Undercover in St. Petersburg

According to a leading website for hotels and travel in Russia, St. Petersburg is the tourist’s first choice of destination in the world’s largest country. destinationRussia.com says apart from being the number one choice on the travel agenda, St. Petersburg can also boast some amazing hidden attractions.

Delve into the city’s more secretive side by paying a trip to some of the attractions which don’t feature on the usual tourist ‘must see’ list. You can even celebrate the start of a brand new year – no matter when you visit.

1. Purga: Celebrate New Year’s Eve every night of the year at this fun and unusual club. Purga I comes complete with a midnight countdown, a mock television celebration and festive decorations. Purga II is situated next door, where you can dress up in white and celebrate your own fake wedding. Located on the Fontanka Canal these unique clubs offer both food and drink.

2. Russian Winter Festival: St. Petersburg Winter Festival celebrates the winter season and features all manner of traditional festivities. You can take a sleigh ride, catch a cultural folk show or sample some hearty Russian winter foods. The events take place throughout St. Petersburg in early January.

3. Russian Banya: Relax in one of St. Petersburg’s numerous bathhouses and learn about the history of the Russian banya. A visit will involve traditional Russian bathing with steam, high heat, cold and an invigorating beating with birch leaves and branches.

4. The Pavlovsk Park: Rivers, lakes, woodland, statues and temples can be found in this beautiful park, located just outside St Petersburg. It is the perfect area for walking, bike riding or in-line skating and is also home to the Great Palace. The park and palace can be easily reached by a short train journey from St. Petersburg.

5. St. Isaac’s Cathedral: It is the fourth greatest cupola cathedral in the world. It is richly decorated with monolithic columns, paintings, mosaics, sculptures, marble and semi-precious stones.

6. Unusual museums: St Petersburg has a museum for every taste. You can learn the truth behind Russia’s national drink; how it got its name, how it first came to be drunk and see the apparatus for home-made vodka. Of course a trip to the Vodka Museum (Konnogvardeysky bul.) wouldn’t be complete without a free shot. St. Petersburg’s State Museum of Bread (Ligovsky pr.73) illustrates the history of bread baking while The Freud Museum of Dreams (Bolshoy pr.) explores the world of dreams, Freud’s theories and his passion for art and ancient artefacts. St. Petersburg Museum of Dolls (8 Ulitsa Kamskaya) includes characters from literature, fairytales and theatre, you can also learn about the traditional ceremonies, festivals and costumes of the Eastern Slavs.

7. The Hermitage and Winter Palace: Boasting about three million exhibits, the Hermitage is Russia’s largest art repository and one of the world’s greatest art museums. All the collections currently on show cover a distance of 22km, taking on average 15 years to see in full. No trip to St. Petersburg is complete without visiting this magnificent attraction.

8. St. Petersburg State Circus: Enjoy a night at the fantastic circus and see why these performances are a favourite with locals. Located at Fontanka Embankment, the impressive building has housed one of Russia’s leading circus companies since 1877.

9. Quirky Shops: Apart from the well stocked souvenir shops, why not pop into one of the more unique stores for some quirky memorabilia? The Chocolate Museum (18 Zhulovskogo street and Bolshoi Gostiny Dvor) boasts some fine works of confectionary art with edible handmade sculptures of every description. You can really look the part by purchasing some military attire at Tovar dlya Voennikh (Sadovaya ul 26.). Buy a whole range of clothes and accessories, from embroidered badges and camouflage wear to boots and sailor outfits, at decent prices.

10. Mariinsky Theatre: Built in 1859, this colourful theatre has played an important role in the history of Russian ballet. You can take a tour of the theatre or watch a performance. The Mariinsky Ballet Festival will run from mid to late February.

For more information, log on to DestinationRussia.com.