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Visit Saint Petersburg Online

This travel season seems to go not as smooth as earlier, but most importantly is to have people healthy. Without much regrets, but more seeing an opportunity in the whole pandemic situation, I have decided to prepare a series of video tours around Saint Petersburg. I’m gradually publishing new videos, and by now there are several virtual excursions published on Youtube.

If interested, watch and let me know your opinion! To get notifications on new videos, subscribe to my Youtube channel and do not forget to visit this website for more interesting information about Saint Petersburg!

Senate Square: Bronze Horseman, Senate and Synod buildings, St Isaac’s Cathedral

Palace Square: Winter Palace, Alexander Column

Great Patriotic War Monuments

Spit (Strelka) of Vasilievsky Island

I really hope you enjoy this alternative to travelling, at least for now. Although really hope to see you in Saint Petersburg if not this, but probably next year 🙂

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Victory Day Celebration in Russia in 2020

May 9 is a historical day celebrated by the Russians and people from the former Soviet Union republics. This year is special as it's the 75th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War.

The major problem we all faced this year is the pandemic that ruined many plans and affected many lives. Despite the greatness of the date, Russian government made a decision of postponing the traditional parades that usually take place on the largest squares or streets of Russian cities. However, the tradition of having fireworks was still kept and people managed to enjoy the colorful night sky on May 9.

The Great Patriotic War (June 22, 1941-May 9, 1945) caused much sorrow – millions of soldiers and civilians died. In total, the Soviet Union lost 25,6 million people. No less than 13,7 million casualties were among civilians.

On the Victory Day, wreaths are laid to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier next to the Eternal flame that is kept in the memory of the fallen heros. And since 2014, there is a tradition to organize the Immortal regiment when people walk with the portraits of their ancestors that took part in the Great Patriotic War. This year the regiment took place online and people could upload the photos of their ancestors to a special website.

In fact, many sights of Russia are related to the times of the war. If you are interested, go check a specially prepared video that speaks about and show the Great Patriotic War monuments in Saint Petersburg.

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Free Virtual Sightseeing Tours in St Petersburg

What if I tell that I got a surprise for you? To be honest, I really hope that your in-home routine goes well and you are in great health. I also assume that many travelling plans are ruined already. Thereby, I started something exciting – definitely for me and hopefully for you. I launched a travel blog if I can say, or probably to be more accurate – virtual sightseeing tours. So from now on you can freely explore Saint Petersburg online, simply by visiting this page >

I will try to share with you the most interesting facts and show you St Petersburg sights as you’d be on a real-life tour with me.

It will be fun! I really hope you enjoy this idea, as frankly I’m a bit nervous. It is my first experience of such a kind, and I am open for feedback or probably questions. Stay tuned. Be healthy, and let’s hope to meet in real-life anytime soon!

Here is the first video >

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People of Saint Petersburg. Who are they?

Is it generally easy to differentiate a local from a city guest or recent resident? Can not speak for Russia as a whole, but can definitely share with you some insights on the population of Saint Petersburg. Actually, it is quite a popular question among travellers: “What is a typical Petersburgian like?”. Thus, I hope this article will be interesting for you to read.

Let’s start by defining a typical original resident of Saint Petersburg by mentioning several stereotypes, especially popular elsewhere rather than in the city itself. Will be interesting to check whether those are really true or not by the end of this discussion, or better by actually visiting the city and getting to know its culture, sights and people right on spot.

Quite often a Peterburgian is defined as an intelligent, educated, and well-mannered person. Some mention that people there are a bit mysterious, unpredictable or have some unclear anguish in the look. The last one is probably explained by a very limited amount of sunshine over a year. Most likely, Petersburg weather is another cognitive topic to discuss another time.

Anyway, in order to build a reasonable and valid article, I went through several informative conversations with a couple of native-born Petersburgians of different ages. And here’s what we came up with!

