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A Short Break with a difference - St. Petersburg

By: Robin Richmond

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In times gone by many Brit's (James Bond aside) wouldn't give

the idea of heading over to Russia for a holiday break a second

thought. However, for the more progressive of travellers out

there the magnificent city of St. Petersburg offers an abundance

of rewards and will leave a lasting memory with anyone who

chooses to visit.

St. Petersburg is quite simply a city steeped in history and

culture. Built on the Gulf of Finland by Peter the Great, the

city is the an imperial capital which has the distinct

atmosphere of a city that time forgot. The enchanting

architecture of its great palaces and crystalline squares all

provide a real sense of Russia's imperial past. Post communist

Russia is becoming increasingly interested in its past as it

copes with the confusion of social change - which means the

historical gems which St. Petersburg are becoming more

accessible than ever. Perhaps there has never been a better time

to visit this great city.

In terms of site seeing, St. Petersburg will leave you spoilt

for choice. However, there is an undisputed jewel in this cities

crown - the Hermitage museum. While the museum lacks the

international renown of the Louvre in Paris the collection on

display is only narrowly behind in terms of size and quality.

With over three million works within the museum, one could spend

years exploring the abundance of breathtaking collections from

the likes of Rembrandt, Picasso, and Matisse.

The museums extensive collection began with the cities founder

Peter the Great who travelled extensively across Europe in his

younger years building an enviable collection of art and items

of historical significance. The collection was added to further

by future generations of Russian monarchy before the Hermitage

was first opened to the public after the Revolution in 1917.

Trying to take in the wonders of the Hermitage is almost

impossible in one visit and taking a number of trips across

several days comes recommended. For further information try the

excellent http://www.hermitagemuseum.org.

In many ways St. Petersburg is a city best seen on foot for a

number of reasons - not least that it is the best way to take in

the wondrous architecture and give you a real feel for its

imperial past. From the placid canals to the atmospheric Palace

Square, one truly feels they are in a city from times past.

Providing a sharp contrast to the grand buildings throughout St.

Petersburg is the humble wooden cottage that first housed Peter

the Great while he supervised the cities construction. Although

now covered from the outside world by a protective brick

structure the cottage still remains in surprisingly good

condition and provides a fascinating insight into the mind of

Peter. Rumours that he spent much of his time in disguise

working as a labourer during the cities construction were almost

certainly true. Indeed unlike many Tsar's of the past Peter

seemed to have a very keen awareness of the social divide and

spent much of his time among his citizens hiding his wealth.

St. Petersburg is definitely a city one can visit during any

part of the year - although peak season is from May until

December, where hotel prices are at their most expensive. Good

alternatives to this are in April and October when the weather

is still fairly mild and the city is far less crowded. As long

as you don't mind the cold weather it is also perfectly feasible

to visit during the winter months and the city has a number of

musical events and winter festivals on at the time. Finding

knowledgeable travel agents in the UK to support you is becoming

easier. A good place to start would be short break specialist

http://www.superbreak.com who have a number of hotels available

for booking in St. Petersburg via their website.

Overall St. Petersburg is undoubtedly one of Europe's most

beautiful cities. While the tourist industry is starting to boom

it is still some way from being a recognised holiday destination

which make this an excellent time to visit the northern capital

of Russia. While many of your friends may be aghast at the

thought of a short break in Russia, we are sure it is a decision

that you will certainly not regret in anyway.

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<h1>A Short Break with a difference - St. Petersburg</h1> In times gone by many Brit's (James Bond aside) wouldn't give the idea of heading over to Russia for a holiday break a second thought. However, for the more progressive of travellers out there the magnificent city of St. Petersburg offers an abundance of rewards and will leave a lasting memory with anyone who chooses to visit. St. Petersburg is quite simply a city steeped in history and culture. Built on the Gulf of Finland by Peter the Great, the city is the an imperial capital which has the distinct atmosphere of a city that time forgot. The enchanting architecture of its great palaces and crystalline squares all provide a real sense of Russia's imperial past. Post communist Russia is becoming increasingly interested in its past as it copes with the confusion of social change - which means the historical gems which St. Petersburg are becoming more accessible than ever. Perhaps there has never been a better time to visit this great city. In terms of site seeing, St. Petersburg will leave you spoilt for choice. However, there is an undisputed jewel in this cities crown - the Hermitage museum. While the museum lacks the international renown of the Louvre in Paris the collection on display is only narrowly behind in terms of size and quality. With over three million works within the museum, one could spend years exploring the abundance of breathtaking collections from the likes of Rembrandt, Picasso, and Matisse. The museums extensive collection began with the cities founder Peter the Great who travelled extensively across Europe in his younger years building an enviable collection of art and items of historical significance. The collection was added to further by future generations of Russian monarchy before the Hermitage was first opened to the public after the Revolution in 1917. Trying to take in the wonders of the Hermitage is almost impossible in one visit and taking a number of trips across several days comes recommended. For further information try the excellent <a href="http://www.hermitagemuseum.org." target="bago">http://www.hermitagemuseum.org.</a> In many ways St. Petersburg is a city best seen on foot for a number of reasons - not least that it is the best way to take in the wondrous architecture and give you a real feel for its imperial past. From the placid canals to the atmospheric Palace Square, one truly feels they are in a city from times past. Providing a sharp contrast to the grand buildings throughout St. Petersburg is the humble wooden cottage that first housed Peter the Great while he supervised the cities construction. Although now covered from the outside world by a protective brick structure the cottage still remains in surprisingly good condition and provides a fascinating insight into the mind of Peter. Rumours that he spent much of his time in disguise working as a labourer during the cities construction were almost certainly true. Indeed unlike many Tsar's of the past Peter seemed to have a very keen awareness of the social divide and spent much of his time among his citizens hiding his wealth. St. Petersburg is definitely a city one can visit during any part of the year - although peak season is from May until December, where hotel prices are at their most expensive. Good alternatives to this are in April and October when the weather is still fairly mild and the city is far less crowded. As long as you don't mind the cold weather it is also perfectly feasible to visit during the winter months and the city has a number of musical events and winter festivals on at the time. Finding knowledgeable travel agents in the UK to support you is becoming easier. A good place to start would be short break specialist <a href="http://www.superbreak.com" target="bago">http://www.superbreak.com</a> who have a number of hotels available for booking in St. Petersburg via their website. Overall St. Petersburg is undoubtedly one of Europe's most beautiful cities. While the tourist industry is starting to boom it is still some way from being a recognised holiday destination which make this an excellent time to visit the northern capital of Russia. While many of your friends may be aghast at the thought of a short break in Russia, we are sure it is a decision that you will certainly not regret in anyway. More <a href="http://www.articlesroom.com">free articles</a> from <a href="http://www.articlesroom.com">http://www.articlesroom.com</a>

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