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1. The Water / Seasonal Concerns
It is highly discouraged to drink the tap water in St. Petersburg. For brushing teeth, please boil the water for at least ten minutes. For drinking, bottled water is quite inexpensive; stick to it.
Because Petersburg is a former swamp, mosquito repellent is also highly recommended, particularly if you plan to visit the beautiful nature of Karelia in the summer.
The allotment of daylight in St. Petersburg reaches extremes. During the winter, days become almost non-existent and in summer, vice-versa. We have found that exercise and vitamins are very effective ways to fight off seasonal blues and colds, which can be common in a humid, densely populated, foreign city. For summer, a sleeping mask can be helpful.
The climate of St. Petersburg is fairly typical of a northern coastal city; it is unpredictable. Winters can be mild or bring a severe, damp, biting cold. The average winter temperature is –5 to –15 Celsius, but assume it will be colder on average than any other place you have experienced.
2. Restaurants, Cafés, etc.Petersburg is loaded with places to eat: some good, some not so good, some expensive, some a great value. See the introduction of this guide for some resources on where to go. Ask Russians where they like to go and talk to your classmates and acquaintances about their experiences. Here is a short list to get you started:
Traditional gone Pop: Yolki Palki, Kish Mish, Shury Mury, Moo-Moo and similar restaurants with funny names offer an inexpensive buffets and entrees. Good value, decent food and entertaining if not exactly authentic atmosphere. These are pretty much everywhere; just keep your eyes open.
Summer Dining in Pete: The Sixth Line is a pedestrian street near SPGU. It is lined with small decently priced cafes and, on weekends, street musicians and artists. A good place to stroll and eat.
For the Home Sick: Located near the Hermitage, City Bar (Millionaya Ul, 9) offers real hamburgers and milkshakes, although service can be slow and irritable. The many coffee shops on Nevsky Prospekt will offer menus similar to Starbucks in America, at similar prices: just like being back home!
Value for the Money, Pleases All: There is a very good Indian restaurant at the corner of Bolshoi and Shevchenko (on Vasilievsky Island, near the SPbGU dorms). For vegetarians this place is a small bit of heaven. Go with a big group of friends as food here is served in traditional style: on large communal platters. Quite inexpensive, but very easy to order toomuch. Georgian is also highly recommended as a way to please the most ardent vegetarians and carnivores. The city’s best value for the money is at Kvarli, a tiny restaurant near the city zoo that is so good and so tiny that you may want to book in advance. (Ul. Lizy Chaikinoi 22 901-302-01-06).
For Music: Fish Fabrique and Moloko are excellent places to go for alternative music (ethic, punk, jazz, fusion, etc.). The beer is cheap and Russian artists and intellectuals populate these clubs. Moloko is located at Perekupnoy per, 12. Fish Fabrique is well-hidden at Ligovsky Pro, 53. Look for the arch near where the address should be. Through the arch, you will see a sign that reads, in Russian, “St. Petersburg Art Community.” Go through the door below the sign, down the concrete steps and through the unmarked door at the base of the steps to the left (you will probably hear music beyond the door).
Sensory experience: Lenin’s Mating Call offers “Soviet and anti-Soviet cuisine” in atmosphere you can enjoy if you can laugh at those that history doesn’t remember so fondly. The restaurant/bar is decorated in deep red with small pictures of Lenin, busts of Lenin, statues, murals, and place mats of Lenin, Stalin, and Dzerzhinsky. The place is not cheap, and can get quite racy, but is recommended to try.
Expat hangouts: Vegas, a sports bar and casino is at Manezhnaya Square, 6. Fairly pricey, but great for sports fans. The Shamrock is an Irish-themed bar with a dance floor, located at Dekabristov ul.
3. Shopping
Again, there are many options in St. Petersburg. Nevsky Prospekt is now littered with high-end retail. At the St. Petersburg Art Community (Ligovsky Pro, 53, under the arch) you can find art shops, used clothing, and an alternative record (yes, plastinki) shop. For antiques and souvenirs, look for the rinok between the church of the Spilled Blood and the Neva River.
4. Doctors and Clinics
American Medical Center (recommended*)
Address: 78 Moika Emb.
