St Petersburg Getting Started

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INTRODUCING ST PETERSBURG ST PETERSBURG LIFE residents of St Petersburg eschew innovation when it
Despite the city’s history of radicalism,
comes to changing the face of their beloved Piter.
Controversy surrounds the city’s spurt of development. Residents are galvanised by the con-
struction of a modern Mariinsky Theatre. Plans to build a super-tall skyscraper have provoked
massive protests. Even the refurbishment of a long-deserted island on the edge of the centre
is raising eyebrows. ‘That old Petersburg, with its empty squares...full of picturesque ruins,
it’s being torn down,’ complained one activist. ‘Everything will spin and shine according to
European standards.’
This lament captures the concern of many residents – not only that their cherished city will
lose its aesthetic appeal, but also that hidden places will be uncovered, that everything old will
be new again.
Nobody can deny that St Petersburg looks spectacular. Hundreds of theatres, palaces and
historic buildings have been overhauled. Luxury hotels, shopping malls and entertainment
complexes are bringing the city into the 21st century. Residents undoubtedly appreciate this
investment into their hometown. But there is a fear that amid all the upgrades, something
special – something uniquely St Petersburg – will be lost.
The city’s counterculture has deep roots, as deep as the basement galleries hanging avant-garde
paintings, as deep as the bomb shelters housing hip music clubs. The same anti-establishment
strain that fuelled revolutions and inspired artistic movements today is expressed as conserva-
tism: a reticence to accept the flashy consumerism and nonstop newness that pervades Russian
culture. Or maybe, that is radicalism.

The candy stripes of Chesme Church (p146)

It seemed like a lark. When Peter the Great built this
city on a swamp, his subjects humoured the Emperor.
When he declared it the new capital, they were less
amused.
But history has shown that the forward-thinking, Westward-looking tsar was inspired. Gradually,
St Petersburg evolved from a swampy backwater into a modern European city, Russia’s ‘window
to the West’. Unlike Moscow’s red bricks and onion domes, St Petersburg’s network of canals
and baroque and neoclassical architecture give the city a European flavour, no doubt because it
was built by Italian architects. Even the residents of St Petersburg fancy themselves ‘European’
and somehow slightly more sophisticated than their more easterly compatriots.
St Petersburg has always been a city of ideas. Petersburgers incited the Russian Revolution,
ushering in 70 years of communist rule. And it was St Petersburg that encouraged democracy
when the tide began to change.
Nowadays, this city’s citizens are breaking down the barriers of generations past and explor-
ing new ideas, investigating the possibilities of consumerism, creativity and career. It’s not only
Rastrelli’s architecture and Tchaikovsky’s operas that entice visitors, but also beatnik bands, edgy
art galleries, underground clubs and delectable dining. St Pete’s bohemian side gives a glimpse
into the 21st century; and (to borrow a communist slogan) the future is bright!
St Petersburg is legendary for its White Nights: those long summer days when the sun barely
dips below the horizon. Revels start in May, when the city finally succumbs to spring and the
parks are filled with flowering trees. But even when the skies are grey and the ground is covered
in snow, the rich culture of St Petersburg dazzles and delights. Stepping out to enjoy St Petersburg’s ballet and opera scene
2 3


TH E AUTH O R
Mara Vorhees playing and lovers embracing amidst the
spring blooms. Shopping and strolling has
Mara’s first visit to St
Petersburg (then Len- worked up my appetite, so I stop for a bowl of
ingrad) was in 1988, soup at the cosy subterranean Sunduk (p168).
when she ditched her I spend the afternoon at Pushkinskaya 10
tour group for friendly (p91), a complex of galleries and studios, in-
black marketeers and cluding the often wacky but always interest-
thereafter dedicated ing Museum of Non-Conformist Art. Then I
herself to ending the make my way through the crowds on Nevsky
Cold War. pr, stopping to browse at the charming art
She has returned market in front of St Catherine Church and at
to Russia many times, the behemoth bookstore Dom Knigi (p151).
spending the first half of the 1990s learning For the evening, I head to The Other Side
Russian and the second half working on a (p184) to feast on eclectic eats and to hear
foreign aid project in the Urals. She reappeared live music from some tropical place. As the
in St Petersburg to celebrate the city’s tercente- evening wears on, I duck around the corner
nary, where her favourite feature was the ‘Ice to St Petersburg’s hidden inner-city summer
Khaus’, a frozen-solid ice-sculpture exhibit beach bar, Dunes (p180), where I dance away
and vodka bar that was built on the Neva. the rest of the night under the twilight sky.
Mara has written extensively about Russia,
her stories appearing in the Boston Globe, LA
Times and Executive Travel. She is also the
author of Lonely Planet’s Moscow City Guide
and co-author of Russia & Belarus and Trans-
Siberian Railway. When she’s not roaming
around Russia, Mara lives in Somerville, Mas-
sachusetts with her husband and her cat.

