St. Petersburg is by far one of the most beautiful cities I’ve visited in my life. It’s situated in the northwestern part of Russia, overlooking the Baltic Sea. The city served as the capital of the Russian Tsardom, founded by the tsar himself Peter the Great, for nearly two centuries until the October Revolution. It is often referred to as the Venice of the North due to its beautiful architecture. And during the summer you get to experience longer daytime since it is near the polar region, hence the name the city of White Nights.

Due to its rich history the city boasts magnificent palaces, cathedrals and squares. It is also a city rich in culture thanks to numerous museums (the most famous being the State Hermitage Museum) and theaters. If you ever visit St. Petersburg do catch a ballet performance at the Marinsky Theater. It is simply spectacular!

The city can easily be explored on foot, even in snowy winter evenings (if you don’t mind the freezing temperatures:). And to warm up you can always enjoy delicious fish soup or the traditional borscht with a shot of vodka. My favorite restaurant in the city is a cozy country side furnished place called Dachniki (Дачники). It has delicious selection of traditional Russian cuisine as well as Finish influenced dishes. They also serve quite interesting selection of beverages, my favorite being honey beer. You can enjoy all the delicacies at very reasonable prices.

Whichever season you choose to visit St. Petersburg you won’t be disappointed. It’s a city that always takes my breath away!