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 Usupov Palace
Church of the Spilled Blood
St Isaacs with Peter the Great
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The ‘Venice of the
North’ to many, St Petersburg is a hugely popular destination for cruise
ships and offers a wealth of treasures to enjoy. Parks, palaces,
cathedrals, museums, ballet and folk lore the choices are endless. At
least you usually have two days in which to pack in as much as possible
but it’s a case of being spoilt for choice, as each monument holds its own
particular attraction. Everyone makes a beeline for the Hermitage and two
days could no doubt easily be filled there. On this visit we combined a St
Petersburg highlights tour with a visit to the
Yusupov Palace and Summer Garden. This exquisite palace has a wonderful
white marble staircase and its own small rococo-style theatre. It is also
where Rasputin met his end as depicted in the cellar. The Summer Palace of
Peter the Great and his wife Catherine 1st sits in what was once an
elaborate Italian-style garden, but is no more than parkland now. His
palace though, has survived almost intact since the early 18th century and
is a little gem. Peter certainly didn’t crave pomp, circumstance or
opulence as his home displays. The Russian revival-style decoration on the
Church of the Spilled Blood, so called because it was built on the spot
where Tsar Alexander II was assasinated in 1881, is awe inspiring.
Fortunately, the intervention of World War II diverted attention away from
a plan to have it dismantled. All the monuments are worthy of mention but
time is as usual of the essence and personal preference makes a final
choice.
Cruise travellers usually rely on their cruise company obtaining a group visa which only allows for visits ashore on conducted tours. Independently minded travellers need to apply for a Russian Visa before departure from home. This can take a few weeks and leave you without a passport during the application period. See the St Petersburg site for some comprehensive information Return to Contents or Return to Baltic Gems
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Russian Dolls galore
St Isaacs Cathedral
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