Tel : 140 20-90; 740-2090
Fax: 310 46-64
Email: amc@amclinic.ru
Web: http://www.british-americanclinic.com
Hours: 24hr emergency service, option to direct bill your insurance.
Polyclinic Complex - Medical Center for Foreigners
Address: Moskovsky Prospekt 22
Tel: 316-6272, 110-1102, or 292-6274.
European Medical Center
Address: 60 Suvorovsky Prospekt.
Tel: 327-0301
Dental Palace
Address: 10, Millionaya Ul.,
Tel: 325-7500
Hours: Mon-Fri: 09:30-20:00; Sat: 11:00-17:00; Closed Sun
5. The Theatre, Concerts, Ballet, Opera, etc.
Russia is known for its performing arts. Take advantage and see all that you can. Tickets can be purchased at the theatre or concert hall itself. Tickets may also be purchased from theatre kiosks and tables around town. If you know a bit of Russian, you can also use kontramarka.ru – reserve tickets online, and pick them up at various locations in town.Most theatres in St. Petersburg now have separate Russian and foreigner prices for tickets, a practicemost museums have commonly practiced but which these theatres have succeeded in making wholly unreasonable (the differencecan be up to 10 times!). We recommend inviting a Russian along to helpbuy your tickets for you.
The Mariinsky
(Teatralnaya Pl. 1; Tel: 326-41-41)
The Mariinsky, among those in-the-know, is even more famous than the Bolshoi forballet. It's company, known as the Kirov, took the ballet world by storm during the Soviet era and its reputation has not diminished - nor should it. It's also recommended for dramatic productions if for no reason than they now have a subtitle screen (in English) next to the stage.
Tovstonogov Dramatic Theatre
(Fontanka 65; Tel: 310-92-42)
Founded in 1919by Communist favoriteMaxim Gorky, the theatre rocketed to fame under director Georgi Tovstonogov and adopted his name. It still gives some of the highest quality presentations of classic and contemporary plays in Petersburg.
Mussorgsky Theatre
(Pl. Isskustv, 1; Tel: 595-43-05)
Surrounded by art museums and architecture, a trip to one of St. Pete's most respected dramatic theatres can make a great end to an art-infused day.
The Philharmonic
(Michailovskaya Ul, 2; Tel: 110-42-57)
Shostakovitch Hall inside the Grand Philharmonic Hall is probably the most respected of all concert halls - big names from Europe and Russia play here.
Conservatories
Conservatories can be a great place to witness some of Russia's brightest young talent perform pieces on par with other theatres and concert halls, only in a more informal and less expensive atmosphere. Try the Ballet Conservatory at Teatralnaya Pl. 3 (Tel: 117-05-06) and the Music Conservatory at B. Nikitskaya, 13 (Tel: 229-9401).
6. Museums in St. Petersburg
This is a small sampling of St. Petersburg’s plethora of museums. If you are interested in taking guided excursions to any of these locations (or have requests for others), you may contact SRAS about arrangements. If you would like to simply visit these sites on your own, we have provided addresses and telephone numbers for all of them. You should keep in mind that many of the smaller museums in Russia tend to keep odd hours, and change them at will. You should call ahead to make sure your location will be open when you arrive.
Also, keep in mind that especially in St. Pete, it is hard to classify museums specifically. Many art museums are housed in architecturally-interesting, historically-important buildings which formally housed nobles and/or government offices. But we did our best.
a. Must Sees!
The Peter and Paul Fortress (The Museum of the History of St. Petersburg)
(Petropavlovskaya krepost, 3; Tel: 238-45-50)
This fortress complex was the first major structure built after Russia occupied the territory that would become St. Petersburg. It is now a fascinating museum with exhibits on construction techniques, city planning, early government structures and acts, etc. You can even arrange helicopter rides over St. Pete here.
The State Hermitage
(Dvortsovaya nab, 32-38; Tel: 110-96-25)
This is the world’s largest collection of Art, anywhere. It’s housed in the former winter palace, a massive, winding and audacious structure that would take you a week to see all of. This will also give you some idea of why the people were so upset with the rulers come time for the revolution.
