A Guide to St. Petersburg

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St. Petersburg is a unique city, there is nothing quite like it. You can't escape the beauty of the 1700s and 1800s, it is everywhere. Everything is on proud display. Compared to Moscow, it has a completely different feel. There are plenty of things to see and do, and the city is admired by so many people. Nothing quite describes St. Petersburg other than haunting and magnificent. So here are some of the best things to do in this incredible city. 

10. Palace Square: this square is always busy, night and day. There is always something going on, people are always stopping by to admire the Winter Palace, and there are plenty of entertainers. Yes, there are always people dressed up from the time, horse drawn carriages, anything you could imagine to bring you back a few centuries. If you just landed in St. Petersburg, head here first to get a taste of the liveliness of the city. 

9. St. Isaac's Cathedral: this is the largest Russian Orthodox Church in the city. And you can see why. Just down the road from the Winter Palace, this cathedral dominates the skyline in central St. Petersburg. Just outside, across the park, is a statue commemorating Peter the Great. So coming to visit this cathedral has plenty of things to admire.   

8. The Faberge Museum: there are plenty of art museums in St. Petersburg, it can be hard to pick one. But this museum houses an incredible collection of Faberge eggs. The eggs inside were made for the Russian emperors and are on display within the museum. While Moscow boats having the largest Faberge egg collection in the world, this museum still has a great collection. 

7. Kazan Cathedral: this incredible cathedral is considered the mother cathedral of the city. Under communism, it became a museum because the building was too incredible to not be in use. Heading inside is absolutely beautiful, but it can also be admired for its sheer size from the outside. All this considered, it is no wonder why people consider it the mother cathedral. 

6. Walk along the canals: St. Petersburg has plenty of canals and each one has its own charm. There is plenty to be discovered along each canal. Also, you can opt for walking along the river. This is a great way to admire the beautifully colored buildings that decorate all of downtown St. Petersburg. 

5. Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood: this beautiful church is relatively new compared to the other ones. Built after the assassinated Tsar Alexander II, it was finished in the beginning of the 1900s. Inside is absolutely stunning with beautiful mosaics and tiled floors. If you're heading in, prepare for your neck to hurt from staring at the ceiling for so long. 

4. Peter and Paul Fortress: this fortress across from the Winter Palace has plenty of things to see and do. There are so many museums within the fortress. Climbing to the top makes for a great view of the city. But the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the fortress is really something. Inside is where all the Tsars are buried, including Nicholas II and his family, or at least the members whose remains that they found. 

3. The Peterhof Palace: this wonderful palace outside the city is a great visit. The inside of the palace is something else. The only palace more beautiful may be Versailles Palace in Paris or Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna. Each room is incredibly crafted for Peter the Great. In the summer, head outside to check out the fountain display, but don't hesitate for a stroll in the park in the winter too. There is something about palaces in St. Petersburg. 

2. The Catherine Palace: built for Catherine the Great, this palace is fit for a queen, literally. Or in this case, empress. Although it is outside the city, it is worth the visit. The beautiful blue painted walls decorating the outside are brilliant in the summer, but stunning in the winter. Inside, each room is better than the next. With great halls, the Amber Room, and plenty of gold adorned details, there is no palace quite like it. Head outside in the gardens and admire the beauty of the gardens and the palace together. This is where the Romanov children used to play. 

1. The Hermitage: housed in the Winter Palace of the Tsars, this museum is one of the best in the world. So many masterpieces are on display. But what makes this museum so unique is that the original details of the Winter Palace are still present, so you get an art museum and a palace tour in one go. It is absolutely stunning and rivals the Louvre.