Recommended Attractions and Tours for a Trip to Saint Petersburg
It was possible to reach Saint Petersburg on a Baltic Sea cruise until before the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Today, cruise ships do not dock in Russia. Most cruise ships previously arrived in the city for two days because it is a large city brimming with buildings, sites, and gardens that are difficult to experience at their best in just one day. Saint Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia with a population of about five million residents. It is known by its nickname: "The Jewel in the Russian Crown" thanks to its collection of impressive buildings preserved from the tsarist era. It is considered the "cultural capital" of Russia.
It is also called "Venice of the North" thanks to its numerous wide canals crisscrossing it and the abundance of bridges built over them.
The State Hermitage Museum
Saint Petersburg is full of palaces, gardens, museums, and theaters. The most famous and popular museum is the Hermitage Museum, which is considered the Louvre of Saint Petersburg.
It is considered the largest museum in Russia and one of the largest, oldest, and most important art museums in the world. The vast collection is displayed across six buildings, the main one being the Winter Palace, a building that served as the official residence of the Russian tsars. You can tour through hundreds of rooms and feel as if you have stepped back in time.
♦ Booking Recommended Tours from the Viator Website
♦ Recommended Hotels in Saint Petersburg:
Petro Palace Hotel – A 5-star hotel with 194 rooms located near the prestigious shopping avenue in the city center: Nevsky Prospekt Avenue. The hotel has recently undergone a comprehensive renovation and offers its guests an indoor pool, a gym, and a spa. The hotel features an Italian restaurant with views of Saint Isaac's Cathedral and the Hermitage. Free internet.
The State Hermitage Museum Official Hotel – A 5-star hotel in a prime central location housed in an 1830s mansion designed in the architectural style of the Hermitage. The hotel has 126 elegant rooms with Italian design, as well as a high-quality Italian restaurant and a bar. The hotel offers a hammam, spa, fitness center, and provides free internet and free parking (upon advance reservation).
Golden Triangle Boutique Hotel – A 4-star boutique hotel with 55 rooms situated in an impressive 19th-century building. The hotel is located just 100 meters from Nevsky Prospekt Avenue.
The price includes an excellent breakfast, internet, and free parking.
Pushka INN hotel – A wonderful 4-star hotel in a central location, close to the Hermitage. The hotel has 33 rooms, including family rooms and family suites with two bedrooms that can accommodate up to 5 people. The hotel features an excellent restaurant serving Russian and European cuisine. The price includes breakfast, internet, and parking (parking space must be reserved in advance).
Majestic Boutique Hotel Deluxe – A 4-star boutique hotel with 74 rooms in a central location 800 meters from the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. The hotel features restaurants and a bar. It includes an indoor play area for children. The price includes breakfast, internet, and parking.
Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg – A successful all-suite hotel featuring 186 studio rooms and one- or two-bedroom suites designed for 2–4 adults. Each suite comes with a fully equipped kitchen. The price includes breakfast and free internet. The hotel has a bar, restaurant, gym, games room, and an outdoor playground for children. The hotel is located about a fifteen-minute drive from the city center.
Peterhof Palace Gardens
The most beautiful gardens in the city are the Peterhof Palace Gardens, located about 29 kilometers from Saint Petersburg on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and nicknamed the "Russian Versailles".
The palace was established in the 18th century by Peter the Great and served as the summer playground for the Russian emperors and tsars. At the center of the complex stands the Grand Palace, an elaborate Baroque palace. In the palace gardens, there are water pools, fountains, artificial waterfalls, and sculptures. The Lower Gardens are considered the largest fountain complex in the world. It spans an area of about one thousand dunams, and dozens of fountains of all sizes are scattered throughout its grounds, including trick water fountains that are especially popular with children.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood Khram Spas-na-Krovi
There are many churches in the city, the most famous of which is: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood Khram Spas-na-Krovi. It is considered one of the prominent symbols of Saint Petersburg and is featured on every postcard and website of the city. The church is named so because it was erected on the site where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated, making the site of historical significance in addition to its religious prominence. The church is extremely impressive from the outside and built in the traditional Russian style of the 16th century, complete with colorful domes and ceramic tiles.
Shopping
The most famous and upscale shopping street in the city is Nevsky Prospekt. This is a long and wide avenue lined with impressive buildings, including: the Stroganov Palace, Kazan Cathedral, the large department store Gostiny Dvor, the National Library of Russia, and Anichkov Bridge.
Recommended Tours
Tours offered by cruise ships arriving in the city are expensive. You can book a high-quality private independent tour, often at half the cost of a cruise ship group excursion. Be sure to book the private tour well in advance! It is advisable to choose a two-day tour, but on the second day, it is essential to plan to return at least two hours before departure time so as not to be late. Saint Petersburg is notorious for its traffic jams. Unlike tiny Estonia, it is a massive city where you must travel from the port to the various tourist sights spread out across different areas. It is critical to take an experienced guide with good timing who knows how to arrive before peak rush hours at the most popular tourist sites and knows how to bypass the huge queues.
For cruise visitors, leave time at the end of the trip to shop for local souvenirs (especially Matryoshka dolls of every size and color) at the numerous stalls in the port shopping complex. The prices there are comparable to stores throughout the city, and the selection is large.