Feature #1 - Cold friendliness

A bit contradictory, right? What is meant by this is generally the population of the city is friendly and open-minded, hospitable and ready to assist when somebody needs help.

For instance, a friend of mine travelled to Saint Petersburg for the first time, and it was back in the days when people used paper maps instead of the Internet. On the way to the city, she met a man (not a romantic story, so keep reading) on a train who appeared to be a native-born Peterburgian. The train arrived early in the morning and nothing was really open, but the friend had to find a hotel she booked. Saying goodbye to the man and other compartment neighbors, she went outside the train and started wondering around the station and actually already left it. Can you imagine that over 15 minutes earlier that man ran after her and had a fresh bought map in his hands with an already marked route to the hotel. Basically here the story of these two ends, as their ways split. But you definitely can see now that these Petersburgians sometimes are really eager to help.

But why friendliness is cold, if returning back to the character? Well, the thing is that at first sight locals as well as, for instance, Finns can look a bit cold and restrained. Again, let’s blame it on the weather :) And also on the education, since from an early age people are usually taught to keep emotions inside and look presentable, as well as be courteous.

Feature #2 - City lovers

True residents of Saint Petersburg love their city. They have a special tremulous feeling towards its history, culture, sights and the unique spirit. 

There is a nice citation from Maxim Gorky’s novel “Life of Klim Samgin”:

- Petersburg has many faces. Look: today it has a mysterious and frightening face. During white nights it’s charmingly airy. It is a lively and deeply feeling city.

Klim said:

- Yesterday I thought that you do not love it. - Yesterday I had an argument with Him; arguing does not mean not loving.

Saint Petersburg is definitely hard not to like, or at least get interested and enchanted about as a tourist. But native-borns keep this feeling through the years. Some can move to other cities, for instance, to Moscow for work. But no matter what, they will associate themselves with everything that happens back at home. Saint Petersburg is not just an environment, it is a living organism, a friend or even family.

Feature #3 - Value of the history

The city went through very hard times, and people keep this value of the present, remembering the past. In every original family of Saint Petersburg, there are stories to share from times of the Siege and the Great Patriotic War. Grand grandchildren of those, who saw all the terror, hunger and overcame all the difficulties, deeply value their history.

These people are in their 30s now. And neither they forgot the past, nor they still stopped valuing it. People are ready to keep and share the stories further. Even the fact that many buildings and sights of Saint Petersburg keep some inquiries from the past, such as bombing or shelling marks, speaks for the fact that nothing is omitted. The feat is not forgotten. Around the whole country and Saint Petersburg, in particular.

Okay, hope your positive mood is still there. Guess the last couple of paragraphs were a bit too much. But that’s what makes people there who they are.

Overall, when getting to know Petersburgians closer, you will notice that they are pretty optimistic, have nice sense of humor. They tend to spend more time walking around the city than spending time inside during their days-off. They do really visit museums, and do not leave them only to tourists. City residents live at a slower pace than Moscowians, for example, and look like they know something that you do not. But who knows maybe you learn their secrets and mysteries during your visit. See you in the Northern capital of Russia (after this pandemic ends)!

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Private Guide or Cruise Operator. What to choose?

As a matter of fact, it is possible to visit Saint Petersburg Russia without any visa. It is possible to do so being on a cruise line. Many travellers wonder whether it is better to book a guided tour from a cruise operator or at the city itself. So today I'd like to share with you some thoughts of mine, and will be interested to know your opinion or maybe personal experience. I personally faced a situation when private guide services were cheaper, though still as good (and sometimes better) than those offered on a cruise. Practically, travel guides include only their costs in the price of a visa free tour. At the same time, cruise operators have a range of expenses. Another important moment is that personal guides offer different travel programs, that are much more diversified comparing to a stated list of services by cruise operators. Local guides know more about the city and generally can show and tell you more. Often operators want to gather large groups of tourists for shore excursions. Not sure that's the best way to explore the city, when you need to stay "alarmed" not to lose a group, instead of purely enjoying the sights and attractions. By the way, with a private guide it is possible to arrange a tour you like. For example, as for Saint Petersburg, you can visit not only the historical city center, but also its suburbs like Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo. You can even have a metro stations tour, which is, in fact, quite a unique experience. So what do you think about such reasoning? What do you prefer - booking a guide on a cruise or from a home operator or directly in the city you travel to? P.S. To find out more details on one or two days visa free tours in Saint Petersburg Russia visit this page — Visa-Free Shore Excursion in St Petersburg.

