Sant-peterburg.com

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2011-07-16T23:55:00.000-07:00

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Sankt-Peterburg or Saint Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There are magnificent palaces, cathedrals and monuments, excellent museums, vivid art life, great opportunities for business and friendly people.

Saint Petersburg is often called the northern capital of Russia or the Venice of the north. It was founded in 1703. The city's other names were Petrograd 1914–1924 and Leningrad 1924–1991. It is often called just Petersburg or Piter. More about the history of the city.

It has a population of almost 5 million. Facts about the city. Information about the city government.

The most influential religious organization is the Russian orthodox church. There are also other faiths. List of city churches.

The language is Russian. Free dictionary. One more. Public holidays.

Saint Petersburg has warm, humid and short summers and long, cold winters. Weather forecast. Seasonal weather averages.

Map of Nevsky Prospect.
Map of the center of Saint Petersburg.
Metro map.
One more map of metro.
Map of Saint Petersburg and surrounding areas.
Old maps of the city.

Saint Petersburg pictures.
More photos.
Life in the city.
Saint Petersburg at night.
Panorama pictures of city sights.

City webcam.
One more list of webcams.
River Moika ebankment webcam.

Arrivals

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Pulkovo International airport is located about 15 km south of the city. It has two terminals, domestic Pulkovo-1, and international Pulkovo-2.

If you are not a Russian citizen, you need a visa to travel to Russia. Your travel agent can handle this.
Information about the customs formalities.

There is a connection to the city centre with bus, with shuttle bus, and with taxi. You can also preorder here, or here.

Saint Petersburg has also ports.

There are 6 main railway stations in the city. You can check timetables and reserve train tickets online.

Hotels

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Saint Petersburg has many excellent hotels. There is a choise in every category. It is also possible to rent an apartment.

Here are two historical hotels. Hotel Astoria, and Grand Hotel Europe.

Car rental

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Many of the world´s leading car rental companies are present in Saint Petersburg. More information can be obtained at the airport or in your hotel.

Attractions

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Peter the Great founded the Peter & Paul Fortress in 1703. It is the oldest building in Saint Petersburg. Old pictures of the fortress. Location on Google map here.

Directly across the Neva from the Peter and Paul Fortress is one of the oldest buildings in Saint Petersburg, the Admiralty Old picture of the building.
Location on Google map here.

To the west of Admiralty is Senate Square, formerly Decembrists Square. The statue of riding Peter the Great is situated in the Senate Square. Old pictures of the bronze horseman. Location on Google map here.

The first house built in the new Saint Petersburg was the cabin of Peter the Great. He wanted a stone house but he did not have enough money. Instead he painted the walls as if the house would be made of bricks. Location on Google map here.

On the other side of the river from the wooden cabin of Peter the Great there is the historical summer garden. Summer in the park. Autumn in the park. Winter in the park. Location on Google map here.

The Winter Palace was built for the daughter of Peter the Great. It was the main residence of the Russian Tsars. Old pictures. Today it is part of the Hermitage public museums. Pictures of Hermitage. Location on Google map here.

The cape of Vasilievsky Island, the largest island in the Neva, is called Strelka or Spit. It is situated across the Neva from the Winter Palace. The stock exchange building, the Kunstkamera and two rostral columns with prows of enemy ships are located here. Bourse in the old days. 360 degrees view of Strelka. Location on Google map here.

On the southern side of the Winter Palace is the main square of the city, Palace Square. In the middle of the square stands the Alexander Column, a monument to victory over Napoleon. Pictures of Palace Square. Location on Google map here.

A few steps from the Palace Square through the Triumphal Arch is Nevsky Prospect, the main avenue of Saint Petersburg. Walking 3 blocks by Bolshaja Morskaya ulitsa starting from the other side of Nevsky Prospect, you are on the St. Isaac Square. St. Isaac's Cathedral is located on it. Location on Google map here.

On Nevsky you will see Kazan Cathedral or The Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. Old picture of the Kazan Cathedral. Location on Google map here.

Church on Spilled Blood can be viewed from the bridge over the Kanal Griboyedova on Nevsky Prospekt. Old picture of the Church on Spilled Blood. Location on Google map here.

