Saint Petersburg Local Custom Tips by polrbear

When visiting someone's home, bring flowers (never an even number in the bouquet, though). If visiting a family with a small child, bring a gift for the child instead. In a family's home, you will be asked to remove your shoes at the door and be given slippers to wear, so wear socks with no holes :). For men walking with a woman, it is polite to be your chivalrous best - opening doors, offering a hand when she is stepping on or off a bus or in and out of a minivan. Walking arm-in-arm with a woman on the streets is very normal and a nice change of pace from our American customs. Learn the cyrillic alphabet and you will have an easier time of getting around town. You can find a reference and some common phrases here:
http://www2.sptimes.com/Treasures/TCBorcht.html

Leave a Comment