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Souvenirs from Saint Petersburg. What to get?

Travelling is fun, agree?

Don’t know how about you, but quite often I face a problem of finding or picking up nice local souvenirs from different places. There are many gift shops in some large cities, including Saint Petersburg, and that is definitely a plus. However, as a rule, prices in such shops are higher than in ordinary stores, although a range of goods is wide.

So today I’d like to share some souvenir ideas in case you are about to have a trip to Saint Petersburg Russia. As for shopping places, I’d suggest visiting large shopping malls like Galeria or Nevsky. For more information about these and other stores, check this article >

Folklore attributes, such as Matreshka dolls or Khokhloma, are not really from St Petersburg. But they are so popular and known by foreigners that I could not pass them by. As for really locally made souvenirs of such a kind, I’d recommend buying a replica of a Faberge egg or Imperial porcelain items. There is a special Faberge museum with a shop in it. That’s the place where you get a nicely made replica.

Another beautiful and local souvenir would be an amber jewelry or toy. Most probably you’ve heard of the Amber room in the Catherine Palace of Saint Petersburg. You can’t get a piece of it, but what you can do is to obtain a small reminder of visiting this pace. Amber items are sold in Gostiny dvor and other department stores in the city centre. The prices vary, but since it is an organic material, generally prices are high.

In case you or your friends/ relatives are not so much into the cultural gifts, there is always a safe option. For instance, you can buy chocolate from Saint Petersburg. Walking along Nevsky Avenue you can easily find a chocolate museum that has wonderfully hand-made candies and sweet figures. Of course, you can buy a simple bar of chocolate in a regular shop, but then check a producer - most likely it will be made in some other region of Russia.

In fact, visiting a gift shop at the beginning of your stay will be a good idea. Firstly, you will choose what you like - maybe you’d like to have a jam with conifer cone (yes, they have this also!) and it will be hard to find it in a normal shop. Secondly, you will understand the prices and make a purchasing decision easier. Make sure you have cash with you, as I personally faced a situation when in a gift shop they did not accept cards.

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Russian cuisine. What to taste?

Tasting local food is definitely a part of almost every journey. It is especially interesting to try some very famous and popular dishes of a foreign cuisine that you’ve heard of. If you are about to go to Saint Petersburg, hopefully you have at least basic understanding of what is waiting for you there. In terms of life and food, since we’ve started this “cuisine” talk.

Russian cuisine is very diversified and has traditions, some of which date back to the ancient times. There are some traditional Russian drinks, like kvass or vodka. There is even a special Russia vodka museum in Saint Petersburg that you can visit. Apart from learning history of this worldwide recognized drink, you’ll be able to try some taste and get a souvenir.

Okay, done with alcohol. Let’s move on to snacks. Interestingly, but Russians are quite into various snacks and salads. Maybe that’s because back in the days they grew many vegetables, and generally the agricultural sector was well-developed. There are different salads with carrots, potatoes, beatroots, onion and pee. For instance, vinaigrette, Olive salad. There is even a cold salad-soup - okroshka that is salad filled in with kvass. Interesting combination, and, in fact, very refreshing. Especially during hot summer days. Cabbage is another popular vegetable that is put in salad and cooked, e.g. stewed with meat or sausages. 

As for meat meals, you’ve probably heard of kotlety, large meat balls made of minced meat and fried on pans. There are also pelmeni - meat balls in dough, or vareniki. But the latter ones are made with jam or cottage cheese inside, instead of meat.

