Holiday in Sankt Petersburg

What makes Sankt Petersburg special as a destination?

Sankt Petersburg, founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great, is Russia's cultural soul and an architectural open-air museum of overwhelming beauty. The city on the Neva delights with magnificent palaces, gilded domes, and a canal system that earned it the nickname Venice of the North. The Hermitage in the Winter Palace is one of the largest and most significant art museums in the world: over three million exhibits, including works by Rembrandt, da Vinci, and Monet, are spread across 1,000 rooms in five interconnected palaces. The opulent halls with their marble staircases, gilded ceilings, and malachite columns are a work of art in themselves. The Peter and Paul Fortress on Hare Island is the cradle of the city and houses the tombs of the Romanov tsars. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, with its colorful onion domes, is inspired by Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral and is a masterpiece of Russian mosaic art. Nevsky Prospect, the main thoroughfare, passes by magnificent buildings, the Gostiny Dvor department store, and the Kazan Cathedral. In June, the White Nights transform the city into a festival without darkness — the bridges over the Neva open at night for ships, a magical spectacle. The best travel time is from May to September.