Saint Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia and a major Baltic seaport. The city is the country’s cultural capital, with the Historic Centre listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors in search of culture, history, art and architecture will find everything they seek in this dynamic Russian city.

One of the most iconic attractions of Saint Petersburg is the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood. The church dates to 1883, and it was built on the site where Emperor Alexander II was wounded. This architectural masterpiece has everything a visitor to the city could wish for. Decorative and boldly coloured domed cupolas tower above the church, while frescoes bedeck the façade, delighting onlookers. To explore the original citadel of Saint Petersburg head to Peter and Paul Fortress. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, it was used as a prison and execution centre by the government until the 1920s. Today, it hosts the Museum of Saint Petersburg History and is the perfect place to uncover the city’s rich history. Every visitor should head to The Hermitage. Once home to Russian Tsars, it houses some of the finest art collections in the world. When Catherine the Great began her art collection in 1764, she founded the museum to showcase her paintings. It opened to the public in 1852. Inside the complex, travellers will be able to view the Winter Palace of Peter the Great, Menshikov Palace and Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Don’t leave the city without a visit to Mariinsky Theatre with its opera, music and ballet performances, beautiful Palace Square with its neoclassical buildings, Peterhof Palace and St. Isaac’s Cathedral.

Getting around Saint Petersburg is easy, metro signs and tourist directions are in both Russian and English. Metro is a fast, efficient way to get around, and with beautiful artwork in the underground stations, visitors may wish to spend more time exploring en route. There are trolley buses, trams and Marshrutka “minibus taxis” which transport travellers throughout the city. Water taxis are a popular choice for those wishing to view the city’s ornate domes and spires from a different perspective.

Tsar Peter the Great founded Saint Petersburg in 1703. Over the years, it became the capital city of Russia and Imperial capital, before the government moved to Moscow. Today, the city has over 5 million residents and entices a host of visiting nationalities each year. Many travellers are keen to view the striking architecture, delve deeper into its tumultuous history and photograph the incredible buildings of this glorious World Heritage Site.