
Travel Guide
St. Petersburg
02
Quick view
05
Getting around St Petersburg
10
Calendar of events
02
Russia
06
Top 10 sights
12
Hotels
04
Travel etiquette
08
Shopping in St Petersburg
13
24 hours in ...
04
Health
09
Restaurants
05
Phone calls & Internet
10
Nightlife
© thinkstock/iStock
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
01/15
Travel Guide


St. Petersburg
02
Quick view
St Petersburg – a brief overview
Moscow may have the power, but St Petersburg has always had the culture. This
stately city, set beside the mighty Neva River, was where Peter the Great chose to
found his imperial capital in 1703. The finest Italian architects were drafted in to
construct a city of grand avenues and winding canals, lined with elegant
townhouses and adorned with baroque flourishes.
This was where Russia’s tsars and tsarinas lived out their extravagant lives; they
now pass the centuries in the royal tombs inside SS Peter & Paul Cathedral.
Surrounding the city are the extravagant country houses of the imperial dynasty – a
trip to Peterhof or Tsarskoe Selo is an essential part of any trip to St Petersburg.

Russia
General knowledge
Country overview
Russia is at once breathtaking, baffling and stunningly beautiful. Monumental in
every respect, it's a land where untamed wilderness sits alongside bustling urban
centres, and adventure lurks around every corner. From imperial splendour to icy
Siberian tundra and from time-worn Soviet-era monuments to über-hip urban
culture, Russia is a land of contradiction and superlatives.
For the first time in its history, Russia is now wide open for foreign visitors to
experience, and exploration beyond Moscow and St Petersburg is well advised.
The Golden Ring, a collection of ancient gems, transports the traveller back to a
bygone age.
Geography
The Russian Federation covers almost twice the area of the USA, and reaches
from the enclave of Kaliningrad in the west over the Urals and the vast Siberian
plains to the Sea of Okhotsk in the east. The border between European Russia
and Siberia (Asia) is formed by the Ural Mountains, the Ural River and the Manych
Depression. All in all Russia has 16 international borders with countries including
Finland, Lithuania, USA, Japan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and China.
European Russia extends from the North Polar Sea across the Central Russian
Uplands to the Black Sea, the Northern Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. Siberia
stretches from the West Siberian Plain across the Central Siberian Plateau to the
Lena River and takes in the Sayan and Yablonovy ranges in the south.
East of Siberia stretches the Russian Far East, a region almost as big as Siberia
itself, running to the Pacific coast and including the vast Chukotka and Kamchatka
peninsulas.
Given the vast size of the country, Russia's terrain is hugely variable. From the
Siberian tundra to the mountains of the Urals, the beaches on the Black Sea coast,
and the plains of western Russia, such variable geography means one can
experience many different Russias.
General knowledge
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
02/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
03
Key facts
Population: 142500482
Population Density (per sq km): 8
Capital: Moscow.
Language
Russian is the official language, although there are over 100 other languages.
English is widely spoken by younger people as well as some educated older
people.
Currency
Rouble (RUB; symbol руб) = 100 kopeks. Notes are in denominations of 5,000,
1,000, 500, 100, 50, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of 10, 5, 2 and 1, and
50, 10, 5 and 1 kopeks.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Russia uses a standard two-pin European plug.
General business opening hours
Mon-Fri 1000-1800, with a lengthy lunch break, usually from 1200-1400, during
which no work is done - even telephones are left unanswered.
Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2017 - December 2018 period.
2017
Nowogodnije kanikuly (New Year): 1 - 6 January 2017
Roschdestwo Christowo (Orthodox Christmas Day): 7 January 2017
Den saschtschitnika Otetschestwa (Defender of the Fatherland Day): 23
February 2017
Meschdunarodny schenski den (International Women's Day): 8 March 2017
Prasdnik Wesny i Truda (Spring and Labour Day): 1 May 2017
Den Pobedy (Victory Day): 8 and 9 May 2017
Den Rossii (Russia Day, Republic Day): 12 June 2017
Den narodnowo jedinstwa (Unity Day): 4 - 6 November 2017
2018
Nowogodnije kanikuly (New Year): 1 - 6 January 2018
Roschdestwo Christowo (Orthodox Christmas Day): 7 and 8 January 2018
Den saschtschitnika Otetschestwa (Defender of the Fatherland Day): 23
February 2018
Meschdunarodny schenski den (International Women's Day): 8 March 2018
Prasdnik Wesny i Truda (Spring and Labour Day): 28 April - 1 May 2018
Den Pobedy (Victory Day): 9 May 2018
Den Rossii (Russia Day, Republic Day): 11 and 12 June 2018
Den narodnowo jedinstwa (Unity Day): 4 and 5 November 2018
All information subject to change.
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
03/15
Travel Guide


