In the distant 1783 a Bolshoi Stone Theater was built on Carousel square by decree of Catherine II and it became the ancestor of the modern Mariinsky Theatre. The Empress ordered to establishment a Theatre Committee and to give it a luxurious venue so that it could “manage shows and music” which also included finding those who could play music and create spectacles. So the first dedicated stationary theater appeared on the banks of the Neva River. Read more
St. Petersburg was born as a fortress city. But young naval power also need a shipyard, so Peter I planned the construction of the Admiralty. He personally examined the whole bay of the Neva river delta in search for the most effective location of the future fortress and shipyard, spending almost a week in a boat with prince Menshikov. Read more
Today Peterhof is the most popular of all the Petersburg suburbs. Its palaces and fountains impress the most sophisticated travelers. Each of Peterhof fountains is a jewel in its unique and luxurious collection. If you want to find yourself in a dreamland, come to Peterhof and take a walk in its enchanting parks among fabulous fountains. Read more
Saint Petersburg is rich in sights. Its palaces and museums are not only full of real treasures, works of art and historical artifacts, but also keep many secrets and mysteries. The palace of the ancient princely family of the Yusupov is situated on the Moika river embankment. It is famous not only for its luxurious interiors and richness of the stored items, but also for being a landmark in Russian history. Read more
Russian cuisine is a very capacious concept. There is an old traditional Russian cuisine with pancakes, pies and kissel (jelly). And there is Russian cuisine which took shape much later. In this sense, dumplings, olivier (Russian salad) and beef Stroganoff are Russian meals too. We have compiled a selection of restaurants in which anyone will be able to get acquainted with all facets of Russian national cuisine. Read more
At some point of exploring the Hermitage it might be a nice idea to shift your attention from the wide variety of paintings and sculptures to a small room of French art of the XV-XVII centuries where the ceramics of Saint-Porchaire and Bernard Palissy are presented. Read more
The Amber room is the gem of the Catherine Palace and one of the most famous interiors, created in the XVIII century. The history of the Amber room was steeped in mystery from the very beginning and became a peculiar symbol of relations between Russia and Germany. Read more
The Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo is a Grand building designed in the style of Russian Baroque. It took more than 100 kilograms of pure gold to gild its facade! Read more
Parks are an essential part of the Tsarskoe Selo royal residence with the Catherine park and the Alexander park being the key ones. They received theirs names after palaces that are situated there. Read more
The works of the Impressionists (Monet, Renoir, Degas, Sisley, Pissarro) are widely presented on the third floor of the Hermitage with Claude Monet’s “Woman in the Sainte-Adresse garden ” (Claude Monet, Femme au jardin, 1867) being one of the true gems of the collection. Read more