St. Petersburg, Russia.

[DonaldJ.]

i am looking into a foreign exchange in st Petersburg Russia, i am curious to what people on here who have went there and their experiences of going there. i have read about crime there but i am curious to how bad the crime is there. i am guessing it is not as bad as the things i have read.

also, if anyone has any reccomendations on what to do/see i would appreciate it. thanks.

 

[Mablo]

St. Pete is 300km east from where I live so I visit there quite often. It's a great place to spend a day or two for me. Crime is there but it's not that bad. I've been pickpocketed in subway and taxi has charged some foreigner extra but that's all. Every big city has its problems and for St. Pete the major problem is people drinking a lot of vodka. In general people are really really really friendly. It's amazing.

To see: Nevski Prospekt and the surrounding cafes, streets, churches, museums, palaces... it's all enough for a long time. Get yourself a subway map with european names and russian names and learn how to use the sub the first day you arrive. Grab a book about Russian history and read it thoroughly. It helps to understand things.

 

[jarski]

been there two times. I'd say too its equally safe compared to any major city.

knowing least the alphabets helps a lot! I dont, and when trying to get around e.g. with Metro, had to get two pocket size Metro maps. one with Cyrillic alphabets, one with Latin. then in station, compare Cyrillic text in the wall to Cyrillic map, when its found, check from Latin map how text looks like. one you have that information, start processing what it actually means, and where were you going... 😛

but its beautiful city, Northern Venice.

 

[urban_alchemist]

The most beautiful city I've ever visited - and I've lived on four continents.

I was only there for four days, but some of things I saw were simply beyond amazing.

1. The Hermitage - greater than the Louvre, greater than the National Gallery. The Tzars basically bought EVERY piece of major European art for a century, and it's all on display here.

2. Peter and Paul - greatest view of the pastel city rising from the river.

3. Church of the Spilled Blood.

4. Catherine's Palace.

5. (most important) - just walk St. Petersburg's streets; along the canals and boulevards and the river and try to imagine the city being willed from a barren swamp by the force of will of one single individual (and then 'moulded' by his daughter's aesthetic sensibilities)...

 

[Freakscene]

5. (most important) - just walk St. Petersburg's streets; along the canals and boulevards and the river and try to imagine the city being willed from a barren swamp by the force of will of one single individual (and then 'moulded' by his daughter's aesthetic sensibilities)...

Couldn't agree more.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Russia/

 

[peter_n]

Truly a gorgeous place. It got a facelift several years ago when Putin was leader (he's from St. Petersburg) and it looks really good. The streets, the canals, the river, the beautiful buildings are a photographer's delight. Don't miss the Hermitage Museum, take in the opera at the historic Mariinsky Theatre, ballet in the Imperial Hermitage Theatre which is small so book early (it was the private theatre of Catherine II). Visit the Peter & Paul Fortress on the island in the Neva River (that looks like the cathedral spire in the wonderful shot above by urban_alchemist) and see the incredible graves of the Romanovs. Just writing about it makes me want to go back!

 

[jarski]

IIRC Russians say Moscow is the Dictator, St.Petersburg the Artist 🙂

 

[urban_alchemist]

Visit the Peter & Paul Fortress on the island in the Neva River (that looks like the cathedral spire in the wonderful shot above by urban_alchemist)

It is indeed 🙂

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

st. Petersbug is great. I visited twice. once in mid winter and once in the summer.
The sun hardly goes down in summer, sunset for 3 hours, it's great.
I was there for work, no time for the museums. I didn't notice any crime.
http://michielfokkema.wordpress.com/?s=petersburg

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[Mike Richards]

Agree with the others -- it's a wonderful place to visit. We spent Orthodox Easter there last year. Very impressive. Posted a few photos here:
http://web.me.com/richam/Russia/Russia/Pages/St_Petersburg.html

 

[DonaldJ.]

thank you everyone for the "reviews". i have always had a huge interest in going to Russia and this study abroad has fit all of my wants in going there. it seems like it will beat my expectations in going there.

how is the availability of film, processing etc? id like to try to develop most of the film i shoot when i go there rather then risking x-rays at security and ruining the film from this once in a life time trip.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Wonderful quote from a guy I met at the Fregat in St. Petersburg:

"Moskva! Hah! Is big village!" (actually, when he said it, it sounded more like 'is pic willitch' but I'll laugh at his English when my Russian is as good.)

He was right. A stunningly beautiful city. I'd not go as far as Urban Alchemist, because there are a few other places I find as beautiful. Most of Malta. Greek islands. Quite a lot of la France profonde. Parts of Portugal. And so on. But it's in the first rank, no question.

Cheers,

R.

 

[DonaldJ.]

has anyone on here gone in winter? its a semester i would go from middle of january till middle of may, i know its going to be colder then NY for the most part, but i work a job where i work outside anyway. and because of the lattitude being up so high days are very short.

 

[Mablo]

Winter over there is okay if you are accustomed to some harsh climate. January and February can be hellishly cold and it's nearly always dark outside. The city was built on marsh at the seashore so there's absolutely no cover for bitter winds from the sea. Brrr... that's a good reason to order another 50 grams of vodka (that's right, vodka is ordered in grams). March and April are much better when the darkness slowly retreats. Spring doesn't arrive in earnest until May.

 

[jarski]

Russian winter has stopped dudes like Napoleon and Hitler 😛

 

[Alex Krasotkin]

I was always dreaming to live in St. Pete. In fact I am based in Moscow, since local financial world is here and my occupation is in banking field. However my fiancé is from St. Pete - from the old part of the city, so I am taking every chance to visit St. Petersburg. great place for everything, especially taking pictures! Here are some pictures from this city and many more on my RF and webpage.
Local shop, where you can buy and develop films is called “Yarkiy Mir” (Bright World). It has several shops, the central one is on Nevsky prospect, 6. Good luck with your trip!