A few steps further on Nevsky and on the left hand side there is seen the arts square. On the arts square stands a statue of Alexander Pushkin. The square is surrounded by the Russian Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, The Mikhailovsky Theatre and Grand Hall of St.Petersburg Academic Philharmonia. Location on Google map here.

There are many beautiful palaces close to Nevsky Prospect. Images of palaces of Saint Petersburg.

Northeast of Nevsky Prospect is the Smolny Institute, Bolshevik headquarters during the October revolution. Old picture of Smolny Institute. Smolny Convent is located nearby. Location on Google map here.

The Alexander Nevsky Lavra is situated at the end of Nevsky Prospect. Old picture of the monastery. Location on Google map here.

Cruiser Aurora gave the signal to storm the Winter Palace during the Bolshevik revolution. It is now a museum, located a short distance upstream from the cabin of Peter the Great, close to the nearby Nakhimov navy school. Images of the cruiser. Location on Google map here.

Saint Petersburg is the city of White Nights. Unfortunately they only last a short time, usually from June to beginning of July. Already starting from May the nights are bright. But the brightest period starts in June. Beliye Nochi is caused by northerly geographical location of the city.

It is truly romantic to walk along the banks of the city's rivers and canals in almost broad daylight any time of the day. International arts festival, the white nights, is organized during this season.

Saint Petersburg is fascinating by night also any other time of the year.

Best cheap flights to all destinations, FlightNetwork.

Attractions on map

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Saint Petersburg alias Sankt-Peterburg attractions on map

If you click the link: View in a larger map, you get a map with menu of the items in the map.

View Saint Petersburg alias Sankt-Peterburg sights on map in a larger map

Museums

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There are several excellent museums in St. Petersburg. When you go there, you should visit at least one of them.

The State Hermitage Museum is huge. It is almost mandatory to visit there at least during your first visit to St. Petersburg. There are more than three million artifacts from different eras starting from the prehistoric art of ending at the current times. Location on Google map here.

The Russian Museum has the world's largest collection of Russian art. The collections includes icon art, the world's best seascape painter Ivan Aivazovsky's works, landscapes by Isaac Levitan and works of Ilya Repin, Wassily Kandinsky and Kazimir Malevich. Works of Albert Benois have their own wing. Location on Google map here.

Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and ethnography, Kunstkamera, started as Peter the Great's collection of "fish, reptiles and insects in bottles." Today the museum focuses on the culture and traditions of the peoples of the world. Location on Google map here.

The Alexander Nevsky monastery or Lavra. Wikipedia pages. Location on Google map here.

The Pavlovsk Palace and park. Location on Google map here.

The summer residence of Russian tsars, Yelaginin palace, was designed by Carlo Rossi. Location on Google map here.

The Pushkin Apartment Museum. Location on Google map here.

Mikhaylovsky Castle is part of the Russian Museum and has been recently renovated. Location on Google map here.

The Menshikov Palace is dedicated to life and culture of Peter the Great's time. There are artifacts of the Hermitage collections. Also the original Dutch tiles are there. Location on Google map here.

The Central Naval Museum. Location on Google map here.

The Russian Museum of Ethnography. Location on Google map here.

The State Historical Museum of Religion.The museum's site in Russian. Location on Google map here.

Russian State Museum of Arctic and Antarctic. Own pages in Russian. Location on Google map here.

The State Museum of History of St.Peterburg. The museum's pages in Russian. Location on Google map here.

Best cheap flights to all destinations, FlightNetwork.

Museums on map

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Saint Petersburg alias Sankt-Peterburg museums on map

If you click the link: View in a larger map, you get a map with menu of the items in the map.

View Saint Petersburg alias Sankt-Peterburg museums on map in a larger map

Art

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The State Hermitage museum has an exceptional collection of Italian renaissance and French impressionist paintings, as well as an excellent collections of works by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Matisse. There is also an outstanding collection of Siberian and Central Asian art.

The State Russian museum has one of the best collections of Russian art in the world organized in a chronological order. Especially interesting is the Benois wing.
Biographies of the Russian artists. You can order a hand painted copy of the works of the Russian museum.

