My recent visit to St. Petersburg the most beautiful Russian city was amazing. I truly enjoyed my two days’ visit to cultural capital of Russia. The city is very diverse, and culturally rich, where everybody will find something to their interest. The city is home to many cathedrals, museums, monuments and water canals. Yes, its home to world’s second largest museum, “The Hermitage”. I hope this ultimate travel guide will help you to plan your trip to Russia’s second largest city St. Petersburg!
Firstly, the good thing is, you can enter St. Petersburg with free e-Visa. From October 2019, the Russian government is granting e-visa to enter St Petersburg and Leningrad region. Fifty-two countries are eligible to apply for free e-visa and India is one among them! The visa is absolutely free of cost! The visa process is very simple, to know more watch my YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3PVJYsatb0&t=53s. When you enter St. Petersburg, make sure to have all your documents handy like, health insurance, e-visa prints, your hotel reservations, and return ticket. You can enter St. Petersburg through air, land and by ship. If you are landing by air make sure your entry point in Russia is Pulkovo Airport, St. Petersburg. You cannot take any transit flight from other Russian cities, it’s very important keep this in mind when you book your flights to St. Petersburg.
The best season to visit St. Petersburg is in summer (June-August). But if you want to reduce your travel cost then it’s good to visit during off seasons (Winter) i.e. from December-February. You get flight at very reasonable cost and good hotel deals during off peak seasons. Its good to skip long ques to visit hermitage and other top attractions! My visit was during off peak and I got very good deals for both flight and accommodation and weather was not too harsh! I loved my 2 days in Russia’s cultural capital. Transportation in St. Petersburg is pretty easy. You have well connected public transportation, bus and metro. More importantly most of the attractions can be covered by walking! Yes, the city is pretty much feasible by walk and most of the attractions are located nearby. You have well connected bus and metro services to and fro from Pulkovo airport to city center and its budget friendly.
Let’s see the top attractions of St. Petersburg which you shouldn’t skip if, you visiting for the first time!
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
It is one of the main landmark of Saint Petersburg, Russia. The church was dedicated to be a memorial Alexander II. I was mesmerized by its beauty. The church was very colorful and vibrant. This monument stands out from rest of the architecture in St. Petersburg! It had onion shaped domes decorated with jewels and had vibrant eye catchy colored walls. This church is my favorite in St. Petersburg.
State Hermitage Museum
It is world’s second largest museum after Louvre museum in Paris. Yah!!! I visited both! It’s a museum of art and culture having huge collections paintings, sculptures, modern art, jewelry and decorative art pieces from Russia, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, French, Britain, Israel and Egypt. It took around two and half hour for hermitage tour! I loved Egyptian antiquities and witnessed Egyptian mummy for the first time! Huh! I’m sure this museum will attract every one. For more information visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_3_zZfroPI&t=156s.
Kazan Cathedral
It is a cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church on the Nevsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg. It resembles the church St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It got incredible architecture! The entry to this church is free of cost.
St. Isaac Cathedral
It is a cathedral that currently functions as a museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The top attraction is its dome, which is made of over 100 kilo of gold.
Palace Square
Palace Square is beautiful square and in the center of the square stands the Alexander Column, this red granite column (the tallest of its kind in the world) is 47.5 meters high and weighs some 500 tons.The surrounding the square is winter palace, state hermitage museum, and general staff building. At night palace square looks incredible with illumination.
Winter Palace
The Winter Palace was the official residence of the Russian Emperors from 1732 to 1917. Today, the palace is a part of State Hermitage Museum.
Bronze Horseman
The Bronze Horseman is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great in the Senate Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The statue is situated near St. Isaac Cathedral and during night looks spectacular.
Peter and Paul Fortress
The fortress was established by Peter the Great on small Hare Island by the north bank of the Neva River. In the early 1920s, it was still used as a prison and execution ground by the Bolshevik government. Today it has been adapted as the central and most important part of the State Museum of Saint Petersburg History. It has beautiful Peter and Paul Cathedral. It’s incredibly beautiful island prison!
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