Overview

St. Petersburg is known for its rich history and was founded in 1703. It still remains Russia's "Window to the West." St. Petersburg is located in the northwest of the Russian Federation and is known to be the European gateway of Russia. It is the 2^nd largest city in the Russian Federation with an area of approximately 606 square kilometers. The city of St. Petersburg is a place which delights its travelers with the beautiful architecture and the interesting history. The history is enthralling and the architecture is elaborate.

Attractions & Activities

St. Petersburg boasts of historic buildings, museums, and interesting sightseeing opportunities. The famous sites include the Peters Cabin, the Winter Palace, Palace Square, the towering Alexander Column, and the Menshikov Palace. Above all, bridges are most important sites to see, which you can't avoid because they are an essential part of St. Petersburg with over 500 bridges in the city. The museums at St.Petersburg are a must see as well. Among them, the State Russian Museum, the Academy of Fine Arts, State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg Museum of Dolls, and the Museum of Non-Conformist Art are very popular. Monuments include the Bronze Horseman, the Monument to Catherine the Great, and the Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery. St. Petersburg is also known for its literature and music. Opera and ballet also have a long history in St Petersburg.

Stores in St. Petersburg are plenty, and they include grocery markets, book stores, department stores, and souvenir shops. Credit cards are accepted in some places but not all. Rubles are accepted in all the stores, and that you can buy them at currency exchange points.

Lodging

Some hotels in St. Petersburg are built in ancient structures and there are some in more modern construction. Generally, the hotels in the area are two to four star accommodations. Hotel Club offers cost-effective St. Petersburg hotels in 21 locations around St. Petersburg, including the popular cities. The Grand Europe Hotel at St.Petersburg is the most favored site by luxury travelers.

Transportation

There are two major airports in St. Petersburg: the Pulkovo1 and the Pulkovo 2. Daily flights to various Russian and international destinations are available. Train is the best option to visit the Scandinavian countries, and it is available at Finlandsky railway station. Moreover, there are a few daily busses that take you to Finland.For a visit to Baltic States, it's convenient to use busses. There are many busses departing every day from Eurolines terminal to Tallin and the journey takes only six hours. For a journey around the area there are taxis, buses, trolley-busses, trams, and Marshrutka.