St Petersburg: an attraction in itself

St Petersburg is Russia’s display window to the West. Peter the Great originally commissioned this city in all its splendour to compete with other world centres of power. The finest European architects were retained to create the city, resulting in a fascinating blend of all that is best in Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice and Vienna. Even so, this jewel of the Neva Delta is by no means a facsimile, but a highly original and impressive metropolis that is nowadays also home to five million residents. Indeed, the greatest sight of St Petersburg is the city itself, and visitors should always set aside plenty of time for general touring and aimless meandering.

Everything from kitsch to caviar
You can find all of the world’s brand names nowadays on Nevski and Kamennoostrovskij Prospekt. Perhaps a more interesting commercial district, however, is Sennaja Ploshad, the Haymarket of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, where a shining new shopping centre now stands. The corner of Apraksin Dvor is not only a place to discover local fashions for young people, but also to drown in kitsch, which veritably abounds in some places. Friends of good food should also head for Kuznetsky market, which is packed with fine food products from Russia and the Caucasus, including dozens of honey varieties and genuine or not-so-genuine caviars.

Traditional Russian: even the fast food
A fine Russian dinner, complete with zakuski, soup and shashlik, is like the people of this extraordinary country: joyous, exuberant and hearty. International influences have always been powerful in St Petersburg, and this is certainly seen in the diversity of the city’s restaurants. The fast food concept has also gained a foothold here, with some franchises offering an interesting combination of traditional and fast food – with express servings of stuffed blinis and even chicken Kiev.

The world’s largest art museum
The Hermitage houses the world’s largest art collection, with exhibitions so vast here that a single visit is not nearly enough to see everything. The magnificent museum buildings also provide a fine setting for this huge treasure chest. The mind is transported by the beautifully decorated façades, the huge fresco halls with their marble, wooden and mosaic floors, the sculptures, figures, and extensive collections of antique furniture and visual art. The fine art on display here includes major works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rafaello, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh and Matisse.

 

A visa is required of Finnish citizens when traveling to Russia.
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