St. Petersburg
04
Travel etiquette
How to fit in
Social Conventions
It is customary to shake hands when greeting someone, though never across a
threshold. Company or business gifts are well received; if you're invited to
someone's home do bring a token gift, but avoid clearing your plate when eating;
leaving some food is considered as a good sign.
Conservative wear is suitable for most places – women will need to cover
shoulders and wear long skirts to enter an orthodox church – and the seasonal
weather should always be borne in mind. Smoking and drinking is acceptable
unless stated otherwise.
Russian society is still highly patriarchal and hierarchical; this may be reflected in
chivalrous acts (men holding doors open for women for example) but it may also
mean that women are taken less seriously, and engaging in 'unfeminine' behaviour
may be interpreted wrongly, although being a visitor may get you some leeway.
Be careful with gestures – in Russia, giving the 'thumbs up' sign is an insult not an
'OK'.
Photography
It is prohibited to take photographs of any military installation and/or
establishments or sites of strategic importance. Failure to abide by this could result
in police arrest.

Health
Health
Main emergency number: 112
Food & Drink
In general, Russia does not pose any serious health risks when it comes to food.
Use common sense and caution when deciding what might be safe to eat. Tap
water is drinkable, although those with sensitive stomachs may want to stick to
bottled water. Similarly, some may want to make sure that water used for brushing
teeth or making ice has been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is pasteurised and
dairy products are safe for consumption. Be mindful that eating salads may have
vegetables washed in tap water; you may want to stick to well-cooked meals for
the duration of your stay. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other Risks
Vaccinations are sometimes recommended for Japanese B encephalitis,
meningococcal meningitis and tick-borne encephalitis.
Contractual physician of Lufthansa
Dr. Danilevich, Efim
American Medical Clinic
78 Moika Embankment
191000 St. Petersburg
Russia
Tel. +7-812-740-2090
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
04/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
05
Please note that Lufthansa accepts no responsibility for the treatment nor will it
bear the cost of any treatment.

Phone calls & Internet
Phone calls & Internet
Telephone/Mobile Telephone
Dialing Code: +7
Telephone
When dialling the Russian Federation from abroad, the 0 of the area code must not
be omitted. Most Moscow hotels have telephone booths with IDD. For longdistance calls within the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), dial 8 then
wait for the dial tone before proceeding with the call. Collect calls, calls placed
using credit cards and calls from direct dial telephones in hotels can be extremely
expensive. International calls can be made from phones in the street and
phonecards are available from many shops and kiosks in the street. For enquiries
regarding Moscow private telephone numbers dial 09; for businesses, dial 927
0009.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. All major
cities are covered by at least one operator. Handsets can be hired from some
companies and local SIM cards are easily purchased for use within Russia if you
have an unlocked handset.
Internet
Wi-Fi is available within most hotels in larger cities (although they may charge)
and at internet cafes. Most connections will be either via dial up or broadband.
Although Russia does not ostensibly censor the internet, there is an internet
blacklist of sites which you will not be able to visit from inside Russia, which
includes some independent news sites.

