Romantic St. Petersburg

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.

Our Local Expert Says:

Kids will love to see how their Russian peers cycle, rollerblade and skateboard around this St. Petersburg landmark.

Description:

Lined by the imperious Winter Palace and the sweeping majesty of the General Staff building, this square is one of the world's most impressive inner-city expanses. Like Red Square in Moscow, this open area has been a witness to the turmoil in Russian history. In 1905, the square played host to Bloody Sunday, when confused palace guards opened fire on peaceful demonstrators. During the Revolution of October 1917, the alleged "storming" of the Winter Palace was launched from the square.

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:

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:

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:

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:

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.

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 great mix of nationalities converge on this cool club each weekend.

Description:

Café Che is a mix of restaurant, café and stylish bar. Music tends towards jazz and world beats, attracting a cosmopolitan, sophisticated crowd. Come for dinner and stay for the music and crowds. Reservations recommended on weekends.

Our Local Expert Says:

Spoil yourself with high tea and chocolate truffles in the lovely atrium of this elegant hotel!

Description:

The list of previous guests says it all: Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, staff are thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.

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:

Once home to Grand Duke Sergei and his wife Grand Duchess Elizabeth in the late 19th century, the deteriorating red colored Beloselskii-Belozerskii Palace is now a wax museum and cultural center. If anything, it is one of the most fantastic looking buildings on Nevskii Prospekt. The site was acquired by the ultra-wealthy Beloselskii-Belozerskii family in 1797 and the building was erected in the mid-1800's. It is without question, one of the best examples of Russian baroque style in St Petersburg. Overlook the wax works and sneak upstairs-the rococo interiors will leave you breathless.

Our Local Expert Says:

Great all you can eat business lunch.

Description:

Still one of the most popular venues for Italian cuisine. Friendly and hands-on management make it worthy of its excellent reputation, and although the menu is largely unoriginal, the food is as good as elsewhere and generously portioned. They also handle large groups well, gladly shifting tables around to accomodate birthday parties or other celebrations. In addition, you can find a second branch of Mama Roma at Moskovskii Prospekt, 192.

Our Local Expert Says:

It is a long-held St. Petersburg tradition to kiss when traveling under this bridge, so if you take a canal boat tour, pucker up!

Description:

This bridge is 35.8 meters wide and 23.5 meters long and crosses the river Moika at Ulitsa Glinki. From 1738, there had been a wooden pedestrian bridge on this spot on stone supports with a drawbridge section to allow masted ships to pass. In 1768, the bridge was rebuilt to accommodate transport as well as pedestrians. In 1808, construction began of a cast-iron bridge to replace the decrepit wooden one. Each end of the bridge is decorated with obelisks housing lamps like those on Red Bridge. Lamps were added and the spheres atop the obelisks were gilded in 1969.

Description:

Krasnyi Most or Red Bridge is a one-bay arched bridge 22 meters long and 16 meters wide crossing the river Moika at Gorokhovaia Ulitsa. It started out life as a wooden bridge in 1717. Between 1808 and 1814, a cast-iron bridge was built to replace its wooden counterpart. This project was led by V.I. Geste. In 1953, reconstruction work replaced the cast-iron structure with a steel one, but the bridge's outer appearance remained unchanged. Granite obelisks and streetlamps have been put in place-the surfaces of which are painted red.

Description:

This cast-iron bridge crosses the Moika River at Nevskii Prospekt. It was often referred to as the green bridge because of the color it was painted. In the 1770s, it was named Politseiskii Most because chief-of-police Chicherin lived next door. In 1806, the wooden bridge was replaced by a cast-iron one made by engineer Geste. Between 1904 and 1907, engineers V.A. Bers, A.P. Pshenitskii and A.L. Stanovyi again widened it by building on cast-iron arches for the laying of tram-lines.

Our Local Expert Says:

Spoil yourself with high tea and chocolate truffles in the lovely atrium of this elegant hotel!

Description:

The list of previous guests says it all: Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, staff are thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.

Our Local Expert Says:

Walk to the center of this bridge to take in stunning views of the Peter and Paul Fortress, summer fountains on the Neva, the Hermitage and the glorious facades of the St. Petersburg State University, Zoological Museum and Kunstkamera

Description:

Dvortsovyi Most (Palace Bridge) is a drawbridge that is 250 meters long, 27.7 meters wide and stretches across the Neva near the Winter Palace. In so doing, it connects the Admiralteiskii area of the city with Vasil'evskii Ostrov. It was built between 1912 and 1916 by engineer A. I. Pshenitskii. During summer months, the central section composed of two wings, opens during the night to allow shipping traffic to pass. The lights created (called "White Nights") provide tourists with good nighttime photo opportunities.

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.

Our Local Expert Says:

This park is a great place to stop off before heading to the Peter and Paul Fortress. In the summer months, the park hosts a lively amusement park for young children, and there are several nice cafes and restaurants on the ring perimeter of the park.

