Tour Guide, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| 4 mins read
I think it takes at least 6 days to do the city justice. But even for this period of time, you would be able to just scratch the surface and get the highlights only. Of cause you would find wide variety of tours, that would claim to show you everything in 2-3 days, but in no way it would not be meaningful connection to the place and at the best case scenario you would be rushed around and kept rotating you head like crazy on a drive-by tour advisable for people, who are extremely short of time. The tour in St. Petersburg, even in offseason, usually lasts 3-4 days and it is just the city proper, without suburbs (2-3 days). It's big, spread out, full of history, lots of ensembles, that tie up different squares, streets and waterways; normally I do 3 hours walking tour on Nevsky, main avenue with all the surrounding ensembles, 3 hours downtown area, three major squares back to back to each other with all the monuments and sculptures in the gardens around it, and 3 hours along the embankment with majestic views across the river Neva, plus 3 hours for Peter and Paul complex, with all the museums in it, city history, prison, cathedral, space laboratory etc.
You need to visit, St.Isaak, St.Nicolas, Smolny, Trinity, Spilled blood, our lady of Kazan cathedrals; normally we do it along the way, still you gonna need at least half a day. And then museums, just to pass by all the collections, without really looking you need to spend in the Hermitage main complex a day, plus the tickets include 3 more buildings, not to mention storage place,(half the day easily); if you wanna visit Russian museum half a day at least. Plus there are different mansions Marble Palace (Part of Russian Museum), St.Michael’s Castle (Part of Russian Museum), Stroganov Palace (Part of Russian Museum), Usupov Mansion, where Rasputin was killed, always a popular place, and if you are lucky, because, during late autumn and winter, you do not have to do the ground in the suburbs. It’s not so attractive without greenery and fountains, but still need a couple of days, just to get there and see some palaces and pavilions from outside at least. Also, Faberge Museum if you like shiny and artistic stuff and Kshesinskaya Mansion if you like political history and sordid details about last tzar and grand-ducal affairs.
The main attraction in St. Petersburg is its ensembles, different streets and squares with varied buildings and canals united in a single whole, that you can not change by adding or subtracting from it anything without ruining it; they are mostly in and around the downtown area and Nevsky prospect. You can easily spend two days looking at those, and each building is connected with the history of Russia and surrounded by mystery, intrigue and drama. Plus there is Petersburg of Dostoevsky totally different part of the city, that influenced him and his fictional, but based on real people, characters and St.Petersburg really is the main protagonist of Dostoevsky’s stories.
I think there are always places to go and things to see in St.Petersburg. For instance, if you are interested in politics, there is yet another part of the city connected with the history of three revolutions. It doesn't matter if you wanna go deep into it, or just do the highlights and scratch the surface; each tour would be tailored to your particular demands as I am very flexible with practically no downtime. Whatever floats your boat I am game; your pleasure is my business, but do not ask me if you just want to take selfies and put a check in front of some landmarks.