---

St.-Petersburg – the symbol of European Russia, by right thought to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Unlike the other Russian cities, with their common monosyllabic names, the name “Sankt Piterburh” (how it sounds in Russian) consists of two words, each with its own meaning. Sankt is the Latin for “Saint”, “Peter” is the name of the apostle Saint Peter (which is, by the way, translated from Greek as “the stone”), and “burgh” is the Dutch for “city”. This way, the name of the former Russian capital unites the name of its tsar, its saint patron and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, Germany and Holland.

The city stands on the Neva River, at the spot where it flows into the Gulf of Finland. The climate is therefore damp – the winter is mild and the summer is rather cool. The city’s northern location is also the reason for such a unique phenomenon as “the white nights”, which can be observed May 25th – July 17th.

St.-Petersburg is one of the largest cities in the world, with a population of more than 5000 inhabitants. It is also a large industrial, cultural and scientific centre, an important traffic centre, sea- and airport. It is no wonder that one will find lots of universities, theatres, museums, offices and factories here.

The former capital of Russia (it played this part in 1712-28 and 1732-1918), it faced many important political happenings like the February Revolution and the October Revolution. During the Great Patriotic War the city faced a 900-day siege and, thanks to its heroic resistance to the enemy, was officially awarded with the title of the Hero City.

The city boasts of a great amount of architectural ensembles and is therefore a true magnet for tourists. The Peter and Paul Fortress, Alexander Nevsky Monastery, Smolny Cathedral, Palace Square and the Winter Palace, the Alexander Column, The Bronze Horseman, St Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, The Mariinsky Palace, The Church of Savior on Spilled Blood, the Field of Mars, The Summer Garden and Summer Palace of Peter the Great… the list of St.
-Petersburg attractions could be continued. In 1960 there was a Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery sobering monument built in the city. The suburban attractions are the fountains of Peterhof, parks and palaces of Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Gatchina ect.

Whenever you come to St.-Petersburg, you will definitely enjoy it! The city will enchant you with its northern beauty and traditional hospitality. Summer Petersburg is renowned for its white nights, when the sun goes down for just a couple of hours and the rest of night is as bright as a daytime. What a great chance to extend your walks around the city streets! It is in summer that guests like to watch bridges draw.

St.-Petersburg is a fabulous view in autumn! Yellow, red and dark-green leaves make this city not only a photography model, but also a magnet for romantic personalities. Autumn is the best time to visit the city suburbs. Their parks and palaces look exceptionally elegant and beautiful during the period.

Winter is good for a calm visit to the city palaces, museums and theatres. The weather is chilly and often slushy, but the number of tourists is smaller, so you are more likely to find a proper hotel room. By the way, the choice of hotels is extensive. Calm halls of local museums will tell you the story of the city, its shows will impress you with a diversity of Russian traditions, Russian character and soul. Hiding from winter in cosy cafes and restaurants is a real pleasure.

Having arrived to St.-Petersburg in spring, you will feel all the pleasures of nature awakening, everything breathes with freshness while the ice on the Neva river melts.

Go to St.-Petersburg and enjoy its beauty!

Related Articles on Travel and Leisure

1. What to start with at the Big Apple
   
2. Cable Cars of San Francisco. A living history
   
3. Why choose Zakopane for your winter holidays?
   
4. Rajasthan Tourism
   
5. Luxurious Saint-Tropez and its attractions
   
6. Sunshine Coast Holiday Apartments
   
7. Sunshine Coast Accommodations
   
8. Components of environmentally friendly hotels
   
9. Green Hotel Certification
   
10. Aviation History - Looking Back at One of Man’s Greatest Accomplishments
    
11. Shuttle Service in London Luton Airport Renders an Economical Option
    
12. Ease Your Journey through Booking Online for Minicab in London
    
13. Chauffeur Driven Cars in London Claim Safe and Tireless Journey
    
14. Chocked Tentacle in Alghero, Sardinia
    
15. Where There Is A Luxurious Wheel, There Is A Way
    
16. Volvo Ocean Race Galway – Hotels In Galway
    
17. Enjoy The Real Luxury In Luxuryhotels
    
18. Travellers Tales – Northern Territory – Kununurra To Darwin
    
19. Cheap Hotels In Chorley
    
20. Online The Best Place To Find Cheap Hotels In Dubai
    

Latest Articles on Travel and Leisure

1. Rothay Garden Wins Gold For Its Team Approach In Cumbria Tourism Awards
   The winners of the 2009 Cumbria Tourism Awards were revealed at a special ceremony in Kendal this month – and Rothay Garden was the proud winner of one of the most important awards of the year – the Lady Inglewood Award for Innovative People Management....
2. Thailand Beach Resort
   Thailand has one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. For those that have traveled there they know that the beauty of this untouched place makes for some of the best vacations in the world. This is coupled with the vast amount of historical culture that abounds the countryside and there is never a shortage of things to do in this country....
3. The Worsley Arms Hotel; Touring From Hotels Near York
   Location, location, location goes the mantra and where better than to have a short break in North Yorkshire than a traditional hotel in the North York Moors. The Worsley Arms Hotel is situated in the wonderful village of Hovingham, near to Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Pickering and is one of the finest hotels near York....
4. Enjoy International Tours
   International tours about places on world to travel with their attraction, culture, living styles, food varieties. International tours can stay in your life as wonderful moments.There are many places like Australia, India, Bali, China, Dubai, Egypt, Europe, Maldives, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Mauritiu....
5. Kerala - The Best Place For Vacation
   We all know Kerala is known as Green Paradise on Earth, has some of the immaculate hill stations in India, with the entire Western Ghats dotted with attractive grasslands, stretches of refreshing smell of tea and coffee agricultural estates. It is al....
6. Rawcliffe House Farm Cottages In Pickering
   Pickering is in the most ideal location for exploring the wonderful North York Moors, the North Yorkshire coast, York, the Yorkshire Wolds and even the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Sitting centrally between Thirsk, Whitby, Scarborough, and York and with the North York Moors National Park on its back yard, you’d be hard pressed to find a more perfect location for exploring the North Yorkshir...
7. Irish Wolfhounds
   Irish Wolfhounds are noble animals; gentle giants, whose basic nature is that of your typical "couch potato". They love their comfort as much as you do. They make perfect "nannies" for your children and have the patience of a saint. Nevertheless, ownership of such a large dog brings plenty of responsibilities, as well as immense pleasures - as we were soon to find out....
8. Kovalam Beach Will Bewitch You
   For the epicureans the place is a delght. All cuisine one finds in four corners of the world are available, but the pure, ethnic dishes, especially Kerala’s very own mashed tapioca and fish curry, is something even the most fastiditious must give a try. Though spicy, the dish is held in high esteem for its wholesomeness. It is known to spur digestion and help clear bowl motion in the morn....
9. Some Ways To Move Around Madagascar
   Many people around the world connect to Madagascar to see the wildlife of the island. The green side of Madagascar is becoming more and more popular worldwide. A simple search on the Internet will return you lots of results concerning the island of Madagascar....
10. Parks Of Madagascar- Something Worth Your Discovery
    Madagascar is one of the biggest islands in the world. Found in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar has the sweet tropical temperature and the sun is sometimes harder than the other tropical islands like Mauritius or Seychelles. This might be because of its placement in the ocean....

Related topics in Travel and Leisure

Submit Articles © 2009 KeepArticles.com, All Rights Reserved.