"Of Palaces and Kings" a Saint Petersburg Travel Page by aflaneur

Peter and Catherine and their hangers on have produced this remarkable testimonial to the melding of western architecture and Russian culture (especially Orthodox culture). Combine this with the endless booty presented in the glimmering halls of the Hermitage and you've got a must-see destination of the highest order.

Stayed at the Grand Hotel Europe, which was a budget buster extraordinaire but touted as a one-in-a-lifetime hotel. The public areas certainly made me feel tsarist, but my room made my wallet yearn for the equally spartan charms of a Holiday Inn. But the location, about a stone's throw from the Hermitage, can't be beat. And the Hermitage! If you take antiquities out of the Louvre, the Hermitage is easily its equal. Just phenomenal. My English-speaking guide, Viktoriya (see my recommendations) possessed photographic memory and her ability to tell me anything and everything about anything and anything in the Hermitage (and every other iconic destination in and around St. Petersburg) made my 3-day visit an incredible cultural and learning experience. Can't speak highly enough about Viktoriya's knowledge and easy interpersonal skills.

St. Isaac's Cathedral, Peter and Paul Fortress, Mariinskiy Theater, Peterhof, Pushkin, Pavlovsk...the iconic destinations are enough to fill a week of uninterrupted walks in and about churches, palaces, theaters and fortresses. Unbelievable richness of treasures, architecture and history.