St. Petersburg In Your Pocket April-May 2014

Maps Events Restaurants CafĂŠs Nightlife Sightseeing Shopping Hotels

St. Petersburg April - May 2014

Stepping out

Enjoy the good weather by exploring Smolny

Noble atmosphere History and style.

Dining at the Palkin

inyourpocket.com N°94

Contents Where to eat E S S E N TI A L C I TY G U I D E S

Rubinshteina Street Restaurants in Hotels

21 36 38

Nightlife

42

Foreword

4

In the News

5

Arrival & Getting Around

6

City Basics

8

Interview with consierge

54

Language

9

Shopping

56

Culture & Events 10 Concerts, festivals and exhibitions Sport news

10 15

Features

16 16 19 40

Smolny District Palkin. Historic dining Nevsky prospect

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What to see

46 The Essentials 46 Peterhof 50

Where to stay 52

Expat & Lifestyle 58 The Expat Experience

59

Business

60

Maps & Index Metro map City map Street register

61 62 64

Moscow

65

April - May 2014

3

Foreword

In the News

Spring has sprung and St. Petersburg is getting a new look!

After months of long, dark nights it’s lovely to feel some sun on your skin and enjoy warm days that are getting longer and longer. It is a real pleasure going into the centre after work, walking along the crowded Nevsky while it’s still light and seeing people enjoying late night dinners and drinks on newly opened terraces. The city is waking up and it becomes so lively. I just love this time! But not only St. Petersburg is changing. If you are familiar with In Your Pocket guides you must have noticed that we just had a complete makeover using a brand new design. The guide is fresh and simple making it even nicer and easier to use. It’s beautiful!

I hope you like it as much as our team does!

The famous White Nights have no official beginning date but start in early May. And the opening of the bridges which is a classic feature of the White Nights usually starts in April. This is something that makes our city very unique.

And the last but not least - spring brings with it plenty of holidays. In April we have Cosmonauts’ Day (April 12) and Russian Orthodox Easter (April 20). In May Russians will be getting time off work to mark Spring and Labour Day (May 1) and Victory Day (May 9, the day when Russians celebrate the end of World War II). Spring is a wonderful time to enjoy St. Petersburg.

As always, we have chosen the very best St. Petersburg can offer. Put the guide in your pocket, put on your sunglasses and have fun!

Ksenia Elzes, Russia In Your Pocket

St. Petersburg In Your E S Pocket S E N TI A L founded and published C I TbyY G U I D E S OOO Krasnaya Shapka/In Your Pocket.

Russia, 196084 St. Petersburg, Ul. Tsvetochnaya 25A, tel: +7 (812) 448 88 65, fax: +7 (812) 448 88 64, russia@inyourpocket.com, russia.inyourpocket.com Publisher Bonnie van der Velde, bonnie@inyourpocket.com General director Tanya Skvortsova, tanya@inyourpocket.com Director Sales&Strategy Jerke Verschoor, jerke@inyourpocket.com Editor&PR Ksenia Elzes, editor.spb@inyourpocket.com Editor Peter Campbell Researcher Wabke Waaijer, research.spb@inyourpocket.com Design Malvina Markina, design.russia@inyourpocket.com Sales Managers Ilya Timshin, ilya.timshin@inyourpocket.com Peter Smirnov, peter.smirnov@inyourpocket.com Customer Service Manager Tanya Kharitonova, sales.russia@inyourpocket.com Copyright notice Text and photos copyright OOO Krasnaya Shapka 2003-2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket.

Editor’s note The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.

Cover story The lovely, historic interior of the Palkin. The historic restaurant has seen and experienced it all. Find out about the restaurant which first appeared in 1785 in our feature story (page 19).

© OOO Krasnaya Shapka/In Your Pocket © Maps: J.J. van der Molen, www.jobvandermolen.nl Published 6 times per year with supplements, No 94, 01.04.2014, 90,000 copies.

For children aged 16 years and over.

Economic Forum

Bolshoi Drama Theatre

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be held on 22-14 May this year. The forum is the main annual international economic and business forum convened in Russia. It attracts about 4,000 people from around the world and has seen the participation of high ranking government officials and leading businesses. Unless you have a keen interest in business and want to participate in the forum, it is a good time to avoid St. Petersburg, as the forum is known for creating traffic congestion, detours, and closing off tourist attractions for official visits. The forum also places significant demand on hotels throughout the city leading to extremely high prices. So unless you want to participate in the forum, plan your visit to St. Petersburg around the forum! www.forumspb.com

Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater on the Fontanka Embankment will be reopened on May 27. The theatre was closed in 2011 for major reconstruction work.

