What is St. Petersburg Like?

[Trenchcoat]

So looking to go to St. Petersburg next in the next few months most probably, so was wondering how people found it for those that have been, read 2tallbill trip report, but was thinking of more specifics. Like what is the city centre like? Are the streets linear with people walking up & down or curved with crossflow of people wandering around in all directions? Is there a decent big shopping mall in the city centre? A decent park in the city centre? Things to be wary off, or look out for? Good stuff about St. Petersburg? Best time to go? Main focus of Attractions? Places good to meet women? and anything else that may be helpful.

Also, from the UK, British Airways looks the only carrier that do direct flights from London so odds are I would probably go with them, Areoflot look slightly more expensive and with the other airlines don't seem to do direct flights and many of the layovers seem quite long. I know 2tallbill was not happy with Areoflot in his trip report and obnoxious service is not for me, lol. Any good idea of airlines with fit looking air stewardesses though also much appreciated

Some idea of how Russian women in St,Petersburg tally with Ukrainian Woman would be good, if different? AS I don't have particular experience on this yet so would be good to know how they compare. Many thanks.

[Boethius]

Since no one has replied, I will, via my better half.  He lived in then Leningrad, and visited recently.


The streets are wide.  It is an architecturally beautiful city.  Yes, there are parks and shopping downtown and a good metro.  Anytime to go is good, but for winter.


Lots to see, but that depends on your interests. 

[mhr7]

I haven't been there myself but most Russians consider it to be the most beautiful city in the country.

[Boethius]

It was a great empire's capital, so of course it is beautiful.   It was modeled on Venice, and is built on the bones of Ukrainian Cossacks, who were sent to build the city.


The other thing he said is don't drink the water.  Ever.

[Faux Pas]

It is a world class city. The boulevards are wide. Nevsky is especially so, the secondary streets not so much and the architecture will likely rival any city in the world. I would say the best time to go in during the white night season which you have IIRC have already missed for this year. When it's daylight until after midnight. That is late spring and also time the colors have appeared and the flowers mostly in full bloom. There's museums almost on every corner but you need to take a full day and visit The Hermitage. There's ieces in there you'll never have a chance to see anywhere else. Visit Peterhof, The palaces of Catherine The Great. The food almost anywhere is delicious. I can say in the 2 weeks I spent there I never had a bad meal and I ate a lot of stuff I to this day still do not know what it was. The city is spectacular, the people and the food unmatched anywhere on earth. You'll be glad you went

[jone]

It is a world class city. The boulevards are wide. Nevsky is especially so, the secondary streets not so much and the architecture will likely rival any city in the world. I would say the best time to go in during the white night season which you have IIRC have already missed for this year. When it's daylight until after midnight. That is late spring and also time the colors have appeared and the flowers mostly in full bloom. There's museums almost on every corner but you need to take a full day and visit The Hermitage. There's ieces in there you'll never have a chance to see anywhere else. Visit Peterhof, The palaces of Catherine The Great. The food almost anywhere is delicious. I can say in the 2 weeks I spent there I never had a bad meal and I ate a lot of stuff I to this day still do not know what it was. The city is spectacular, the people and the food unmatched anywhere on earth. You'll be glad you went

Luckily they also have a good plumbing system.

[jone]

I'm probably the last to have spent quality time in Pieter.  I lived there last fall. 

The metros are good, not on the order of Moscow's but very servicable.  Nevsky is all about tourism.  Remember that Pieter is a tourist destination for many Russians.  It is not a huge tourist destination for Westerners.  Couple of places that warrant your attention:  Blood of our Saviour church.  Hermitage.   Petergoff.  There is actually a park whereby all of the major buildings are recreated in Bronze and you can sit at a table with the founding members of Petersburg.  Kinda fun.

Other than that, we had great luck with Georgian restaurants.  We were very impressed with the canals and a boat tour is mandatory.  Launches for the canals.  Hydrofoil for the trip to Petergoff.  Watch out for the errant sprinklers there.  LOL.

[Trenchcoat]

Ah, sounds like it will be a good choice for me, I'll need to line up something in the form a date(s) between then and now with skype to kick me off. Thinking off a longer say this time than a week to really get some decent time available to date girls. So a decent but reasonable priced apartment along the way for me this time I think for the bulk if not all the trip. I've done a couple of expeditionary visits to the Ukraine so as to not get too deep too quick but think another short trip would be holding me back a bit as I think I am the type of guy that may need extra time and a lot of these chicks where its a quick flying visit from a guy, unless its a quick moving thing then its cutting it off a bit short to make effective progress with girl I'm thinking.

