St Petersburg Activities

St Petersburg is well-geared towards the younger proportion of its visiting population, with a variety of attractions that lean towards the traditional as opposed to expensive man-made theme parks and the likes. Zoos, circuses and museums offer good old-fashioned fun at a high standard that will please both kids and parents.

St Petersburg Circus
Bringing its fun-packed shows to the public since 1877, St Petersburg Circus is internationally acclaimed due to its travelling faction and it presents a varied programme including clowns, jugglers, animal shows and trapeze artists. In the past, the circus has featured famous clowns such as Yury Nikiilin and Mikhail Shuydin and the famous juggler, Sergey Ignatov.

Wax Museum (Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace)
Kids will love this museum of waxwork figures that are based on key characters from Russian history. The museum is split into various sections based on historical periods and each section contains up to 50 waxwork figures. Tours are available in English and are an ideal way for visitors to get some background on the country's history.

Leningradsky Zoo
Founded by Sophia and Julius Hebhardt, and situated in the historical center of St Petersburg, Leningradsky Zoo is one of Russia's oldest zoos and still a firm favourite among animal fans. With several acres of land at its disposal, the zoo is home to around 2,000 animals, covering upwards of 400 species.

The St Petersburg Dolphinarium
The St Petersburg Dolphinarium presents thrilling shows in which dolphins sing, dance, draw and perform a variety of other amazing feats. The show features other sea creatures such as white whales and sea lions, which perform similarly amazing tricks. Kids will marvel at the delights on offer at the Dolphinarium.

Victory Park
Take the kids to Victory Park, where you'll find one of the city's best outdoor ice skating rinks. Provided the weather is cool, the rink is open for skating from 13:00 to 23:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 23:00 at the weekend. The park covers a massive area and is ideal for cycling, football or similar outdoor activities that will keep kids amused.

Puppet Theatre Of Fairy-Tales
Famous not only in St Petersburg but also around the world on account of its touring faction, the Puppet Theatre Of Fairy-Tales is guaranteed to thrill kids and entertain anyone with an interest in marionettes. Igor Ignatiev and Nikolay Borovikov direct the performances, while the highly skilled actors bring life to the puppets in ways which have to be seen to be truly appreciated.

The Russian Academy Terrarium
Fans of insects of all descriptions should take a trip to the Terrarium, based at the Zoological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Live and preserved insects of every description make up this facility's creepy but highly interesting collection.

Russia is a country with an intricate, individual and ancient culture that is now the combined product of its many old republics. An eclectic mix of styles of food, architecture, theatre, music, language and local customs have merged to create what is a truly fascinating cultural ambience where regional differences are still evident. With its own unique history, St Petersburg maintains a brand of culture that differs from other Russian cities and visitors should expect the city's individual characteristics to be the predominant features in the cultural experiences on offer here.

St Isaac's Cathedral
St Isaac's Cathedral is St Petersburg's largest ecclesiastical construction and it was Russia's largest church when its construction was completed in the mid-18th century. Both the exterior and the interior offer a variety of aesthetic features, with the latter featuring some fine mosaics and the statue of Montferrand. The cathedral is a must for lovers of fine architecture and for those interested in the country's religious history.

Peterhof Palace and Garden
The gardens in which Peterhof Palace are housed were originally built as formal gardens for Peter the Great and today they still feature over 80 original sculptures and marble statues. The palace is a modestly designed building with just two storeys, which now house rooms displaying a variety of artefacts that were previously the possessions of Peter the Great himself.

Catherine Palace and Park
Dating back to the 18th century, Catherine Palace features a variety of artwork from that period as well as ornately decorated rooms with furnishings typical of the era. The palace is set in 1,400 acres of parkland, which offers a variety of features such as the Great Pond, Agate Pavilion bathhouse and a selection of bridges and fountains.

State Russian Museum
The State Russian Museum is housed in the magnificent and historically significant Mikhailovsky Palace. Among the museum's various collections are exhibits numbering around 400,000 items, with a good percentage of them housed in the main Mikhailovsky Palace building and the Benois Wing. The museum's collections include art in a wide variety of media and harking from a plethora of styles, genres and eras.

Yusupov Palace
Previously the home of the affluent and influential Yusupov family, this grand construction is St Petersburg 's most magnificent non-imperial palace and is perhaps most famous for being the site of the death of the infamous Rasputin, the mad monk. Visitors can revel in the splendour of the palace's interior, with its lavish furnishings, and they can also check out wax figures of both Rasputin and the young count Yusupov.