The original building was constructed in 1876-77 and has been the home of the Bolshoi Drama Theatre since 1919. The programme for the theatre this year promises to be particularly full with the theatre celebrating its 95th anniversary. The theatre offers a range of classic plays including those on classic works by Russian authors including Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Chekhov and Odoevsky as well as some of the finest playwrights from world theatre. www.bdt.spb.ru

Night of Museums To celebrate International Museum Day, St. Petersburg’s museum offer a range of excursions and programmes available at night on March 17/18. The don’t promise mummies leaving their sarcophagi or dinosaurs chasing you down the corridors but they do offer concerts, special excursions, master classes and historical reconstructions (so you might just meet Catherine the Great or Lenin). This year the theme of the night will be “light and colour”. Over 2000 museums in 42 European countries will be participating in the night of the museum with about 100 cultural establishments in St. Petersburg participating, so keep an eye on your favourite museums and see what wonders will befall on the Night of the Museums. www.artnight.ru

About IYP ESTONIA RUSSIA

LATVIA LITHUANIA

NORTHERN IRELAND IRELAND

BELARUS NETHERLANDS BELGIUM

POLAND UKRAINE

GERMANY CZECH REPUBLIC AUSTRIA

SWITZERLAND ITALY

HUNGARY

SLOVENIACROATIA BOSNIA SERBIA MONTENEGRO

ROMANIA

BULGARIA

FYR MACEDONIA ALBANIA GREECE

SOUTH AFRICA

4

St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

GEORGIA

It’s now 22 years since we published the first In Your Pocket guide - to Vilnius in Lithuania - in which time we have grown to become the largest publisher of locally produced city guides in Europe. We now cover more than 100 cities across the continent (with Gudauri, in Georgia, the latest city to be pocketed) and the number of concise, witty, well-written and downright indispensable In Your Pocket guides published each year is approaching five million. We will be expanding even further this year, with the publication of a guide to Johannesburg: our first outside of Europe.

To keep up to date with all that’s new at In Your Pocket, like us on Facebook (facebook. com/inyourpocket) or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket). st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Санкт-Петербург В Твоем Кармане Учредитель и издатель: ООО «Красная Шапка» Россия, 196084 Санкт-Петербург Ул. Цветочная д. 25, лит. А. тел. : + 7 (812) 448 88 65 факс: + 7(812) 448 88 64 Главный редактор: Бонни ван дер Велде Отпечатано в ООО “МДМПечать”, 188640, Л.О., г. Вcеволожск, Всеволожский пр., 114

Indigo Hotel Opening This spring Hotel Indigo is opening its first Eastern European boutique hotel in St. Petersburg. The Hotel Indigo St. Petersburg – Tchaikovskogo, is located in a newly restored 19th century building at Chaikovskogo 17 – named after the famous Russian compose Petr Ilich Tchaikovsky. The hotel boasts a stunning interior and a wide range of services including some which are not offered elsewhere in St. Petersburg. The hotel includes 119 rooms, conference halls and a stylish restaurant for fine dinning. The seven story hotel also includes bars, a fitness studio, a swimming pool and saunas. The hotel is well located for taking full advantage of the city’s cultural offerings being within comfortable walking distance of several of the city’s largest museums, shopping centres, theatres and cinemas. www.ihg.com

Заказ No59-10 Свидетельство о регистрации средства массовой информации Пи No. 2-6849 от 17.10.03 выдано Северо-Западным региональным управлением комитета РФ по печати. Цена свободная. Тираж 90 000 экз. No93.

01.02.2014 Для детей старше 16 лет.

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April - May 2014

5

Arriving & Getting Around St. Petersburg has excellent public transport. The metro system is amazing - attractive and efficient, it is the fastest way to get across town or into the central city. If you find Cyrillic a bit of a squiggle, you’ll love the metro as it has transliterations for all the stations. To navigate your way from the metro station to your destination you have a choice of buses, minibuses (marshrutky), trolleybuses and trams - these are less user friendly but once you know the routes and when to get off, they make getting around the city a breeze. If you want to hop into something a little more comfortable, you can always take a taxi.