Getting around St Petersburg
Getting around
Public Transport
The most practical way to get around St Petersburg is actually on foot. The stations
of the St Petersburg Metro (tel: (812) 301 9700; www.metro.spb.ru) are widely
spaced, and reaching almost anywhere in the city will involve a walk, taxi ride or
river boat trip. Metro tickets are sold in stations; save on multiple trips by
purchasing a magnetic smart card. Buses, trams and marshrutka (shared
minibuses) whizz between the suburbs and the centre, but routes can be
confusing for non-Russian speakers; buy tickets from the conductor. To
explore the centre at a more leisurely pace, take a boat cruise along the Neva
River and the city canals.
Taxis
Official, licensed taxis are costly and fares must be negotiated with the driver. To
avoid fare inflation, book a taxi over the phone; reputable companies include
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
05/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
06
Petersburgskoye Taxi (tel: (812) 068) and Taxi 700000 (tel: (812) 700 0000).
Unofficial taxis abound, but many drivers speak only Russian and fares are often
elevated for tourists; as with official taxis, agree a fare with the driver before you set
off. Locals generally do not tip.

Top 10 sights
Top 10 sights in St Petersburg
The Hermitage
Russia’s most famous art museum was never originally intended for public display.
Created to house the private collection of Catherine the Great, the graceful
Hermitage, set in the baroque Winter Palace, now displays some of Russia’s
greatest treasures to the masses.
Dvortsovaya ploshchad 2
Opening times:
190000 St Petersburg
Tue and Thurs-Sun 1030-1800
Russia
Wed 1030-2100
Tel: (812) 710 9079
www.hermitagemuseum.org
Russian Museum
Exploring eight centuries of Russian art, this grand museum sprawls across the
buildings of the Mikhailovsky Palace. The collection spans everything from sacred
icons to portraits of Peter the Great and work from the St Petersburg Academy of
Arts.
Inzhenernaya ulitsa 4
Opening times:
191186 St Petersburg
Fri-Mon and Wed 1000-1800
Russia
Thurs 1300-2100
Tel: (812) 595 4248
www.rusmuseum.ru
Peter & Paul Fortress
St Petersburg’s maritime history comes alive in the fortress that guards the mouth
of the Neva River. Inside the fortified walls are museums, bastions, military relics
and the cathedral that houses the tombs of almost the entire Romanov dynasty.
Petropavlovskaya Krepost
Opening times:
197101 St Petersburg
Thurs-Mon 1100-1900
Russia
Tue 1100-1800
Tel: (812) 230 6431
www.spbmuseum.ru
St Isaac’s Cathedral
People are draw to St Petersburg’s most famous church by the view as much as
the architecture. The public gallery atop the cathedral’s famous gilded dome offers
panoramic views over the city and the River Neva. The shimmering mosaics inside
the cathedral are almost as spectacular.
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
06/15
Travel Guide

