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The wide, fast-flowing River Neva, spanned by ornate bridges, divides this city of spectacular architecture. History seeps from every wall and the colors, scale and grandeur of the buildings seem almost too much to take in. Peter the Great's 'window on Europe', which saw the revolution that changed the world, is regaining its imperial splendor. At its historic heart are grand palaces, amazing museums and spectacular churches; music, art and literature are in its soul - and partying is a way of life.
St Petersburg captivates with its baroque palaces and pastel-painted neo-classical façades, wide boulevards, bridges and curving canals. The 5km-long main street, Nevsky Prospekt, packs cafés and upmarket shopping between its palaces; on the Neva embankment, The Winter Palace, with 1057 rooms and 117 staircases, is just one of six magnificent buildings that make up The State Hermitage museum. They back onto a Square of jaw-dropping proportions.
There's so much to see in the historic heart, many visitors never leave it. To its west, the Mariinsky district has quiet streets, crumbling mansions, graceful canals and the fabulous Mariinsky Theatre. Across the Neva, Vasilevsky Island has the university, lively bars and good restaurants. The newly-trendy Petrograd side is where the city began; around fashionable Petrogradsky Island are a clutch of green islands where locals relax at weekends. From May to November, major bridges rise in the early hours to allow ships to pass through - be sure you're on your hotel side of the river, or you won't get home!
Shops 9.00/11.00-19.00/22.00; many open on Sundays. Local '24-chasa' (24-hr) stores stock groceries, cigarettes and alcohol. Markets 08.00-19.00, 17.00 on Sundays. Bank hours usually 09.00-13.00, Monday to Friday. Currency exchanges 10.00-20.00. There are plenty of cash ATMs.
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