MARA’S TOP ST PETERSBURG DAY
My top day in St Petersburg starts with a
steaming cappuccino and a croissant from
Baltic Bread (p169). Around the corner is
Maltevsky Market (p154), where I stock my
kitchen with pink salmon, fresh produce and
aromatic spices. After that I amble over to
Tauride Gardens (p85) to watch the children

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15

MASLENITSA

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G E T TI N G STAR TE D Akin to Mardi Gras, this fête celebrates the
end of winter and kicks off Orthodox Lent.
‘Maslenitsa’ comes from the Russian word
for butter, which is a key ingredient in the
So you are planning a trip to St Petersburg? You are in for a treat. Russia’s ‘second capital’ is FESTIVALS festive treat, bliny. Besides bingeing on
the number-one attraction for many visitors. Stars of White Nights Festival (p18) Russian pancakes, the week-long festival
St Petersburg is a far easier place to visit than it was a decade ago. Thanks to the proliferation International Festival of Contemporary Art also features horse-drawn sledges, story-
of privately owned ‘mini-hotels’ and Western-operated luxury hotels, there is no shortage of (p18) telling clowns and beer-drinking bears. It
excellent places to stay at all price levels. You’ll probably want to make reservations – if only Early Music Festival (p19) culminates in the burning of a scarecrow to
because many places are hard to find – but you will have no difficulty booking a place to your Victory Day (p18) welcome spring. Exact dates depend on the
liking. Sergei Kuryokhin International Festival (p18) dates of Orthodox Easter, but it is usually in
Upon arrival, you may not think that things are geared to tourists: signs are not in English Easter (Paskha) (right) February or early March.
and transport from the airport is tricky. But let it be known that this is like Disneyworld com- Arts Square Winter Festival (p19) Look for a special program at the Mariin-
GETTING STARTED WHEN TO GO

pared to the ‘olden days’. Appreciate the advances that have been made and accept the rest as sky Theatre (p188), bonfires and other festivi-
part of the adventure. ties at Yelagin Island (p120) and bliny on the
One word of warning: the single most annoying thing you will have to do is take care of your and more visitors descend on the city and the menus at restaurants around town.
visa. Apply early and apply often (see p249). cultural calendar is extended into the summer.
During August, many Russians retreat to their
March
WHEN TO GO
Everybody wants to visit St Petersburg dur-
festive, as St Petersburg has a long tradition of
brightening up the dark nights with cultural
dachas (country cottages) to escape summer
in the city, and the cultural calendar is quiet. MONOCLE INTERNATIONAL
events, winter festivals and other celebra- Though residents make themselves scarce, MONO-PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL
ing White Nights (late June), when the sun tions. The deepest, darkest part of winter is tourists abound. www.baltichouse.spb.ru
never sets and the city celebrates all night undeniably cold but, if you are prepared, it This biannual festival usually takes place in
long. It is indeed spectacular (see the boxed can be an adventure. Furs and vodka keep March, hosted by the theatre Baltic House
text, below). The downside, of course, is that people warm, and snow-covered landscapes January (see p191) during odd-numbered years. With
because everyone wants to visit during are picturesque. Sledders and skiers are in ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS both international and local participants,
White Nights, the crowds are bigger and seventh heaven. Russia celebrates Orthodox Christmas the event focuses on ‘one-man shows’, es-
prices are higher. No matter when you come, it’s bound to (Rozhdestvo) on 6 January. Similar to the pecially from northern and Eastern Europe.
One way to avoid the pitfalls of the peak rain a bit (unless it snows), so pack an um- Epiphany in the Christian calendar, it com-
season is to come in May, when the days are brella. St Petersburg gets as much as 65cm of memorates the baptism of Jesus. Exclu-
already long and languorous. Temperatures INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
precipitation a year. sively a religious holiday, it is not widely
may not be as warm, but the sky stays light Russia’s favourite holiday – 8 March – was
celebrated, although services are held at founded to honour the women’s move-
late into the evening, and the summer crowds
have not yet arrived. The city gets spruced up FESTIVALS churches and cathedrals around the city.
Many offices and services are closed for the
ment. These days, men buy champagne,
flowers and chocolates for their better
for the May holidays (p244) and for City Day June is the most celebratory month in St Pe-
first week of January. halves – and for all the women in their lives.
(p18), both celebratory times in St Petersburg. tersburg. All of the institutions want to get in
However, many services, offices and museums on the influx of tourists as the weather warms
have limited hours during the first half of up, so the city’s cultural calendar is packed.
The last 10 days, especially, are marked by
February April
May, due to the run of public holidays. MARIINSKY BALLET FESTIVAL
Early autumn is a standout season, when general merrymaking and staying out late EASTER
(or early, depending on how you look at it). www.mariinsky.ru The main holiday of the Orthodox Church’s
the city’s parks are filled with colourful leaves The city’s principal dance theatre hosts a
and the cultural calendar recommences after White Nights (see the boxed text, below) spills year is Easter (Paskha). The date varies, but
over into July. As temperatures rise, more week-long international festival, usually in it is often a different date from its Western
the summer holidays. Winter is surprisingly mid- to late February, where the talents of counterpart, usually in April or early May.
the cream of Russian ballet dancers and Forthcoming dates are 19 April 2009, 4
many international stars are showcased. April 2010, 24 April 2011, 15 April 2012 and
WHITE NIGHTS 5 May 2013.
The sun has barely set over the Gulf of Finland when the eastern sky begins to grow light again. Indeed, St Petersburg’s DEFENDER OF THE Forty days of fasting, known as Veliky
northern latitude means that around the summer solstice – when the days are longest – the night sky takes on a silvery MOTHERLAND DAY Post, lead up to the religious holiday. Easter
hue, but the darkness never comes. Celebrated on 23 February, this unofficial Day kicks off with celebratory midnight
If the Russians ever needed an excuse to stay out all night and celebrate, this is it. At the end of June and the begin- holiday traditionally honours veterans services, after which people eat special
ning of July, St Petersburg is open around the clock. and soldiers. It has become a sort of dome-shaped cakes known as kulichy and
Graduates drink to their successes on the banks of the Neva; lovers stroll along the quiet canals; crowds congregate counterpart to International Women’s Day curd-cakes called paskha, and may ex-
to watch the raising and lowering of the drawbridges. The cultural calendar during this period is packed, as the Stars of and is now better known as ‘Men’s Day’, change painted wooden Easter eggs. Many
White Nights Festival compiles a program of opera, ballet and symphony that represents the best of Russian music and although the extent of the celebration is banks, offices and museums are closed on
dance. At all hours of the night, the city streets are filled with revellers singing, dancing and drinking in the twilight. limited. Easter Monday.

