Many Russians feel that their nation has two capitals – St. Petersburg being the second. The city is often referred to as the most beautiful city in Russia. It is a wealth of palaces in elegant mixture of Italian Baroque and Russian styles. Tsar Peter the Great wanted a window to Europe and founded St. Petersburg in the 18th century.

Everywhere in the city visitors feel surrounded by exquisite palaces of the old aristocracy and canals criss-crossing the city. It is difficult to mention the most important sights since the city is full of them: The Winter Palace – former home of the tsar, now housing the world’s largest museum the Hermitage – Peter and Paul bastion – the town cradle in 1703 – the legendary warship Avrora, the Smolny Cathedral, the Alexander Nevski Monastry and the Mariinski Theatre.

There are more splendid experiences to discover just a short drive from the city: impressive country homes of the 18th century tsars like the magnificent palace of Cathrine the Great. Petrodvorets – the palace Peter the Great built to resemble Versailles with gardens, waterfalls and fountains – and of course Stalinist buildings and monuments are other important sights among the many in St. Petersburg.