St. Petersburg Feature

The State Hermitage Museum: The pearl of the world's historical and art collections, you can see everything from works by Monet, Picasso, and Matisse to the opulence of tsarist Russia, from Egyptian mummies to Scythian gold.

St. Isaac's Cathedral: The third largest cathedral in the world dominates St. Petersburg's skyline, with a gilded dome covered in 100 kg (220 lbs) of pure gold. Climb the colonnade for a great panoramic view of the city.

White Nights: If you are planning to visit in May through July you'll be witness to this unusual phenomenon where the city is aglow in daylight throughout the night. Enjoy the romance and the beauty of the illuminated nights on the banks of the Neva River.

Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theatre: Known for ballet stars such as Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov who once graced its stage, this theater also turns out great modern ballet as well as opera performances by the likes of Anna Netrebko.

Peter and Paul Fortress: St. Petersburg was founded at this site which Peter the Great built. It never saw battle, though, and instead became a political prison for Peter's rebellious son, Alexei and later held Dostoyevsky, Gorky, and Trotsky to name a few. The dynasty of Russian tsars is buried within the fortress.