The Museum of Urban Sculpture
(Nevsky pr. 179/2; Tel: 274-263)
We guess the Soviets renamed this to demystify the sacred burial site of some of St. Pete’s biggest names: Lomonosov, Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, Rimsky-Korsakov. Located inside the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
The Aurora Cruiser
(Petrogradskaya nab, 3; Tel: 230-84-40)
Among other things, this ship helped to start the Bolshevik revolution by firing a blank shot at the winter palace. It’s now a FREE museum where you can watch real navy cadets being trained how to work the controls.
St. Isaac’s Cathedral
(1 Isaakievskaya sq., Tel: 315-9732)
A classical cathedral more reminiscent of Italian than Russian churches, this is big enough to house 10,000 worshipers. Get there early to check out the view from the colonnade on top.
b. Quirky but Interesting
Museum of Hygiene
(Italyanskaya ul. 25; Tel: 595 89 08)
Only come if you have a strong stomach and psyche. This museum, created by Peter, features medical anomalies such as preserved organs affected by disease and misuse, deformed fetuses andPavlov's dog (stuffed). This is interesting, but you might not want to stay for the all the exhibits.
c. Art
The State Russian Museum
(Inzhenernaya UL., 4; Tel: 314-34-48)
If winding your way through the hermitage didn’t exhaust your artistic appetite, you can come see 320,000 more ancient and modern pieces on display here. Most will tell you its worth seeing, however, as the Hermitage represents on of the finest collections of European art and the Russian Museum represents one of the finest collections of Russian art.
The Mikhailovsky Castle
(Sadovaya ul., 2; Tel: 210-41-73)
A sort of medieval-classical montage built by Catherine’s son, Emperor Paul I. He lived in it only a few years before he was killed in his bedroom. It is now a branch of the Russian Museum and hosts yet even more art!
The Menshikov Palace
(Universitetskaya nab., 15; Tel: 213-11-12)
Built by the historically controversial former Governor-general of the city, Alexander Menshikov, this massive and lavish former home is now a museum of culture and art; it’s an affiliate of the Hermitage.
The Marble Palace
(Milionnaya ul., 5; Tel: 312-91-96)
And for those especially interested in modern and pop art (or marble architecture), this is the place to see.
The Stroganov Palace
(Nevsky pr., 17; Tel: 311-82-38)
The former palace is now home to a large collection of icons and wax figures of Romanov-era figures.
Contemporary Art Galleries
The following galleries are considered to be the most prestigious show rooms among today's St. Petersburg artists (list contributed by E. Varshavskaya)
Pushkinskaya 10
(Ligovsky Prospect, 53)
This is actually a conglomeration of studios,apartments, and various artistic experiments that can be said to effectively encompass Russia's contemporary artistic elite.Spend the day here at places like the museum of non-conformism, the centre of experimental noise, the studio for performance art, and the Techno Art Centre. When those close down, the complex also houses one of the city's best clubs, Fish Fabrique, frequented by the artists.
The Anna Nova Gallery
(Zhukovskogo Street, 28; Tel:812-275-9762)
(Fax: 812-272-8951Email:info@annanova-gallery.ru)
The Mitki Gallery
Dmitry Shagin, Curator
(Marata Street, 36;no phone)
Gallery D-137
Olga Kudriavtseva, Curator
(Nevsky Pr., 90-92; Tel: 812-275-6011)
(Email: d137@peterlink.ru)
Dmitry Semenov Gallery
Dmitry Semenov, Curator
(Ligovsky Pr., 63, apt. 19;Tel: 812-575-8323)
(Email: info@ds-gallery.ru)
Marina Gisich Art Gallery
Marina Gisich, Curator
(Fontanka Embankment, 121, apt. 13; Tel: 812-314-4279)
(Fax: 812-314-4380; Email: gallery@sisich.com)
d. History
The Central Naval Museum
(Birzhevaya pl.; Tel: 218-25-02)
A vast collection of naval uniforms, model ships and submarines, and really big guns.
The House of M. Ksnesinskaya (The Museum of the Political History of Russia)
(Kuybysheva ul., 2; Tel: 233-70-48)
Renamed from “The Museum of the October Revolution” after the fall, this museum is well worth a look if you are interested in Communism.
The Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering, and Communication Forces
(Alexandrovskiy park, 7; Tel: 233-03-82).
This is one of the world’s largest military museums, housed in the formal Arsenal.
The Monument to Heroic Defenders of Leningrad
(Pobedy pl.; Tel: 293-65-63)
A monument and museum to the epic 900-day siege of the city during WWII.
Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery
(Prospekt Nepokorionnykh)
Dedicated to those who did not survive the siege. The 186 mass graves where a half million are interedare sobering tosay the least.
e. Literature, Theatre and Music
The Museum of Russian Literature (Pushkinskiy Dom)
(Makarova nab., 4; Tel: 218-05-02)
A very large collection of first edition and original manuscripts. Many, many artifacts related to Russia’s literary development from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
The Museum of Theater and Music
(Ostrovskogo pl., 6a; Tel: 311-21-95)
A very large collection of musical instruments, sheet music, portraits of famous actors, and general memorabilia from Russia’s great epics of theatre and music.
The Museum of Musical Instruments
(Isaakievskaya pl., 5.; Tel: 314-53-94)
Dostoevsky Sites
Dostoevsky lived in St. Petersburg and based most of his characters and novels in real places around the city. Visit Raskolnikov's house on Grazhdanskaia ulitsa 19/5. You can go up the stairs, where there is a good amount of interesting graffiti, but the apartment is occupied by a tenant (you can’t go in). Then, walk the famous 730 steps to the pawn broker’s house at Srednaya Podiacheskaya ul. 15/104. St. Nikolas Cathedral to the south of Theatre Square is a common scene in Dostoevsky’s works. You can also visit The Memorial Museum of F.M. Dostoevsky housed in his former apartment (Kuznechnyy per., 5/2; Tel: 311-40-31), and see his grave at Alexander Nevski Lavra (see “Must Sees” above).
The House-Museums
Russia has tons of these preserved apartments, estates, and houses which also house things like original works, first-edition prints, and other gems from the famous people who lived in the residences. These sometimes host special performances, concerts, and lectures. You will also probably find babushkas that have worked there for ages and can tell you lots of interesting facts. Here are a few that may be of interest, if you don’t find what you are interested in, you may contact us for more options.
The Apartment of Anna Akhmatova (Fontanny dom)
(Fontanki Reki nab., 34; Tel: 272-22-11)
The Apartment of A.A. Blok
(Dekabristov ul., 57; Tel: 113-86-33)
The Apartment of N.A. Nekrasov
(Liteynyy pr., 36; Tel: 272-01-65)
The Apartment of Pushkin
(Moiki Reki nab, 12; Tel: 314-00-06)
The Museum of M.V. Lomonosov
(Universitetskaya nab., 3; Tel: 238-45-50)
This one is much more of laboratory-museum, housing some of Lomonosov’s experiments and art.
The Museum-Apt of Rimsky-Korsakov
(28 Zagorodnyy Pr. Detached house in the inner yard; Tel: 113-3208)
f. Religious/Architechtural
The House of Peter I
(Petrovskaya nab., 6; Tel: 232-45-76)
The first residence built in St. Pete – for Peter the Great himself. A unique hodge-podge of Russian and Dutch architecture, it still houses many of Peter’s personal belongings.
The Summer Palace of Peter I
(Summer Garden; Tel: 314-04-56)
Peter’s answer to the large and beautiful sculpted parks he had seen in Europe. A good place for a stroll, the 18th century palace inside is fully restored.
Church of the Spilled Blood
(Griboedova Kanala nab.; Tel: 315-1636)
Built by Alexander III to mark the spot where Alexander II died, this impressive, ornate and very Russian cathedral is one of St. Pete’s prime attractions and a good place to buy souvenirs.
g. Science/Technology
The Museum of the Ethnography of Russia
(Inzhenernaya ul., 4a; Tel: 219-11-74)
Anthropological (Social) history of Russia, displays of everyday life from eras past.
The Museum of Zoology
(Universitetskaya nab., 1; Tel: 218-01-12)
The Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (named after Peter the Great)
(Universitetskaya nab., 3; Tel: 218-14-12)
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