16 17

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19th-century Eastern Europe. Hundreds
December

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A TOAST TO THE LADIES of musicians from Russia, Europe and the
ARTS SQUARE WINTER FESTIVAL
USA come to perform in venues around
Ask any Russian woman to name her favourite holiday, and she is sure to say International Women’s Day, celebrated on St Petersburg. The city also hosts seminars www.artsquarewinterfest.ru
8 March. Some cynics say it is the one day of the year when Russian men are nice to their mates. and other cultural events for musicians and Maestro Yury Temirknaov presides over this
International Women’s Day has been recognised in various countries since the late 19th century, but in Russia the music-lovers. musical highlight, which takes place every
festive day has revolutionary roots. On 8 March 1917 textile workers in St Petersburg protested against the food short- year at the Shostakovich Philharmonia (p189)
ages, which were directly related to Russia’s involvement in WWI. The women’s strike ‘for bread and peace’ merged with on pl Iskusstv (Arts Sq; p74). For 10 days at
riots that were spreading throughout the city. The uprising – which would become known as the February Revolution September & October the end of December and the beginning
– forced the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II. Later, the celebrated Soviet feminist and communist Alexandra Kollontai EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL of January, artists stage both classical and
convinced Lenin to make 8 March an official holiday. contemporary works, including symphonic
www.earlymusic.ru
These days most Russians have forgotten about the political implications of the day. But nobody misses the op- music and opera, as well as less traditional
This ground-breaking musical festival aims
portunity to drink champagne and toast the ladies. musical forms, jazz and puppet theatre.
to revive forgotten masterpieces from the
Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the

