{"id":32301,"date":"2019-02-07T06:00:58","date_gmt":"2019-02-07T14:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/?p=32301"},"modified":"2025-08-22T17:47:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T00:47:17","slug":"st-petersburg-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/st-petersburg-russia\/","title":{"rendered":"CITY GUIDE TO ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA"},"content":{"rendered":"

When most people think of Russia, the capital of Moscow and images of the Kremlin, Red Square and magnificent St Basil\u2019s Cathedral are what usually spring to mind. However, it was the majestic city of St Petersburg where I first stepped foot inside this enigmatic country which is now one of my favourite places in our world, with a distinct beauty all its own; comparable to that of the great European gems of Paris, Rome and Vienna. Winston Churchill once declared that \u201cRussia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma\u201d – after visiting this amazing land I couldn\u2019t agree more with his statement.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019d love to show you the beauty and splendour of St. Petersburg through the eyes of an Aussie wanderer \u2013 a girl who for most of her life never considered visiting this far away land yet ended up loving it so much she was inspired to start learning the Russian language. Let\u2019s explore how I ended up halfway around the world and what I consider to be the most awe-inspiring places of this incredible city!<\/p>\n

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ST PETERSBURG HISTORY<\/h3>\n

Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, St Petersburg has often been referred to as the \u201cVenice of the North\u201d due to the numerous canals. Located on the Baltic Sea, this port city was once was the capital of Russia for two centuries. St. Petersburg is interesting \u2013 it has had multiple name changes, from Saint Petersburg to Petrograd in 1914, then to Leningrad in 1924 and reverting to its original name in 1991.<\/p>\n

As with most great cities, St. Petersburg hasn\u2019t had an easy past \u2013 here lies a very deep history such as the catastrophic Siege of Leningrad which lasted over two years in World War II and saw a loss of over 4,500,000 lives. In 2019 St. Petersburg is very much alive, being the second most populous city in Russia, the 5+ million inhabitants enjoy a vibrant haven with a dazzling artistic & creative scene, Instagrammable cafes in which to sip & chill and cultural experiences such as ballet and opera at the famed Mariinsky Theatre.<\/p>\n

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PETER & PAUL FORTRESS<\/h3>\n

Often the first stop of a city tour in St. Petersburg is the Peter & Paul Fortress<\/a>. Peter the Great ordered the construction of this citadel in 1703. On the Neva river, facing towards the State Hermitage Museum, you will need a pre-purchased ticket to enter this fortified site. Once inside, there is a lot to explore; the gold-topped belltower of the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul shines in the sunlight \u2013 and you will also be able to see the Russian Mint as well as a city museum and the Trubetskoy Bastion.<\/p>\n

At noon each day, there is also the tradition of firing a cannon from the Naryshkin Bastion at the fortress. You can purchase different tickets depending upon which parts of the fortress you\u2019re interested in exploring. To view the costs and various exhibition opening hours, head on over to the Fortress\u2019 website<\/a> which also offers guided tour packages.<\/p>\n

Pay Less, Travel More eBook<\/h2>

Subscribe to get our FREE eBook with tips on saving money when you travel!<\/p>\n\t\t\t

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THE STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM<\/h3>\n

After the Louvre museum in Paris, the State Hermitage Museum<\/a> is the second largest art museum in the world and my personal favourite. Having visited there twice I would suggest you set aside at least half a day here to wander around the various parts of the museum. Artwork such as \u201cThe Return of the Prodigal Son\u201d by artist Rembrandt, sculptures, Egyptian & classical antiquities, the famous gold \u201cPeacock clock\u201d, the Throne room, a gold chapel, military artefacts, royal carriages\u2026everything that you could possibly dream of is located throughout six main buildings of the Winter Palace. Try to pre-purchase a skip the line ticket here to avoid the long lines of crowds and bring your camera. You\u2019re going to want to capture the beauty of this amazing Palace turned museum!<\/p>\n

Address:<\/strong> Palace Square, 2, St Petersburg<\/p>\n

Cost:<\/strong> Free on the first Thursday of every month; varies depending upon which parts of the museum you want to visit<\/p>\n

Opening Hours:<\/strong><\/p>\n