Saint Petersburg Things to Do Tips by Zirpsis

Peterhof Gardens and Fountains City Environs Review

Peter the Great had this incredibly beautiful place built as a summer residence for the royal family and wanted it to be like Versailles but just a little bit more. There are many palaces and hundreds of fountains. This time, we only walked in the gardens and plan to go inside the grand palace another trip. Queing to go inside would have taken at least an hour and there's so much to see outside. There is an ongoing restoration process and, each year, some new fountains are ready to be opened.

Address: About 30 km from St. Petersburg, by the sea side

Directions: Take a speed boat from the Hermitage. That's by far the best way to get here!

Smolny - the blue beauty Museums Review

Museum, concerts and art exhibitions. The cathedral is absolutely stunning. It was designed by the italian architect Rastrelli who also designed the Tsarskoye Selo palaces. They do have a resemblance.

Address: Proletarskoy Diktatury street

Directions: The closest metro station: Chernosevskaya from which about 10 min walk towards the east

The Mosque Cathedrals and Churches Review

You can see the azure blue dome and minaret tops of this mosque from the river banks so I wanted to go see what it's like. The building is massive and has room for 5000 worshippers. It was built in 1910-1913 and, obviously, was closed for religious purposes during some time. Now, I believe, its resumed its original function.

Address: Kronnerskiy Prospekt

Directions: Closest metro station: the Gorkovskaya

Tavricheskiy Gardens Parks and Squares Review

We had our lunch sandwiches in this beautiful place in the picture. If you'd like to go for a walk in this park, take the metro to the Chernysevskaya and walk towards east about 5 min. It's a nice park and a beautiful area with several embassies.

Address: the corner of Potyominskaya and Kirochinaya str.

Fortress St.Peter and St.Paul's Fortress Review

Beautiful! Peter the Great had this fortress built at the beginning of the 18th century against possible attacks by Sweden. However, it has not been needed for that. Instead, there are the last resting places of some of the Romanov family members.

The outer rim of the fortress is the place where the townspeople of St. Peterburg come to sunbathe where the thick walls give shelter against the wind. I even saw someone go for a swim in the river Neva.

Address: The nearest metro station is the Gorkovskaya

Directions: On an island by the River Neva

Everything is here Nevsky Avenue Review

This is in the heart of St. Petersburg. This and the near surroundings is what most tourists get to see when they visit this city. Pretty flowers, no trash, no sign of homeless people, no street children. So they have been "cleaned away", taken someplace else. Because we know for a fact that it's one of the big problems in this city.

Address: Nevsky Prospekt

Birdhouse at Peterhof Gardens City Environs Review

Restored to the old model, there are two birdhouses at the Peterhof gardens. They are placed symmetrically on two sides of a pond.

Directions: How to get to Peterhof: see my Peterhof main page!

Wonder tree at Peterhof City Environs Review

This water spouting tree can be seen at the Peterhof Gardens. Be careful or you'll get wet, as there's a surprise for unsuspecting tourists...

Colourful onions and other decorations Cathedrals and Churches Review

This Russian orthodox church was built on the place where the Tsar Alexander II was killed in a bomb attack. That's why it's also known as the church on the spilled blood. It is so colourful that it's hard to believe one's eyes. Very very decorative. No wonder the restoration work took 30 years.

Address: the corner of Nevsky Pr. & the Griboyedova canal

Website: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/virtual-tour/church-of-savior.asp

Pyramid Fountain at the Peterhof City Environs Review

This fountain has many water spouts and the stream of water forms a pyramid in the air. Incredible. You can find this at the Peterhof gardens.