The Traffic Police have stops when you enter a new zone of jurisdiction. You are required to proceed slowly and there is a chance you might get pulled off. Don’t overpay the traffic police: the official penalty for driving 20-40km too fast is 300Rbl, for 60km over the limit, it costs between 1000 and 1,500Rbl. Driving through a red light will cost 700Rbl and not wearing a seatbelt will cost 500Rbl. Most of the policemen do not speak English, which might make things difficult, or perhaps very easy. In towns the speed limit is around 60 km/h, but road conditions often force you to drive more carefully and thus more slowly.

Arriving in town

Arriving by plane St. Petersburg has three airport terminals, side-by-side, just south of the city. International and domestic flights arrive at Pulkovo-1 and Pulkovo-2. A newly constructed terminal, New Terminal-1, receives only domestic flights. Don’t forget to check a terminal of your flight on www.pulkovoairport.ru or by tel. (+7) 812 337 38 22.

All airports have restaurants and bars, money exchanges (obmen valyuty) and ATMs (bankomaty) - although they may not always be functioning. It’s always a good idea to have some cash in your pocket when you arrive. If you have time to kill before being collected, there is a 24-hour café where you can spend a small fortune on lattes and hot chocolates.

Getting into town: To get into the city centre you can take Bus №39 (from Pulkovo-1 and New Terminal-1) or Bus №13 (form Pulkovo-2) to Moskovskaya Metro Station (seven stops - it will take 15-25 minutes depending on traffic) and then take the metro into town (another seven stops in the metro - about 15-20 minutes). Once you are in the metro system you can get to most parts of town quickly. Keep you eyes open for maps of the metro system if you need to find a particular station. Similarly you can take a minibus (mashrutka) to Moskovskaya, but bear in mind, that if you have a large bag it will be much easier in a bus. If you have a lot of luggage, it is probably worth taking a taxi.

Arriving by bus St. Petersburg has several bus stations, so make sure you know where you are going before you leave.

The central bus station (www.avokzal.ru) is a bit out of the way at Naberezhnaya Obvodnogo kanala 36, which is a short taxi-ride (around 200-300Rbl) to the centre of town and about a 15-minute walk to metro Ligovsky pr.

Eurolines buses (www.eurolines.ru) arrive at Baltiskaya metro station where you can take a taxi or just enter into the metro system. To find your way into the city centre make a bee-line for Nevsky Prospekt. Some bus companies have stops at the city’s main hotels. The proliferation of bus companies operating out of St. Petersburg means that you could be dropped off at a number of different bus stops.

The main rule of thumb is to find your way to the nearest metro station or take a taxi.

Arriving by car Are you driving your car all the way to Russia? Remember the following: your National and International Driver’s licence, registration and insurance documents for the car and, of course, your passport with a valid Russian visa. At the border, ask for an Immigration Card and make sure it is stamped! Stay on the main roads, as you might get pulled over for accidentally straying into a military zone (no, that is not a joke). Traffic police (recognizable by ДПС or ГИБДД or ГАИ) might also fine you for not having a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, or for exceeding the speed limit, which on the highway varies between 80 and 110 km/h.

The normal procedure for pumping gas is that you first pay for a certain amount and then start filling up your tank.

6

Arriving & Getting Around

St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Departing St. Petersburg by train: If you’d just like to get out of the city for the day, local trains (electrichky) cheaply connect the villages and suburbs to St. Petersburg. Electrichky to Gatchina, Lomonosov and Peterhof depart from Baltic (Baltiisky) station, from Finlyandsky you can visit Viburg, and Pushkin and Pavlovsk are covered by Vitebsky.

There may be no toilets, but if you forgot to bring ice cream, band-aids or knife sharpeners a vender might be wandering the aisle with just what you need.

Baltisky station QC-4, Nab. Obvodnogo kan. 120, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 457 28 59, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Finlyandsky station QE-1, Pl. Lenina 6, MPl. Lenina, tel. (+7) 812 436 67 46, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Ladozhsky station QZanevsky pr. 73, MLadozhskaya, tel. (+7) 812 436 53 10, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Moskovsky station QE-3, Nevsky pr. 85, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 457 44 28, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Vitebsky station QD-4, Zagorodny pr. 52, MPushkinskaya, tel. (+7) 812 457 59 39, www.ozd.rzd.ru.

