Petersburg is the number one city in Russia in terms of the number of attractions. It is also called the Venice of the North because of the large number of rivers and canals. That is why, in order to fully appreciate the beauty of the city, to see the magnificent fountains and raised bridges, it is better to come here in the summer. But even in winter you will not be bored here. To see all the fun, plan your trip in advance, while still at home, and schedule activities by day.
Instructions
Step 1
A sightseeing tour will help you get your first idea of the city. It can be either a traditional bus ride or an alternative one, for example, on a motorcycle as a passenger or a bicycle. One of the most convenient options is to take the CityTour bus. Its route runs through the main attractions of the city center. You will see Nevsky Prospekt, Palace Square, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the Bronze Horseman, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Aurora cruiser and much more. A bus ticket gives you the right to travel on it all day. You can get off at any stop and then continue your journey again. The ticket comes with headphones, through which you can listen to a detailed story about the city. You can find out the cost of tickets, points of sale and other details on the site of the "CityTour" project.
Step 2
At night, from April 20 to November 10, you can enjoy the spectacle of the raised bridges. This can be done in one of three ways. The first option, the budget one, is to independently get to a bridge on foot or by taxi. The raised bridge of Peter the Great (Bolsheokhtinsky) looks very beautiful. Bridging starts at 1 am on schedule. Another way is to take an overnight bus tour. Buy a ticket for it in advance at kiosks on Nevsky Prospekt near Gostiny Dvor. And you can see the layout of bridges from the water, taking a night excursion along the Neva on a motor ship or boat
Step 3
You can take an excursion along the rivers and canals of St. Petersburg and in the daytime - by boat, motor ship or river tram. The parking lots of tourist ships and boats are located at the intersections of the Fontanka and Moika rivers with Nevsky Prospekt, on the Moika near the Savior on Spilled Blood, near the Palace Embankment.
Step 4
New Holland is worth seeing - these two man-made islands are impressive. You can take a boat tour, which includes a visit to this attraction, and see it from the water. But recently, this once closed place is available for free visits, and you can inspect it from the inside.
Step 5
There are a great many museums in St. Petersburg, and you won't be able to get around them all in one trip. Therefore, choose in advance the most interesting ones for you. Take a separate day to visit the Hermitage. The collection of this museum is huge, and a whole day is not enough to see it all. Rent an audio guide - a player that looks like a telephone handset that will tell you about the museum's exhibits. Find out more about current exhibitions on the Hermitage website. After that, if you still have strength, walk along the Palace Embankment towards the Troitsky Bridge to the Summer Garden. There you can relax in the shade of trees among the sculptures or see the House of Peter I.
Step 6
The boys will love a visit to the Artillery Museum. Its exposition reflects the history of weapons from the 16th century to our time. The museum is located in the Alexander Park, opposite the Peter and Paul Fortress. Also the museums loved by children are the Kunstkamera and the Zoological Museum. They are located in two adjacent buildings on the University Embankment. The Museum of Communications and the Museum of Water will be very interesting for a family visit.
Step 7
Painting lovers should visit the Russian Museum. It is located in the Mikhailovsky Palace, branches are located in the Engineering Castle, Stroganov and Marble Palaces. Most likely, you will not have time to see everything, so choose the most interesting expositions on the museum's website. And if you are a fan of contemporary art, you will be interested in the Erarta Gallery on Vasilievsky Island and the Loft Project ETAGI.
Step 8
Literature lovers should visit the museum-apartment of A. S. Pushkin on the Moika. You can also visit the Dostoevsky Museum in Kuznechny Pereulok, the Nabokov Museum on Bolshaya Morskaya Street or the Akhmatova Museum in the Fountain House.
Step 9
Also set aside at least two days to explore the famous suburbs of St. Petersburg.. This could be Peterhof with its palace and unique fountains, and Tsarskoe Selo (Pushkin), where you can see the Catherine Park with the palace and visit the Lyceum. You can get to Peterhof in just forty minutes from the city center by motor ship "Meteor". It starts from the pier on the Palace Embankment. Another way to get to Petrodvorets is by electric train from the Baltic station, then to the park by minibus. Electric trains go to Pushkin from the Vitebsk railway station. And if time remains, you can see the palace and park complexes of Pavlovsk, Strelna (Konstantinovsky Palace), Gatchina, Lomonosov (Oranienbaum) or visit the fortresses of Kronstadt and Oreshek.
Step 10
In the evening you can go to the theater - Mariinsky, Alexandrinsky, BDT, Comedy theater, Buff and many others. Music lovers will also find a lot of interesting things for themselves in St. Petersburg. Fans of the classics will visit the Philharmonic named after D. D. Shostakovich, the Academic Capella or the concert hall of the Mariinsky Theater. Jazz can be heard at the Jazz Philharmonic, and rock-lovers will find numerous rock clubs. Of course, this is only a small fraction of the sights of St. Petersburg. But, after all, if you did not have time to see everything, you have a reason to return.
