Something special, Saint Petersburg

A beautiful building located close to the Palace. This photo was taken from the fountains and we did not have time to visit.

During the reign of Empress Elisabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, the Palace Church was significantly altered and expanded by the Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who added an additional floor, a new palace wing and a small domed church.

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From the Palace forecourt you obtain the best view of the fountain, gardens and canal. Just stand there for 5 minutes and take in the landscape. This would be one of the best positions to obtain a birdseye view. Great for a wideangle photo.

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We walked down from the Palace past the magnificent fountain and into the beautiful gardens. The scene was something special . We continued walking for 5 minutes and then turned back to obtain the "Landscape View". Certainly something to remember.

History records that Peter the Great admired Versailles Palace and Gardend and modelled Peterhof on Versailles. I have visited both and do not like to make the comparison, both are beautiful.

Our visit to Peterhof was on a guided tour, however many of our travels are independent and I always like to know how tourist attractions can be reached using public transport. Significant savings can be made if travelling with your partner or family.

In fact entry to Peterhof is free.

There are various transport options to get to Peterhof from central St. Petersburg. Electric trains run from Baltiskiy Station to Noviy Peterhof, and take around 45 minutes. The station is about 20 minutes' walk from the gates to the Upper Garden across Proletarskiy Park, or there are several buses. Alternatively, marshrutka minibuses run from in front of Baltiskiy Station directly to the park gates in Peterhof. There are also marshrutkas from Avtovo (K-424) and from Leninskiy Prospekt (K-242) Metro Stations. The drive from the city should take a little under one hour.

Probably the best way to visit Peterhof is to take a hydrofoil across the Gulf of Finland to the jetty at the end of the Marine Canal. Three companies run regular hydrofoil services through the summer months from the Hermitage jetty, Angliskaya Naberezhnaya next to the Senate Building, and Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya next to the Academy of Sciences

You can day-trip from Saint Petersburg by bus on your own for $14 one-way for 3 1/2 hour ride one way leaving bus station at 7:30 am and return on 7:30 pm bus with plenty of time to see Novgorod city Kremlin, Yuriev Monastary, Museum of Wooden Architecture, and have dinner before returning.

Tricks:

1. This is Veliky Novgorod World Heritage site, not the big huge Nizhniy Novgorod further away from St. Petersburg.
2. Bus station is often referred to as "Coach" station in guides, which of course is not it's official name, so be prepared for blank stares when you ask where it is. Also, not on main maps of guide books because further out of town. No worry. Don't walk. Take two metro stops from Sennaya Ploschad on purple line and get off on Obvonovo Kanala in direction OPPOSITE of Komendantsky pr. I am not stating the direction in which it is because the number of stops in this direction is still being expanded and may not show up on guide maps.
3. You arrive in a new shopping mall building on Obvonovo Kanala. Exit heading toward Ligovsky Pr. and cross it continuing on Obvonovo Kanala. Stay on same side of canal you are on. Five minute walk. Bus Station is one block past Ligovsky Pr. on right. When I went in November, no need to buy bus tickets in advance. Don't know about in summer.
4. After you arrive in Novgorod, walk 5 minutes to center of town from bus station. walk straight down wide avenue in front of station, or ask for Kremlin. Avenue ends with theater in front. Make a right around the theater and continue straight towards Kremlin. Street ends in a curved avenue crossing it. On the right corner is fancy-looking, but delicious and reasonable "Nice" restaurant for your dinner before you leave. Make right on curved avenue to go to Tourist Office, which is one block to the right on the left-hand side of street (Wooden A-framed building - looks like cabin).
3. Get map in wonderful tourist office with one of few people who speak English.
4.Go across street from Tourist office to bus stop going to Yuriev Monastary. Five minute ride. Enjoy Unsurpassable Monestary.
5. Walk to Museum of Wooden Architecture (open air museum of stunning beauty). 7 minute walk.
6. Take bus from outside Museum and return to Kremlin. Five minute ride. Visit Kremlin and places across bridge.
7. Pass back through Kremlin and stop at souvenir stands near tourist office and buy cozy beautiful handmade wool socks for $5 a pair.
8. If open, see museum of history.
9. Head back to station stopping at "Nice" Restaurant for dinner before walking back to station.

Address: Novgorod (Veliky), Russia
Directions: Tour of town

Read more: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/21931f/#ixzz1gFux1FJF

In the end of 2011 the most biggest model of our country will be opened. The model is sutuated in a former factory building.
Now one can see not finished model of Russia only on Sundays from 12.00 till 17.00. They use their own models of houses, car, busses, ships and modes from Germany modified for this project.
Metro station "Moskovskiye Vorota" (Moscow Gates) and the walk 10 minutes to Tsvetochnaya ulitsa (Flower street) number 16.
Web camera http://www.grand-maket.ru/ru/node/56

Anglotourismo Walking Tour dedicated to the Siege of the city during World War II. Learn about "the Troy of the 20th century". When the Nazy crossed the Soviet border on June 22nd 1941, Leningrad had a population of about 3,2 million people. By January 1944, less than 550 thousand were left in the city...

I like walking along paths of Krestovsky Ostrov (Island) - a quiet place located some 10 min. by car from the city center, or, by Metro. Station - Krestovsky Ostrov. Start exploring it from the southern part, then move to the other islands connected with Krestovsky - see the link below -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krestovsky_Island

Classical music amateurs, please, pay attention to a newly opened concert hall of the Mariinsky theatre : world - class musicians for better price. Comfortable seats. Book tickets in advance through the web-site of Mariinsky.

Walking along Bolshaya Morskaya Street, 53 (off Isaakievskaya Square), don't miss a small gallery on the right hand (free entrance). They display and sell unique hand-made dalls. The owner's name is Varvara. Cosmic Tourist (see photo) is her creature:)