Imperial Academy of Arts.
A list of galleries.
Saint Petersburg in old paintings
Page about the Russian art and architecture.
Visual arts online gallery.
Contemporary art gallery D137.
Webmuseum Paris on Malevich.
Modern city photos.
The Pro Arte Institute promotes contemporary culture in the fields of visual art, music and dance. It supports educational programs and projects.

Excursions

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You can explore the city walking by yourself. or take part in organized walks.

Travel agencies organize bus tours in the city and to the close by sights. Second example of the offerings.

You can book a boat tour for your group or take a scheduled Neva tour or cruise the canals by boat.

Transport

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Metro is a popular and cheap form of transport in Saint Petersburg. It is open from about 05.30 to 01.00. Info about metro and other means of transportation.

There are also trams, buses, minibuses and trolleys. You should find out their routes in advance. You can buy tickets from the driver or conductor. Trams, regular buses and trolleys have conductors. There are also T(axi) Buses and E(xpress) buses. They take only cash and are more expensive than regular buses.

Taxis are freely available. All taxis should have meters. Charges are made according to the distance. Some companies take orders also online. Some offer fixed prices. Here online ordering only in Russian. A list of taxi companies.

Many private drivers will also take you to the desired destination for a fee. You can just lift your hand and when a car stops ask the driver how much it would cost to take you to your address. If there is already more than one person in the car, you might feel more secure taking the next vehicle.

Dictionaries

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You can find several online translators and dictionaries from English to Russian and the other way around.
Freedict.com.
Reverso.
Sinyagin dictionary.
Demidoff.biz.
Ectaco.
Abbyyonline.

Google translation can be done for a whole web page. Babelfish does this also.

Basic words and expressions for tourists.
Russian for everyday situations.

Money

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Official Russian currency is the Ruble (Rbl). There are banknotes from 5 to 5.000 rubles. They can be seen on the Bank of Russia website.

It is easy to exchange Euros or US dollars into rubles. You have to show your passport to make the transaction in the exchange points. It is not recommended to change money on the street. You might get Serbian or some other exotic old notes, not accepted anywhere in the world.

Exchange rates may vary slightly between points. Central Bank publishes currency exchange rates daily. More exchange info.

Telephone

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You can use your mobile phone in Saint Petersburg if your phone is not using only GSM 1900 standard. You can use street phones or phone from your hotel. Making domestic or international calls is much easier than it used to be.

The prepaid Russian SIM card is also a practical option. You can communicate without the high international roaming surcharges. The prepaid card gives you control over your costs and you cannot get any surprises afterwards.

You can use Internet in Internet cafes. If you travel with laptop, or would like to connect to the Internet from your hotel, you can buy an Internet card. Some hotels also provide access to the Internet.

More info about communications in Saint Petersburg.

Security

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Saint Petersburg used to be called the crime capital of Russia. Now the situation has improved. Petty criminals like pickpockets can be a problem for tourists.

You should not carry a lot of cash or show big sums in public. Public transport, the metro and all tourist traps are the most likely places of these problems. Violent crime is unlikely for a tourist. It is not wise however to wander alone at night in a drunken condition in unfamiliar company. Do not carry your passport if it is not necessary. You can take at home a photocopy of your passport and visa and carry it along.

You should take travel insurance and check that diphtheria, polio and tetanus vaccinations are in order. There are Giardia parasites in the tap water, so bottled waters are recommended.

Foreigners can get free emergency care in Russian hospitals. Comfort in the hospitals can be pretty low. There are also private clinics in Saint Petersburg. Their prices can be high. There are American and European medical centers.

In case of emergency dial 01. For police you can dial 02, and for an ambulance 03. More info about security and health you find here.

Consulates in Saint Petersburg.

Entertainment

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The first opera and ballet performance in Saint Petersburg was in 1783. Now the city is proud of its marvelous opera and ballet. The most famous of them is Mariinsky Theatre. History of Mariinsky. Mariinsky on a map.

The oldest theatre remaining in the city, the Hermitage Theatre, was opened in 1785. Location on Google map here.

Musical theatres are very popular. So are the comedy theatres. Classical music, jazz and popular music all have their fans.

