St. Petersburg Environs Travel Guide

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If St. Petersburg is the star of the show, then its suburbs are the supporting cast without which the story could not be told. For every aspect of the city's past—the glamour and glory of its Imperial era, the pride and power of its military history, the splendor of its architecture, the beauty of its waterways—there's a park, a palace, a playground of the tsars somewhere outside the city limits with a corresponding tale to tell. From the dazzling fountains of Peterhof on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, to the tranquil estate of Pavlovsk to the south, to the naval stronghold of Kronshtadt—a quiet town with a turbulent history and a still-Soviet feel (and once completely closed to foreigners)—what surrounds St. Petersburg is as important to its existence and identity as anything on Nevsky prospekt. It might seem odd to exhort you to get out of the city almost as soon as you have arrived, but you'll understand why once you have seen the suburbs for yourself, wandered through the palaces imagining what it would be like to call them home, and strolled through the grounds in the footsteps of the aristocrats and officers who made Russia a world power.

St. Petersburg Environs Restaurants

Because most of the suburbs involve only a short trip from St. Petersburg, there has not been any real demand for quality restaurants and cafés...read more

Things To Do in St. Petersburg Environs

The area around St. Petersburg is one big monument...read more

Sights

Travel Deals in St. Petersburg Environs

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St. Petersburg Environs Experiences

Top Reasons to Go to St. Petersburg Environs

Peterhof Fountains: The grounds surrounding Peterhof palace (nicknamed the "Russian Versailles") are filled with whimsical fountains. Don't miss... Read more
Hydrofoils: Ships on Wings

Hydrofoils, or meteory, are a popular mode of transport in St. Petersburg, especially for visiting the city suburbs of Peterhof and Kronshtadt... Read more
Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Collection

The much-discussed art collection of Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya will be on display in its entirety at Konstantine Palace in 2008. The collection... Read more
The Story of the Amber Room

The original Amber Room panels, a unique masterpiece of amber carving once referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World," were presented to... Read more