St. Petersburg, Russia Luxury Cruises

Overview

When you disembark at St Petersburg, you’ll need to clear customs before leaving the port. Once you’ve passed through, you’re just a short walk away from a handful of shops and services. Most of the city life is found in the centre of St Petersburg which is around three miles away and can be reached by bus, taxi or metro.

One of the world’s most exciting, fascinating and intriguing cities, St Petersburg in Russia has all the ingredients for an unforgettable holiday. A must-visit for culture vultures, this intoxicating city offers beautiful artwork, lavish architecture, heady nightlife, incredible history and a rich culture which has inspired some of the world’s best music, literature and art. St Petersburg charms and entices all year round, whilst offering something for every traveller to enjoy.

Sightseeing in St Petersburg

St Petersburg offers a seemingly never-ending number of attractions for all types of visitor. With everything from pretty canals and an endless supply of museums and theatres to rebellious underground art and music scenes, there is a part of St Petersburg for everyone to fall in love with. Whether your visit to the culture capital is long or short, we suggest you take in at least one of the following sights:

The Hermitage Museum: one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, this museum will astound even the most museum-phobic visitor. The Hermitage Museum is one of the largest in the world and is home to various collections of artwork and international artefacts, including pieces from da Vinci, Reubens and Rembrandt.

Peterhof: a palace built by Peter the Great, Peterhof is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, commonly referred to as the Russian Versaille. This imposing palace is surrounded by lavish gardens with well-kept lawns and bubbling fountains. The interior of the place is even more extravagant, with ornate staircases, magnificent frescoes, gilded statues and fine parquet floors.

The Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood: this Russian-style church is a must-visit during your time in St Petersburg. The structure’s architecture varies greatly from other buildings in the city and it boasts over 7,000m2 of mosaics, many of which depict biblical scenes and saints. The colourful onion-shaped domes are covered in bright enamels, one of which reaches up to 81 metres in the sky.

Shopping in St Petersburg

St Petersburg has an ever-increasing number of stores which offer a great selection of items and services, with everything from handicrafts and souvenirs to fresh fruit and vegetables. Although most stores will only accept Russian rubles, which you can buy from currency exchange points, many stores also accept credit cards.

Nevsky Prospekt is the main shopping district and offers the widest variety of stores and boutiques selling everything from designer labels and souvenirs to electronics and perfumes. Bolshoi Prospekt on Vasilyevsky Island also offers a superb range of shops with very competitive prices.

Eating Out in St Petersburg

St Petersburg’s cuisine reflects its river-crossed and seaside location, with plenty of fresh-water and salt-water fish on the menu. Traditional Russian dishes are often overlooked by French-influenced roasts and terrines or Italian-inspired pizzas and pastas, but there are plenty of authentic Russian dishes available if you look hard enough.

The further away from Nevsky Prospekt you go, the cheaper your dining options will be, although the menus will also be more limited and less likely to be available in English. The restaurants which line the north side of Nevada are very tourist-friendly and usually offer fantastic value for money.