List of theatres and concert halls and their location:
Mikhailovsky theatre. Location on Google map here.
The Opera and Ballet Theater of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. (Grand Hall) Location on Google map here.
Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace. Location on Google map here.
The Grand Palace Theatre. (Theatre of Musical Comedy) Location on Google map here.
Theatre "Osobnyak". Location on Google map here.
Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater. Location on Google map here.
Alexandrinsky Theater. Location on Google map here.
The Academical Theatre Lensovet. Location on Google map here.
Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre. Location on Google map here.
The Theatre on Liteiny. Location on Google map here.
The Mironov Russian Enterprise Theatre. Location on Google map here.
The Priyut Comedianta Theatre. Location on Google map here.
Youth theatre on Fontanka. Location on Google map here.
"Brodyachaya Sobaka"Theatre. Location on Google map here.
The Satire Theatre on Vasilievskii Island. Location on Google map here.
Variety Theatre of Arkady Raikin. Location on Google map here.
Akimov State Academic Comedy Theatre. Location on Google map here.
The Festival Theatre Baltic House. Location on Google map here.
Saint-Petersburg State Musical-drama theatre «Buff». Location on Google map here.
Saint-Petersburg theatre of Musical comedy. Location on Google map here.
The D.D.Shostakovich St.Petersburg Academic Philharmonia. Grand Hall Location on Google map here. Small hall location on Google map here.
Symphony Orchestra of the State Academic Cappella. Location on Google map here.
Chamber Hall of Capella. (Mansion Boss) Location on Google map here.
The St. Petersburg Philharmonic of Jazz Music. Location on Google map here.
Concert Hall Doma Kochneva. Location on Google map here.
Saint Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy and Seminary. Location on Google map here.
Concert Hall at the Finland Station. Location on Google map here.
Concert and exhibition hall of Smolny Cathedral. Location on Google map here.
Manege of the Cadet Corps. Location on Google map here.
Grand concert hall Octyabrsky. Location on Google map here.
St. Petersburg Music Hall. Location on Google map here.
Yubileyny Sports Palace. Location on Google map here.
Ice Palace, Ledovy Dvorets. Location on Google map here.
The Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex. Location on Google map here.
Clown-Mime Theatre. Location on Google map here.
The Bolshoi Puppet Theatre. Location on Google map here.
Puppet Theatre of Fairy-Tale. Location on Google map here.
Theatre of Marionettes named after E.S.Demmeni. Location on Google map here.

You can become one in the Kvartirniki movement and take part in concerts in private homes. This type of musical phenomena began in the soviet era and is still going strong. Website is only in Russian.

Clubs are also available.
You can also try to feel yourself Russian watching folk show.
Circus has always been very popular.

Entertainment on map

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Saint Petersburg, Sankt-Peterburg entertainment on map

If you click the link: View in a larger map, you get a map with menu of the items in the map.

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Eating

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There are many good restaurants in Saint Petersburg with different types of cuisine. Russian kitchen is naturally strong but you can choose also vegetarian, Chinese, French, Japanese or international kitchen. Fast food chains offer a possibility to eat quickly if you are in a hurry. You can even buy freshly made pancakes in the street kiosks if you suddenly need a sweet bite.

Guide to restaurants by their type.
Recommendations of Baltexpress.
Petersburgcity.com about dining.
Yahoo Travel´s rating.
National Geographic's favorites.
Time Out´s list of restaurants in Russian.

About bars and pubs.
More bars.

City cafes.
Cafes and teahouses.

Places with a view: Le Vernissage restaurant of Ambassador Hotel has a view of St. Isaac Cathedral and the Admiralty.
Bellevue Brasserie of Kempinski Hotel view over the Hermitage Museum.
Terrassa restaurant has view of Kazan Cathedral.
Café on the second floor of Dom Knigi.

Drinking

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Russians drink a lot. They drink for instance mineral waters, tea, sparkling wine, beer and vodka. Tap water in Saint Petersburg might be or might not be safe.

In Russia tea is more popular than coffee.
More about tea drinking.

Soviet Union is gone, Sovetskoye Shampanskoye is not.

