| St Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great in | | | | and the Classical yellow and white former General |
| 1703. The designated capital of Imperial Russia from | | | | Staff buildings of the Russian army on the other. The |
| 1712 to 1914 and has remained the countrys cultural | | | | main point of the square is the Alexander Column, a tall |
| capital. It is Russia's second largest city and the | | | | monolith of red granite topped by a cross and the |
| country's principal seaport. | | | | statue of an angel, dedicated to the Russian military |
| It is often referred to as the Venice of the North or the | | | | victory in the Napoleonic wars. Palace Square has |
| Paris of the East. The city centre is set on the south | | | | been the site of numerous political protests, most |
| bank of the Neva river. | | | | notably the demonstrations of Bloody Sunday in 1905 |
| Modern St Petersburg has no shortage of restaurants, | | | | that started the first Russian Revolution. Today the |
| and plenty of variety. Aside from traditional Russian | | | | square, with the views of the Admiralty's golden spire |
| restaurants, Chinese and Japanese cuisine is popular, | | | | and the dome of St Isaac's Cathedral from across the |
| with sushi a recent craze. | | | | vast stone paving, is filled with markets, outdoor cafes |
| St Petersburg has a vibrant, varied nightlife ranging | | | | and the sound of horse-drawn carriages. |
| from opera and ballet to nightclubs, rock concerts, jazz | | | | The Bronze Horseman, on Senatskaia Ploschad |
| clubs, and acid house raves. How ever, the scene is | | | | Square, facing the Neva River and surrounded by the |
| constantly changing with new venues opening and old | | | | Admiralty, St Isaac's Cathedral. The monument was |
| ones closing. Most of the decent night life is in the city | | | | built by order of the Empress Catherine the Great as |
| centre. | | | | a tribute to her famous predecessor on the Russian |
| The local currency is the ruble. The market near the | | | | throne, Peter the Great. According to a 19th century |
| Spilled Blood Cathedral offers every thing from | | | | legend, enemy forces will never take St. Petersburg |
| matrioshka dolls to hand-painted lacquer boxes in a | | | | while the Bronze Horseman stands in the middle of the |
| wide range of quality and prices. | | | | city. During the Second World War the statue was not |
| The main square of St Petersburg is one of the | | | | taken down, but was protected with sand bags and a |
| world's most magnificent plazas. Palace Square | | | | wooden shelter. |
| contains the picturesque Baroque buildings of the | | | | You can book a flight to St Petersburg with fly.co. |
| Winter Palace and Hermitage Museum on one side | | | | |