Fyodor Dostoevsky's Literary and Memorial Museum
The Fyodor Dostoevsky's Literary and Memorial Museum is based in the last residence of this most famous of authors. While Dostoevsky was born in Moscow, his life is closely associated with St Petersburg and following his exile for alleged political crimes, he spent the remainder of his days in the city. Literature lovers will delight in being able to view his personal effects, original writings and other artefacts from the author's fascinating life.

Alexander Pushkin's Apartment Museum
Set in the building that was the final residence of one of Russia's most famous poets, the Alexander Pushkin's Apartment Museum is a must for anyone interested in this most prolific of writers. The ground floor of the museum has been reconstructed to mimic its original appearance during his time Pushkin lived here. Visitors can view a variety of artefacts such as Pushkin's death-bed, table, bookshelves and personal effects.

Akimov State Academic Comedy Theatre
The Akimov State Academic Comedy Theatre was established in 1926 and was originally known as the Theater of Satire, but it changed its name to its current moniker in 1935. The theatre has a reputation for excellence, with a highly talented troupe known for producing some of Russia's finest comedy performances.

St Petersburg Opera Chamber Music Theatre
The name refers to a theatre company, as opposed to a building, and is one with a reputation across the country for producing some of the finest musical performances. Visitors can catch the company at various venues around the city, depending on their programme. The Hermitage Theatre, Alexandrinsky Theatre and Usopov Palace are among the venues the company visits.

The Cathedral of St Peter and Paul
Pay a visit to the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul, and witness the splendour of the city's oldest church and appreciate its integral part in the history of the Romanov Dynasty. The church's interior is elaborately decorated and worthy of spending some time exploring, while outside, the graveyard is notable for housing the remains of most of the country's Romanov rulers. Peter the Great's grave draws plenty of visitor interest, as do those of Elizabeth, Paul, Peter III, Anne and others.

St Petersburg offers a wide variety of dining options, with something to cater to all tastes. Traditional Russian cuisine is widely available with distinct Georgian influences, while establishments serving European food are also on hand for those who don't wish to be so adventurous.

Dining in Russia is not simply about going out to eat; it is much more of a social experience, combining food with live entertainment of some description. It's not unusual for dinner to accompanied by live music and raucous dancing, so if you venture out in the evening expecting to have a quiet romantic dinner with your loved one, then you might be in for a rude awakening. Dinner time falls some time after 19:00 in Russia, while lunch is normally around 14:00 to 15:00.

Dining out, you'll find food in a variety of price ranges and there's something available to suit all pockets. Generally speaking, restaurants are inexpensive in comparison to some of Europe's big cities, but you can find exclusive and expensive establishments easily, if that's your taste. Service charge is not obligatory in restaurants, but 10 per cent is standard, provided you are content with the service

Traditional Russian food varies depending on whether you live in a large town or a small village. The essential components however are the same and include potatoes, bread, butter, eggs and meat. Omelettes are popular morning fare, while main courses for the rest of the day include favourites such as pelmeny, which is small balls of minced meat covered with pastry, and vareniky, which is similar but contains berries, potato or curds instead of meat. Steak, beef stroganov and Kiev-style chicken are also popular, while potatoes with mushrooms are a favourite with rural Russians.

The Rivers and canals of St Petersburg
When the warmer weather starts and St Petersburg's waterways thaw out, a new perspective on the city can be gained via one of the many boat trips on offer. During the summer months, the Neva River is the ideal place to see some otherwise unavailable sights while enjoying the thrills of a speedboat ride.

Skiing and snowboarding
Head for Okhta Park, a scenic area located north of the city, and you'll find excellent facilities for skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating and sledging. The park features a total of five slopes of varying difficulty, with the average height 160 to 170 feet and the average length about 1,300 feet. Entry to the park is free; however, charges are made for the ski lifts. Prices vary depending on the time of year and weekdays are cheaper than weekends. All manner of equipment can be rented from the park.

Biking
Located on Glinki street in the city, Skat Prokat is a company offering both road and mountain bikes for hire. Bikes can be rented directly from the company's premises or by phone and delivered to your hotel. Outside of the city there is a wealth of places to discover by bike and whether you are an amateur or a professional, you'll find something of interest.

Ice skating
There are a number of places in the city where ice skating is available, these include: Saltykova-Shchedrina street, Fontanka river embankment, Kuznetsovskaya and Perekopskaya street. Skate hire is not available at all venues.