Vodka is still a popular drink. Vikipedia on vodka. Russian vodkas. Kalashnikov vodka. Wikipedia´s list of vodkas.

Instructions how to drink Russian vodka. A lesson how to drink vodka. Vodka and caviar. Russian drinking habits.

History of vodka. Vodka in the 19th century.

How to drink vodka and stay sober. How to avoid hangover. Alcohol consumption in Russia.

People have not changed vodka to beer, but they have started drinking beer with vodka also. Info about Russian beer labels: Baltika beer. Ivan Taranov beer. Stepan Raxin beer. Tinkoff beer. Sab Miller beer. Heineken beer.

Pub crawl in Piter.

Shopping

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The shopping experience in Saint-Petersburg has changed dramatically from the soviet times. Practically all world labels, including the high-end luxury ones, are present in the city.

At Nevsky Prospekt 35 there is Bolshoi Gostiny Dvor Department Store. Stores own website is only in Russian.
An elite shopping arcade Grand Palace is located at Nevsky Prospekt 44/Italyanskaya ulitsa 15.
Historical shopping arcade Passage Trading House is in address 48 Nevsky Prospekt.
List of shopping centers.

Unfortunately nowadays it is harder to find cheap stuff as souvenirs. Vodka and sparkling wine is still worth the price. Cigarettes are pretty cheap but sometimes you might find the taste different. CDs are cheap, so are art books, honey and puzzles. Some people shop shoes. Certainly you can always buy traditional wooden Matryoshka dolls and other handicrafts.

Some ideas of souvenirs.
List of souvenirs shops.
City markets.
List of antiques shops.
Guide to shopping in Saint-Petersburg.

Sport

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Russians are eager sport fans and they also like to take part in all kinds of sporting activities. Saint Petersburg has a lot of sporting facilities and sportsmen.
Football, hockey and figure skating are among the most popular spectator sports.

City´s football team is Zenit St. Petersburg. Club has won the Russian cup 2010.
Also some European League matches are played in Saint Petersburg.

Hockey is widely popular. City´s team is SKA Ice Hockey Club. Kontinental league plays for the victory of the Russian championship and the Gagarin Cup.

Among the most played sports is also basketball. Other popular sports include handball, weightlifting, gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, martial arts, volleyball and skiing.

City boasts maybe the oldest yacht club in the world, Neva Yacht Club. Equestrianism and chess also have long traditions.

St. Petersburg Open is the main tennis event of the year.

If you stay in Saint Petersburg for a longer time you might want some outdoors activities. Russia has good possibilities for hiking, trekking and nature tours.
There are also activities in the city.

News

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Saint Petersburg has many Russian language newspapers and journals. Only two are published in English. The St. Petersburg Times and Neva News.

In internet it is possible to find more news from Russia. Saint-Petersburg news in the net. More news. One more news site.

Cruiser Aurora Крейсер Аврора

2010-03-19T04:07:00.000-07:00

Cruiser Aurora Крейсер Аврора

Cruiser Aurora Крейсер Аврора
Peter Embankment Cruiser "Aurora" Петровская наб. Крейсер "Аврора",
Sankt-Peterburg Санкт-Петербург
Metro: Gorkovskaya, Ploschad Lenina Метро: Горьковская, Площадь Ленина

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Alexandro-Nevsky Lavra Свято-Троицкая Александро-Невская лавра

2010-03-19T04:06:00.000-07:00

Alexandro-Nevsky Lavra Свято-Троицкая Александро-Невская лавра

Alexandro-Nevsky Lavra Свято-Троицкая Александро-Невская лавра
Emb. River Monastyrka 1 наб. реки Монастырки, дом 1
Sankt-Peterburg Санкт-Петербург
Metro: Aleksandra Nevskogo Метро: Александра Невского

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Smolny Convent Смольный монастырь

2010-03-19T04:05:00.000-07:00

Smolny Convent Смольный монастырь

Smolny Convent Смольный монастырь
Sq. Rastrelli, 3 пл. Растрелли, 3
Sankt-Peterburg Санкт-Петербург
Metro: Chernyshevskaya Метро: Чернышевская

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