Description:

Whilst one side of this somewhat barren park is bordered by rows of kiosks, the other side takes you to the island where the Peter and Paul Fortress is situated. There are one or two cafes and restaurants in the park itself, though local residents tend only to mill around in numbers at the weekend, where they may well be entertained (or not as the case may be) by fully equipped buskers blaring their way through their repertoires.

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.

Our Local Expert Says:

Stop in at this well-run restaurant for traditional cheese pie (khachapuri) before taking the beautiful park stroll to the Engineer's Palace.

Description:

Operating both as a cafe and restaurant, Kavkaz offers the customer the choice between whiling away a little time in fairly functional surroundings and indulging oneself in an immaculate setting, modelled to perfection on its Caucasian roots. Whether nibbling away at a chebureki in the cafe or gorging yourself on the generous skewers of meat washed down by one of its delicious Georgian wines, you'll be relishing a real Caucasian treat.

Our Local Expert Says:

Spoil yourself with high tea and chocolate truffles in the lovely atrium of this elegant hotel!

Description:

The list of previous guests says it all: Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, staff are thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.

Description:

Acknowledged in 1992 by the President of the Russian Federation as one of Russia's most precious objects of cultural heritage, The State Russian Museum is home to the largest collection of Russian fine art in the world. Founded in 1898 by Emperor Nicholas II in memory of his father Alexander III, it became the first state museum of Russian art. Today it holds over 400,000 exhibits spanning a period of one thousand years including an overwhelming collection of medieval icons and works from well-known Russian masters such as Repin, Shishkin, Nesterov, Cahagall, Rublev and Brullov. A visit to The State Russian Museum is to experience the essence of Russia in a fantastic display of style, shape, color and meaning.

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.

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:

Spoil yourself with high tea and chocolate truffles in the lovely atrium of this elegant hotel!

Description:

The list of previous guests says it all: Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, staff are thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.

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:

Joseph Brodsky said she was the "greatest Russian poetess of the 20th century." Born in 1889, Anna Akhmatova spent most of her adult years regarded and treated as an enemy of the state. Her writing is proof of her suffering, much which she endured while living in this apartment, now a museum. Not only are many of her personal belongings still here (an ashtray which she used to burn her poetry), but much of her original writing is on display, as are photographs of the time. There are a number of telling portraits of the poetess over the years and visitors can end their visit by listening to a recording of Akhmatova reading one of her last poems.

Description:

There are a plethora of Chinese options for diners in St. Petersburg, but this restaurant situated within the Grand Hotel Europe is by far the most prestigious. Waiters and waitresses in Chinese silk costume, extravagant decoration and, of course, a distinct lack of knives and forks all contribute to a very Chinese experience. You can have Chicken Shanghai (in oyster sauce).

Our Local Expert Says:

Spoil yourself with high tea and chocolate truffles in the lovely atrium of this elegant hotel!

Description:

The list of previous guests says it all: Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, staff are thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.

Our Local Expert Says:

Stop in at the newly renovated Konstinovsky Palace before or after a visit to Peterhoff for more park strolling and palace-admiring.

Description:

Otherwise known as Putin's Palace, Konstantinovsky Palace was renovated and re-opened in 2005 after many years of neglect. The palace and grounds were rennovated in just 12 months with the help of 5,000 laborers. The palace is now often used for official State events, but open to the public on all other days.

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:

Spoil yourself with high tea and chocolate truffles in the lovely atrium of this elegant hotel!

Description:

The list of previous guests says it all: Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, staff are thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.

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:

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.

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.

Our Local Expert Says:

This central city park has been lovingly restored with canals, gardens and playing fields. It is a great place to sit and watch locals relax on the weekends.

Description:

The most striking sight as you enter this park these days is some blood red graffiti demanding "Bring Lenin back!". This has been written behind the podium where his statue used to stand. The rest of the park is a source of recreation for residents of the Chernishevskaia area, including strolling couples and their dogs, and a multitude of children chasing after their footballs and playing. You may also discover groups of older men stooped over chessboards looking very analytical. Entry is free.

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.

Our Local Expert Says:

Loud, rowdy Russian-style fun for tourists!

Description:

A log-cabin interior, staff dressed up as 'muzhiks' and heavily-garnished meals in the typically Russian manner, make this restaurant a natural place to visit for those hopping on and off buses on their tours around the city. During the winter therefore, the custom pretty much dribbles in, whereas in the peak summer season, the live folk entertainment brings in an assortment of foreigners and easily encourages them to join in with the fun.

Our Local Expert Says:

Spoil yourself with high tea and chocolate truffles in the lovely atrium of this elegant hotel!

Description:

The list of previous guests says it all: Tchaikovsky and Turgenev stayed here in pre-revolutionary days, while in the modern era the hotel has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton and Sharon Stone. This is the city's premiere and most expensive hotel. The building itself dates back to 1873, but has gone through various stages of renovation since then, including a complete internal revamping in the last decade of the 20th century. Rooms are predictably luxurious, staff are thoroughly English speaking and the location couldn't be more convenient.