First Time in St. Petersburg

Description:

St. Petersburg's most-photographed church, this cathedral is a mountain of blindingly bright, beveled domes topped by glistening gold crosses. Its architects sought to revive medieval Russian architectural styles, but the cathedral's bold cheeriness lacks the brooding mysticism of similar churches in Moscow, instead reflecting the renewed nationalism and material prosperity of late-19th-century Russia. It was built on the site where Czar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881, prompting residents to come up with the Spilled Blood reference. Its official name is Church of the Resurrection of Christ. Alexander II was the forward-thinking czar who finally freed Russia's serfs in 1861, but he grew conservative in his later years and was targeted by a group of revolutionaries demanding more reform. The church's interior mosaics were created by Russia's top artists of the day, including Art Nouveau master Mikhail Vrubel.

Description:

While eyes are naturally drawn to the splendorous St Isaac's Cathedral across the square of the same name, the less noticeable Mariinskii Palace is nonetheless of some interest. Designed by a German in 1839-1844, the palace was ordered by Nicholas I as a wedding gift to his favorite daughter Maria. In post-revolutionary times the building was adopted for use as the Executive Committee of the City Council, and the five Soviet crests adorning the facade are a reminder of this role. Nowadays the building is the seat of the city legislature.

Description:

This is a plush, pricey restaurant (incorporating a bar and nightclub) but it's not aiming to be anything less. The building has been beautifully refurbished and the restaurant caters to both touristy and wealthy Russian clientele. The menu is bilingual, as are the staff. The menu and wine list are undoubtedly impressive, with generous portions of Russian and other European cuisine. Service is generally excellent, if a touch obsequious. There is also live jazz from 6:30pm.

Description:

Tourists can't ask for better accommodations in this magnificent historical city. Located in the heart of St. Petersburg, this charming hotel is walking distance from the Hermitage and Palace Square. All the rooms have an old world charm, but at the same time are equipped with modern amenities such as LCD screens and Wi-fi. If you want to surprise that special someone, make sure you book the room with hand-made furniture and a balcony offering spectacular view of the Moyka river. Pushka Inn Restaurant and Bar serves authentic Russian delicacies and a buffet breakfast. In addition, the hotel offers a guide service and air and railway ticket bookings.

Description:

Polar bears, wolves, ice picks and even a life size model air craft with wooden skis which was used in the Arctic and designed by Shavrov are on display at the Museum of the Arctic & Antarctic - the history, geography, exploration and culture of this far northern region. Located in what was the church of St Nicholas, this once-beautiful place of worship is now stuffed with anything that has to do with the Arctic circle and the excavation of it. Unfortunately, the entire exhibition looks rather worn and disheveled. And although the museum just celebrated its 70th anniversary, it seems trapped in the age when Russia was called the Soviet Union.

Description:

Fast food style restaurant with delicious blinis, Teremok is a local favorite. Blinis are served fast and hot -- this is a great choice for a quick breakfast or lunch.

Our Local Expert Says:

All seasons of the year, Petersburgers line up in their skivvies against the outer wall of the fortress to catch the sun's rays.

Description:

This is the historic heart of the city. Tsar Peter I built the fortress in just six months in 1703. Situated on the Zaiachii (Rabbit) island, the fortress faces the Winter Palace and is one of the city's symbols. The fortress houses an assembly of interesting monuments such as the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Trubetskii prison, Peter's Boathouse and the The Mint. Peter and other Russian Tsars are buried at the cathedral.

Description:

St. Petersburg was built around the point where the main channel of the majestic Neva empties itself into the Gulf of Finland. Flowing about 75 kilometers from Lake Ladoga to the east of the city, the river achieves a romantic grandness as it sweeps before the city's classical riverfront facade and historical hotspots. In winter the river ices over for four months or more, and one can take a chilly stroll from the Peter and Paul Fortress straight across to the Winter Palace.

Description:

Tourists can't ask for better accommodations in this magnificent historical city. Located in the heart of St. Petersburg, this charming hotel is walking distance from the Hermitage and Palace Square. All the rooms have an old world charm, but at the same time are equipped with modern amenities such as LCD screens and Wi-fi. If you want to surprise that special someone, make sure you book the room with hand-made furniture and a balcony offering spectacular view of the Moyka river. Pushka Inn Restaurant and Bar serves authentic Russian delicacies and a buffet breakfast. In addition, the hotel offers a guide service and air and railway ticket bookings.

