Saint Petersburg travel tips

Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) 
This theatre, whose whole name is Tovstonov Bolshoi Drama Theater, is very popular not only in Saint Petersburg, but also in Moscow, for its avant-garde ideas. (They use to perform Henry Miller provocative works). When they play a Première, the director (he is my friend!) invites a selected circle of acquaintances to his cabinet, upstairs, to celebrate the success of the new performance with the typical Russian “sakuski” and, of course, lots of vodka! more

Mariinski Theatre 
This is probably the best theatre in the world. The only obstacle for travellers on the cheap is the price. Foreigners pay much more than locals. When you go inside the theatre, there are controllers, and if they notice that you are a foreigner (and they will know it at once, because of your clothes or by asking you something in Russian, and even if you speak fluent Russian they will perceive your foreign accent, as was my case), then they will proceed to forbid you the entrance. But there is a ruse that I discovered: You buy a local ticket, the most expensive one (about 20 US Dollars, while foreigners would have to pay over 100 for that same ticket), and then another ticket for foreigners (the cheapest, at about 10 US Dollars, while for Russians would cost a couple of Dollars). First you present at the entry the foreign ticket, cross the gate and go upstairs, leave you jacket in the wardrobe and then go down to your beautiful seat (maybe Belle-etage) to enjoy the Swans Lake!!! more

Musei Artiki i Antartiki 
This is my favourite museum in Saint Petersburg (well, I also love the Hermitage and Pavel I Palace). Officially it is called Rosiiskii Gosudarstvennii Musei Artiki i Antartiki. It is situated in the centre, close to Nevsky Prospekt and the main railway station. There are the ground floor and the first floor. Each floor shows the history of the Arctic or the Antarctic, with taxidermist animals, maps, pictures, history of some famous expeditions, etc. It is a very impressive museum if you love travelling. When going out you will be so contagious by what you saw that you will think in joining an expedition to the Antarctica! In order to pay like Russian (if you do not speak Russian or do not look like a Russian), do not talk too much; just ask one ticket with one finger. Better if you have a plastic bag with you in your other hand; Russian do not leave home without such a bag. Downstairs, the “garderob” (wardrobe) is free. They sell books related to the history of the two Poles more

Doroga Zhizni (Road of Life) 
This is an impressive and touching route of 47 kilometres in “elektrichki” (local train), from Saint Petersburg to the Lake Ladoga. It is called Life Route because during 900 days (from 1941 to 1944) the Russians sent food and medicines to the 3 millions of citizens of Leningrad (today Saint Petersburg), outwitting the German siege. One and a quarter of a million died from inanition. In the last station, by the lake, there is a monument devoted to the train that brought the food and other useful items. In summertime the cargo was sent by boats and trains, while in winter the Russians sent the help by trucks through the frozen waters of the Ladoga Lake. There is also a museum explaining this sad part of the Russian history. Inside you can read the following phrase (in Russian language): “All for the Front, all for the Victory”. From Saint Petersburg to Lake Ladoga more

Yusupov Palace 
This lovely palace offers concerts. I went twice there and was enchanted for the good musical performances and the place itself with rooms in different stiles, neoclassic, oriental, etc. The decoration is very rich with abundant statues, mirrors, chandeliers, and old furniture. After the Revolution many artistic items from this palace were removed and taken to the Hermitage. On the ground floor they sell nice souvenirs. In the subterranean room there is a small museum where it is represented with impressive statues at full size, the murder of the sinister Rasputin by the prince Felix Yusupov. Felix Yusupov, after the October Revolution, migrated to England, where he wrote a book where he explains about Rasputin. more

Caravane Sarai 
This is one of my three favourite restaurants in the “Eighth Wonder of the World” City: Saint Petersburg. The dishes are of Uzbek cuisine, very tasty, nourishing and not very spicy. Try traditional manty, and, of course, plov, the most famous Uzbek dish (rice with vegetables, meat or dried fruits). For wines, do not miss the Georgian ones. In the evenings there are belly dances. To get there take the metro until Mayakovskaya, or Chernyshevskaya. It is located near the Mikhailovsky Castle. more

St Petersburg Int. Hostel 
They arrange visa support, and bus and air tickets to everywhere in Russia. It is located near the main railway station, in the metro station Ploschad Vosstania. more