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In 1992, American Greg Tepper was living in St. Petersburg when he noticed a glaring deficiency in Russia and Eastern Europe’s travel markets. Despite a post-privatization surge in luxury hotels and properties, trip outfitters remained glued to the value routes of the past. And so he founded, Russiatours, the region’s first true luxury outfitter. Since renamed Exeter International, the company, which offers small group (maximum twenty people) and customizable individual trips, all led by highly connected local guides, is consistently ranked the best in the region. While other high-end tour outfitters have now entered the region’s luxury scene, few have Tepper’s long-established insider access, which means that he can open doors for his clients that others cannot. Here, Tepper answers some questions for Indagare on St. Petersburg, his former home.

What are you most excited about for your next trip to St. Petersburg?

I visit St. Petersburg at least five times a year and there’s still always something new to see for this is a city in which entire neighborhoods consist solely of museums and palaces. Topping my current list is a visit to the recently renovated Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum, which had been closed for a while after it was placed on the World Monument Fund’s Watch List.

What about the city has changed the most in the last five years?

There’s been an explosion in the luxury hotel scene, with a lot of former palaces now being converted into really amazing places to stay. Also, the region in general is becoming more of a foodie destination, with a lot of fantastic restaurants starting to open up.

Do you have a favorite hotel and/or favorite restaurant?

If I had to choose a favorite it would probably be the twenty-nine-room Eliseev Palace Hotel (Moika River Emb., 59; 7-812-324-9911; www.eliseevpalacehotel.com). It’s a beautiful boutique palace that’s a mere ten minute stroll to Palace Square and the Hermitage. And in terms of restaurants, I really like Palkin (Nevski 47, just opposite the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel; 7-812-703-5371; www.palkin.ru), which specializes in Russian and European cuisine. In Moscow I would recommend the newly renovated Hotel Savoy (3/6 b.1 Rozhdestvenka; 7-495-620-8500; www.savoy.ru), a gorgeous early 20th century hotel brought up to date and located in the center of town. For Moscow restaurants I like Café Pushkin (26a Tverskoi bulvar; 7-495-739-0033) and GQ Bar (Ulitsa Baltschug 5; 7-495-956-7775).

Do you have any tips for people traveling to St. Petersburg for the first time?

Unlike, say New York, where nearly all museums are closed on Mondays, museums and cultural centers in Russia have random hours. For instance, the Catherine Palace is closed every Tuesday and the last Monday of every month while others might be closed every Friday and the first Monday of every month. Thus, it’s important to hire a trip outfitter to do the planning for you.

What are some things your trips offer that even the savviest and most thorough of travel researchers probably couldn’t arrange on their own?

The Hermitage has a storage area, located about forty minutes from the museum, which is brimming with interesting imperial art collections, and we will arrange to have the facility opened for our tour group. For theater buffs, there’s a backstage tour of the Mariinsky Theater and on our “Hidden Russia” tour, we visit the grandiose Grand Kremlin Palace and Terem, usually only reserved for high-ranking foreign dignitaries.

What are some top things not to miss when visiting the city for the first time?

Despite its touristy status, you have to see the Hermitage. However, to make the visit really spectacular, I would suggest following it up with something a bit more special and behind-the-scenes, such as our private tour of the museum’s storage rooms. Taking the hyrdrofoil over to the fountains of Peterhof is another highly memorable experience.

What are some off-the-beaten path things for return visitors?

Well, the Chinese Palace as well as Stalin’s Bunker (in Moscow, not St. Petersburg) are off-the-beaten-path primarily because of their suburban, non-central locations. Also, often overlooked is the Winter Palace of Peter the Great, which is located in the center of the city, on the banks of the Neva River.

Do you have any recommendations for families traveling to Russia?

I just went to Moscow with my nephew and niece (ages fourteen and ten respectively), and we had a wonderful time. Some of the highlights included a backstage tour of the Moscow Circus, where we saw the animals warming up before the show and a doll painting class at the Matryoshka Museum. We will also arrange to have the museum’s master doll painter come in to head the class. And, of course, Peterhof with its magic water fountains is perfect for children, sort of like a really beautiful water amusement park.

Do you have a favorite book on the region?

Suzanne Massie’s Pavlovsk: The Life of a Russian Palace. Through the story of this one palace, you get a ton of Russian history. Massie’s The Land of the Firebird: The Beauty of Old Russia is also a great survey of Russian traditions and history. Also, anything by the English writer Simon Sebag Montefiore, particularly Potemkin: Catherine the Great’s Imperial Partner and Stalin: Court of the Red Tsar.

UPCOMING TRIPS:

Tsar’s New Year’s Eve Ball (December 28-January 4, 2008): $6,250 per person.

White Nights Festival (June 20–30, 2008): This trip will include a three-night stay in St. Petersburg, with a caviar tasting, a performance at the Mariinsky Theater, plus seven nights cruising the Volga River. Doubles from $5,100 per person.