Public transport

Arriving by train Arriving in St. Petersburg by train is convenient. All the train stations are located next to metro stations, so you simply need to step off the train and enter into the bowels of St. Petersburg’s underground system and find your way to the metro station nearest your destination.

Vitebsk (Vitebsky) station is the destination for trains from the Baltic States and Eastern Europe. Trains from Finland arrive at the Finland (Finlyandksy) station and Ladozhsky station, while Moscow (Moskovsky) station is the hub for Moscow bound trains. Long distance trains within Russia arrive and depart from Moskovsky and Ladozhsky stations.

There are taxi stands outside every station and the drivers there usually charge less than the ones waiting to pounce on the station platforms. If you are arriving from midnight onwards be prepared for city transport difficulties. The metro system will be closed for the night and during summer the bridges will be open - which depending on where your accommodation is might mean substantial delays.

Petersburg residents get around the city using a variety of transport options. The fastest and most efficient is the metro. On above-ground transportation you can buy tickets from the conductor or driver (25Rbl for bus, tram, trolleybus) and up to 35Rbl for a marshrutka (mini-bus). All forms of transport work from around 06:00 to just after midnight.

Official taxis are inexpensive by European standards and there is also the possibility of getting an ‘independent’ driver.

St. Petersburg’s metro is one of the deepest in the world and one of the most beautiful. Central stations and those on the red line are particularly impressive, featuring tons of Soviet symbology in bronze, glass and stone. It’s also fast and efficient and, during peak time, you won’t need to wait more than three minutes for a ride. The metro runs from 06:00 till around 00:30. First, you’ll need to buy a token (zheton). Zhetons cost 28Rbl and can be bought from the window labelled kassa. There are five different metro lines, and to change lines, you usually need to change stations. There are underground passageways linking adjacent stations like Sadovaya/Sennaya Pl. and Nevsky pr./Gostiny Dvor. When you arrive at a station, it can be difficult to see the name of where you are. You will hear the arrival station announced, followed by the name of the next stop. This can be confusing, so it’s best to count your stops. In rush hour, the metro can get a bit hectic and it’s at this time you can see Petersburgers at their very worst: pushing, shoving and queue-cutting.

Buses and trolleybuses are another option and they have the advantage of allowing you to take in the architecture of the city, sometimes very slowly and often over the leather-

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covered shoulders of a local commuter. Scrolling banners above the driver’s cabin will list the next destination. Many also feature pre-recorded announcements for the current and following stop. Routes are indicated on window placards positioned on the side of each bus and trolley.

The marshrutka is a mini-bus taxi which follows a fixed route. The marshrutka concept emerged in the 90s as a reaction to overcrowded public transport. These days, they go just about everywhere within the city and out to the suburbs. Sadly, they no longer run on Nevsky, which disconnects them from much of the centre. They have set departure points, but otherwise, when you see the number you want, just hail it down like a taxi. To pay, hand your fare (up to 35Rbl) to the driver or to the person in front of you.

When you want to get off, yell out loudly, ‘ostanovite pozhaluista,’ and the driver will come to a screeching halt.

TaxiS Taxis in St. Petersburg are relatively cheap. If you phone a legitimate taxi company, you’ll be quoted an exact price for the journey. Unfortunately, not all of these companies have English-speaking operators but in many big companies you can book a taxi online: Angel Taxi, (+7) 812 777 20 10, www.angel-taxi.com Taxi 068, tel. (+7) 812 068, www.taxi068.ru Taxi 7000000, tel. (+7) 812 700 00 00, www.taxi7000000.ru New Yellow Taxi, (+7) 812 600 88 88, www.peterburg. nyt.ru April - May 2014

7

City Basics

Language Be on guard!

useful phrases

Avoid attracting unwanted attention by not speaking loudly in your mother tongue, or walking the streets if you have been drinking. If you are of African, Arab, or Asian descent exercise caution, particularly at night.

Basic frases No/Yes Hello Goodbye Thank you Sorry/excuse me Please I don't understand I don't speak Russian Do you speak English?

Help!

I need some help I don't want

02 - Emergency hotline. If you have problems and don’t speak Russian it may be better to call the English language tourist helpine (+7) 812 300 33 33.

