Saint Petersburg Travel Forum

1. We will be on the Azumara on a Balatic cruise in June. Ship's tours seem interesting but very expensive. However, if on the ship's tours we won't have to get our own visas. Has anyone been on these tours and are they better than going on our own?

2. I believe we will have 2-3 days in port. We would like to take the 8.5 hour tour of "Best of St. Petersburg" tour for $179. Which sites should we not miss and which ones should we skip for the other times?

Hi!

Well, I've only undertaken ship-organised tours in St.Petersburg. Certainly, the queue for the Hermitage was really long ---but we walked straight past and in through a different door because we were on a ship's tour.

Do try the underground train system ---but avoid their 'rush hour'.

Our Princess Cruises tours took us to a meat market, to churches, parks and to a traditional folklore evening. The evening entertainment was very touristy but fun! If you do go for this then do try to get a decent seat!

The Baltic is great fun buit beware! They can work you hard: early mornings and lots to see! The nightclub/disco was so empty on the Regal Princess that I ended up dancing with the waiting staff!

The highlights of the cruise? Well, Malbork Castle in Poland, the Vigeland Park in Oslo (but get there first thing in the morning for the special light and few other tourists), the Hermitage and the walking tour of Tallin.

Check my pages for further hints.

Have fun!

crazyman2

Hello!
I am from Saint Petersburg and would like to welcome you to this city. June is the best time to visit the city. I hope you heard about White Nights? It's the time in early June when at night it's light like in the day-time. So, you may walk around the city at night and watch how the bridges are drawn - it's a kind of tradition, many young couples are sitting on the embankment during White Nights and admiring the Neva river and the process of drawing the bridges. The most famous and big ones are the following:

Troitsky Bridge (the longest in SPb)
Palace Bridge (see here: http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/580/);
Bridge of Lieutenant Schmidt, now called Blagoveschensky (see here:http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/940/)
I think the best option will be the Palace Bridge, it's located near the Hermitage (see here: http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/80/)- so, if you don't have a chance to visit the museum in daytime, you will have at least an opportunity to watch the palace and the famous Dvortsovaya Square (which it stands on) with an Alexander Column in the centre (see here: http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/324/). Just nearby there is St.Isaac's Cathedral (http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/71/), where you can have a bird's-eye look on the city (in daytime of course) and Monument to Peter I, The Bronze Horseman (http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/72/). Moreover, just going over the Palace Bridge to the other side of the Neva river, you can find yourself in the other beautiful place - The Spit of Vasilyevsky Island where Rostral Columns are located (see here: http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/354/).

I think on the "Best of St. Petersburg" tour you will have a chance to see all these sights. If you have some more time, I would recommend you to go to Pushkin (it's a 30-minute trip by coach) or Peterhof/Petrodvorets (also about 30-40 minutes travelling from SPb), which is also called Russian Versailles due to its fascinating fountains (see here: http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/300/).

Here you can see some pictures from Pushkin:
http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/288/;
http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/287/;
http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/289/;
http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/281/.

As for the museums in Saint Petersburg, here are the most interesting ones which you should not miss:
State Russian Museum - http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/576/;
Petropavlovskaya Fotress, State Museum of History of St. Petersburg - http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/74/;
Kunstkamera, Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography - http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/257/;
Aurora Cruiser Museum Ship (the ship which paarticipated in the Russina Revolution) - http://www.worldwalk.info/en/catalog/258/

Good luck and have nice time here in Saint Petersburg!