St. Petersburg offers delectable dining, stunning shopping and charming churches. Visit the marvelous museums and magnificent monuments to complete a holiday to remember.
History of St. Petersburg
At only 300 years, St. Petersburg is young by Russian and European reckoning. The city was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703. Established as a garrison to protect Russia from Swedish invaders, it was strictly a military outpost with a small village nearby. In spite of harsh winters and hot summers characterized by the flooding Neva River, it did not take long for Russians to flock to the area. By 1712, Peter had named the city, called Petrograd, his new capital.
In 1924 the city was renamed Leningrad. Besieged, bombed, and devastated during WWII, it was overshadowed by Moscow during the Soviet era. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Leningrad again took the name St. Petersburg, and has wasted no time becoming the most dynamic and cosmopolitan city in Russia.
Here's how to see it.
Day One
The best way to meet St. Petersburg is City Tour. The convenient hop-on, hop-off bus tour runs every 30 minutes from 9:00am to 8:00pm, takes about two hours, costs only 450 rubles (about $13) and passes every important monument and point of interest in the city center.
After the tour, a casual lunch at Gloss Café and Restaurant (just around the corner from the end of City Tour) serves up excellent Asian dishes, has free Wi-Fi, and a surprising selection of wine or cocktails.
Next, walk over to St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Originally the main cathedral for the city, it was built between 1818 and 1858. One hundred sixty years on, the gilded dome still dominates the city skyline. The façade is decorated with marble sculptures and massive granite columns (each a single piece of granite). The sculptures, decorations, windows, and altar inside will occupy most of the afternoon to admire.
For the evening meal, try traditional Russian fare served in the cozy Koleso Restaurant. Sturdy oak furniture, paintings and murals adorning the walls, and attentive, friendly service are standard.
Day Two
Start the second day with a visit to the fascinating Museum of Political History. Housed in an art nouveau mansion with its own rich political history involving a Tsar’s mistress and a headquarters for the Bolsheviks during their revolution, the collection is kept up to date with current events. It also features a particularly interesting display of Soviet propaganda materials.
For lunch, try The Idiot Restaurant (yes, that’s its name). Here you’ll find traditional Russian dishes with either a modern, or if you like, vegetarian twist.
The afternoon is reserved for a visit to the simply astonishing Hermitage Museum. Tour groups generally arrive in the morning so in the afternoon the exhibits will be more accessible. Only a handful of museums around the world compare; the Louvre, the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum.
Housed in the historic Tsar’s Winter Palace, the Hermitage contains almost 3 million works of art on permanent display. Painting, sculpture, applied art, and archaeological finds occupy enormous exhibit halls finely adorned with wood inlay floors and marble mosaic walls.
For dinner, try authentic Italian specialties at Da Albertone Restaurant. Only 100 meters from the Hermitage, home-made pasta and sauces from fresh ingredients are on the table here. Meals are complemented by an impressive list of Italian and French wines.
Day Three
Start the final day with a short visit to the St. Petersburg Beer Museum. Located inside Russia’s oldest brewery, the museum opened in 1995 in honor of the 200th anniversary of Stepan Razin beer. The exhibit features the history and process of beer makers around the world and includes sample tastes of many Stepan Razin products.
Then walk to St. Petersburg’s most iconic church. The Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is known to locals as the Church of the Savior of Spilled Blood. The vaulting domes and colorful facades are located on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was fatally wounded in 1881. His successor, Alexander III, immediately announced his plan to build a church on the spot where his father was slain.
For lunch, wander over to the Russian Vodka Room Number 1, which offers Russian cuisine from different historical periods. Spacious rooms, a staggeringly varied menu, and samples from nearly 100 different vodkas make it an experience.
After lunch, collect St. Petersburg and Russian souvenirs at the Souvenir Market. Hundreds of vendors push their wares. Bargaining is required, and part of the sport.
James Sajo - Jim Sajo is a freelance writer living in Northern Italy. Follow him on Facebook at Jim Sajo The Writer.
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