Description:

Though initially you enter this museum via the royal ostentation of its magnificent marble hall, the rest of your wanderings will give you an intriguing glimpse of less opulent ways, as you tour exhibits modeling peasant lifestyles from across the huge former Soviet Union, just as they were at the turn of the twentieth century. Kazakhs thickly clad in goat-hair look rugged compared to the neat Georgians with their swish pantaloons and trim beards. Also on display are scaly Caucasian toys and ornaments of upright Tuvans on horseback. Many people may have presumed Russia was an ethnically homogeneous region during the Cold War period, but this museum startles with its revelation of the sheer diversity of the peoples of the Soviet Union.

Description:

This pleasant Russian restaurant on the other side of the Neva from the city centre (the 'Petrograd side') provides Soviet-Russian cuisine in predominantly traditional surroundings - village scenes and agricultural tools (among other things) decorate the walls. Meals are served to the wooden tables and pillowed benches on sparklingly white plates. Russian solianka is served with a bread crust cupping over the top of the bowl. The menu is inventive and varied, particularly in the dessert department.

Description:

Set on the bank of Yelagin Island is a small palace bearing the same name as the island itself. After spending a peaceful afternoon on the island, many forget to tour this 18th century home, probably because it always appears closed. Itis not. There is a healthy exhibition of decorative applied arts inside. Built for Ivan Yelagin, a Marshall of the Imperial court, the palace's history shows a number of owners: from Yelagin to Orlov, who later sold it to Alexander I, who then gave it to his mother.

Our Local Expert Says:

The park also includes an island where 'wild' monkeys live in an open environment.

Description:

The Central Park of Culture and Rest is one of the best spots for relaxation in town. Most of Elagin Island, where the park is located, is a lovely network of paths, greenery, ponds and canals. There are rowing boat and water bicycle rental stands with hire rates of about USD5 per hour, and an amusement park with various rides, outdoor and indoor cafes and tennis courts (members only). At weekends and on public holidays there is an entrance fee.

Our Local Expert Says:

A date at the Marrinsky is the epitome of class and style. Sip a glass if sovietskoe champagne at intermission to fit in with the locals!

Description:

Sometimes known outside Russia as the Kirov, this is the city's premier cultural venue. Named after Maria Alexandrovna, the wife of Alexander II, the building dates from 1860; but it stands on the same site as a wooden theatre erected in 1765. The hulking exterior is hardly inspiring, but the glittering multi-tiered interior is a jewel among St Petersburg's aging auditoriums. The theatre is famous for the Kirov Ballet Company, but it is best known for opera. Consult the website for upcoming events and ticket price. Show times vary, consult the website or call for details.

Our Local Expert Says:

Good steaks, huge portions and free wi-fi make this a favorite place - particularly among businesspeople and expats.

Description:

The James Cook Cafe and Pub breathes life into the newly renovated Malaia Koniushennaia. The cafe offers a huge selection of coffees from all over the world-Ethiopia, Guatemala and Kenya, among others-while the pub side has an excellent selection of drinks and a hearty of expensive menu. Despite the name and the obvious attempts at English pub decor, the setting is rather modern. They serve coffee, salads and burgers along with beer.

Description:

Tourists can't ask for better accommodations in this magnificent historical city. Located in the heart of St. Petersburg, this charming hotel is walking distance from the Hermitage and Palace Square. All the rooms have an old world charm, but at the same time are equipped with modern amenities such as LCD screens and Wi-fi. If you want to surprise that special someone, make sure you book the room with hand-made furniture and a balcony offering spectacular view of the Moyka river. Pushka Inn Restaurant and Bar serves authentic Russian delicacies and a buffet breakfast. In addition, the hotel offers a guide service and air and railway ticket bookings.

Description:

It was Catherine the Great who was responsible for creating the celebrated Hermitage museum within the walls of her glorious Imperial residence, the Winter Palace. At the time of her death the collection contained nearly 4,000 paintings. Today there are more than three million items making the Hermitage one of the largest and most prestigious museums in the world. Visitors can be forgiven for being unsure where to begin, coronation carriages, the Malachite Room, centuries old porcelain and antiques, Faberge, Rembrandt, Raphael, DaVinci, Michelangelo, and Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, Degas, and Rodin, and all that just for starters. It can take a complete day to see the highlights, but investigating every corner in each of the five linked buildings could take years.

