St Petersburg

Top 5 St Petersburg attractions
1. Hermitage Museum
It's one of my Top 100 Wonders of the World and resides in the Winter Palace. Click Hermitage Museum to see my web page describing this globally praised art institution.

2. Catherine Palace
This grand Baroque palace was built by Catherine the Great for her summer residence. Its interior is elaborately designed. The palace (like Peterhof's) is an hour's drive from St Petersburg.

3. Peterhof
This is Peter the Great's summer palace. Whereas the interior of Catherine Palace outshines the exterior, the opposite is true with the Peterhof. The immense, formal Summer Garden with its fountains, flowers, and greenery will impress you.

4. Church of Our Savior of the Spilt Blood
Its ornate, colorful onion domes are a photographer's dream (left photo). The mosaic artwork inside the church is also impressive.

5. Peter and Paul Fortress
Many famous Russian Tzars are buried in its cathedral. They include Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. The ill-fated Nicholas II and his family are also interred here.