GETTING STARTED COSTS & MONEY
SERGEI KURYOKHIN INTERNATIONAL in the neighbouring Dom Kino and Rodina baroque era. The festival always features NEW YEAR
FESTIVAL cinemas. the production of a baroque opera, as well Petersburgers see in the New Year (Novy
SKIF; www.kuryokhin.ru as performances by the Catherine the Great God) by trading gifts, drinking champagne
A three-day avant-garde festival in late April FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS Orchestra. Musicians come from around the and listening to the Kremlin chimes on
brings together an impressive array of inter- www.filmfest.ru world to perform at various venues from the radio or TV. Although Novy God has
national figures for alternative modern music St Petersburg’s annual international film mid-September until early October. See not reached the degree of commercialism
and performance. The festival pays tribute to festival is held during the White Nights in p190 for an interview with the co-director of of Christmas in the West, it is a gift-giving
the eclectic Russian musician Sergei Kury- late June. Co-sponsored by Lenfilm and Early Music Russia. holiday. Dedya Moroz (Grandfather Frost)
okhin, a key figure from the Leningrad rock hosted at cinemas around the city, the and Snezhinka (Snow Girl) dole out treats
and jazz underground who died in 1996. festival is a non-competitive showcase of DEFILE ON THE NEVA to deserving youngsters.
the best Russian and world cinema. Defile na Neve; www.defilenaneve.ru
May
VICTORY DAY
STARS OF WHITE NIGHTS FESTIVAL
One of the most important fashion events
in St Petersburg is held in mid-October at COSTS & MONEY monthly
Experts estimate that the average
www.mariinsky.ru the boutique Defile (p151). There is a week
Celebrating the end of WWII, 9 May is a day of fashion shows, parties and symposia salary in St Petersburg is about R15,000.
From late May until mid-July, this annual
of national and international importance. which allows up-and-coming and estab- Considering that the average for Russia as a
festival is a venue for world premieres,
It holds a special spot on the calendar in St lished designers to showcase their latest whole is about R10,700 per month, it seems
international stars and special tributes to
Petersburg, where residents remember the lines. A second fashion show takes place that Petersburgers are doing pretty well for
the city’s opera and ballet doyens. Perform-
breaking of the Nazi blockade. Crowds as- in April. themselves.
ances are held around the city, especially
semble at Piskaryovskoe Cemetery (p121) to Unfortunately, these numbers do not con-
at the Mariinsky Theatre (p188), the Hermit-
commemorate the victims. A victory parade ST PETERSBURG OPEN vey how far these roubles go, which is not very
age Theatre (p188) and the Rimsky-Korsakov
along Nevsky pr culminates in fireworks www.spbopen.ru far. St Petersburg is the second most expensive
Conservatory (p189). Four weeks of festivities
over the Neva in the evening. Since 1995, St Petersburg has hosted this city in Russia and the twelfth most expensive
culminate in a fabulous ball at Tsarskoe
men’s tennis tournament at the end of city in the world, according to a 2007 report
Selo (p219), which draws the event to a
CITY DAY October. The event has been attracting by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. The
close.
Mass celebrations and merrymaking are players from around the world to com-
held throughout the city centre on 27 May, INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF pete at SCC Peterburgsky Stadium (p200).
the city’s official birthday, known as den CONTEMPORARY ART This is where Marat Safin first attracted HOW MUCH?
goroda (city day). Brass bands, folk-dancing attention when he took the trophy in
www.p10.nonmuseum.ru Litre of petrol: R18-22
and mass drunkenness are the salient consecutive years.
While this event takes place at venues
features of this perennial favourite, which Litre of bottled water: R15-30
around the city, the big bash is at Pushkin-
marks the day when Peter the Great made
a cross on Zayachy Island and announced
skaya 10 (p91), as 30 June is the ‘birthday’ of
this artistic institution. Exhibitions, perform-
November Bottle of Baltika beer: R40
‘Here will be a city’. DAY OF RECONCILIATION & ACCORD Souvenir T-shirt: R500
ances, art auctions and general celebrations
fill the once-abandoned apartment block. The former October Revolution day Bliny: R60
June – 7 November – is still an official holiday,
although it is hardly acknowledged. It still
Admission to the Hermitage: R350
MESSAGE TO MAN July is, however, a big day for flag-waving and Business lunch: R200
www.message-to-man.spb.ru KLEZFEST protesting by old-school Communist Party Cappuccino: R60
A well-respected festival of short, ani- members, especially in front of Gostiny
mated and documentary films, Poslaniye %713 3889; www.klezfest.ru Public toilet: R10
This music festival celebrates Klezmer Dvor (p75) and pl Ostrovskogo (p75). Makes
k Cheloveku is held annually in mid-June for a great photo-op. Matryoshka (nesting doll): R500
music, the Jewish folk music from 18th- and
18 19

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Lodging prices are also high, although the

