St. Petersburg is an incredibly popular tourist destination in Russia. Our fellow citizens, unlike abroad, usually come here on their own. Some sights cannot be seen in winter or in bad weather, for example, Peterhof. But still, there are several places that a tourist simply must visit when visiting the Northern capital.
Walk in the center of St. Petersburg
You should start from the metro station "Nevsky Prospekt" or "Gostiny Dvor". You need to move along the map, in the direction of the sights indicated on it. You can buy the card in numerous bookstores or order it from the online store. Below is an approximate travel itinerary that covers the main attractions of the Northern capital: metro "Nevsky Prospect" or "Gostiny Dvor" - Palace Square - Isaac's Square and St. Isaac's Cathedral - Bronze Horseman - Palace Bridge - Spit of Vasilyevsky Island - Peter and Paul Fortress - "Aurora" - Troitsky Bridge - Summer Garden - Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood - metro station "Nevsky Prospect" or "Gostiny Dvor". The walk can take from 5-6 hours to 1 day.
If there are acquaintances, friends or relatives in St. Petersburg, you should ask them to conduct a short excursion. Surely they will not refuse and will gladly show you the city.
Saint Isaac's Cathedral
St. Isaac's Cathedral is a unique monument of religion and architecture, striking in its size, beauty and richness of decoration. In order to enter the cathedral and get to the observation deck, you need to buy 2 tickets:
- to the cathedral itself (there is a guided tour for everyone who has purchased an entrance ticket);
- the colonnade (from here, "from a bird's eye view", a view of the center of St. Petersburg opens, but it should be borne in mind that in bad weather, and especially in winter and late autumn, the view deteriorates significantly).
Hermitage
Almost all tourists who come to the city of white nights strive to get here. It will take several days to go around all the halls and see all the exhibits of the Winter Palace. Basically, tourist groups follow the route: St. George's Hall - the Main Staircase of the New Hermitage - Madonna and Child - Knight's Hall - Peacock Clock. Remember, to be sure to visit this attraction, it is better to arrive early in the morning. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing a lot of time or not getting inside at all.
Peterhof or Petrodvorets
Russian Versailles, the capital of fountains - as soon as they do not call Peterhof. In summer, this palace and park ensemble is a must-see for tourists, because the fountains work from early May to September. At other times, it is inappropriate to visit Petrodvorets, as the impression of it will be incomplete. It will take several hours to get around all the fountains of Peterhof. But in addition to them, museums and landscape parks work here.
Tsarskoe Selo (Detskoe Selo, Pushkin)
This is a palace and park ensemble, the summer residence of the Russian emperors. Tourists are advised to visit the Alexander Palace, Alexander Park, Catherine Park and Catherine Palace, which houses the famous Amber Room. It is she who is quite rightly called one of the wonders of the world.
Peter-Pavel's Fortress
The main point for all travelers is the Peter and Paul Cathedral. Its spire with an angel under the cross is recognized as one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. But in order to see this attraction, it is not at all necessary to go into the cathedral itself, which is notable for the burials of Russian emperors (starting with Peter I). The interior of the cathedral is ambiguous and is something between a Catholic cathedral and an Orthodox church. On the rest of the fortress there is a museum of the history of St. Petersburg, as well as a mint. Rubles are still being printed there. Of the exhibitions, the greatest interest among tourists is the prison of the Trubetskoy Bastion and medieval instruments of torture.
White nights and open bridges
To enjoy this action, you need to arrive at the Admiralteyskaya or Dvortsovaya embankments in June or July at about 01.30 am. At this time, crowds of tourists gather there. In the middle of the Neva, a lot of pleasure boats are lined up, which pass under the bridge at the moment when the doors rise. You can buy a ticket and take a ride on the river when the bridges are opened.
