St. Petersburg

With a whopping five million people calling it home, St. Petersburg is the world’s largest northern city. However, it is not in its size where lies its grandeur. With a colourful history and a cultural scene to rival any European city, St. Petersburg’s splendour is echoed in its art and architecture. Flowing through the Neva River pouring onto the streets is a fairy tale richness and romance defining the city’s magnificence. Home to the ballet masterpieces of The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, it is impossible not to feel the magic of sugar plum ferries, witches and princesses in the air, and with its European inspired architecture, and canal side avenues St. Petersburg has been dubbed ‘The Venice of the North’.

With such greats as the Hermitage Museum, the Pushkin Theatre, Kircov Ballet and the Winter Palace it is no wonder that St. Petersburg has been officially proclaimed the cultural capital of Russia. A true culture vulture would have to spend weeks to cover all of St. Petersburg’s historic monuments, museums, cathedrals, palaces and cemeteries, not to mention its theatre and dance. However, for a crash course in St. Petersburg’s ‘culture’, here are a couple of the highlights. The most impressive site hands-down is the Hermitage, one of the world’s greatest art galleries and home to collections of some of the most famed artists including Rembrandt, Rubens and Picasso. You could spend days in there alone with 1057 rooms and 117 staircases. Of course it is only one of five-linked building making up the Winter Palace, the true illustrator of opulent tsardom. With gold dripping from its every column, rich tapestries garnishing the walls and ancient ornaments scattered throughout, the Winter Palace is truly a site of incomparable majesty.

With similar greatness towering over the city and dominating the skyline is St. Isaacs Cathedral, another illustration of St. Petersburg’s obscene lavishness.Created by Peter the Great to serve as a window to the west St. Petersburg has become so much more. Beyond the sumptuousness of the art, music and history is St. Petersburg’s natural phenomenon known as White Nights. Although it is not exclusive to St. Petersburg, the near 24-hour of daylight experienced between the beginning of June to early July is a big draw card for a number of visitors.During this time the Nevsky Prospect District, Russia’s most famous street, is bustling with activity. It is here that the ‘new Russia’ is most apparent.McDonalds’ may have found its way to St. Petersburg but don’t let that put you off, it still remains one of Europes truly enchanting cities.

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