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proliferation of privately owned ‘mini-hotels’ ADVANCE PLANNING
means that there is no shortage of excellent
midrange accommodation options. The going If you are the organised type, you’ll want to take care of a few things before you arrive in St Petersburg:
rate for a bed in a hostel is about R600, but you Apply for your visa! This is an absolute must for absolutely everybody. You can do it at the last minute, but it may
PASSING AS A RUSSIAN IN ST will pay anywhere from R2200 for a private cost you your first-born child. See p249 for details.
room, and from R3200 if you want private fa- Reserve a place to stay, especially if you are coming during the busy summer months. See p202.
PETERSBURG JM_Dreaming Book a taxi from the airport. Most hotels, mini-hotels, hostels and hire services will make these arrangements for
cilities. The good news is that most midrange
At a restaurant Embrace the culture and order a options are nicely renovated and efficiently you for a reasonable rate. Otherwise, you can book a taxi from a private company for about R500. You will pay
bottle of vodka. The look of sheer horror and infinite run, offering good service and even a touch approximately three times more if you jump in an unreserved cab upon arrival at the airport, so it’s worth the
respect on the faces of fellow travellers – priceless! of style. Prices for luxury hotels start at €150 price of the international phone call. See p238.
Especially when your bottle comes accompanied only and go all the way up. Order your tickets to visit the Hermitage (p131; www.hermitagemuseum.org). You can buy them at the museum
by shot glasses and ‘black’ Russian rye. Although dual pricing for hotels and trans- on the day you visit, but buying in advance over the internet allows you to skip the queue.
port no longer exits, as a foreigner in Russia Check the schedule at the Mariinsky Theatre (p188; www.mariinsky.ru) and order your tickets ahead of time to
At the shopping centre Pay cash. If you must pay by
GETTING STARTED INTERNET RESOURCES

GETTING STARTED ADVANCE PLANNING
you’ll still often find yourself paying more ensure great seats and avoid language difficulties.
credit card, allow extra time. Think 30 minutes, three
different counters and five perplexed sales assistants. than a local for museums and theatre tickets.
The mark-up for foreigners is extreme – often
At the supermarket Take the shopping basket. Not as much as 10 times the price that Russians
worth blowing your cover by trying to explain to the pay (although you may be able to avoid it if
hardened grom-baba (literal translation – thunder you have a student identification). Take heart
woman) that you only came for one item. that the extra money you shell out is desper-
At the ballet Consider ‘Foreigner’ versus ‘Russian’ ately needed to protect the very works of art
prices for Mariinsky Theatre. Camouflage by dressing and artefacts you’ve come to see.
up like a local (no jeans: theatre is taken seriously).
Stern babushkas are tough to trick, but not impossible.
When the third bell rings, slip in with the crowds.
At the Hermitage Don’t bother! Babushkas holding
INTERNET RESOURCES
There is no shortage of information about St
rubber batons are all-knowing. Concede you are a Petersburg on the web. See also the respective
‘Foreigner’, pay X-times the ‘Russian’ price, leave your chapters for more suggestions.
jacket at the cloakroom and immerse yourself in the www.bcam.spb.ru Peter Sobolev’s excellent Wandering
atmosphere of one of the world’s richest art collections. Camera includes some 400 albums and thousands of photos
of the city.
www.encspb.ru The Encyclopaedia of St Petersburg is en-
cyclopaedic in its coverage of art, architecture, geography,
society, economy and more.
www.eng.gov.spb.ru Official portal of the St Petersburg
ranking puts St Petersburg ahead of such fa- city government.
mously pricey places as Paris, Singapore and www.hermitagemuseum.org Take an on-line tour of the
New York. fabulous art collection before you visit in person.
Travellers will not find too many bargains www.nevsky-prospekt.com This walk down Main Street
in St Petersburg, although it is possible to St Pete includes architectural descriptions, history and
live frugally by taking public transport, self- other fun facts, as well as plenty of photos.
catering and sleeping in hostels. Anyone who
is coming from Moscow will be pleasantly www.other.spb.ru Most visitors to St Petersburg miss ‘the
surprised to learn that St Petersburg is signifi- other side’ of the city, but you won’t want to after reading
cantly cheaper than the capital, which ranked this strange and hilarious account. Alas, it may already be
number one in the world on Mercer’s list. too late.
Expect to pay at least R600 per head for a www.petersburgcity.com The official English-language
meal in a nice restaurant. Many offer business portal offers local news and events, contemporary culture
lunch specials, which usually include three and city life, as well as the standard tourist fare.
courses, for as little as R200. This is an excel- © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
www.saint-petersburg.com One of the best places to
lent way to sample some restaurants where you start your research. The site includes a virtual city tour, restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
would otherwise pay much higher prices. If you online hotel booking and descriptions of tourist sights. only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
self-cater or dine exclusively at budget places
you can probably get by on R400 for meals. www.sptimes.ru Website of the local English-language everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
newspaper, the St Petersburg Times. the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
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St Petersburg Getting Started

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