St. Peterburg Travel Tips

Jun 7, 2006

Tips to make an historical trip to St. Petersburg easy and worthwhile.

Before any exploration of the historic Russian city of St. Petersburg, you need to know a few tips and tricks for the trip:

Petersburg Packing Packing for a vacation in Saint Petersburg, of course, will vary depending on the time of year. Winters are very, very cold and you will need the warmest outerwear available. However, summertimes brings great relief from the harsh Russian winters. In fact, some days can be quite warm and a visitor will need only a light jacket. It's best to layer your outfit to accommodate temps ranging between 65 to 80 degrees.
A Long Flight from Anywhere Do keep in mind that the plane trip to Saint Petersburg from just about anywhere in the world will be lengthy! I would advise dressing in comfortable, wrinkle-free clothing for your actual flight. Also, remember to pack a carry-on bag with items you may find necessary during a long plane ordeal.
Getting Oriented in the City of Saint Peter The first thing a visitor should do is pick up "St. Petersburg - The Official City Guide", an excellent full-color quarterly freebie, or buy the pocket edition of the Traveler's Yellow Pages. The Friday edition of The St. Petersburg Times and the monthly Pulse are both free and have good listings and reviews.
St Petersburg Hotels Saint Petersburg offers hotel accomodations for all budgets. Five star hotels can be found for 150.00 (US dollars) per night, mid-level hotels for about 58.00 dollars per night and budget hotels for about 40.00 per night. In addition, mini hotels are a wonderful and economic substitute. Hotels of this category represent service of a high level. All hotels are small (not more than 25 rooms), so they are very quiet. Saint Petersburg tourists and business travelers can stay in the city center and pay reasonable price for their accommodations in mini-hotels.
Public Transit in St Petersburg St. Petersburg has quite an extensive system of public transportation serving over 4 million commuters every day. It has a well-developed network of buses, trams and trolleys, in addition to the privately-operated yellow taxis that grew in numbers over the last few years. By far the most popular way of getting around the city is by subway (also known as the Metro). While most visitors will find public transportation a convenient way of traveling around downtown, getting to the outskirts using public transportation is still a daunting and in most cases not very pleasant experience. If you come on business or with a large family, you may want to rent a car either with driver or without.

This article is part of the Historic Travel series on The St. Petersburg Traveler. Read about visiting the Winter Palace, the last days of the Royal Tzar Family, all about the art and architecture, and strolling under the wondrous summer white nights!

The copyright of the article St. Peterburg Travel Tips in Historical Travel is owned by Ginger Groves. Permission to republish St. Peterburg Travel Tips in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Jun 15, 2006 6:16 PM

Kelby Carr :

These mini-hotels sound really interesting. Are they a bit like inns in other countries, being smaller than typical chain hotels? I much prefer a smaller accommodation to a big hotel anyway. I usually find you get way better service, and only lose amenities the neediest of travelers might need.

Jun 15, 2006 6:53 PM

Ginger Groves :

Typically the Mini Hotels are from 8 to 30 rooms and are situated in historical homes or buildings. They are a bit like a Bed and Breakfast, and some do offer a continential breakfast. The quality of service and amenities will vary, but isn't that true of just about any place in the world! Personally, I prefer the smaller hotels also. I'm willing to give up those little bottles of shampoo for something more romantic:)

Jun 16, 2006 12:47 PM

Dan Florio :

I havew stayed in many places like this in Europe but have not been to Russia. I want to see Lake Baikal if you know anything about it. I hear it is a really deep lake with a rich ecosystem and that appeals to me.

Jun 16, 2006 8:45 PM

Ginger Groves :

Lake Baikal is indeed in a catagory all unto itself. It is the deepest lake in the world, but it doesn't stop there..here are a few interesting facts about this natural wonder;
it holds 20% of the worlds fresh water and harbors more endemic species of plants and animals than any other lake in the world. If you were to drain Lake Baikal, it would take the Great Lakes of the United States: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario to refill the empty basin. And this fact I find especially fascinating, Lake Baikal is home to the world's only fresh water seal.The mystery of how they came to Baikal still baffles scientists. There are different ways of exploring the lake, and a variety of accommodation.Let me know if you have any other questions...

Jun 19, 2006 6:18 PM

Kelby Carr :

They sound wonderful, a bit like the Logis de France network of inns (although they emphasize great food... and dinner can cost almost as much as the room, but is well worth it). I just love these types of places. I don't need a freakin' concierge... give me a hotel with some character!

Jun 19, 2006 6:33 PM

Ginger Groves :

Absolutely kelbycarr, don't put me in a hotel that has identical decor in all 450 rooms...I want a room with mis-matched furniture, linens that probably belonged to the inn keepers grandmother and there isn't an ice machine anywhere to be found.....

Jun 21, 2006 1:44 PM

Jill Florio :

I've stayed in many real, personable places in Mexico and the US. And while I totally admit I like being papmered at a resort, I prefer my international travel to be in small, real situations like you are describing. But then, I like hostels too.

Jun 21, 2006 1:51 PM

Ginger Groves :

Hostels are cool as long as you don't get in one with about 20 drunk college students! But hey, if you can't beat'em...join'em!

Jun 21, 2006 2:11 PM

Jill Florio :

haven't had THAT particular experience yet. But I have noticed that hostel people are always laid back, plus I am comfortable with hippies. I went to a very liberal college....

anyway I love that you can use actual kitchens at hostels. saves a lot of money and adds to the fun group experience. I don't need a private room when I am on the road. I want my privacy only on luxury trips.

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