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5Best places in Saint Petersburg

When Peter 1 built Saint Petersburg, he knew I’ll be a destination for people from over the world. Now the city stands with its remarkable sites welcoming all the visitors including you. Let’s take a tour.

The Hermitage

A day isn’t anywhere near enough to do justice to the Hermitage’s vast collection of art, which includes masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso and Rembrandt. Indeed, officials say it would take 11 years to examine every single exhibit. Take a wander on the vast Palace Square beforehand.

Contact: (00 7 812 710 9079; hermitagemuseum.org), Dvortsovaya Nab 30-8
Open: Tues-Sat, 10.30 am-6pm; Sun, 10.30am-5pm
Admission: R400 (£4), children free
Metro: Nevsky Prospekt

Church on Spilled Blood

With its exuberant onion domes and almost gaudy mosaics, this extraordinary building just off Nevsky Prospekt was constructed in the early 20th century on the site of the 1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander II. Used by the Soviets to store potatoes during the Second World War siege of the city by Nazi forces, the church was finally reopened to the public in 1997.

Contact: (00 7 812 315 1636), Konyushennaya Ploshchad

Open: May-September 10am-7pm, October-April 11am-6pm, closed Wednesdays
Admission: R400 (£4)
Metro: Nevsky Prospekt

Peter and Paul Fortress

There is a lot to see at this fortress, built in 1703 and one of the first buildings to be erected in St Petersburg, including the Baroque Peter and Paul Cathedral, which is the final resting place of almost all of Russia’s pre-revolutionary leaders, from Peter the Great onwards. Other exhibits include an extremely odd – and controversial – statue of Peter the Great, a working mint and the cells where Tsarist-era revolutionaries were held. If the weather is good, be sure to check out the riverside “beach”. The city’s so-called “walruses” – believers in the therapeutic effects of freezing water – gather here to bathe in winter.

Contact: (00 7 812 238 4550; spbmuseum.ru/peterpaul), Petropavlovskaya Krepost

Open: Open 10am-6pm, closed Tues and Wed
Admission: grounds free, exhibits vary
Metro: Gorkovskaya

Children’s Music Theatre

A visit to this magical venue is sure to prove a big hit, even if your kids’ Russian language skills aren’t so hot. Featuring musicals based around Russian fairy tales, the shows are renowned for their colourful stage scenery and enthusiastic performers.

Contact: (00 7 812 315 5480; zazerkal.spb.ru – in Russian only), Ulitsa Rubenshtenya 13
Open: performances at 11:00, Noon, 15:00, but not every day – check website
Admission: tickets from R250 to R1100 (£2.50 to £11.50)
Metro: Mayakovskaya

Mariinsky Theatre

First opened in 1860, the Mariinsky Theatre has long been one of the world’s most famous venues for ballet and opera. It has been a venue for premieres by greats such as Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky, and its dance school was responsible for Nureyev and Nijinsky.

Contact: mariinsky.ru
Open: performances start at 11:30, Noon, 18:00, 19:00 (but see website for exact details)
Admission: R400 (£4)
Metro: Nevsky Prospekt

Taken from: telegraph.com

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