Isaakievskaya ploshchad 4
Opening times:
190000 St Petersburg
Thurs-Tue 1030-2230 (May-Sep)
Russia
Thurs-Tue 1030-1800 (Oct-Apr)
St. Petersburg
07
Tel: (812) 315 9732
cathedral.ru
Church on the Spilled Blood
St Petersburg’s answer to St Basil’s in Moscow, this handsome cathedral is topped
by a candy shop collection of gold and rainbow-tiled onion domes and sparkling
mosaics of Biblical scenes.
Kanala Groboedova naberezhnaya 2A
Opening times:
191186 St Petersburg
Thurs-Tue 1030-2230 (May-Sep)
Russia
Thurs-Tue 1030-1800 (Oct-Apr)
Tel: (812) 315 1636
cathedral.ru
Alexander Nevsky Monastery
Built to enshrine the bones of St Petersburg’s patron saint, this graceful collection
of churches and monastic buildings guards the cemeteries where Tchaikovsky and
Dostoevsky were buried, alongside a roll call of Russian national heroes.
Reki Monastyrki naberezhnaya 1
Opening times:
191167 St Petersburg
Daily 0600-2000
Russia
Tel: (812) 274 1702
lavra.spb.ru
Mariinsky Theatre
Moscow has the Bolshoi, St Petersburg has the Mariinsky. This atmospheric opera
house and theatre is home to the Mariinsky Ballet, the Mariinsky Opera and the
Mariinsky Orchestra; that’s a lot of culture in one spectacular space.
1 Theatre Square/Teatralnaya
Opening times:
ploshchad' 1
Check website for performances
190000 St Petersburg
tours by appointment
Russian Federation
www.mariinsky.ru
Nevsky prospekt
St Petersburg’s main thoroughfare is so much more than just a road. This elegant
boulevard is lined with graceful Russian baroque buildings, and studded with
historic cafés, eateries and department stores. There’s even a towering cathedral –
Our Lady of Kazan – inspired by St Peter’s in Rome.
Nevsky prospekt
190000 St Petersburg
Russia
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
07/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
08
Peterhof
Inspired by Versailles, the lavish palace at Peterhof is a glorious collection of
gilded domes, painted stucco, fountains and statues. Peter the Great surrounded
his grand summer house with elegant gardens and villas, looking out over the Gulf
of Finland.
Peterhof, Razvodnaya ulitsa 2
Opening times:
198510 St Petersburg
Daily 0900-2000 (gardens)
Russia
Tues-Sun 1030-1200 and 1430-1615
Tel: (812) 450 5287
(palace)
www.peterhofmuseum.ru
Tsarskoe Selo
The grandest stately home of them all, Tsarskoe Selo was created by Catherine
the Great and the Empress Elizabeth over a period of 50 years. Nowhere else
offers such a window onto the extravagant lives of the tsars.
Sadovaya ulitsa 7, Pushkin
Opening times:
196601 St Petersburg
Daily 0700-2100 (park)
Russia
Mon 1200-1400 and 1600-2000
Tel: (812) 415 7667
Wed-Sun 1200-1400 and 1600-1700
(palace)
tzar.ru

Shopping in St Petersburg
Shopping in St Petersburg
Key Areas
Nevsky prospekt is the main shopping strip and it looks almost as glamorous today
as it did when tsars and tsarinas used to promenade here in search of champagne,
cigars and furs. The area around Vladimirsky prospekt in the east of the city is also
a vibrant shopping hub. For modern brands and designer fashions, head to the
malls in Smolny and Vostaniya.
Markets
For tasty Russian foodstuffs, including delicacies such as caviar and tvorog
(cottage cheese) with apricots, browse the stalls at Kuznechny market (Kuznechny
pereulok) and Maltsevsky market (Nekrasova ulitsa). Genuine bits of Soviet
memorabilia can be found in the eclectic Udelnaya market (Vyborg Side) near
Udelnaya Metro station, while matryoshka dolls are stock in trade at the souvenir
market beside the Church on Spilled Blood.
Shopping Centres
St Petersburg’s most famous shopping centre was also one of the world’s first –
construction of arcade-fronted Gostiny Dvor commenced in 1757. American-style
shopping arrived in St Petersburg with the Sennaya (Yefimova ulitsa) mall near
Sennaya ploshchad. Further west, Vladimirsky Passage and Galeria (Ligovsky
prospekt) – St Petersburg’s largest mall – shimmer with international brands.
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
08/15
Travel Guide


