The so-called "European Russia" (from the borders with the Baltic Republics to the Ural Mountains) will be semi-reminiscent of European countries thanks to its people, culture, architecture and general atmosphere. The East-West contrast will perhaps be the first impression for Western visitors. And it will naturally touch upon St Petersburg city breaks, as the number and character of them is different. Certainly, the contrast between the Asiatic excitement of the hectic, narrow streets of Moscow and the reassuringly organized stately architecture of the most "European" of all St. Petersburg city breaks will immediately strike you.
St Petersburg city breaks are so numerous, having so much to offer that just a couple of nights may will never be enough. It's been calculated that it would take 7 years to look at each item in the Hermitage alone! If you don't have that kind of time at your disposal, don't worry. You can still organize your time to enjoy great samples of the over three million works of art and treasures housed in five connected buildings along the Neva. Even the building itself could do with a face-lift. But, certainly what's inside is truly remarkable -- the best thing of all is that you don't have to know about art to enjoy the beauty of the exhibits - they are all thoroughly explained in multiple languages, being the most inspiring of all St Petersburg city breaks.
St Petersburg city breaks will show you that every stone is a monument and every house a museum. The palace-park ensembles in the area of the Northern Capital (as it is called in Russia) are so numerous that a month is not enough to see all of them! Instead of the going to the Hermitage and St. Isaac's, visitors may opt to head for Peterhof to walk in the lavish park, feast their eyes on the magnificent fountains and the cottages of Tsar Nicholas I.
Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor is one of the cities `s biggest shopping centers and no St Petersburg city breaks would be complete without a visit. It has dozens of shops and tiny stalls, which are roofed under a one-kilometer long shopping center. Naturally, St Petersburg city breaks cannot do without main thoroughfare and the most famous street in Russia - Nevsky Prospect. With its historic squares, bridges, buildings, shopping, cafes, and even the occasional artist and black marketer, Nevsky Prospekt is in the heart of the city. One of the main St Petersburg city breaks stretches from the Alexander Nevsky monastery to the Admiralty, and thousands of people wander around it. Add to the mix even more cars and you will find yourself taking a plunge into the multicolored atmosphere that is Russia.
Unfortunately, the number of decent quality hotels in St Petersburg is not enough to provide lodgings to everybody who visits. So be ready to pay extra to stay in a standard Eastern European hotel which will probably cost more than a typical three-star affair in Western Europe. The good ones with a wide choice of St Petersburg city breaks tend to be booked out very early for the June-August peak season. Spring or Autumn being often the best time to visit - the weather is not too cold or too hot during this period. Besides, unique St Petersburg "white nights" can make your St Petersburg city breaks last twice as long.
Airfares for St Petersburg City Breaks start from $435.00 per person, including flights to Russia, transfers and accommodation with all taxes and airport transfers. Of course these figures are not set and you can always find St Petersburg city breaks at lower or higher price. The only thing which can be added is that St Petersburg city breaks are really incomparable with anything you had ever seen. Just come and enjoy all there is to see.