I landed in St. Petersburg 2 hours earlier than the initial plan. It was very exciting to have finally set foot in Russia. The airport itself was nothing fancy but what struck me first on the drive to the city were the big open spaces, the wide roads and general lack of visible population!
Amazing architecture
St. Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great, in 1703 and was the capital of the erstwhile USSR till 1917. Located on the Baltic sea, it was also called Leningrad for some years and is built over several islands. Rated as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, it is easy to see why – the architecture is just amazing. Whether it the government buildings, or the palaces, or the museums or the theatres and concert halls, the cathedrals, the numerous bridges or the commercial buildings and shops, the variety of architecture is spellbinding.
St. Petersburg is a fairly big city, it is not easy to simply walk around to key attractions. I did not find Public transport(read Metro) very convenient and found it simpler to engage a taxi.
What to see
Major attractions in St. Petersburg include the Palace square where we witnessed Military personnel training for the May 9 parade, Kazan Cathedral, Hermitage Museum, Peter and Paul Fortress, Marble palace and so on. Many of these sights may be viewed from outside, without going in. I enjoyed cruising through the canals, strolling on the main shopping street Nevsky Prospekt and tasting Russian coffee at the numerous café. The night views are simply breathtaking, most of the buildings and bridges are illuminated.
View from Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg St Petersburg at night, the Hermitage is on the right, Peter and Paul Fortress on the left
Must do in St. Petersburg
Visiting Hermitage Museum and watching a ballet should be on top of the list when visiting St. Petersburg. Follow the link to read more.
Hermitage museum and ballet at Mariinsky
It is also worthwhile to visit couple of places outside the city. I chose Peterhof and Pushkin. Peterhof is a short 40 minutes scenic boat ride away by high speed Hydrofoil and houses the Grand Palace. At Pushkin, an hour’s drive from St. Petersburg, there is the magnificent Catherine Palace. Those of you who watch Hindi movies, few scenes from ‘Players’ were shot here. Follow the link to read more.
Trip to Peterhof, the Russian Versailles