any time you wish).

Pass By: The State Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral

Enjoy the views from the boat

Pass By: Peter and Paul Fortress

Enjoy the views from the boat

Pass By: Palace Bridge

Enjoy the views and snap memorable pictures from the boat

Pass By: Summer Palace of Peter the Great

Enjoy the views and snap memorable pictures from the boat

Pass By: The General Staff Building

Enjoy the views and snap memorable pictures from the boat

Pass By: The State Hermitage Museum

Enjoy the views and snap memorable pictures from the boat

Pass By: Stroganov Palace

Enjoy the views and snap memorable pictures from the boat

Pass By: Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall

Enjoy the views and snap memorable pictures from the boat

Pass By: New Holland Island

Enjoy the views and snap memorable pictures from the boat

Stop At: Alexander Nevsky Bridge

If you wish to experience the city at night, you can choose the Drawbridges Boat Night Tour option when booking and engulf yourself in the atmosphere of brilliant lights, fascinating caravan of ships in the night with hundreds of people taking pictures of the ships from the embankments and the old local tradition of raising bridges. You will see the Palace Bridge, Troitsky Bridge, Liteyny Bridge, Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge, Alexander Nevsky Bridge, Sampsonievsky Bridge and Blagoveschensky Bridge along the tour. (every day, start at about 12 am, to be confirmed before the tour).

Pass By: Troitskiy bridge

Enjoy the great views of drawbridges in St Petersburg on this night boat tour.

Pass By: Liteynyy bridge

Enjoy the great views of drawbridges in St Petersburg on this night boat tour.

Pass By: Bolsheokhtinsky bridge

Enjoy the great views of drawbridges in St Petersburg on this night boat tour.

Pass By: Sampsoniyevskiy Bridge

Enjoy the great views of drawbridges in St Petersburg on this night boat tour.

Pass By: Blagoveshchenskiy Bridge

Enjoy the great views of drawbridges in St Petersburg on this night boat tour.

Stop At: Джазовый ужин-круиз City Blues

The Jazz evenings on the Neva Tour option will uncover the fascinating and magnifying beauty of triumphant cathedrals, inimitable monuments, historical fortifications and scenic landscapes of the coastline. You will discover St Petersburg on board of «City Blues» boat & restaurant, stylized as a steamer of the early 20th century, listen to the seductive jazz improvisations and enjoy the main city’s attractions: Hermitage Museum, Summer Garden, Peter and Paul Fortress and more. (Wed-Sat, 7pm only).

Discover the beauty and charm of the Venice of the north, travel through the urban landscape of the aristocratic 18th and 19th centuries, and enjoy the views of the city’s bridges and impressive panoramas of the surrounding landscapes.

Finish the tour at some place in downtown St Petersburg or get back to your hotel..

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Pickup service provided in Saint Petersburg. 1 city · 3 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Friendly local guide
  • Meeting in the hotel
  • Private tour (Note: the boat itself is not private, it is a public boat experience)
  • Multiple start times available
  • Taxi back (on Drawbridge night tours only)
  • Expert advice where to go and what to do after the tour
  • Iconic places for photoshoot

What's Not Included

  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities

Know before you go

  • PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY
  • Operates only if the weather conditions permit, please dress appropriately
  • BOATS ONLY OPERATE FROM MAY TO SEPTEMBER
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not stroller accessible
  • Not suitable for pets
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • On Drawbridge Night Tours and Jazz Evenings Tours the start time fluctuates depending on the day and will be announced to you in advance
  • Lobby of your hotel. Please provide the exact name and address of your hotel.
  • Your guide can meet you at your hotel, hostel, vacation rental, port, train station, airport or a point of interest.
  • There'll be an extra charge for meeting you at port, train station or airport.
  • You don't need to call to confirm the tour.
  • The local supplier will contact you.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Pickup service provided in Saint Petersburg.
Tour start
Pickup service provided in Saint Petersburg.
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 3 hours finish where they began, in Pickup service provided in Saint Petersburg..

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