Sights and Attractions

     There are many attractions within walking distance of downtown off of Nevsky Prospect (area of the Europa Hotel) - The Hermitage, The Peter / Paul Fortress (granted a long walk), The Russian Museum, The Church of the Resurrection, St. Isaac's Cathedral, The Admiralty, and, of course, the Neva River.  The Summer Gardens and Engineer's Castle are also within walking distance of downtown but are a good hike.

     You will find even more to see in nearby outlying areas- The Town of Pushkin, Peterhof, Pavlovsk, the island city of Kronshtadt, several fortresses and monasteries, etc...

     Buses to Peterhof, etc can be found at kiosks or vendors carrying signs at Gostiny Dvor, the Palace Square at the Hermitage or at the Metro at the Moika.  Cost for the bus to Peterhof, including admission, 900 rubles ($30.00) for foreigners and 300 rubles ($10.00) for Russians.  One option leaves at 10AM and returns at 6PM.  The guide and instructions are in Russian so be sure to get the bus number, meeting point and return time.

     Visiting Moscow is a possibility in one day (or, of course, more) if you have the time.  Take the overnight train (6 to 8 hour trip).  Arrive and visit Moscow all day.  Overnight back to St. Petersburg.  A Private Compartment is highly recommended.  Cost is about $200.00USD for round trip for two (not bad for an 800 mile trip).  If you stay overnight in Moscow, I recommend the Ukraina Hotel. A good site for booking Russian hotels is allrussiahotels.com.  Info links on visiting Moscow including hotel info are found here.  

     The Circus may still be in town depending on the season (they travel during the spring and summer). There are Concerts, the Ballet and more. A short search will find the information to all of the sights. Ticket vendors for concerts, folk shows, etc. are easily found.

     I find it very interesting just to walk the length of Nevsky for the sights and sounds. Stop for a peva (beer) or soft drink at an outdoor cafe (except in winter, of course), relax in one of the many parks. From the Neva up several miles... very interesting.

     Some Russian Beers (Baltika is one) come in different grades and strengths (3 through 9). On one occasion, it only took one draught to slow down ol' 'Two-beer Andy' (well, it was a LARGE one!). 

     Several popular local beers are: 

     Nevskoye (Neva's Beer) - original or light <my favorite>, Sibirskaya Korona (The Crown of Siberia), Tuborg (a European brand, produced in St. Petersburg) and, of course, the popular Baltika.

     Canned hard drinks are also found such as Gin & Tonic and Red Devil (at 9%, the small can kicked my butt!)  Red Devil is a favorite with the young Russian guys.

     For soft drinks, you will find Mountain Dew, Sprite and, of course, Coke and Pepsi  and other popular drinks.  Spelled paRusski, but all pronounced the same as here. (See, Russian is easier than you thought!)

     You will also find many local soft drinks...ya gotta try the carbonated Pear drink. (Don't forget-skip the ice.)

     Though being officially phased out, many attractions continue to charge higher prices for tourists. The prices are still reasonable. Best to pay the required fee and not try to pretend you are Russian or have a Russian friend purchase for you.

     The ticket booths will sell what is asked for, but inside most attractions you will find that the ticket taker is a Babushka that rivals Clint Eastwood (except she does not need a gun)!  If you have the wrong ticket, you will not be permitted inside! Plain and simple! And you will be required to get back in line and pay the price of the correct ticket if you wish to enter.  I saw two Dutch women, speaking decent Russian, argue about entry and lose. 

     At the Hermitage, to avoid the lines and pay a slightly lower ticket price, you may wish to join a small tour group. The Licensed Tour Guides will usually be available outside the Hermitage announcing that they are assembling a group.  Verify that they have the state issued license, then enjoy the tour. The Guides will also be able, in many cases, to get access to areas of the Hermitage not opened to the general public. With a Tour Guide, taking photographs will be permitted with no additional fee.

     An Expert Licensed Guide for The Hermitage and many other attractions that I highly recommend is Olga Mikheyeva (click for web site).  Local Phone: 011-7-812-588-6244.  Olga can also help with apartments, transfers and more.

     If Olga is not available, you may want to call Katia Troshanova, 812-232-2382, for availability and prices.  Tell Olga and Katia that Andy in Denver made the recommendation!