Takes about a week if you like to see it all there. Definitely worth seeing, feeling, and experiencing. more

We toured the Hermitage without a guide which was fun even if a little confusing. We signed up for both the gold and diamond tours when we bought our entrance tickets. Unfortunately once you enter the Hermitage you can't exit and re-enter. However the gold tour is outside of the Hermitage! We had to beg and plead with the guards... more

If you want to fully take in the museum, allow at least 2 days. The place is enormous and one day doesn't do it justice. Also, the audio guide is worth the extra expense. Wear comfortable shoes as there aren't many places to sit and rest. We were there from opening to closing and didn't even cover half the place. more

Believe everything you read about the Hermitage - it is amazing, both the building itself and the art. It is absolutely huge - so do a bit of research before you go and plan out what you wnat to see. I read somewhere that if you spent 1 minute before each picec of art - it would take 15 years... more

We didn't and we wish we would have! Seeing how long the line was the day before, we got up early the next day and were in line before 10AM. We didn't actually have a ticket in hand until maybe 11:30. This is because things are done 'Russian Style,' which basically means 'lines are for suckers'. Seriously, with each group... more

My husband and I took the June 2009 Celebrity Cruise line (Constellation) on their 14 day Baltic Cruise. St. Petersburg was one of our favorite cities on the cruise. It is important to note that if you do not get a Russian visa prior to going, you will not be able to get off the ship unless you book the... more

This museum is a very great reason to visit Russia. It is a wonderful building with an incredible art collection. I think shoud be the of the purpose to visit St Petersburg. more

The Hermitage is one of the best museums in the world and by itself worth the visit to St Petersburg. We were told that during the summer there are huge lines, but now in April is the best time to go. Although the museum itself completely differs from other museums in the world, its the collection that matters. Hopefully they... more

We visited SPB during Xmas week (ours, not theirs!) 2008. There was plenty of snow, it was quite cold but the city was not crowded with tourists. It was a great time to visit. Although there were plenty of visitors, we didn't experience any crowds or queues at the Hermitage - other than when picking up our coats at the... more