The port of St. Petersburg is located at the bottom of the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia.
Upon arrival, you will be “welcomed” by customs officers in military suits and looking very strict. But once in the city you will discover a wonderful place. You will see the imprints of communism in architecture and monuments as well as magnificent royal palaces filled with history.
Most cruise stops spend two days in St. Petersburg. This will give you the opportunity to enjoy this city.
Museums and attractions are not air-conditioned and for most of them, you have to buy a permit from the guide to take pictures or video.
St. Petersburg was the capital of Imperial Russia from 1712 to 1914 and remains the cultural capital of Russia. St. Petersburg changed its name several times and was renamed Petrograd from 1914 to 1924, Leningrad from 1924 to 1991, before regaining its original name following a referendum in 1991. Big names are linked to St. Petersburg, including Pushkin, Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky. Be sure to take a cruise on the canals of the city nicknamed “Venice of the North”.
WARNING: You must have a visa to visit St. Petersburg alone. However, this is not necessary if you take the boat trips, as you will be covered by the group visa.