Another sort of meat related dish is shashlyki. Why meat related? Well, cause “shashlyki” can be out of poultry, fish and port, ham, lamp. It’s a sort of Russian barbeque.

Speaking about food is hard, as immediately starting to feel hungry and eager to taste something. So here I am - would like to recommend you checking these spots in case you want to taste some Russian cuisine in the restaurants of Saint Petersburg.

Приятного аппетита!

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Private Tours in Saint Petersburg

February is a perfect time to start planning your summer vacation, if you haven’t done it yet.

Firstly, you will get your tickets cheaper. Secondly, there are many more accommodation options when you plan a trip in advance, especially when speaking about such popular travel destinations as Saint Petersburg.

Anyway, apart from tickets, hotels, restaurants recommendations, there is still something that I’d like to suggest to you - personal guided tours. Why personal? They are much easier to follow, you don’t need to stay in a crowd trying to hear what a guide speaks of. They are more fun, because you can adjust a travel route according to your preference. Additionally, such privately guided tours are the best way to get to know the city within a limited period of time.

There are many many tour options along Saint Petersburg. A nice option is a sightseeing excursion which can take by car with stops in many locations. Such tours include inside museum visits as well. If you travel between spring and autumn, you are highly recommended to go on a boat tour. It is an especially beautiful experience during the white nights season. Lucky cruise line travellers can visit Saint Petersburg visa free, booking a shore excursion. There are some specifics about organizing such a tour, so contact a guide in advance to clear everything out!

For more tour options and Saint Petersburg guidelines, please visit the website >

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Accommodation in St Petersburg Russia

Saint Petersburg offers a wide range of accommodation options for its guests all around the city. Among the most popular places are, of course, hotels and hostels. There are also B&B options, mini-hotels, apartments. The choice definitely depends on one’s budget and preferences. But, in fact, if you travel in a non-tourist season, it is possible to get a very nice room with a Neva river view very cheap, and it will be right in the city centre.

Some internationally known hotel brands, presented in Saint Petersburg, are especially popular among foreign guests. Probably, this situation is easy to compare with a case when people drive to McDonald’s anytime they arrive at a new city and want to grab a snack.

Anyway, among the most popular hotels in St Petersburg are Corinthia Hotels, Radisson Hotels, Renaissance by Marriott, Kempinski, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and others.

Anytime you visit Russia, you need to have temporary registration. All large hotels and some mini-hotels have such service. In some cases, though, you will have to pay extra. Better get to know all the opportunities before booking a spot.

As for the booking services, you can always get a room straight on some hotel’s website or via popular booking.com.

I wish you a wonderful trip to Saint Petersburg Russia! To learn more about the city, its attractions and travel tips, visit this website.

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What to Wear in Russian winter?

That’s actually quite a question: How to dress in winter in Saint Petersburg?” Looks like the weather change within several recent years, and instead of snowy landscapes, Leningrad region turns into snowless streets and countryside. Interestingly, some trees start blooming right before New Year, thinking that it might be spring. 

However, Russia can be an unpredictable country, when comes to weather. Therefore, if you are planning your journey to Russia and Saint Petersburg, in particular, don’t forget to get warm winter apparel.

Woolen scarf, hat and gloves: The location on the Neva river causes high humidity and periodical winds. Thus, even if the temperature is around 0 degrees, it might feel quite cold. Don’t rely on forecast a lot, trust your feelings!

Cozy long sweaters or waterproof coats are a must.

Thermal underwear: That’s what you need if temperature goes below 0. These clothes easily fit under usual jeans and shirts, so you’ll look casual and keep yourself away from cold.

Winter shoes, not sneakers. Apart from warmth, you will save yourself from accidental falling on ice. Get some woolen socks as well!

In case you forgot to bring some winter clothes with you, it is no problem to buy in any shopping malls of Saint Petersburg. A good shopping area will be Galeria and Nevsky stores.

