Luxury Saint Petersburg Hotels

Named Petrograd and Leningrad at various stages in its history, Saint Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia and was once the capital of the Empire. Founded in 1703, when Peter the Great snatched a soldier's sword and cut a cross in the soggy ground, the city is now well established on the tourist map. Built on a series of islands and home to 313 bridges, Saint Petersburg is often referred to as the Venice of the North. If looking for luxury Saint Petersburg hotels more than deliver and the cultural and historical attractions of this Baltic coast city are among the most extensive in Europe.

With 4.6 million inhabitants, St Petersburg is Russia's second largest city, but given that it was the capital from 1713 to 1728 and from 1732 to 1918, it more than matches Moscow in terms of historical sites and attractions. Saint Petersburg's historic center and related monuments constitutes a UNESCO World Heritage Site and since the fall of the Soviet Union and the communist regime, Saint Petersburg has become Russia's most Western and cosmopolitan city.

Pulkovo Airport, located 11 miles from the city center, serves domestic and international flights. Lappeenranta airport, just across the border in Finland, offers a low-cost alternative. Saint Petersburg is linked by rail to Helsinki and the 3.5 hour ride is one of the more comfortable ways to reach the city. Summer cruise and ferry services run from Helsinki and Tallinn. Visas are required for entry into Russia, but by following the correct procedures, these should be easy to obtain.

The extensive metro network is arguably the cheapest way to get around the city. Thanks to its beautifully decorated stations, the subway is, in fact, a tourist attraction in itself. Networks of trams, buses, trolleybuses and route taxis also transverse the city. During the summer canal boat tours are a great way to see the city.

During the night, the city is divided in two by the river Neva. All the main bridges are drawn up to allow boat traffic to pass. With the metro also closed after midnight, it is important that you make it to your side of the river in time.

The Hermitage Museum and The Winter Palace form Saint Petersburg's main attraction. The massive palace museum boasts over 3,000,000 pieces of visual art, making it the largest art museum in the world and includes priceless pieces by Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Reubens and Michealangelo. The Russian Museum, the main exhibits of which are housed in the Mukhailovskiy Palace, is home to an extensive collection of Russian sculpture and painting.

The Peter and Paul Fortress, the founding of which is said to mark the establishment of the city, is another important attraction. The church within the fortress is where all but two or three of the Romanov Czars of Russia, since and including Peter the Great, are buried. The Tikhvin Cemetery at the Alexander Nevskiy Monastery houses the tombs of many famous Russian figures including those of the famous composers Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Borodin and Mussorgsky.

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. It is a traditional style Russian church with an interior decorated with extensive mosaics. Saint Isaac's Cathedral is also a major attraction and is the world's third highest cupola cathedral. Its observation deck, 400 steps high, offers excellent views of the city.

The highlights of Vasilievsky Island include Andreyevsky Cathedral, the Church of the Assumption of Mary, the Exchange Building, the Kunstkamera which shows a collection of deformed fetuses in formaldehyde from 300 years ago, the Baroque-style Menshikov's Palace and the Theban Sphinxes, which predate the city itself by 3,000 years. There are a number of other museums, monuments and architectural attractions on the island.

Saint Petersburg is famous for opera and ballet and no trip to the city is complete without seeing a live performance. Mariinsky, known as the Kirov when the troupe tour abroad, is the best known of the city's many institutions.

If Saint Petersburg's many historical, architectural and cultural attractions just aren't enough for you, there are a number of day-long excursions from the city. If you wish to travel in luxury Saint Petersburg hotels offer tours.

With a rich historic past and a cosmopolitan present, Saint Petersburg is fast becoming one of Europe's top city break destinations. Because Russia is still cheap luxury Saint Petersburg hotels are affordable and easy to come by. Much more tourist friendly than Moscow, Saint Petersburg is a great place to experience Russian life, past and present.

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