What about the girls, are they much the same as Ukrainian girls in mentality & looks?

[Faux Pas]

It was a great empire's capital, so of course it is beautiful.   It was modeled on Venice, and is built on the bones of Ukrainian Cossacks, who were sent to build the city.


The other thing he said is don't drink the water.  Ever.

One of the museums said that Piter was built on the deaths of 1 million. They did not specify UA Cossacks. IIRC it was "workers"

[Boethius]

One of the museums said that Piter was built on the deaths of 1 million. They did not specify UA Cossacks. IIRC it was "workers"

Cossacks and Russian peasants.

[southernX]

It is a world class city. The boulevards are wide. Nevsky is especially so, the secondary streets not so much and the architecture will likely rival any city in the world. I would say the best time to go in during the white night season which you have IIRC have already missed for this year. When it's daylight until after midnight. That is late spring and also time the colors have appeared and the flowers mostly in full bloom. There's museums almost on every corner but you need to take a full day and visit The Hermitage. There's ieces in there you'll never have a chance to see anywhere else. Visit Peterhof, The palaces of Catherine The Great. The food almost anywhere is delicious. I can say in the 2 weeks I spent there I never had a bad meal and I ate a lot of stuff I to this day still do not know what it was. The city is spectacular, the people and the food unmatched anywhere on earth. You'll be glad you went

faux paus  has it correct above
we have family north of st petes , so its been our main gateway into Russia over the years either via plane or train
may is the go for the ''white night '' daylight all night and a truly unreal feeling when your there
lovely people and lots to keep you interested

SX

[Anotherkiwi]

Seriously, dude, your questions would indicate that you haven't even googled the most basic information about the city. 

Where to begin?    This is one thing that I have consistently posted - in my opinion, it is the most beautiful city in the world.  I have visited twice, once for a week and once for two weeks, and I still hardly scratched the surface.  The problem with it being such an amazing place to visit is that you may get too distracted by what's around you to worry about chasing women!    I wasn't being distracted because it was my first real stop before travelling to Kazan to meet the lady I was visiting, so I could simply be a tourist.

As Boethius said, Nevsky Prospekt (think Regent Street, Oxford Street and Bond Street rolled into one) is very wide, with footpaths that comfortably take ten people abreast.  On my first Friday night there, the street was still so packed at midnight that I estimated there were maybe a couple of hundred thousand people out wandering - and a lot were beautiful women. 

Places to visit - if you have even the faintest interest in history, the Hermitage has to be number one.  I spent the best part of three days just going around the main building.  Peterhof (use the hydrofoil to get there, as suggested above, but get the bus back to the city from outside the top gates), Catherine Palace, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Natural History Museum (where you can see real mammoths), the Russian Museum, Kazan Cathedral and the Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood are a good start (that'll take care of the first month).

A canal or river cruise is a must - there are several variants, including those which go right out and around the islands facing onto the Gulf of Finland.  If you're interested in the fact that the River Neva is a transport hub to the centre of Russia, go out in the early hours of the morning (1-3 am) when the bridges are raised to let the bigger ships navigate past the city.

Just prepare to be spellbound.  If you can find a smokinghotkova to share your time, you will be doubly blessed! 

I would move there in a heartbeat, if it weren't for two things:

1.  Putin

2.  Russian winters - I live in a city where it has snowed once (for five minutes, just in the heart of the central city) in the last 80 years.  A temperature of zero (Celsius) is an abstract concept that I haven't experienced since my last day in Moscow in 2010.  Sorry, but minus 20 or 30 for days (or weeks) on end would see me jumping off one of the bridges.

[ML]

Quote from: Faux Pas on Today at 04:25:23 PM

    One of the museums said that Piter was built on the deaths of 1 million. They did not specify UA Cossacks. IIRC it was "workers"

Cossacks and Russian peasants.

Soon after the current city was started, Peter defeated the Swedish army in Poltava, Ukraine.

I believe a large number of the forced laborers were captured Swedish soldiers.

[ML]

I provided a list of fine restaurants to Jone last year, but he refused to use any of them.

So I am miffed and will not provide any further lists of restaurants in St. Petersburg.

I would recommend however, to eat blini everyday at the stands in the streets.  Very delicious and I never even got sick, despite all my female friends disapproving of my eating these 'fixens'.

