What to see and what to do in Saint Petersburg
Cruising Journal, the international portal for cruise ship reviews, takes you to St. Petersburg! What to see and do in St. Petersburg during a cruise stopover in the Cruising Journal tips.
For art lovers, architecture enthusiasts and foodies, St. Petersburg is the ideal destination for a cultural adventure in every sense of the word.
A city rich in history with a glorious and macabre past, St. Petersburg is a must-see on any Baltic Sea Cruise, with its imperial palaces, war monuments and museums.
Built as a cornerstone of maritime trade and used as a stronghold of the navy, St. Petersburg has withstood the test of time, preserving magnificent buildings as not only medals of valour for its resistance, but also as memories of a past that was and should never be again.
How to get to St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is an influential Russian port city, and several companies offer cruises with stopovers in the Russian capital. For instance, MSC Cruises, offers cruises through Northern Europe with various durations, while Cruise and Maritime Voyages sets off from the UK to discover the cities of the Baltic Sea. Costa Crociere also offers options with multiple stops in the Baltic Sea.
If you want to see St. Petersburg on its own, you can explore it while aboard the ships of Astra Marine, which offers tours of the city from the perspective of the rivers passing through it.
The Idiot’s Dinner
If you love good food, treat yourself to some delicious and traditional Russian dishes in a typical restaurant in St. Petersburg. At the Idiot Restaurant, you can spend a unique evening tasting traditional Slavic cuisines, such as Borsch, Russian stew and pelmeni. In addition to the delicacies from the kitchen, the Idiot Restaurant also offers entertainment, like classic board games that you can play in between drinks, all while listening to live jazz music.
Russian Vodka Museum
If liquors are your passion, don’t miss the opportunity to taste some of the finest vodkas in mother Russia. At the Russian Vodka Museum, you will learn about the delicate production process of the popular distillery product, and you will be able to taste different varieties of the drink while munching on some traditional appetizers.
Hermitage
Art and architecture lovers will undoubtedly appreciate the State Hermitage Museum and its magnificent art exhibitions with works from some of the greatest artists of all time, such as Michelangelo, Cézanne, Monet, Picasso, Velasquez and Van Gogh. Situated on the banks of the Neva River, the Hermitage complex where the museum is located is also home to the Winter Palace, which was built for Tsarina Elisabeth and housed the Romanov family for over two centuries.
An interesting component of the museum is its cats. These adorable pets were introduced to the palace in 1745 by Empress Elisabeth to hunt for rodents, which, at that time, caused countless damages. Since then, the cats have taken up residence in the basement of the palace and can be seen from time to time.
Boat Tours
From the shore of the Neva River, you can easily find one of the boarding docks of the Astra Marine company, which offers boat tours to discover the beauties of St. Petersburg from the river. You can choose to take a short tour of the city with an audio guide that will recount the history of the buildings and monuments and then visit the Fabergé Museum, or you can explore St. Petersburg in the evening with a night tour of the mobile bridges.
This city rich in history, art and tradition is full of surprises regardless of what you choose to see or do. All you have to do is make the decision to enjoy St. Petersburg in all its magnificence. Don’t forget to leave a comment or review on Cruising Journal and tell us about your experience in St. Petersburg.