St. Petersburg

While St. Petersburg today is Russia's second most important and populated city, it was once the centre of political power in the country. The Tsarist capital of Russia, St. Petersburg is still home to the glorious heritage of the dynasty, reflected in it's museums, gardens and many stunning palaces. The city of St. Petersburg captures the imperial history of Russia to perfection. A few days spent here and you will come to realise the grandeur with which the Tsars rules the vast land for two long centuries. There are tons of museums throughout the city, most of them set in imperial buildings, displaying various facets of Russian history. The Hermitage Museum, for example, is one of the world's finest art collections, occupying a total of 6 major buildings. The main building of the Hermitage Museum, the Winter Palace, was actually the residence of the Tsars and is an absolutely overwhelming structure on Palace Square, St. Petersburg's equivalent of the Red Square. There are also several stunning churches and cathedrals throughout the city, the most popular of which are St. Isaac's Cathedral and the historic Cathedral of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, which also serves as museums today. Catherine Palace on the outskirts of the city is another hugely famous attraction, and the detail and the magnificence of this palace are sure to blow you away! And the same can also be said for Peterhof Palace, an entire estate of stunning works of architecture. During the summers, the city literally never sleeps. The world-famous White Nights mean that the sun sets for barely an hour at night before rising again. St. Petersburg is truly quite the place to visit during these months, absolutely buzzing with energy! After all that, you can well imagine what a trip to this city holds! Truly, a trip into the grand history of Imperial Russia.