What is St. Petersburg Like?

[BillyB]

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.

I consider St. Petersburg to be the most beautiful FSU city and pound for pound, have the most beautiful ladies. Hopefully you won't find the women bundled up in unrevealing clothes if you visit in May.

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?

Don't worry about running into gold diggers. Most women you find on the streets aren't on the internet trying to milk men for everything they got. Talk to ladies and asked what they recommend you to see in their city. After you get the recommendation, you can ask if they like to join you. If you've already seen the attraction, you can ask what else they recommend. If you get a date with them, you can ask where they'd like to eat. I've had ladies take me to cafeteria style kitchens that were reasonably priced. The most expensive place a lady took me to cost $100 for both of us. I don't regret it. It was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. You can get a read on a lady based on where she takes you and if you don't like her tastes, you don't have to invite her for another date. To find the right woman, expect to be wasting money dating the wrong women before you find her but you can still enjoy the dating experience with the wrong women while you're at it. Be active when you're in the city. I easily got 3 phone numbers a day and spent nights dating. Challenge yourself to do what I did or better.

[Muzh]

Don't worry about running into gold diggers. Most women you find on the streets aren't on the internet trying to milk men for everything they got.

Just the customary rate?

[Anotherkiwi]

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

Yep - you're mistaken! 

Places to visit - ...Catherine Palace...

Something I found when I visited - I got blank stares at the bus terminal when I was asking which bus went to Catherine Palace, but everything suddenly became clear to the locals when I asked for the bus to Pushkin.  And there certainly weren't any gondolas on the lake during my visit!

[CaptB]

I have been to St. Petersburg three times. Beautiful....historic.....good metro (and very, very deep underground). I would....without hesitation say......the best time to go is the last two weeks of June......and the first two weeks of July. White Knights (nights?).....during this time. At 2:30 am I could read a newspaper. From 4:00am - 6:00am........all of the bridges (dozens) opened to allow ships in.....and out. You will get stuck. But each bridge location.....had a guy selling hot dogs, snacks and "diva". Lovely.......peacefull.......watching the ships......boats. Getting "stuck".........was never so good. The RW are like Mocowvitchkas (Moscow women)......like AM New Yorkers.........you decide. Peterhoff, Russian museum, Hermitage, church of the spilled blood.......good discos.......I love St. Pete.


Cant B

[mendeleyev]

I love Piter...second most beautiful city in Russia after Moscow. Like Amsterdam, the most beautiful city on the planet, Piter is a series of tiny islands connected by canals and bridges often called the "Venice of the north."

[Anotherkiwi]

I love Piter...second most beautiful city in Russia after Moscow. Like Amsterdam, the most beautiful city on the planet, Piter is a series of tiny islands connected by canals and bridges often called the "Venice of the north."

We'll have to agree to disagree on the "most beautiful," mendy! 

I like the way they've interwoven some nice drone footage with their own photography.  A sea cruise presumably only has a couple of days in town, which is why they've crammed in the Hermitage and Peter and Paul Fortress one day, then Peterhof, Catherine Palace, St Isaak's Cathedral and the Church of our Saviour on Spilled Blood on the next day.  However, if you have more time (and you realistically HAVE to plan to spend at least a week there), spread them out!  Two reasons - you have to rush to get round them, and you don't have time to see anywhere near everything outside the main buildings (at Peterhof and Catherine Palace, anyway); and it's absolute sensory overload.  Give yourself a day or two (or even more  ) to recover between each of the big three, at least.

If you're there simply to see a woman, ask her which of the three BIG palaces she prefers, and take her there.  If you're there to see multiple women, take one to each!    Just say that, since you've made it to St Petersburg, you HAVE to see the [whichever], and you would be honoured if she would accompany you.  Although you can't do it at the Hermitage (for obvious reasons), there are huge areas in the parks at both Peterhof and Catherine Palace where the two of you can wander alone, discussing whatever you need to discuss, and have a picnic as well.  How romantic is that? 

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THESE AMAZING BUILDINGS AREN'T EXACTLY YOUR CUP OF TEA.  The woman (women) you're visiting will, in most cases, love the gesture.  It doesn't have to be spontaneous - you can always ask her before you get there.  If she's not interested, then you don't have to worry about it.

[ML]

If you go to Peterhof, take the Hydrofoil.  Nice ride.

Also, there is a Hydrofoil that goes between Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia.  I have been on it also.  Takes a bit longer than the trip to Peterhof, of course.

At Catherine's . . . note that the Amber Room has been restored, but they never have found the original Amber that was stripped away by the Germans in WWII.
Interestingly, a German gas company provided a lot of the funding to re-do the Amber Room in recent years.

Another side note:  I am always irritated when at historical sites and the wording tells of the bad things that were done  by the Nazi's in WWII.

This is to keep good current relations with Germany and to not offend German tourists.

I like  to call a spade a spade.  The bad things were done by Germans.