St Petersburg is sometimes described as the Venice of the North, and once you’ve paid a visit it’s easy to see why. It’s not just because of the canal network – though that certainly helps with the comparison – but the overall beauty of the city is the main reason why it is so revered. The architecture of some of the landmarks is just completely stunning, helping to make the city one of the most desirable destinations for a cruise, and the perfect place to either start or end a river voyage on the waterways of Russia. Here’s my top places you must see on any visit to this incredible city:

The Hermitage Museum

This is often viewed as the primary attraction of the city, and one of the premier museums in the entire world. It’s a huge palace-museum consisting of a number of buildings including the former Winter Palace, and it is home to over three million pieces including famous artworks by renowned artists such as Michelangelo, Rembrandt and others. It truly is a stunning place to visit and one that should be first thought when you head to the city.

Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood

This church is often mentioned purely because of the interest of the name but the design is in a traditional style, with beautiful domed spires. However it’s not simply something to enjoy from the outside, as the interior of the church is decorated with an intricate array of mosaics covering over 6000sqm.

The canals and bridges

Straight-forward enough, these don’t need much of an explanation; the network of canals is a delightful sight during the day while the bridges over the Neva River are best viewed at night, when they’re illuminated. The bridges open at night to allow ships through.

Catherine Palace

This is some way out of St Petersburg, at the city of Pushkin, but the amazing palace regularly draws visitors from the north and excursions are common. Originally built for Catherine I, it is one of the most ornate buildings you could ever hope to see, with hugely impressive gardens adding to the breath-taking sights of the grounds.

Ballet

Russian ballet is known around the world as being a majestic experience, so it’s worth trying to take in a performance in one of the theatres. The two best places to see a headlining ballet performance are the Mariinsky Theater and the Mikhailovskiy Theater, both of which also host opera.

By Ian Lewis
Google