I have recently discovered how lucky I am to be living so close to St. Petersburg, the city that people so often refer to as “Venice of the North”. In the light of recent events and the negative outlook and commentary from the West, many people choose not to visit the city but there is so much to recommend a visit. Be it nature, religious or historical culture that you are after, SPB has it all.
If you’re travelling from Helsinki there are a few options that are also student budget friendly. Firstly, there is the train, which costs more than the bus but with which you can save time since it only takes three and a half hours to get to St. Petersburg and you don’t have to wait at the border. The tickets cost 60 euros when booked less than two weeks prior to departure. However, if booked earlier the price drops to 29 euros, so booking well in advance is something I recommend doing. You can also take the bus, but be prepared to spend 7 hours traveling for a price that ranges between 20 to 25 euros on average. Both methods have pros and cons to them, but I think it’s a matter of personal preference. If, however, you are feeling extra adventurous you might want to explore the option of the cruise that takes a little over 15 hours. The big bonus with this option is that you get to explore the city without a visa, but only for a day, which in my opinion would only be enough to get a taste of the city.
Upon arrival in SPB the foreign feel engulfs you and you become a part of something new, something distinctly foreign. The chit chat of the people surrounds you as the sea of people moves around you at a fast pace. The flock of busy cars races to make every green light as you wait to embark on the walk across the large street with hundreds of other people, with noises from the tourist boats echoing from the rivers below. The city is vast and you become so small, but you won’t be able to miss the beauty of it all.
The architecture and look of a lot of the buildings by the rivers look similar to the ones in Helsinki due to the fact that the same architect planned both cities, but in St. Petersburg it is all stretched out over an immensely larger area with such variety of grandiose buildings. You’d need a lot more than a few days to really get to know the city and all of its secrets. Some of the main jewels of the city include Saint Isaac’s cathedral, Church of the Savior on Blood, Hermitage Museum, Kazan Cathedral, the Golden-Winged Griffons and of course the famous river Neva with its astonishing views of the city, which are especially impressive at night as you get to observe all the bridges and their beautiful lights. The list could go on as well as this article, but you won’t be able to fully grasp it all until you get to experience it yourself. So I would highly recommend you take advantage of any free time and visit this unforgettable place and everything that it has to offer.