Description:

It takes some time for your eyes to get used to the Winter Palace, the outlandish and colorful former home of Tsars that dominates Palace Square on one side and the Neva waterfront on the other. The existing building is the fourth-generation version and was designed by Italian architect Rastrelli and completed in 1762. After the Revolution the existing museum inside the palace was extended, and the Hermitage is now one of the world's foremost art collections.

Our Local Expert Says:

Try the fabulous spinach lasagna!

Description:

A novel addition to St Petersburg's cafes and restaurants, with its 100% vegetarian menu and alcohol-free drinks' selection, Troitskii Most has proven to be very popular, in this predominantly carnivorous and heavy-drinking city. Some inventive dishes are on offer here, usually with conspicuous helpings of soya meat and the green tea they sell washes it all down very refreshingly. The staff tend to be attentive and professional and the prices are incredibly low.

Our Local Expert Says:

Get a ticket to enter and climb to the cuppola of the cathedral for sparkling rooftop city views.

Description:

St. Isaac's mighty, somber facade rose only in the mid-19th century but has become an indelible part of St. Petersburg's skyline since then. Critics of the day called it "The Inkwell" because of its boxy shape topped by a single enormous gray dome, in contrast to the multilayered and multicolored domes and towers of most Orthodox churches. Its massive hall can accommodate 14,000 people, though it probably never has. More popular with tourists than believers, the church earned residents' respect during World War II, when it endured Nazi shelling and its grounds were planted with cabbage to help residents survive the 900-day Nazi blockade. Its interior is as awesome as its exterior, with columns made of single chunks of granite, malachite, and lazurite; floors of different-colored marble; and never-ending frescoes. If the viewing balcony around the dome is open, it's well worth a climb for the view of the city and of the cathedral from on high. However, ticket prices for this activity are rising at an alarming pace. Allow an hour, more if you visit the balcony.

Our Local Expert Says:

Come here on a weekend morning in the summer for free concerts by local musicians, military bands and chamber orchestras.

Description:

This is the place to rest on a bench after a day of visiting museums, or to escape from the crush of city sidewalks -- or to imagine how Peter the Great spent his summer afternoons. The lush greenery (at least for a few months of the year) almost makes you forget that these gardens were entirely planned, designed for Peter's pleasure walks and adhering to the city's rules of classicism. Peter brought in marble Renaissance-era statues from Italy to give the park a more European feel. He and his successors threw grand receptions here with dancing, drinking, and fireworks under the endless sun of the White Nights. The statues and fountains serve as landmarks in case you get disoriented. The shrubbery was once carefully trimmed but now its groomers allow trees to take on more abundant forms. The Summer Palace is open to visitors, its rooms re-created as they would have been in Peter's time. The small two-story building was not heated, so it was a summer treat. Glance inside the Coffee House and the Tea House, too. The park closes for a few weeks in spring, usually in April, for a "drying out" period as the slush melts.

Our Local Expert Says:

A traditional wedding photo spot for many St. Petersburg newlyweds, this is a great place for bride-spotting!

Description:

The Bronze Horseman (Mednyi Vsadnik) is probably St. Petersburg's best known monument to Peter the Great. Rearing above a huge stone, the horse and its rider seem set to conquer the city. The dynamic sculpture was created in 1782 by E. Falconet. It rests on a roughly polished slab of stone eight meters high and weighs 1,638 tons. The monument is illuminated at night and is a popular meeting place for young lovers. Elegant and inspiring, the Bronze Horseman is one of the great symbols of St. Petersburg.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Alexander Column has borne witness to many of Russia's most tumultuous historical events - from the rushing crowds of the October Revolution to the devastation of the starving masses during the Blockade of Leningrad. Today, the Column is a great place to witness youth culture in the City -- any given (snow-free) day, one will find groups of young skate boarders, rollerbladers and cyclists circling the column and the entire Palace Square.

Description:

This mighty Doric column, cut from a giant granite monolith with a bronze base, cap, bas-reliefs and a sculpture on top, was put on Palace Square in memory of victory in the war of 1812. The huge granite monolith weighs 704 metric tons. It took 2000 soldiers and 400 workers just one hour and 45 minutes to complete the construction of this monument. The column itself has a height of 25.58 meters. It is the highest triumphal column in the world.

