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The bygone capital of mother Russia, St Petersburg, is the star of Russian literature as we know it. The city founded by Peter the Great on the Neva River has been the cultural hub of the Russian empire until the Soviet rule. So, while visiting the muse of the great Russian writers, why not let yourself be guided by the city’s rich history and colorful descriptions, by reading their masterpieces? Here is a list to get you started.

Visitors to St Petersburg often find that they get a strong taste of visceral Russia before they have even arrived at their hotel because of the excitement and adventure inherent in airport transfers from Pulkovo, the city’s airport.

After 80 years of rule by atheistic communism, Christmas barely gets a look in on the Russian festive calendar, but rather the big one, the celebration that brings the whole country to a standstill for the best part of a month, is the… read full article

The first thing that must be said about Christmas in St Petersburg is that while Christmas falls on December the 25th for those of us from the West, in Russia it is on the 7th January.

This is because the Russian… read full article

Straying away from the splendid architecture, royal ballet performances, and the excitement of urban culture in St. Petersburg can be difficult, especially if you are a metropolitan city girl like me.

But there are times where the… read full article

Because St Petersburg is located so far north it is strongly affected by the seasonal shift in the earth’s axis.

In winter this means the days are short and the nights interminably long. However, in summer it means… read full article

For those travellers used to jetting about Europe on budget airlines for next to nothing, getting to St Petersburg can cause problems.

This problem has its roots in the punishing Russian visa regime… read full article

Travelling by train in Russia has always been an interesting experience.

Rumbling through the snowy forests of Siberia or sampling vodka with your fellow passengers before tumbling out into a forgotten nowhere in the middle of the night. The memories… read full article

1. Kunstkamera

The first museum to be established in St Petersburg was the Kunstkamera. Part ethnographic world tour and part freak show, this is a museum that few will easily forget. The main display is often disregarded by those seeking more gory… read full article

Russians like to feel fully immersed in their dining experiences.

On the whole this leads to tasteful décor alongside delicious food and everyone is happy, but occasionally the system breaks down. This is usually when a proprietor either misunderstands a concept or theme or just loses their self-control. Either way… read full article

For most of the years since homosexuality was legalized in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, the St Petersburg gay scene has been dominated by Greshniki.

This club had an S&M theme with chains hanging from the walls, a dungeon d?cor and dark rooms that were… read full article

The city of Saint Petersburg is one of Russia’s hidden jewels. The city of has a magnificence that you would expect to see only in films or created on fantasy vast film sets.

The reality is that this hauntingly beautiful Russian city is so very real… read full article