Bonus! A special Russian recipe in case you actually got very cold: get a vodka shot. They say it works, so maybe worth trying :)

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Winter activities in Saint Petersburg

There are so many things to enjoy in Saint Petersburg in every season of the year! As for winter, you can enjoy the sightseeing as usual. The queues are much shorter than in summer. There are various museums, palaces and cathedrals to view. For instance, the State Hermitage Museum, St Isaac’s Cathedral, Peter and Paul Fortress and many more.

Popular winter activity is ice-skating. Luckily there are many skating rinks in the city centre that offer skates for rent. You can drink warm tea/coffee there, have some pastries, enjoy the atmosphere and relax in warm tents in case you get cold.

Reindeer sledging, downhill skiing and spa vacation are among winter activities. There are necessary facilities in the suburbs of Saint Petersburg. It is easy to get there by car.

If you prefer to have a more cultural stay in the city centre, visit the temporary exhibitions, concerts and performances played on the world-known stages, like Mariinsky or Aleksandrovsky theatres.

In case you are only planning to visit the former capital of Russia and in the meantime have a cruise trip in mind, take advantage of visa free tours in St Petersburg!

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New Year in Saint Petersburg

Celebrate a special moment in a special place! Saint Petersburg is a wonderful travel destination in winter and especially during the New Year season.

There are many events and activities that you can experience. For instance, you can go skiing and riding a sledge with reindeer in the Leningrad region. You can skate in the city centre and also visit a special Christmas market.

During your vacation, you can also watch some ballet or opera performance in one of city theatres. Actually, would be a great idea to visit the Mariinsky or Alexandrinsky Theatres, which are among the most popular worldwide thanks to their outstanding shows.

If, by chance, you are going to be in Saint Petersburg right at the New Year night, visit the Palace Square. There’ll be the main celebration: awesome concerns, an entertaining program, fireworks. On New Year there will be many other events around the city. Likely, public transport and underground will work all night long. 

By the way, all the museums are open at Christmas and New Year season. Check the sights you’d like to visit in the list >

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Interesting facts about Saint Petersburg

Let’s see if you know much about the Northern capital of Russia - Saint Petersburg.

Apart from some historical facts that the city was founded by the Emperor Peter the Great in 1703 in the place, known currently as the Peter and Paul Fortress; there are many more details that might be interesting to learn.

For instance, did you know that Saint Petersburg underground is the deepest in the world? Although the deepest station is not located in the city, the average rate of all stations gives the leading position to Petersburg metro.

Another transportation-related fact is the one that Saint Petersburg can be called a real tram capital. Before 2007 the length of all tram lines was over 600 km. Speaking of the railway, St Petersburg is a city with the first railway lines in Russia. The road took place from the city to Tsarskoe Selo and was officially opened in 1837.

How many names of Saint Petersburg do you know? One of them is North Venice. The reason behind such a calling is the fact that the city was designed so it got many channels. Around 10% of the whole territory is covered with water – different rivers, ponds and lakes. In fact, there are 93 rivers and channels that are about 300 km long. In order to see the most of the city is summertime, many people choose having a boat ride.

There are many other tours that one can enjoy during a stay in Saint Petersburg. To learn more, check the website.

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Travelling to St Petersburg on a budget

How to enjoy a trip to Saint Petersburg and save money? This article is just about it.

First thing first. Book your tickets in advance.

Many airlines and train commuters offer tickets several months before the actual trip. So if you have a real intention to explore the Northern capital of Russia, go for it! Purchase tickets earlier.

Tip number two. Travel in a non-travel season.

Summer is very active in terms of travelling, especially when speaking of such a popular place as Saint Petersburg. Every summer the city is visited by over a million of tourists. So the advice is to visit the city in autumn. Early autumn is the best option: there are no such queues to tourist attractions, accommodation is generally cheaper. Thus, you save both time and money.