St. Petersburg
09
Restaurants
Restaurants in St Petersburg
A deep wallet is a helpful asset when dining in St Petersburg. Grand restaurants
serving imperial Russian cuisine and modern variations on the same theme offer
the definitive St Petersburg dining experience.For less expensive eating, look to
small local restaurants, particularly those serving Georgian and Central Asian
cuisine.
MiX in St Petersburg
Blending Russian ingredients with French cooking know-how, the arrival of Alain
Ducasse’s elegant eatery marked a sea-change in St Petersburg dining.
Voznesensky Ave 6
Price: Expensive
190000 St. Petersburg
Russia
Bellevue Brasserie
The name says it all at this exclusive modern European restaurant, set inside a
glass eyrie atop the Kempinski Hotel Moika 22.
naberezhnaya Reki Moyki 22
Price: Expensive
191186 St. Petersburg
Russia
Terrassa
The view from the terrace is spectacular, but it doesn't eclipse the food at this sleek
modern eatery by the Kazan Cathedral.
Kazanskaya ulitsa 3
Price: Moderate
191186 St. Petersburg
Russia
Botanika
Escape the pomp and circumstance in this relaxed and unpretentious vegetarian
eatery, serving fusion flavours from across the globe.
Pestelya ulitsa 7
Price: Moderate
191028 St Petersburg
Russia
Stolle
Hearty, Saxon-style pies – both sweet and savoury – are the mainstay at this cosy
bolthole close to the Hermitage.
Konyushenny pereulok 1/6
Price: Cheap
191186 St. Petersburg
Russia
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
09/15
Travel Guide


St. Petersburg
10
Nightlife
Nightlife in St Petersburg
St Petersburg is one of Russia’s most dynamic, vibrant cities after dark, and there
are nightspots to suit all tastes, from elegant palaces of culture to bombastic superclubs, cool cocktail lounges and student-friendly pubs and microbreweries.For
your first taste of St Petersburg nightlife, head for Dumskaya ulitsa, where party
people make the most of the city’s famous White Nights.
MiXup Bar
The sleek terrace bar at Alain Ducasse’s showpiece restaurant is an extremely
sophisticated place to pull up a bar stool for cocktail hour.
Voznesensky Ave 6
190000 St Petersburg
Russian Federation
Dom Byta
Cool and retro, Dom Byta looks back to the glitz and glamour of the 1970s,
attracting a smartly dressed crowd with expensive tastes.
Razyezzhaya ulitsa 12
191002 St Petersburg
Russia
Radiobaby
Nights out in this funky rock club move from bar to dance floor to chill-out room;
locals think of it as a more grown-up alternative to the bars on Dumskaya ulitsa.
Kazanskaya ulitsa 7
191186 St Petersburg
Russian Federation
Helsinki Bar
A little piece of 1970s Finland on Vasilyevsky Island, with cool cocktails, homestyle Finnish cooking and DJs spinning vinyl till late.
Kadetskaya liniya 31, Vasilyevsky
Island
197198 St Petersburg
Russia

Calendar of events
Calendar of events
Maslenitsa
The start of Russian Lent is celebrated with feast of blinis (pancakes) at homes
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
10/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
11
and restaurants across the city. The name of this festival translates as Butter Week
- like Mardi Gras, the focus is on using up perishable food before the Lent fast.
February 2017
Musical Spring in St Petersburg
Run by the Petersburg Composer’s Union, this international music festival
celebrates the best of classical music, with performances at the two Philharmonic
halls and other venues across the city.
1 - 30 April 2017
Venue: Various venues.
Victory Day
This festival marks the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in 1945.
Amidst parades, and military band marches, crowds gather at Piskarivskoye
Memorial Cemetery to pay tribute to the victims of the Nazi blockade.
9 May 2017
Venue: Piskarivskoye Memorial Cemetery.
Dyen Goroda (City Day)
St Petersburg gives itself a big pat on the back each May, celebrating its official
City Day with parades, historical displays, public concerts and a fireworks display.
City Days have been celebrated since 1986 when the tradition was introduced by
the then Secretary of the Moscow City Committee, Boris Yeltsin.
27 May 2017
Venue: Throughout St Petersburg.
Festival-festivaley (Festival of Festivals)
Taking place in the last week of June as part of the city's White Night celebrations,
the Festival of Festivals is a non-competitive film festival that provides a platform
for independent filmmakers from across the world. First held in 1993, the weeklong festival now screens over 100 films and attracts about 40,000 visitors each
year.
June 2017
www.filmfest.ru
Venue: Various cinemas around St Petersburg.
Beliye Nochi (White Nights)
Experience the "White Nights" in St Petersburg, when the city sees itself
illuminated by almost constant daylight. White Nights (Beliye Nochi) are a curious
phenomenon caused by St Petersburg's northerly geographical location - the sun
never descends below the horizon and locals fill the streets 24 hours a day.
June - July 2017
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
11/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
12
Venue: Throughout the city, especially Palace Square, Peter and Paul Fortress
and Yelagin Island.
Dyen Voyenno Morskova Flota (Navy Day)
Befitting a great sea-faring city, St Petersburg celebrates Navy Day with gusto.
Decorated warships gather along the River Neva and engage in mock battles, and
fireworks fill the skies above the Naval Museum on Vasilyevsky Island. Navy Day
usually takes place on the last Sunday in July.
July 2017
Venue: The Naval Museum, Cruiser Aurora and the banks of the River Neva.
Baltic House International Theatre Festival
Theatres across the city celebrate the performing arts, with guest actors, artistes
and clowns from across the Baltic region. Chekhov, Dostoevsky and Gorky
dominate the stages, but the broad range of theatre companies ensures some
imaginative interpretations.
September - October 2017
baltic-house.ru
Venue: Various.
International Winter Festival Arts Square
The brainchild of Yuri Temirkanov, conductor of the St Petersburg Academic
Philharmonic, this festival brings the wintery streets to life with classical concerts,
recitals and fireworks.
December 2017
www.philharmonia.spb.ru
Venue: Theatres, museums and concert halls around the city.