The Tourist Information office, Ul. Sadovaya 14, can help you file a police report. Your consulate can help you if your passport has been stolen. The police here generally look for any excuse to fine you, so photocopy your passport and visa. Make sure that you always carry a few photocopies; if the police stop you (they check Russians all the time too) then show them the photocopy rather than the original.

Mobile Phones

Registration Remember that you must be registered within 7 days of your arrival in Russia (excluding weekends and public holidays). Hotels are legally obliged to register you within 24 hours of arrival. Many travel agencies can also register you.

If you don’t get registered on time, you can expect serious problems when leaving, ranging from paying a fee, to missing your flight while officials interrogate you.

Money The national currency is the rouble (Rbl). Banknotes come in denominations of 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000. Rouble coins come in 1, 2, 5 and 10Rbl. There are 100 kopeks to a rouble and kopek coins come in 5, 10 and 50. It’s illegal to pay in dollars or euros. Find ATMs at most metro stations, banks and large hotels.

Foreigner Prices The ‘foreigner price’ is a hangover from the good old days of Intourist-organised Soviet travel. At some theatres and museums, foreigners are required to pay two to five times more than the Russian price. Ouch! These institutions insist that Russian tickets are subsidised with foreigners paying the ‘real price.’ If you have a document (propusk), which says you work or study in Russia, you can usually get the local price.

8

St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

You can use your mobile phone if your provider has an international roaming agreement with any of the Russian mobile GSM phone providers in St. Petersburg. Normally, if you are abroad you have to pay roaming charges on all incoming and outgoing calls. If you call to another Russian mobile phone, for a direct-dial number dial seven digits and for a federal number dial 8 and then the 10-digit number. If you call from your mobile to a fixed line just dial the seven-digits. It may be easiest to buy a local SIM card for use in your own phone. To purchase, you need to show your passport, visa and registration.

Alcohol The traditional Russian alcoholic drink is of course vodka.

The Poles may also claim that they invented it, but what is certain is that the Russians - and in particular the scientist Mendeleev - are the ones who perfected the recipe.

Vodka is cheap and there are literally hundreds of brands to choose from. The most traditional way to drink it is straight as a shot, followed by a salty snack. Beer (pivo) is now the most popular alcoholic drink in Russia and Sovietskoye shampanskoye (Soviet champagne) is the national party drink. Take note that you cannot buy alcohol in shops that is above 0,5% between 22:00 and 11:00.

Climate In April and May St. Petersburg really starts to take on a new look and pace of life as the snow melts and the trees regain their leaves again. Typically things don’t start to really warm up until the end of April though so it is advisable to have a light coat or sweater with you and good waterproof shoes to deal with the puddles caused by melting snow. May can be a delight or it can also be chilly, so be prepared for gloomy weather as well as the odd afternoon of glorious sunshine. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

pocket dictionary Dacha (дача) is a word that you will encounter whether you are talking to newly made friends about their plans for the weekend or summer holidays or reading the greats of Russian literature, a dacha is always bound to crop up. Normally translated as “summer home/cottage” the first dacha (pl. dachi) appeared in the 18th century under Peter the Great who granted land around St. Petersburg. The word is derived from 18th century Russian dati or дати meaning “to give”, now дать (dat’), and would have represented something similar to a summer mansion. During Soviet times dachas (more correctly dachi) were given to city residents to provide them with land plots for growing vegetables and producing food. They play a significant part in Russians’ lives and often they include a banya. It is common for Russians to spend the weekend at the dacha, breathing the fresh air and spending some quality time with friends and family.

numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

adin dva tri chetyre pyat shest sem vosem devyat desyat

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

adinatsat dvinatsat trinatsat chetyrnatsat pyatnatsat shesnatsat semnatsat vosemnatsat devyatnatsat dvatsat

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 500 1000

tritsat sorok pyatdesyat shesdesyat semdesyat vosemdesyat devyanosta sto pyatsot tysicha

alphabet А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж

A B V G D E YO ZH

З И Й К Л М Н О

Z I Y K L M N O

П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц

P R S T U F KH TS

Ч Ш Щ Ы Э Ю Я Ъ, Ь

CH SH SHCH Y E YU YA no sound

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Net/da Zdrastvuite Dasvidaniya Spasibo Izvinite Pazhalusta Ya ne panimayu Ya ne gavaryu pa-russky Vy gavaritye pa-anglisky?

Pomogitye!