[Gator]

I have visited St. Piter four times.  Delightful city with a human scale.  Can walk almost everywhere.  Metro okay, but not as convenient as Moscow (maybe it was just me and my wanting to walk and see people, buildings, parks)

For sure rent an apartment.  During New Year's we stayed with her teenage son in an early 19thC building near Astoria Hotel and St. Issac's Cathedral.  Lots of room, not expensive, near the north end of Nevsky.    Needed three keys.     Convenient for walking,  restaurants galore nearby including some highly ranked on TripAdvisor (Indian, Italian, German, Fusion, Seafood, Pizza, etc. plus Russian cafes)(near Nevsky there is a Gypsy Restaurant with show).

Hermitage is a must.  Glorious collections.  Spend all day there.  Other art museums too.  My stepson told his mama, "Gator is tired.  He wants to go home."  (not true as I was loving it, but he had enough art ).  See the siege museum (no English, however).  Must see one ballet production to feel the Russian soul.  Marinsky is famous.  There is another venue - I forget the name.

Night life is good.  Need to ask someone local about what's happening. 

Stay out of the hotels, especially 5-Star hotels.  Expensive.  My wife 25 years earlier had spent a few days at the Astoria when working as a fashion runway model.  So we reminisced by going to the brunch buffet one morning.......caviar, the works.   Nearly $200 for three of us.  First class, and we enjoyed the lobby immensely with the holiday decorations.  She cooked a delightful dinner at the apartment that evening.  Yes, food markets abound, some are large.  And specialty shops such as pastry, sausages, candy, wine, etc.

[Gator]

I forgot.  Women!!!!

Only once of my four trips did I meet local women.  They are sophisticated - somewhere between Moscow women and Kiev women.  Make contact with them before you go as they can be a little snobby. 

One introduced me to a private banya.  I will never forget that afternoon. 

[msmobyone]

Up there with Paris, Rome, etc.,

The Venice of the north

Notable omissions so far - sorry if I am mistaken - Tsarskoye Selo - 25km south - go by train ...



Mariinsky Theatre ..Never thought I 'd appreciate Ballet ... was blown away

I do not recommend going before May and after September - too cold and lack of daylight

Piter is a city one should not miss and your partner will prob adore you if you take her there... / meet there

[Faux Pas]

I forgot.  Women!!!!

Only once of my four trips did I meet local women.  They are sophisticated - somewhere between Moscow women and Kiev women.  Make contact with them before you go as they can be a little snobby. 

One introduced me to a private banya.  I will never forget that afternoon.

Not only did I find them very approachable but I had some that approached me. Nothing came from any of it but I was quite impressed with the beauty and openness of the women I experienced

[BillyB]

TC, you won't be able to see everything in St. Pete in one visit. Plenty of things to see Peterhoff and Hermitage are two of the must sees. If you are women hunting, you'll see even less but it's a good city to find beautiful and sophisticated ladies. Google places you want to see and when you meet ladies on the street, you can ask them on a date so some of these places.

[Boethius]

Soon after the current city was started, Peter defeated the Swedish army in Poltava, Ukraine.

I believe a large number of the forced laborers were captured Swedish soldiers.

The Swedes only had about 14,000 troops.  After their defeat, the surviving soldiers were allowed to return to Sweden.  Many settled in Ukraine.

[HoundDaddyLee]

You guys are doing a great job in making me want to visit St. Petersburg next May. Sounds like a beautiful place to go with much to see.


Thanks,
HDL

[Gator]

I do not recommend going before May and after September - too cold and lack of daylight

Summer is better but crowded.  I was there at New Year's.  It was okay, and I am from Florida.   The New Year's holiday spirit such as decorations and people's attitude made it special

[Boethius]

I'm from Alberta, where we have six months of winter.   If given a choice, I would not go to St. Petersburg in winter.  Shorter days, and if it is windy outside, it will be miserable.

[Trenchcoat]

TC, you won't be able to see everything in St. Pete in one visit. Plenty of things to see Peterhoff and Hermitage are two of the must sees. If you are women hunting, you'll see even less but it's a good city to find beautiful and sophisticated ladies. Google places you want to see and when you meet ladies on the street, you can ask them on a date so some of these places.

Good idea, BillyB, nice to know the ladies are good there too I have been wondering though about how generous I should be. I'm wondering of recent that I may have been too generous with the first girl I met, putting her up in a 4 star hotel for a few days, trips around, restaurants - it didn't really cost me that much but I'm worried that maybe I came across as a foreigner that was too easy without her feeling the need to allow for any affection. Should I maybe suggest a walk first or around a nice location or free attraction to avoid this possibility if it is one. What do you think?

[Boethius]

You are way too concerned about money and being taken advantage of.  Based on this, I don't think you will be successful.