This must be one of the most amazing cities in the world. There is so much to see and do. It has had many name changes from Petrograd to Leningrad to St Petersburg. Among the locals it is simply known as Peter - after its founder Peter The Great.
THE SIGHTS
- The Hermitage Museum - if you visit only one sight in the city it has to be here. A day really isn’t long enough to see the vast array of exhibits though. You can find everything from original works by Monet to Egyptian artefacts and of course you will see the history of Russia too. The settings of the exhibits can be almost as fascinating.Some of the exhibits are in the Winter Palace - setting for one of the most important events in the 1917 revolution
The Church of the Spilled Blood - a typical Russian style church which is very similar in design to St Basil’s in Moscow. There are some very interesting icons and mosaics inside.
St Isaacs Cathedral - as well as the interior being of a spectacular design you must go up to the top of the cathedral for an incredible view of the city. You can see for miles on a clear day.
The Marinsky Theatre - no matter how much you have to pay for a ticket you really must try and see a production here. I saw War and Peace and it was a masterpiece - although entirely in Russian they do have a display in English. The interior of the theatre is well worth seeing too. Some fascinating architecture is on display.
Nevsky Prospekt - this is the main street in the city and is filled with designer shops alongside typical Russian kiosks selling almost anything.
The canals - you can take a boat ride on the canals for a fraction of the price you would pay in Venice. This is the Venice of the North.
The bridges - there are numerous bridges connecting the city. On an evening some of them are raised to let the ships through. We had an amazing (unofficial) nightime trip into one of the raised bridges.
Peterhof - on the outskirts of the city is a summer palace with lots of fountains. It also has some very beautiful gardens to wander around.
This only a brief guide to places. There are many more places to see.
NIGHTLIFE
There are numerous bars and clubs in the city where the locals enjoy themselves. Places such as the Tribunal have an excellent reputation ... but also the prices to go with that reputation. Some clubs are open 24 hours a day.
EATING
There is a wide variety of restaurants in the city ranging from Oriental food, to Mexican (Senor Pepes is excellent), to Fastfood joints and typical Russian cuisine.
I spent a fortnight in the city and still didn’t get to see everything that I wanted. The only downside to a trip is the visa bureaucracy.
As regards safety in the city, I actually felt safer here wandering around on my own than in London