Mne nuzhna pomoshch Ya ne khachu Mnye (ne) I (don't) like it nravitsa May I? Mozhno?

Do you have...?

U vas est…?

I don't know Ya ne znayu How much is it? Skolko stoit?

It's expensive!

Eta dorogo!

Bolshoy/ Large/small malenky Khorosho/ Good/bad plokho It hurts!

Bolno!

Today Sevodnya Tomorrow Zaftra Could you write Zapishite it down? pazhalusta Toilets Tualet Ostanavite Stop here please pazhalusta When? At what Kogda? Vo time? skolko?

What time is it? Katory chas?

Who? Kto? How do you say Kak skazat eto that in Russian? pa-russky?

No problem Bez problem Of course Koneshno Happy Holidays! S Praznikom!

Password Parol

Нет/Да Здравствуйте До свидания Спасибо Извините Пожалуйста Я не понимаю Я не говорю по-русски Вы говорите по-английски? Помогите! Мне нужна помошь Я не хочу Мне (не) нравится Можно? У вас есть...? Я не знаю Сколько стоит? Это дорого! Большой/ маленкий Хорошо/ плохо Больно! Сегодня Завтра Запишите, пожалуйста Туалет Остановите, пожалуйста Когда? Во сколько? Который час? Кто? Как сказать это по-русски? Без проблем Конечно С праздником! Пароль April - May 2014

9

Culture & Events Welcome to the cultural capital of Russia! After a day‘s hoofing it through the finest museums and historical locations, you can watch a play, ballet, opera or circus performance any and every night you choose.

theatres Alexandrinsky Theatre QE-3, Pl. Ostrovskogo 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 15 45, www.alexandrinsky.ru.

Imperial Hermitage Theatre QC-2, Dvortsovaya nab. 34, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 966 37 76, www.balet-spb.ru.

Mariinsky Theatre QC-3, Teatralnaya pl. 1, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 326 41 41, www.mariinsky.ru.

Mikhailovsky Theatre QD-2, Pl. Iskusstv 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 43 19, www.mikhailovsky.ru. Ticket office: daily 11:00 19:00, break 15:00 - 16:00.

Saint Petersburg Opera QC-3, Galernaya ul. 33, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 67 69, www.spbopera.ru.

State Theatre of Musical Comedy QD-3, Italyanskaya ul. 13, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 570 53 16, www.spbmuzcomedy.com.

concert halls and clubs Club Cosmonavt QD-4, Ul. Bronnitskaya 24, MTekhnologichesky Institut, tel. (+7) 812 922 13 00, www.cosmonavt.su.

Grand Philharmonic Hall QD-2, Ul. Mikhailovskaya 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 710 42 57, www.philharmonia.spb.ru.

Jazz Philharmonic Hall QС-3, Zagorodny pr. 27, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 764 85 65, www.jazz-hall.spb.ru.

JFC Jazz Club QB-2, Ul. Shpalernaya 33, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 272 98 50, jfc-club.spb.ru. Open 19:00 - 23:00.

Ledovy Dvorets QPr. Pyatiletok 1 (opposite the metro), MPr. Bolshevikov, tel. (+7) 812 718 66 20, www.newarena.spb.ru.

Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall (BKZ) QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 6, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 275 13 00, www.bkz.ru.

Small Philharmonic Hall QD-3, Nevsky pr. 30, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 83 33, www.philharmonia.spb.ru.

Sport Concert Complex (SKK) QPr. Gagarina 8, MPark Pobedy, tel. (+7) 812 378 17 10, www.spbckk.ru.

Yubileiny Sports Palace QC-2, Pr. Dobrolyubova 18, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 812 702 36 22, www.yubi.ru.

You can buy tickets for many events at www.kassir.ru and www.bileter.ru www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

Opera & Ballet 03.04 Thursday - 13.04 Sunday 14th International Mariinsky Ballet Festival The festival promises to bring together some of your favourite performances by international ballet troupes. The festival includes classical pieces such as Swan Lake, Gazelle, La Bayadère. The Royal Danish Ballet Company also offers an exhilarating performance of Napoli, and those who like to add pirates to ballet are certain to enjoy Le Corsaire. However, tickets are going fast, the premiere of Diana Vishneva: On the Edge have already sold out, so don’t miss the boat for this festival of ballet.Q Mariinsky Theatre (MT) C-3, Teatralnaya pl. 1; Mariinsky II (MT-2) C-3, Ul. Dekabristov 34, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 326 41 41, www.mariinsky.ru. Tickets 1,000 - 6,000Rbl. April Time 03, 04 19:30 05

