How's St Petersburg for tourists these days?

novelty-socks

Thinking about getting away next month and one idea I've had is to go to St Petersburg for a few days. I visited back in 2006, as part of a trip across Russia, and it's really stuck with me as a beautiful, interesting city.

Obviously a lot has changed since then, so I was just wondering if anyone has visited as a tourist more recently. Did you enjoy it?

(I'm aware of the visa hassles and costs - seems they've made it even more complicated than it used to be, but I'm willing to jump through those hoops if necessary.)

richardw

Perhaps look into the route via Helsinki, perhaps combining with a stay there as well.

Rambosmum

Ok, unless your gay or start mouthing off about their foreign policy. I personally won't visit Russia again until they withdraw their laws against homosexuals (despite being married to a person of the opposite sex).

Most people are friendly. It's harder to leave the country than enter it though.

novelty-socks

Thanks for the replies - I do have many issues with Russia's domestic and foreign politics, but on my previous visit I found it easy to separate these concerns from the friendly and welcoming nature of the people I actually met.

I knew it was possible to travel from Helsinki, but I just looked into it and hadn't realised the train journey is only 3.5 hours. Definitely worth investigating further, as Helsinki is also on my list!

Andypandyboy

I visited last year and we enjoyed it. We saw the Winter Palace, the subway and the house where Rasputin was murdered. We had no problems at all.

Hazzanet

novelty-socks wrote: »

Definitely worth investigating further, as Helsinki is also on my list!

Helsinki is a fantastic city; I highly recommend it.

blindman

novelty-socks wrote: »

Thinking about getting away next month and one idea I've had is to go to St Petersburg for a few days. I visited back in 2006, as part of a trip across Russia, and it's really stuck with me as a beautiful, interesting city.

Obviously a lot has changed since then, so I was just wondering if anyone has visited as a tourist more recently. Did you enjoy it?

(I'm aware of the visa hassles and costs - seems they've made it even more complicated than it used to be, but I'm willing to jump through those hoops if necessary.)

Hopefully it's OK because we're going in June for the White nights festival :cool:

Visiting Moscow first then St Petersburg.

Been to Moscow before and it was OK People are friendly, Underground is cheap and some of the architecture is amazing.

Russian visa now is harder to get as you MUST visit the Visa service place in person to get fingerprinted.
OK if you live near London or Edinburgh-if not then it's a day off work and travel costs.

Fly out 13th June LHR-DME

Yinster

Rambosmum wrote: »

Most people are friendly. It's harder to leave the country than enter it though.

We actually thought the opposite. It was almost like they wanted us to leave with very few check if any at all.

We were there almost two years ago for a long weekend when Jet2 put on it on for one weekend and there were no problems at all. Lovely city to walk in and see. Though it took a bit of getting used to with customer service but that is how it is in Russia. Also most people spoke English..well the ones selling stuff and in cafes/restaurants and hotels. And surprisingly for us a lot of Western influences with MacDonalds, Marks and Spencers, etc.

Rambosmum

Yinster wrote: »

We actually thought the opposite. It was almost like they wanted us to leave with very few check if any at all.

We were there almost two years ago for a long weekend when Jet2 put on it on for one weekend and there were no problems at all. Lovely city to walk in and see. Though it took a bit of getting used to with customer service but that is how it is in Russia. Also most people spoke English..well the ones selling stuff and in cafes/restaurants and hotels. And surprisingly for us a lot of Western influences with MacDonalds, Marks and Spencers, etc.

We left from Moscow, having spent a few days there. We went through 7, yes 7, passport/visa checks before getting on to the plane.

Jimmithecat

We were in St Petersburg and Moscow in October and had a brilliant time - people could not be more accommodating - easy to get about - rouble in our favour - I'd go again in a flash....