St. Petersburg, Russia (construction, high school, live)

[internat]

Have you been there? What did you think of it?

[recycled]

I visited there when I was working a contract job in western siberia about 20 years ago. I took a train from Moscow to Ленинград (Leningrad) which is it's former name when Russia was part of the USSR. It was early December and winter was setting in and the days were very short. The city had a light coat of snow which gave it a peaceful and beautiful look. I spent several days walking around and exploring the city. Many impressive sights like Palace Square and Winter Palace and the famous Hermitage Museum. I would like to return for a visit someday, I'm sure it's much more prosperous and lively with the Russian economic boom in the last few years. From Helsinki, Finland it's a pretty easy and quick trip to SP by train, but you need a visa in advance to enter Russia (not difficult for a tourist to obtain from a Russian Consulate).

[azoria]

St. Peterburg is the most western European place in Russia. Because it has so many canals and the Neva river, it seems more open and less crowded than other Russian cities.

Plus the soviets abandoned the Tsarist capitol for Moscow. Comparatively far fewer gloomy grey concrete block buildings were erected than in other more sovietized cities. A great deal of the 17th, 18th, and 19th century construction remains, especially in the old central area. And as many dazzling palaces anyone might ever want to see.

That may all be changing soon, oil money ya know. Gazprom wants to demolish a large chunk of central property in order to erect a new, tall, and shiny headquarters. I doubt they can be stopped.

I've been there. I liked it. Winters are brutal.

[mommytotwo]

I was there in the summer of 1993. I loved it. I don't remember details, honestly, and during that trip I visited St. Petersburg, Moscow, and a couple of the Baltic countries. I enjoyed everywhere we went. I went with a group of high school "Ambassadors". We went in the summer so i didn't experience the winter.

[kristina-odessa]

St. Petersburg is the most beautiful city!!!

[sarah27281]

my sister have been there for 6years ....she liked it very much...and she's never stopped talking about the beauty of this city....

[M3 Mitch]

Unfortunately only once - a lot to see and do there. I really liked it. We stayed at a resort outside of town, on the beach, it was interesting to go for a walk on the beach during the "white nights" -

Take the hydrofoil ride on the river if you can - a very Russian type of boat, sort of like a cross between a western-style hydrofoil and a locomotive!

The Summer Palace, the Church on the Spilt Blood, the Hermitage (Hermitage alone will take you more than 2 days to go through, even if you keep moving!)

I have not been there in winter, of course the winter there is not to be taken lightly, but consider the axiom that there is "no bad weather, only inadequate clothing"!

[iamman]

Been there a few times, most recently for three weeks in the summer of '06. I love that city, it's my favorite in Russia by far. Moscow can't touch it. Lots to see, a lot of history and culture. The palaces outside of the city are gorgeous. Much cheaper than Moscow too. Go during late June to the best of "white nights." Those are the celebrated days when the sun doesn't go down. The city is awake and it's lots of fun.

[internat]

Thanks for the replies. I've read quite a lot about St. Petersburg and it does seem like a nice place to visit. It has acquired the epitheth "Venice of the north". Peter the great was also inspired by Dutch architecture and city planning.

I don't mind the cold. I'm used to Nordic weather conditions.

Have you experienced or seen racism there? Killings and beatings have been growing thoughout Russia and St. Petersburg is apparently among the worst.

[M3 Mitch]

When I was there, I didn't see any specific examples of racism, then again, I don't think I saw anybody who was not white - but if there were any skinheads about, I didn't see them.