ST. PETERSBURG (Leningrad)



Located on the banks of the swift-flowing Neva, St. Petersburg is the most beautiful city in Russia. Although it’s lovely at any time of year, we really enjoy visiting in late June, during the famed White Nights, when the sun never seems to set and the city never sleeps. Reached by train from Finland in about eight hours, or by plane or overnight train from Moscow, the city rates at least four nights—there’s so much to see and do.

Designed and built by Peter the Great in 1703 as Russia’s "Window on the West," today it claims about 5,020,000 residents. But the layout of the city never gives you the feeling of its being crowded.

Any visitor’s first stop should be the Hermitage, a museum that ranks with the Louvre, Prado, British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art; allow at least half a day just to look at the room decorations, but days and days if you really want to see the museum’s incredible collection (which includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, El Greco, Rembrandt, Picasso, Van Gogh and just about all of the world’s great artists). The bulk of the Hermitage collection is housed in the Winter Palace, the former home of the czars and one of the focal points of the 1917 revolution.

Afterward, stroll the Nevsky Prospekt, the city’s main street for shopping and restaurants, and visit St. Isaac’s Cathedral (which has a wonderful view of the city from its tower).

Other points of interest include Razliv, an outdoor historical museum; the Summer Garden, a beautiful park filled with fountains and pavilions; and the Smolny Cathedral. The Peter and Paul Fortress, on the Neva near the Palace Bridge and downtown, was one of the first buildings constructed in the city. It has been home to many unwilling guests, including Dostoyevsky. In its dungeons Peter the Great killed his son and Catherine the Great buried her enemies alive.

If at all possible, book tickets (in advance) to see the St. Petersburg Circus, which offers some unusual and exciting acts. Numerous museums, statues and parks throughout St. Petersburg deserve investigation, if you have time (we enjoyed visiting the large Tikhvinskoye cemetery, where numerous writers, composers and other famous St. Petersburg residents are buried). Nearby excursions include Russia’s first naval base at Kronstadt (there’s a lovely church there as well) and several royal palaces. 400 mi/650 km northwest of Moscow.

ST. PETERSBURG-AREA PALACES



Handsome palaces such as Petrodvorets, Pushkin and Pavlovsk surround St. Petersburg. Try to make time to visit two—they are worth it. Petrodvorets, 20 mi/32 km west of St. Petersburg, is a lovely 18th-century palace with marvelous fountains, sculptures and interior. Pushkin, about 18 mi/28 km past the airport from St. Petersburg, is the home of the Catherine Palace. This is truly a must for those who appreciate parquet floors. It has gold-painted rooms and what must be the largest lapis lazuli tabletop in the world, too. The 18th-century Pavlovsk Palace, 20 mi/32 km southeast of St. Petersburg, is known for its fountains, gilded statues and artificial ponds. About 400 mi/650 km northwest of Moscow.

 

 

 

Credit:

Excite.com

http://www.excite.com/travel/countries/russia/?page=what_to_do&content=more