Take advantage of free admission days.

This rule works for some museums of Saint Petersburg. Generally, it is one day of the month when you can enter several museums for free. Thereby, check the details on museums’ websites to plan your visit ahead.

Save money on transportation.

If you prefer using public transport in any city of your stay, a good option will be to buy a city card. At least, it works perfectly in St Pete. You’ll get discounts in some hotels, cafes and shops, as well as will easily use buses, trams, trolleys and subway.

Wanna know more about staying in Saint Petersburg Russia? Check this website!

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Is Russia safe for tourists?

The safety question is definitely one of the most popular ones when it comes to travelling to Russia. People from all over the world do not feel so secure about coming to this beautiful country, particularly to its capital Moscow and St Petersburg. Millions of tourists visit two cities every year, and they safely return back home. Therefore, this is definitely a number one indicator that coming to Russia is safe.

Of course, political situation in the world might not seem so stable and likable. However, you should not trust everything said in news. It was always so, it will stay the same. I will not go into this field of discussion, just want to share with you something about Russia and St Petersburg, in particular.

Russian people in their majority are very open-minded and ready to help. The case with FIFA 2018 proved it to the fullest. Browsing the internet, you will find a lot of positive reviews – not all about the organization of the event, but mostly true stories that football fans had when simply walking down the streets of different Russian cities. Russians were eager to assist in this or that matter, even when not knowing the language. They could find someone who speaks the language, use Google translator or just use gesture. Communication was and is easy to organize. Conclusion, you will not stay misunderstood.

The streets of Russian cities are quite. Of course, some incidents can take place, but the situation is not worse than in some European countries. Sometimes it is even better. If something occurs, you can address a police officer. They usually oversees the streets of large cities, and are easy to find. There are also special phone like devices in some public places that alert the police.

If you are planning to have a tour to Saint Petersburg, I suggest checking this website prepared by a professional tour guide. There are many useful articles about accommodation, restaurants, transport. There are even some safety rules that you’d like to check in advance. Wish you an awesome trip to Russia, full of wonderful positive emotions and memories!

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How To Explore St Petersburg Russia in One-Two Days?

A cultural center of Russia, a beautiful city with a long, exciting and challenging history - Saint Petersburg attracts millions of tourists every year. It is so easy to get fascinated by the city’s architectural ensembles, intriguing and at times dramatic historical moments, entertaining and romantic events like Scarlett Sails. If you come to Russia, you definitely should visit St Petersburg, at least for a day or two. To see and learn the most in such a limited period of time, it’s beneficial to book a private tour with a professional local guide.

A guide will offer you the best program according to your budget and schedule. You’ll get to know the city, its history and premises. You’ll visit popular sights and attractions, including the State Hermitage Museum with its enormous art collection, Peter and Paul Fortress, St Isaac's Cathedral and Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. You will have a pleasant walk along Nevsky Prospect, try local dishes, get souvenirs and take memorable photos. What’s the best? You will get invaluable experience and satisfaction from your journey to Saint Petersburg Russia.

Why to bother planning routes, staying in queues for tickets, struggling with a foreign language, if you can just contact a guide you like the most and relax while enjoying the excursion?

Here are the English-speaking tours you can book

One day tour with the inside visits to the main city sights

Two day tour with visiting both the city and its suburbs: Pushkin (Tsarskoe Selo) and Peterhof

City sightseeing tour

Walking trip around the city centre

Metro stations tour

Boat ride along the rivers and canals of St Petersburg

Visa free shore excursion for cruise line passengers

Each tour has its pre-set program, which, however, can be adjusted to your preferences. If there is any special place you want to visit, just contact the guide, and it will be included in the route.

Besides, you don’t need to worry about moving around the city, as together with a guided tour, you will get comfortable transportation, e.g. a private car or a minivan.

Enjoy your trip to St Petersburg the most - visit this website to get useful tourist information, read materials about local sights and book a guided tour. See you in Russia!