WHAT TO SEE

When considering and arranging your plans of where to go and what to see that reflect your interests it will depend on time availability and whether this is your first visit to St Petersburg or if you have visited the city earlier.

Where this is your first trip, the Hermitage, the Peter Paul Fortress, St Isaacs' cathedral, one of the Tsar's summer residences and perhaps a city tour may fit your requirements.

A tour may be good beginning, as this will help you get a feel of our great city, its magnificent buildings, impressive views and help you to decide your priorities of interest for further exploration.

If not your first stop, the Hermitage, one of the world's finest museums, will surely be one unmissable visit. With its ensemble of buildings housing a vast collection a visit there is something in between a job and a pleasure.

It is open from 10.30 to 18.00 hrs. and to spend a full day there, with an occasional break in the ground floor cafeteria, can be very rewarding. However, some people, on average, find that about 3 hours is sufficient and vow to return. In that time, especially when guided or with an audio guide, a lot of what the place has to offer can be seen and enjoyed.

Across the river in the Peter and Paul fortress one can learn about the beginnings of St. Petersburg and see the final resting places of the Tsars in the cathedral there.

During the summer months a trip to Peterhof is surely a must, where a wonderful day may be spent seeing and photographing the numerous fountains and seeing the palace. Alternatively you may prefer a trip to Pushkin, Catherine's Palace, to see the famous Amber room and the gardens there.

If this is not your first visit, there are many other buildings and parks that you may have seen during a city tour or when strolling around but did not have time to explore.

One of the highlights of the city is St Isaac's cathedral; its construction an engineering feat. Now, officially a museum, the church contains very many impressive 19th.century works of art. Sometimes it is possible to climb up to and walk around the dome where one can get great views of the Neva and city in all directions and take some superb photos.

The church on Spilled Blood was built as a permanent memorial to tsar Alexander II on the spot where he was murdered. Inside more than 20 types of minerals have been lavished on the mosaics of the iconostasis, icon cases, the floor and canopy.

Other churches recommended to visit are the Kazan cathedral, which is the main one in today's' city and St Nicholas' active Orthodox Cathedral which is in fact 2 churches - the upper and lower ones.

The Russian Museum, which is housed in the palace built for Mikhail Pavlovich, is well worth a visit to see its collection of Russian arts, including folk and 20th.-century art and Russian icons.

A tour of the Yusupov palace, beside the Moika, where Rasputin met his end is very interesting. Some evening it may be combined with a short concert in the miniature theatre housed there

Many other places, some covering special interests such as the ' Blockade ' may be seen when you have more time.

We shall be very pleased to discuss and if required, arrange, any things you would like to do.