St Petersburg Essentials

St Petersburg Essentials

Currency Rouble Flight Time UK 3 Hours 40 minutes Time Zone GMT +3 Hours Language Russian Voltage 220 V AC (two-pin plugs)

St Petersburg Tourist Attractions

There is a wealth of dazzling buildings and ornate monuments to see during a stay in St Petersburg, and the Russian Museum, housed in a maze of buildings and imperial palaces, is simply essential for lovers of Russian art and history. With everything from 13th century icons to avant garde paintings, the variety of exhibits is astounding and a whole afternoon's viewing is required to fully appreciate it. Stroganov Palace, Marble Palace and Mikhailovsky Castle also host temporary exhibitions. One of the city’s most beautiful and memorable landmarks is the curiously named Church of the Saviour on the Spilt Blood. It got its name because it was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881, and features vividly coloured onion domes which can be seen across the city. The interior is covered with magnificent mosaics throughout, each depicting a Biblical theme.

Russian Phrases For Tourists

Yes Da Museum Musey No Net Hotel gostinitsa Excuse me Yzveenee Train poezd Please Pozhaluista Police militsia Thank you very much Spaseebo balshoye Street ulitsa Do you speak English? Vy gavareeteh pa anglisky? Post office pochta I do not understand Ya ne paneemau Left levo Could you speak slowly? Gavareeteh medlenie Right pravo 


Opening Hours

24 hour shopping is now part of Russian life, and there are many convenience stores and supermarkets which operate round the clock. Normal shopping hours are 9am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, with most food stores open on Sundays. Local banking hours are Monday-Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm.

Tipping & Etiquette

Tipping in restaurants and hotels is not obligatory, and is left entirely at your own discretion, although 10% of any bill is considered sufficient. By saying a simple 'thank you' when paying your bill automatically implies that the change does not need to be returned. Tour guides and taxi drivers will expect a small reward, which is again up to your own judgement. Foreign currency transactions should only be carried out at official money changers and banks, and must be recorded on the currency declaration form which is issued on arrival into Russia. Good quality US Dollar notes are easiest to exchange.

Food & Drink

Although there's a fabulous range of restaurants serving cuisine from every corner of the globe, the city still has a culinary heritage of its own which still remains as strong today. A browse through any traditional menu will see many hearty dishes consisting of beef or pork, potatoes, bread and eggs - all vital ingredients in local food. Boiled beef tongue served with horseradish and salted cucumbers are two of the most popular appetizers, and a plate of black caviar is simply a must. Soups are an important part of the local diet, such as the ever popular Borsch - made of beef, chicken, beetroot and sour cream, and the cold kvas soup of vegetables, potato, eggs and spices. Herring is an incredibly popular dish, and comes in many forms, such as seledka pod shuboy, which consists of small pieces of fish mixed with boiled potato, beetroot, carrot and mayonnaise.

Useful Numbers


• Calling the UK from St Petersburg – 0044 + area code minus zero + number
• Police – 112
• Ambulance – 112
• Fire – 112

Disabled Access

Only a small percentage of museums and attractions in St Petersburg are fully accessible to disabled visitors - these include the Hermitage and the Russian Museum. Elsewhere, the picture is much rosier, with most services in and out of the mainline rail station equipped for passengers with special needs. There is also a large fleet of adapted minivans, with English speaking drivers available to charter. There is quite a good variety of hotels in the city that provide disabled facilities such as lifts to all floors and adapted bathrooms.

Russian Embassies


• British 191124 St Petersburg Pl. Proletarskoy Diktatury, 5 Telephone: 007 812 320 3200
• Russian Embassy 5 Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QS Telephone: 020 7229 8027

Weather

St Petersburg sees a changeable climate, and the influence of the Baltic Sea means mild summers and cool winters, with a high chance of rain throughout the year and some cold winds. Spring and summer are the best times to visit, when there is often sunshine, and an average temperature of 18C. The city's northern latitude means that St Petersburg sees long summer days, with frequent 'white nights', when there is no darkness at all. Winters can be cold, with snow possible from December to April and temperatures often reaching -5C.