Our Local Expert Says:

For more lovely views of the Kazan Cathedral, stop in for a coffee in the café on the second floor of Dom Kniegi directly across the street.

Description:

This prominent landmark on Nevsky Prospekt is an example of nontraditional Russian Orthodox architecture adapted to satisfy church tradition. To fit with the city's careful design, the cathedral's columned, curved facade faces Nevsky -- but Orthodox custom requires that the nave run east-west, so the entrance to the cathedral is actually around the side. Completed in 1811, the cathedral was partly inspired by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Its centered single dome, horizontal line, and gray color scheme have little in common with the more vibrant, vertical cathedrals typical of previous centuries. The cathedral was named after the icon of Our Lady of Kazan, whose intriguing tale is the first item in church brochures. For more than 60 years it housed the State Museum of Atheism and Religion, and for a while in the 1990s it managed to be simultaneously a functioning church and a museum to godlessness. The museum has since moved and dropped the "Atheism" from its name.

Our Local Expert Says:

Stop in at the Park Restaurant at the corner of Mars Field and Griboedova Canal for pizza and capuccino to refuel before walking towards the Church on Silled Blood.

Description:

The land included under the name of Marsovo Pole includes the Summer Gardens, Mikhailovskii Gardens and the grounds of the Marble Palace among others. The heart of the ensemble is The Field of Mars itself, named after the Roman god of war. It got this name because military parades and training exercises were held there in Peter the Great's time. Marsovo Pole covers an area of 25 acres and is a popular summer hang-out. An eternal flame dedicated to the revolution still burns in the middle of the park.

Description:

Situated about ten minutes walk from Nevskii Prospekt to the south, the miniature train engine thrusting out the front door is the obvious way to spot the place. The restaurant is divided into buffet and 'first and second class restaurant cars'. The interior of the buffet is similar to that on a suburban train. Hooting, tapping of wheels and station's sounds accompany the music all the time. Fortunately this is more pleasant than you might think. The menu is primarily European, although it includes a few dishes from Russia and Caucasia. Some of the dishes are cooked on an open fire. The chicken fillet in peach sauce with cauliflower is recommended. Desserts are also satisfying.

Our Local Expert Says:

Come early to get a table -- jazz shows at this tiny venue are popular. This is a great place to hear fantastic local artists!

Description:

Highly democratic, with audience members seemingly transformed into maestros within seconds of having jumped from their tables onto the stage, JFC keeps local jazz lovers guessing with its innovative style. Variety is the theme - latino music one night, Dixieland the next - and don't be surprised if you turn up to find Scottish folk musicians getting the locals to their feet. JFC gets crowded, both with Russians and ex-pats, but the cramped quarters are part of the atmosphere. Show times vary, call for details.

Description:

The Renaissance Saint Petersburg Hotel is a modern hotel situated in city centre with stunning views of Saint Isaac's Cathedral, just one kilometre from Yusupov Palace. The 102 air-conditioned guestrooms have light, modern decor and include satellite television, safes and minibars. Guests can enjoy Russian specialities in the restaurant, relax with a drink in the bar, and work out in the fitness centre.

Description:

Founded by decree of Peter the Great in 1704 as a museum of scientific curiosities, the Kunstkammer is firstly an extensive and impressive exhibition devoted to ancient and traditional cultures from all over the world. The colourful and well-presented exhibition is divided into areas each displaying artifacts like weapons, dress, tools etc, from a particular area of the world. However, the museum is world-famous for but a handful of its million plus artefacts. Peter's original grim collection of pickled animals, bizarre skeletons and preserved Siamese twins form the museum's centre-piece and macabre main attraction.

Our Local Expert Says:

Wireless internet!

Description:

Swanky and relatively new, Zoom is aptly named, for time seems to fly by when you're having fun. Very slick black glass-topped tables set off the blue walls. Books are revered here, as you will realize when two menus are handed to you - one for books and the other for your meal! The menu consists of loads of salads and soups, well-balanced by steak and fish dishes. Leave room for a wholesome dessert, such as an apple baked with honey and nuts. Regular drinkers will be a tad disappointed, though, for liquor is not served all the days of the week.

Our Local Expert Says:

People watching at its best! No visit to St. Petersburg is complete without a stroll down Nevsky Prospekt.

