There are few places more charming or sensational than the romantic city of St. Petersburg. The atmosphere in the city, with its fairytale-like buildings and modern indulgences is sure to help you rekindle that romantic flame with your partner in crime if you’re looking into taking a break with your loved one anytime soon.
The second largest city in Russia has been dubbed by many as the ‘Venice of the north’, and immortalized by many a great writer of the likes of Dostoievsky and Bulgakov, whose museum at Patriarch’s Ponds brings his classic novel ‘The Master and Margharita’ to life. Peter the Great wanted to build a city that marveled its visitors as soon as they arrived at port, imitating some of the best architectural styles from Petrine Baroque through Neoclassicism that blend together in a rather harmonious fashion.
Start your trip with an evening cruise down the Neva River and admire the inspiring lit up architecture reflected on the water. At about 11 pm and 2 am on most summer nights you can also witness the drawbridges being raised to let in the gigantic cruise liners wading into the city.
Russia is famous for its ballet, and St. Petersburg does not fall short of theatres with a full program of performances by some of the best troupes the country has to offer. Book your tickets in advance at the ‘State Academical Mariinskiy’ theatre or the smaller ‘Mikhailovsky Opera and Ballet’ followed by dinner at the Corinthia hotel, for a lavish, romantic and magical evening that you’ll reminisce about for days to come.
Take a stroll back to the city center via the Troitsky Bridge, and walk through the ‘Field of Mars’, a small park often visited by newlyweds on their wedding day. Look up and you’ll see the colorful onion shaped domes of the ‘Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood’
Treat yourself to a late Gourmet breakfast at an historic restaurant such as the Palkin, whose patrons included the likes of Dostoyevsky, Leskov, Chekhov and Tchaikovsky. Here one can enjoy some of the most lavish dishes that were served to the imperial court, such as crayfish tail with avocado, jellied duck and beluga caviar accompanied with live piano music in the background.
Using the metro in St. Petersburg can be an experience in itself. Similar to the Moscow underground, every station in St. Petersburg looks a bit more like an art gallery than a station and if you go for an underground wander on a Sunday the whole experience becomes more enjoyable due to the fact that it’s less busy.
Finally make sure you take a gander into Dom Knigi, which translates to ‘the House of Books’, located in the former Singer Sewing Machine Head Office at the corner of the Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov Canal. The Dom Knigi is the city’s largest bookstore and definitely one of the biggest in Europe which also houses a café on the top floor with some great views.
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