Saint Petersburg
"A window to Europe", "the northern Venice" - Saint Petersburg is a masterpiece
Saint Petersburg, the northern capital of Russia, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe. It's rather easy to get there especially from the Baltic countries. During summer months hundreds of giant cruise ships come to the city harbour. It's well-known that Saint Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but there is one reason it's even more fantastic – the whole city is an enormous single piece of art.
What's more, Saint Petersburg is relatively young as opposed to the other European must-sees. City's history started about 300 years ago when Peter and Paul fortress was built on a little island of the Neva mouth in 1703. It required to construct lots of channels to built the city in the swamps, and that's how Saint Petersburg's got one of its poetic names – the northern Venice.
The idea of building the city was to create "a window to Europe", and Saint Petersburg became definitely a symbol of Russia winning its place on the Baltic shore. Peter the Great was well concerned about the fact that the new city will need the new kind of architecture, and that's why he hired the best European architects to accomplish this goal. Magnificent and luxurious streets and squares are hard to imagine for someone who has never seen them.
Nevsky Prospect, which is 4,5 kilometers long, is the main and most beautiful street of St. Petersburg. The unique architectural ensemble of Nevsky Prospect consists of 240 buildings and each of them is an example of cultural heritage. The avenue starts from Palace square, where one of the most famous art museums, the State Hermitage museum, is located. There is a great variety of pieces of art there – from ancient Greek jewelry to Faberge's works, from Da Vinci's paintings to examples of European impressionism. Nevsky Prospect runs through the center of the city, crossing bridges and squares, and leads to Alexander Nevsky lavra, one of the most important orthodox monasteries.
What's more, Saint Petersburg is relatively young as opposed to the other European must-sees. City's history started about 300 years ago when Peter and Paul fortress was built on a little island of the Neva mouth in 1703. It required to construct lots of channels to built the city in the swamps, and that's how Saint Petersburg's got one of its poetic names – the northern Venice.
The idea of building the city was to create "a window to Europe", and Saint Petersburg became definitely a symbol of Russia winning its place on the Baltic shore. Peter the Great was well concerned about the fact that the new city will need the new kind of architecture, and that's why he hired the best European architects to accomplish this goal. Magnificent and luxurious streets and squares are hard to imagine for someone who has never seen them.
Nevsky Prospect, which is 4,5 kilometers long, is the main and most beautiful street of St. Petersburg. The unique architectural ensemble of Nevsky Prospect consists of 240 buildings and each of them is an example of cultural heritage. The avenue starts from Palace square, where one of the most famous art museums, the State Hermitage museum, is located. There is a great variety of pieces of art there – from ancient Greek jewelry to Faberge's works, from Da Vinci's paintings to examples of European impressionism. Nevsky Prospect runs through the center of the city, crossing bridges and squares, and leads to Alexander Nevsky lavra, one of the most important orthodox monasteries.
There are lots of sights worth visiting in the city, and it's impossible to see all of them during a couple of visits.
Due to the large number of tourist attractions Saint Petersburg is a popular destination during the whole year, though there is an opinion that every traveler should see "The White Nights", when it never gets completely dark, at least once. It leaves unforgettable memories to see the northern sky shimmering during the whole night while small gleams of sun that never goes away reflect in the mirror of Neva and uncountable domes and spires glow mysteriously. This is a time of holidays and festivities.
One can also call Saint Petersburg «the city of gastronomic delights». There are lots of restaurants for every taste, from crowded clubs on Nevsky to cozy bars in small lanes, from high-class restaurants with old-fashioned furniture to modern cafes for students – it's hard to imagine such a variety anywhere else in the world.
There are lots of sights worth visiting in the city itself, and it's impossible to see all of them during a couple of visits. Nevertheless, most of the tourists are determined to go to the suburban palaces: Tsarskoje Selo, Gatchina and, first of all, Peterhof, which parks and palaces are as beautiful as those in Versailles. By the way, there is also an ancient fortress called Oreshek in the source of Neva and a middle-aged Swedish town Viborg, which was conquered by Russia in 1710.
One can also call Saint Petersburg «the city of gastronomic delights». There are lots of restaurants for every taste, from crowded clubs on Nevsky to cozy bars in small lanes, from high-class restaurants with old-fashioned furniture to modern cafes for students – it's hard to imagine such a variety anywhere else in the world.
There are lots of sights worth visiting in the city itself, and it's impossible to see all of them during a couple of visits. Nevertheless, most of the tourists are determined to go to the suburban palaces: Tsarskoje Selo, Gatchina and, first of all, Peterhof, which parks and palaces are as beautiful as those in Versailles. By the way, there is also an ancient fortress called Oreshek in the source of Neva and a middle-aged Swedish town Viborg, which was conquered by Russia in 1710.
These tours might be interesting for you:
We also provide one day trips from Saint Petersburg and tours to museums.
More info on one day tours here
More info on one day tours here