Description:

On a map of the city center, this grand-scale thoroughfare forms a spine with the many canals appearing as spindly but graceful ribs. On the ground "Nevskii" is the city's vital artery, heaving with people from well before dawn until well after dusk. The street's western end lies at The Admiralty, and from there it runs three miles all the way to the Alexander Nevskii Monastery. The street is a dizzying and sometimes exhausting mix of hectic traffic, street poverty, high fashion and eye-turning architecture.

Description:

The pandemonium of smells, color and sound of this central market will enthrall the intrepid traveler. Here you will find fruit and vegetable vendors from all over the former Soviet Union loudly offering you their goods. Fresh food, cheese and caviar are popular purchases at this large, newly restored indoor market in the heart of the city.

Description:

Founded at the Botanical Institute, on Petrogradskaia Storona, the Garden is open to the general public. A park laid out in the open air presents hundreds of plant species from various corners of the world; from Northern America to China. Three big hothouses host rare collections of tropical plants: orchids, cactuses, palm trees and many more. It is the oldest and largest collection in St. Petersburg. You can also buy some of the exotic plants for home decoration.

Description:

Next to the infamous Kunstkammerand not far from the Twelve Colleges building lies this very stylish restaurant. Noted style-man Andrei Dmitriev was responsible for the interior - the pale, undecorated walls, metallic toilet doors decorated with pictograms of Mars and Venus, and the 'high-tech' toilets. The strange combination of sparse old Russia with modernist touches takes a bit of getting used to, but it's ultimately quite appealing. The food is a similar mix of old and new: fairly traditional Russian cuisine but spun with refreshingly new twists: pelmeny (basically Russian ravioli) with Turkey inside for example. Fish dishes are a speciality.

Our Local Expert Says:

One of the City's first restaurants to offer vegetarian cuisine, the café attracts a casual, literary/intellectual crowd.

Description:

Releases sensations of invigorating relief if you walk in from a sub-zero winter's day. If you can get to them before anyone else, the sofas squatting in the corner are a fine place to snuggle embryo-like as you blissfully await your menu. Ordering one of the vat-sized cappucinos, accompanied by the complementary measure of vodka, will induce such sanguinity that you might well be encouraged to make a bedroom of the place for the night. Hear Ella Fitzgerald crooning to you from the background and your eyelids could well become too heavy to resist. As the place closes at midnight however, the cold very much beckons once again. But for a short while the slicing breeze and icy pavements will be just a distant shiver. For all the above reasons, The Idiot isn't an obvious choice during the White Nights/Summer.

Description:

The Renaissance Saint Petersburg Hotel is a modern hotel situated in city centre with stunning views of Saint Isaac's Cathedral, just one kilometre from Yusupov Palace. The 102 air-conditioned guestrooms have light, modern decor and include satellite television, safes and minibars. Guests can enjoy Russian specialities in the restaurant, relax with a drink in the bar, and work out in the fitness centre.

Our Local Expert Says:

Kids and adults alike will love running through the surprise splash fountains in the Peterhoff gardens. If you figure out the secret to what sets off the fountains don't tell!

Description:

Of all St Petersburg's attractions, the country estate of Peterhof is perhaps the place that inspires the greatest pride among the city's population. Extravagant and bombastic in parts, elegant and relaxed in others, Peterhof's palace and grounds are more than ample testimony to the crazy opulence of Tsarist Russia. The grounds are split into two parts. The steps leading down from the palace to the lower gardens run next to the Grand Cascade, in summer a dizzying orgy of nearly 150 fountains, glittering golden statues and checkered ceramic.

Description:

Initially built as a palace for Empress Elizabeth, Taleon Club was later developed by The Eliseevs with interiors inspired by the grand heritage of Italy and France. Taleon Club today houses a casino, restaurants, cigar lounge, fitness center and hotel. Elegant and beautiful, this place happens to be one of its kind. It also has a casino. For further details, check the website or call ahead.

Description:

The Renaissance Saint Petersburg Hotel is a modern hotel situated in city centre with stunning views of Saint Isaac's Cathedral, just one kilometre from Yusupov Palace. The 102 air-conditioned guestrooms have light, modern decor and include satellite television, safes and minibars. Guests can enjoy Russian specialities in the restaurant, relax with a drink in the bar, and work out in the fitness centre.