19:30

06, 08 19:00 07

19:30

09 10,11 11 12 13

19:00 19:30 19:00 19:30 20:00

Event Sylvia Infra. Concerto DSCH. Sacre Swan Lake Diana Vishneva: On the Edge La Bayadère Det Kongelige Teater Gisele Le Corsaire Divertissement

Venue MT MT-2 MT-2 MT MT MT-2 MT MT MT-2

April events 02.04 Wednesday 20:00 The Baseballs The group was started in 2007 and performs rock ‘n’ roll arrangements of contemporary pop songs, creating a unique sound and style. They became popular with 50s and 60s style rock cover versions of modern hits such as Umbrella by Rihanna, Crazy in Love by Beyoncé, Hot n Cold by Katy Perry and Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen. The German group’s first album, Strike, was released in 2009 and led all the European charts. On the heels of this success, the band released a second album several months later Strings ‘n’ Stripes, which was met with similar popularity.

QD-4, Club Cosmonavt, Bronnitskaya ul. 24, MTekhnologichesky institut, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www. thebaseballs.com. Tickets 1,500 - 3,500Rbl. April - May 2014

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Culture & Events aurora fashion week 07.04 Monday - 13.04 Sunday The AURORA FASHION WEEK Russia is promising to be bigger than ever with a range of new attractions for the city’s fashionistas. The fashion week will include all day White Night Shopping (April 5), work shops, master classes and a fashion and beauty festival AURORA MARKET as well as a celebration to fine dining in St. Petersburg’s restaurants with the AURORA PLATE festival.

The fashion week will be held in the classical interiors of the Rafael and Titian halls at the Russian Academy of Fine Arts Museum and will have 13 shows from some of Russia’s and St. Petersburg’s leading designers as well as avant-garde foreign brands that have already become an accepted part of the Russian fashion scene.

The fashion week will be concluded with the AURORA MARKET, where you can buy exclusive accessories, cosmetics and perfumes and it will of course include limited collections only for its guests. You can buy tickets online at www.auroramarket.ru.

QSee all the details about the AURORA FASHION WEEK Russia on the website www.afwrussia.com.

Concerts at Port Artur Port Artur restaurant on Zvenigorodskaya ul.

12/17 offers its guests a lot of great concerts.

The best of the spring season are Gabrielle Goodman and Band (April 24) from USA and Danny Giles (May 10)from UK. Don’t forget to book a table in advance!

The full schedule you find at www.portartur-spb.ru

For all the latest concert, event and exhibition news follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket 12 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Culture & Events 04.04 Friday 23:00 Trancemission

18.04 Friday 19:00 Lady in Jazz

Trancemission describes itself as a ‘festival of trance’ and will be featuring Ferry Corsten as the headline act. The festival has been held for more than a decade and has seen performances by some of the biggest names in the industry including Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk, Dash Berlin, Above & Beyond, Nadia Ali. In recent years the tone of the atmosphere has changed reflecting modern trends in trance music with a slower beat and a harder sound. Ferry Corsten himself was one of the pioneers of this ‘harder’ trance and during his career has worked with musicians and groups such as Duran Duran, U2, Аrmin van Buuren and Tiesto.QD-1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.radiorecord.ru/news/736275/. Tickets 1,000 - 1,700Rbl.

Lady in Jazz is a unique jazz festival which is well known among jazz lovers. The participants are all charming ladies with enchanting voices. The festival has become known for its improvisations and continuation of the spirit of jazz. This year’s performers include: Jamala, Via Tatiana, Sasha Magerova and Band, and Cats Park. The combination of artists should encapsulate the trends of jazz from soul, world music, rhythm and blues to classics from the 1930s to 1960s. There should be something for all jazz lovers in this eclectic line up.QE-1, Aurora Concert Hall, Pirogovskaya nab. 5/2, MPl. Lenina, tel. (+7) 812 907 19 17, www.aurora-hall.ru. Tickets 1,200 - 2,000Rbl.