Hotels
Hotels in St Petersburg
Accommodation in St Petersburg has come a long way since the austere years of
the Soviet era.Today, the city offers hotels for all tastes and budgets, with an
abundance of heritage properties and an impressive selection of mid-range
choices amongst the glamorous five-star offerings.
Astoria Rocco Forte
Blurring the lines between old Russia and new Russia, the Astoria marries oldworld glamour with modern design sophistication.
Rue Bolchaïa Morskaïa 39
Category: Expensive
190000 St. Petersburg
Russia
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
12/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
13
Grand Hotel Europe
No two rooms are the same at the Grand Hotel Europe, one of Europe’s great
historic hotels; ask for a terrace room for an unparalleled view over old St
Petersburg.
Nevsky Prospekt, Mikhailovskaya
Category: Expensive
Ulitsa 1/7
191186 St Petersburg
Russia
Rossi Boutique Hotel
Antique style meets designer chic at this handsome hotel in the historic heart of the
city.
Reki Fontanki naberezhnaya 55
Category: Moderate
191023 St Petersburg
Russia
Pushka Inn
The great Pushkin lived just next door to this cosy small hotel, with a prime
location on a graceful curve of the Mokya River.
Moyka river embankment 14
Category: Moderate
191186 St. Petersburg
Russland
Nevsky Moyka 5
Few frills but a friendly welcome in a fine location within walking distance of the
Hermitage and the Church on Spilled Blood.
Moyka river embankment 5
Category: Cheap
St. Petersburg
Russia

24 hours in ...
... St. Petersburg
09:00 a.m.: Starting point Location Hostel
For St. Petersburg untypical, the Location Hostel is housed in a former industrial
bakery and done out in industrial loft style. The hostel has a modern, friendly
atmosphere and also a great downtown location. Top of the priority list here is
communication not creature comforts.Added bonus: There are plenty of bars,
restaurants and cafés in the hostel’s immediate vicinity – and in the bitter winter’s
cold of St. Petersburg, short distances are sometimes very welcome.
Rates: Double rooms start at 40 euros
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
13/15
Travel Guide
Ligowski Prospekt 74

