KUNSTKAMERA - the very first museum in Russia. The museum itself holds several quite strange experiments conducted by Tsar Peter the Great who enouraged research of deformities. Kunstkammer features embalmed animals, infants, as well as other embalmed objects. The museum is quite large. The Kunstkamera building hosts the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography that features a collection of almost 2 million items. It is one of a kind in St. Petersburg.

SIEGE OF LENINGRAD MEMORIAL (on Moskovsky Prospekt) was perhaps the greatest disaster to happen to St. Petersburg in all of its history. All Russians will always remember the siege, which lasted 900 days during World War II, as a great atrocity against humanity. In honor of the bravery and losses suffered by the citizens of Leningrad, the Siege of Leningrad Memorial can be found on Moskovsky Prospekt. Located near Moskovskaya metro station, the memorial is a beautiful, yet powerful reminder to all those who visit it. The memorial consists of a large obelisk, a large statue of the forward march of troops and workers of Leningrad, and a small memorial of all the ships that were involved in helping in the liberation of the city. The memorial brings chills to ones body, as one stands in awe of the history, grief, and beautiful monuments that stand in place at the memorial.

PETERHOF (Russian: Петергоф, pronounced petergof), also called Petrodvorets (Russian: Петродворец ), is an administrative district of St Petersburg that lies on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland (29 km off the city). It was founded in 1710 by Peter the Great himself. Known as “the Capital of Russian Fountains”, Peterhof boasts of over 150 fountains and 4 cascades. The fountain system is unique and requires no pumps!!! Water is supplied to the fountains with the help of a tricky gravity-fed water system. Russian royalty and nobility liked to spend time in “Seaside Paradise”, as Peter liked to call it. The fountains are usually in operation from April to October (10am to 5pm) but the hours for the fountains, as well as for the Peterhof palaces, vary along with the season. So make sure you ask Saint Petersburg Guide for more information before coming. Note that the Upper Park and the Alexandria Park require no admission fee but you have to pay various fees to see the Lower Park and the palaces. The most enjoyable but expensive way to get to Peterhof is by taking a hydrofoil. Those run from St Petersburg to Peterhof, starting from the pier outside the Winter Palace. For some ways to travel to Peterhof if you are on a budget, contact Saint Petersburg Guide site administrator.

NEVSKY PROSPEKT - The heart of St. Petersburg. If one wants to find the best clubs, hotels, restaurants, and café’s, Nevsky Prospect is the place to go. One cannot describe the effect that Nevsky puts on oneself. The aurora and the beauty of the street make all wanting to come back for more. Nevsky Prospect starts at Plosshad Alexandra Nevskogo, and ends after the Hermitage. The architecture, history, and beauty of Nevsky, leaves all in awe of the street after visiting it. The center and heart of the city, Nevsky Prospect, is a must see for all who visit St. Petersburg.

The CHURCH OF THE SAVIOR ON SPILLED BLOOD (Russian: Храм Спаса на Крови, pronounced “Khram Spasa na Krovi”) built from 1883-1907 and also known under several other names, the most popular of which is the Church on Spilt Blood, is dedicated to the memory of Tsar Alexander II. The medieval Russian architecture with a twist of Romantic nationalism, untypical of the city, makes it stand out from the Baroque and Neoclassical styles, predominantly used in the city’s structures. The church was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was mortally wounded in 1881 by a grenade explosion while he was passing by in his carriage. The church was closed and used for storing dead bodies during the time of the Siege of Leningrad. The church was seriously damaged and closed for a 30 year restoration before it was reopened in 1997. Nowadays the church is known as the largest Museum of Mosaic with over 7500 square meters of mosaic.

KAZAN CATHEDRAL (Russian: Казанский собор, pronounced “Kazansky sobor”) is dedicated to one of the most revered Russian icons - Our Lady of Kazan. It was designed by Andrey Voronikhin in Russian Neoclassical style and is comfortably located on Nevsky Prospekt. The new cathedral replaced 2 previously built churches: the Lutheran Church (1833-38) and St. Catherine’s Roman Catholic Church (1763–83). The cathedral was constructed in the form of a Latin cross with a massive semicircular colonnade of 96 columns, overlooking Nevsky Prospekt and encircling a beautiful garden with a fountain. Kazan Cathedral represents the Russian victory over Napoleon’s troops, and the Russian commander-in-chief, Field Marshal Prince Michael Kutuzov, was honorably buried inside the cathedral in 1813.

SAINT ISAAC'S CATHEDRAL (Russian: Исаакиевский Собор, pronounced “Isaakievsky Sobor”) is the world’s fourth largest domed cathedral (101 meters high) with its main dome being one of the earliest instances of the use of iron as a structural material. It still remains the city’s largest Russian Orthodox cathedral. Take this chance to enjoy the magnificent view of St Petersburg from the top of the building. Saint Petersburg Guide charges NO COMMISSION for our help in booking the tickets. This is one of the many voluntary services we perform to save your time waiting in the ticket line.

The ADMIRALTY (Russian: Адмиралтейство, pronounced “Admiralteystvo”) is one of the earliest constructed buildings in St Petersburg. Originally, it was used as a shipbuilding workshop. The Admiralty of the present was built from 1806-23 by Adrian Zakharov. Once being the country’s Naval Headquarters, it now represents a naval college. The Alexandrovsky garden (Russian: Александровский сад, pronounced: Alexandrovky sad) was laid out near the Admiralty in 1874.

PALACE SQUARE (Russian: Дворцовая площадь, pronounced (“Dvortsovaya Ploschad’ ”) is the central square of St Petersburg. It is named after the Winter Palace, located on the eastern side of the square. Right in the middle rises the 600 ton granite monolith of the Alexander Column (1830-34). The column, (designed by Auguste de Montferrand) with its non-fastened base, is rightfully considered to be the tallest column of its kind in the world (47,5 meters high). Palace Square was the scene for many events, among which were Bloody Sunday (1905) and the October Revolution (1917); and hosts international concerts given by famous singers.

The HERMITAGE (Russian: Эрмитаж, pronounced “Ermitazh”), founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great, now remains one of the world’s largest museums of art and culture and is rightfully considered by many to be the city’s finest attraction. Its collections, of almost 3 million items, include the world’s largest collection of paintings. The State Hermitage is open every day from 10:30 am to 5.30 pm and to 5pm on Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Remember to buy your ticket no later than 1 hour before closing time. Unfortunately, the entrance ticket for foreign visitors is several times more expensive than for Russians. But the first Thursday of every month it is free of charge to all. Today’s Hermitage consists of 6 buildings: the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage, the Hermitage Theatre and the Reserve House.