St Petersburg Санкт-Петербург

Introducing St Petersburg 

Excerpt from Lonely Planet St Petersburg City Guide, 5th edition. Buy the book here.  

It seemed like a lark. When Peter the Great built this city on a swamp, his subjects humoured the Emperor. When he declared it to be the new capital, they were less amused. But history has shown that the forward-thinking, westward-looking tsar was acting on inspiration. Gradually, St Petersburg transitioned from a swampy backwater to a modern European city, Russia's `window to the west'.

Unlike Moscow's red bricks and onion domes, Petersburg's network of canals and baroque and neoclassical architecture give the city a European flavour, no less because it was built by Italian architects. Even the residents of St Petersburg fancy themselves `European' and somehow slightly more sophisticated than their more easterly compatriots.

St Petersburg has always been a city of ideas. It was Petersburg that incited the Russian Revolution, ushering in 70 years of communist rule. And it was Petersburg that encouraged democracy when the tide was changing. Nowadays, this city's citizens are breaking down the barriers of generations past and exploring new ideas, investigating the possibilities of consumerism, creativity and career.

So it's not only Rastrelli's architecture and Tchaikovsky's operas that entice visitors; but also beatnik bands, edgy art galleries, underground clubs and delectable dining. St Pete's bohemian side gives a glimpse into the 21st century; and (to borrow a communist slogan) the future is bright!