Parks

The Summer Garden and Summer Palace of Peter the Great

Across the river from the Peter and Paul fortress and the wooden Cabin of Peter the Great you can visit the historical Summer Gardens . Behind the beautiful wrought iron fence there is an old park that has witnessed some of the most spectacular moments in St. Petersburg 's early history. The palace was built in the early 18th century by the Italian architect Domenico Trezinni to host the Emporer's festive assamblei and to entertain the local gentry. Take a look at the carefully preserved palace and enjoy a gentle stroll through the statue-lined avenues of Peter's favorite park.

The Parks and Palaces of Pushkin

The splendid Baroque Catherine Palace , built in the early 18th century by the famous Italian Rastrelli. Despite being virtually destroyed by Nazi bombing during WWII, the palace has been almost entirely restored and its lavish period interiors painstakingly recreated.

The town of Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo) lies just outside St. Petersburg and has a marvelous ensemble of palaces and parks. It is particularly famous for its impressive baroque Catherine Palace , where Empress Catherine the Great lived and died.

How to get there? Take a train from the Vitebsk Railway Station to Detskoye Selo station (30 minutes ride) and then bus #371 or #382 to the parks

take a bus #287 or a mini-bus "marshrutka"#T-20 from Ploschad Pobedy (Moskovskaya Metro Station) to Detskoye Selo railway station, then bus #371 or #382 to the parks.

Telephone: +7 (812) 466-6669
Open Wednesday to Monday, 10 am to 5 pm
Closed on Tuesdays and the last Monday of each month.

Peterhof

Peterhof is an immensely luxurious and beautifully preserved Imperial estate, founded in 1710 by Peter the Great on the shore of the Gulf of Finland ( Baltic Sea ). It combines several ornate palaces, a number of beautifully landscaped parks and a dazzling array of magnificent statues and fountains, lending it the epithet "The Russian Versailles". Anastasia web advice: take your date to Peterhof and spend a day there - it is a great chance to get to know a Russsian lady better!

How to get there? Ttake a local commuter train from the Baltic Railway Station to the Novy Petergof station (approximate journey time - 40 minutes), and then take buses #348, 350, 351, 352, 356 or mini-bus "marshrutka" to Verkhny Park (Upper Garden)

take a yellow double-decker bus from outside the Baltic Railway Station (metro: Baltiyskaya) to Verkhny Park ( Upper Garden ) in Peterhof.

Telephone: +7 (812) 420-0073
The Grand Palace is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30 am to 5:30 pm
Closed on Mondays and the last Tuesday of each month
The Lower Park is open daily 9 am to 8 pm, weekends till 9 pm
Fountains operate from the last week of May to the first week of October, 11 am to 5 pm, weekends till 6 pm.

Pavlovsk
Pavlovsk is 30 km to the south from St.Petersburg. The Grand Palace in Pavlovsk was built for Emperor Paul I and was used as his official residence. The palace is reminiscent of an Italian villa in design. On the ground and first floors you will be able to see private and state rooms of the royal family while on the second floor there is an exposition "Russian Interior of the 19th century". The palace contains a unique collection of antique sculptures, 18-19th century furniture, bronze, clocks and porcelain. The luxurious park round the palace covering the area of 600 hectares with numerous pavilions can give you an idea of the early 19th century Landscape Park.

How to get there?

Telephone: +7 (812) 470-2156
Open: Saturday to Thursday, 10 am to 5 pm
The park is open till late.
Closed Fridays and the first Monday of each month.