St. Petersburg
14
www.location-hostel.ru/
191040 St. Petersburg
Tel.: +7-812/458 50 05
10:00 a.m.: Breakfast at Café Singer
While the interior of this outwardly so elegant café on the second floor above Dom
Knigi, the “House of Books” bookstore, is not particularly mention-worthy, the tasty
treats on the menu truly are. Also, while tucking into an ample breakfast, you have
a great chance to watch the comings and going on St. Petersburg’s famous
boulevard, Nevsky Prospect. Our culinary tip: Definitely try the superb blinis.
Nevskiy Ave. 28
www.saint-petersburg.com/
191186 St. Petersburg
Tel.: +7-812/448 23 55
11:00 a.m.: A visit to Udelnaya flea market
If you happen to be in St. Petersburg on a Saturday or Sunday, it’s a good idea to
pay a visit to the city’s best flea market, Udelnaya. Certainly not just for tourists,
there’s loads of interesting stuff to be found here, from music for a Russian disco to
former Soviet Union memorabilia. The market doesn’t break for the winter, so
haggling continues even when temperatures are down to 25 degrees …
Sytinskaja Pl. 3/5
Opening times:
Metro Station Udelnaya
Sat, Sun and public holidays 0800–
194017 St. Petersburg
1700
12:30 p.m.: Time for Nevsky Prospect!
There’s no getting around it in St. Petersburg: the full splendor (and at times even
megalomania) of what Peter the Great envisioned for his capital city along fourand-a-half kilometers of boulevard; palaces, neo-classicist residential buildings,
grand hotels, cathedrals – and, of course, mighty department stores that today
stock all the premium brands of the Western world.For people with a weak spot for
history and architecture, a stroll down Nevsky Prospect could make a day-filling
program.
191025 St. Petersburg
www.nevsky-prospekt.com/
02:30 p.m.: Lunch at Jelissejew delicatessen store
Downtown St. Petersburg is like one big museum, and that includes the Jelissejew
delicatessen store on Nevsky Prospect. Both the atmosphere at this Art Nouveau
gourmet temple and the culinary delights on offer will make the heart of any esthete
beat faster.The down side: Settle down for lunch here and you will have to put up
with hordes of tourists dropping in just to snap a quick photo. The friendly, liveried
wait staff – and extensive menu – easily make up for this.
Newski Prospekt 56
Opening times:
Metro Station Ovtovo
Daily 1000-2200
191023 St. Petersburg
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
14/15
Travel Guide

St. Petersburg
15
04:00 p.m.: Time for the Museum
St. Petersburg can be inhospitable, cold and dark in winter, but this has its
advantages (aside from the delightful, snowy fairy-tale feeling): The city’s many
museums are not as mercilessly overrun as they are in the summer. You can even
venture into the Hermitage without feeling like a herded animal.Our alternative
suggestion: At the Pushkinskaya 10 Art Center, you can gain an insight into St.
Petersburg’s contemporary creative scene, including the amusing “Non-conformist
Museum.”
Pushkinskaya ul. 10
www.p-10.ru
191040 St. Petersburg
07:00 p.m.: Dining à la russe: Barwinok
St. Petersburg has long catered to its international guests and their wishes, and the
city’s restaurant scene is nothing if not diverse. But for visitors looking for an
authentic Russian experience, the quaint Barwinok is the right address – for two
reasons: Dining in its rustic, wooden-bench atmosphere is like sharing a meal with
a local family.And with potato cakes and curd flatbreads, the menu includes good
honest home cooking, even though you will rarely get to enjoy such refined
versions of them.
Uliza Mira 7
Opening times:
Metro Station Gorkowskaja
Daily 1300–2300
197101 St. Petersburg
Tel.: +7-812/237 14 94
10:00 p.m.: Nightlife
German-born Anna-Christin Albers runs a few clubs in St. Petersburg. Her
impression: Young Russians, unlike Germans, aren’t the wait-and-see kind; they
set out “determined to have a good time.” Now that sounds promising ...Our tips for
hot Russian nights in the cold season: The Datscha, an uncomplicated club with
no dress code or code of conduct, the (very tiny) laid-back fish fabrique
(www.fishfabrique.ru), which hosts lots of live gigs, and the cult classic,
Gribojedow (www.griboedovclub.ru), in a former air-raid shelter.
Uliza Dumskaja 9
Opening times:
Metro Station Gostini Dwor
Daily 1800–0600
191186 St. Petersburg
LH.com/travelguide
St. Petersburg
15/15