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10

St Petersburg Travel & Sightseeing Guide

Filed Under Russia

A trip to St Petersburg
St Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia nestled along the banks of the River Neva, was once the cultural centre of the country in the days of the tsars. Once known as the ‘Venice of the North’, the city has recovered from the destruction caused during WWII and become Russia’s trendiest city. The city’s Pulkovo Airport offers mostly regional connections, with visitors from farther afield normally arriving at Moscow and then taking a short connecting flight.

Flights to St Petersburg
Located 10 miles south of St Petersburg is the two-terminal Pulkovo Airport. Serving mostly regional connections, the airport is just a 2 hour, 30 minute flight from Moscow, where a much greater choice of international flights is available. Terminal 1 caters to domestic flights while Terminal 2 serves international connections. Many airlines operate from Pulkovo Airport, and it serves as a hub for Rossiya Airlines. Airport facilities are basic but adequate. If you are looking for a cheap flight to St. Petersburg try lastminute.com.

Local buses are available for the journey from the airport to the city, as are speedier metro-buses which take about 30 minutes to reach the centre of St Petersburg. Taxis are readily available and offer a convenient alternative. Although car hire is available at the airport, visitors who are not familiar with the city are not recommended to drive.

St Petersburg

Sightseeing in St Petersburg
Art lovers will not want to miss The Hermitage, housing one of the world’s greatest art collections, which includes pieces by Rembrant, Michelangelo and Reubens. Also not to be overlooked is the Russian Museum, St Petersburg’s second most visited museum.

The original citadel of the city is the Peter and Paul Fortress, built in 1703. Here you can visit the graves of dozens of Russian tsars including Peter the Great at the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Further graves of interest can be visited at the Tikhvin Cemetery, where great Russian composers and authors are interred side by side. Another highlight is the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, constructed on the site where Alexander II was assassinated in 1181.

Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
Tourists are well catered for in St Petersburg with a wide selection of eateries, with many choices lining the river and Fontanka Canal. For a quick snack, don’t miss out on a Russian crepe, sold by street vendors on most corners. St Petersburg’s party scene is fuelled by inexpensive vodka, lively nightclubs and vibrant bars. Nevskii Prospekt is active 24 hours, and you won’t need to look far here for a place to eat or drink.

Fun by day - shopping and activities
Some of the city’s best shopping can be found on the south side of Nevskii Prospekt. Not far from the semi-circular Kazan Cathedral is Gostinyi Dvor, a department store that sells a range of goods.

For a daytrip out of the city, don’t miss the chance to gasp at the opulent palaces that were once inhabited by tsars. Peterhof, Catherine Palace, Pavlovsk, Oranienbaum and Gatchina are all fantastic examples of imperial grandeur.

Daytrips
St Petersburg is well connected to the rest of Russia, making daytrips and weekend excursions popular with both tourists and locals. The extensive rail network provides convenient transport to most destinations, though it also possible to hire a car and travel at your own pace.

The city of Peterhof is sometimes likened to Versailles, France. It is a city of art and culture, complete with numerous sculptures and fountains. The museums of art here are particularly well known and there are three palaces in Peterhof, set amid beautifully landscaped gardens and parks.

The city of Vyborg (80 miles north of St Petersburg) boasts one of the most expansive parks on the continent but its most unique asset is a Swedish castle that was built in the 1200s. The Russians took over its administration in the late 19th century and performed extensive renovations that resulted in the structure standing here today.

Must-see attractions
St Petersburg is overflowing with must-see attractions, and there are many things to see beyond the ever-popular Hermitage Art Museum and the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Mikhaul Palace is a popular art museum that narrows its scope with a strong emphasis on Russian art.

The Nevskiy Prospekt is situated along the Neva River and holds the Alexander Nevkiy Monastery. The monastery itself is eclipsed by the cemetery on its grounds where Russian greats including artists, writers, politicians and philosophers are buried. Some of the most prominent tombs include those of Fyodr Dostoevsky, Tschaikovsky and Mussorgsky.

In the late 19th century, Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in St Petersburg, and the site of his death is memorialised by the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood. Brilliant mosaics adorn the interior, while the church’s impressive architecture is best appreciated from a distance. There is a popular marketplace behind the church.

Finally, the cabin of Peter the Great is found in the Petrogradskaya district encased in a larger brick structure. Peter the Great resided here when the layout for the city was still under revision.

Best time to go
It is best to visit St Petersburg from June to August, when temperatures remain constant at 20°C. Summers are short and relatively humid, so periods of rainfall regularly occur, especially in late August and early September.

Snow blankets the ground in St Petersburg for more than 120 days during the winter, and average winter highs remain well below freezing during December, January and February.

In either season, abrupt swings in temperature are possible, melting accumulated snow in the winter or bringing brief spurts of snowfall in the summer.

Rainy day suggestions
In the event that rain or snow interferes with your sightseeing plans, St Petersburg offers plenty of worthwhile indoor activities, many of which deserve a high priority listing on tourist itineraries.

Opera and ballet are an integral part of local culture, and the city’s most famous performing arts venue is the Mariinsky Theatre. Performances are given in Russian with English subtitles. The the Ethnographic and Anthropological Museum (Kunstkamera) was established in the early 18th century by Peter the Great, making it Russia’s oldest state-run museum.

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