We are honored to welcome you to our beloved city, the most beautiful city in the World. Even if you only have one day to enjoy its splendor and unique charm, you will still leave with a palpable affection for St. Petersburg; you’ll be yearning to come back to this mysterious, stylish, unforgettable place.

We advise you to start early if you want to get around the city comfortably. If it is a working day, choose a time when most people have started work, normally by 10am. Nevskii Prospect, usually flooded with crowds at any time of the day, is relatively empty and quiet at this time. So if you go by metro to Mayakovskaya station, and then walk along Nevskii towards Gostinii Dvor, you can enjoy the fabulous architecture and the rarefied atmosphere unhindered. On the way, you will pass the beautiful Palace of Beloselskye-Belozerskye, which overlooks the famous Anichkov Bridge with its world-famous bronze equestrian statues by P. Klodt. Walking along, you will come to Kazanskaya Square with its inimitable Kazansky Cathedral and the impressive yet elegant colonnade. Here you can turn to the right and walk along the Griboyedova Canal embankment towards The Church of Our Savior on Spilt Blood. Nearby is the Mikhailovsky Palace designed by the renowned architect C.Rossi; it’s a beautiful building, classically styled, and it houses the brilliant Russian Museum. After your done in the museum, you will undoubtedly be ready for a pit stop, and there’s no better place to take a break than the beautiful Mikhailovsky Gardens. You can find the Mikhailovsky Castle close by and in the opposite direction rests the famous Summer Garden, complete with Italian marble statues and a graceful grille facing the Neva.

Take a moment to decide whether you would prefer to visit Peter-and-Paul Fortress, which is just on the opposite side of the Neva, and take a walk on the bastion roof there, admiring a unique panorama, or whether walking along the embankment towards the Hermitage is more your thing. If you are only here for day, then we would try to dissuade from visiting the Hermitage. Its collection is truly vast, and even a week is not enough to see all the masterpieces. It is more sensible to buy a book about the Hermitage and thus to get acquainted with at least small part of its collection.

Continue along the embankment and you will see the immense Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square. It is one of Europe’s greatest squares, lined with historic monuments commemorating Russia’s victory over Napoleon. The grand column in the center of the square is cut from a single stone block, and is supported by its own substantial weight, without the need for any kind of adhesive. The angel on the top is said to bear a certain likeness to Alexander I. Nearby is the Admiralty, regarded as the symbol of the city, with its golden needle crowned by a ship, doubling as a weather vane. Beyond the Admiralty there is a beautiful alley along the embankment, which will lead you to the Dekabristov (Decembrists’) Square, home of the famous Bronze Horseman, immortalized by Pushkin, standing on its solid rock pedestal. and St. Isaak’s Cathedral behind it. A.Montferrand’s masterpiece is the largest cathedral in St. Petersburg. Today however, many of the city’s residents do not like the cathedral, labeling it the “Inkpot” for its shape. Nevertheless, it is a sight to behold; the construction itself lasted for 40 years! Montferrand died just after the construction was finished, his work completed. This cathedral is really one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. The observation platform on the colonnade provides a magnificent view of the city.

Another way you can see all these beautiful places is to take a water-taxi and see it all from a duck’s eye view, which completely transforms the experience and gives you a different perspective on the city. You will also be given a talk by a professional tour guide, so you’ll be learning and seeing everything you could wish for, all the while sitting down and giving your legs a rest. That said, the boat rides can get more than a little cold towards the winter so beware!

Whichever way you choose to explore the city, you will almost certainly be ready to have a hearty and satisfying meal by the time evening comes. As you will no doubt notice on your travels, there is an abundance of restaurants dotted around the city center. Have a look at the menu and if the fare on offer gets your taste buds tingling pop in and enjoy your well-earned meal. If you are looking for something in particular, or somewhere a little special, just pick up the phone and we’ll point you in the right direction.  

After dinner, if there’s any life left in your legs, visit one of the jazz clubs, which is St. Petersburg is famous for; if you feel like doing something more cultural go to one of our city’s stunning theaters; or nestle in the corner of one of the pubs and have a drink while enjoying the live music. Alternatively, if you feel like a walk is order after that tasty little dessert you had in the restaurant, take a stroll through the streets that branch of Nevskii, cross the countless tiny bridges (but please take our map so you don’t get lost!), dive into the Metro and see those famous Stalinist stations in all their over-the-top glory; you can’t go wrong with the Avtovo, Pushkinskaya, Plostchad Vosstania stations.…

Don’t forget pick up a few souvenirs, they’re hardly hard to come by in the center of the city! A watercolor with a view of the Peter-and-Paul Fortress, a colorful book on the history of our city, an Admiralty frigate or some nice little trinkets that will remind you of our magical city.

We are sure you will have these memories forever – those ghostly aquarelle buildings, the steel-grey waters of Neva, the resonant emptiness of the squares and the wide avenues. We’ll be waiting for your call telling us you’re coming back – this isn’t a place you can visit just once. You’ll be intoxicated, lovesick and quickly planning a journey back!