05.04 Saturday 19:00 Aria To celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary of its 1989 album Playing with Fire, the group will be putting on a special performance. The band was first established in 1985 and is perhaps one of Russia’s first commercial rock success stories. Achieving widespread popularity in the final days of the Soviet Union, the band has been known as Russia’s Iron Maiden. The group has produced 10 albums. This performance will include much of the Playing with Fire album along with some of their classics such as Last Sunset, Baptism by Fire, and Black Legend.QD-1, Club A2, pr.

Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.aria.ru. Tickets 1,200 - 2,500Rbl. 12.04 Saturday 20:00 Leningrad Leningrad’s Sergey Shnurov is known for the pushing the limits and that is exactly what the plan intends to do on the anniversary of Yury Gagarin’s momentous space flight.

Shnurov will be combining his own 40th birthday celebration as part of a salute to Russia’s cosmonauts. Leningrad is more than a popular rock band they have become one of Russia’s social institutions. Their lyrics readily come to the mind of any Russian. The social commentary in the lyrics raise important questions and the clear lyrics mixing irony with a little black humour make the band a timeless reflection of Russian society.QD-1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 75 75, www.sosimc.ru. Tickets 1,800 – 8,000Rbl. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

18.04 Friday 20:00 Surganova and Orchestra Svetlana Surganova is a musician, poet and composer. For many years she was the violinist for rock group Nochnye Snaipery (Night snipers) and is now the front lady for her new group Surganova and Orchestra. Surganova is popular in Russia, with each performance overwhelmed by gifts and flowers from her fans. Her orchestra is constantly on tour around Russia and maintains its popularity by continuing to produce fresh music to add to their popular repertoire. The concert promises to include a mix of styles including rock, Latino, trip-hop and electronica.QD-1, Club A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 309 99 22, www.surganova.su. Tickets 1,000 - 3,500Rbl. 19.04 Saturday 20:00 Bravo Bravo is a Russian band with history, for the last 30 years the group has been performing under the leadership of Evgeny Khavtran. The group is known for their full houses and their fans for dancing until they drop. The band released its first album in 1983 and have released another 11 albums since, as well as several collections. The musical style of the band is rock ‘n’ roll with elements of swing and new wave. Anyone curious about the development of rock in Russia will enjoy a show by these veterans.QD-4, Club Cosmonavt, Bronnitskaya ul. 24, MTekhnologichesky institut, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www.brawo.ru. Tickets 900 - 2,500Rbl.

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Dance open

23.04 Wednesday - 28.04 monday 13th International Dance Open Ballet Festival The festival will be showcasing international artists with a range of contemporary performances and a large number of premier performances with exciting choreography.

Perhaps one of the most interesting is Recur, which explores people’s inner world; and Innervisions which is set to Stevie Wonder’s music. Classical music fans are bound to love Magifigue which is a magical opportunity to reexperience the world through the wondering eyes of a child, performed by the Malandain Ballet Biarritz troupe with a neoclassical take on Tchaikovsky’s music. The festival will also include one act performances which will be seen in Russia for the first time.QE-3, Alexandrinsky Theatre, pl. Ostrovskogo 6. Tel. (+7) 812 719 65 95, www.danceopen.com. Tickets 400 – 5,500Rbl.

summer is comming

01.06 Sunday 20:00 Linkin Park For more than 15 years Linkin Park has been one of the top alternative rock groups in the world. The band has received numerous awards and sold over 50 million records. Having released five successful albums including Hybrid Theory, Meteora, Minutes to Midnight, the group is currently working on their sixth album which is due for release later this year. Despite constant tours the group still succeeds in producing fresh music. From these performance veterans you can expect a good show.QС-2, Petrovsky stadium, Malaya arena, ul. Petrovsky ostrov 2, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 921 303 33 33, www. linkinpark.com. Tickets 3,000 - 6,000Rbl. April - May 2014

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Culture & Events 23.04 Wednesday 20:00 Yolka Yolka released her debut album in 2005 and has released a total of four albums - a fifth is due out later this year.

The Russian/Ukrainian singer is often played on Russian and Ukrainian radio stations and her concerts are known for her interaction with the audience. The singer’s group includes not only musicians but also composers who do musical arrangements for her songs. Her style fluctuates between pop, R&B and alternative rock.QE-1, Aurora Concert Hall, Pirogovskaya nab. 5/2, MPl. Lenina, tel. (+7) 812 907 19 17, www.elkasinger.ru. Tickets 1,400 3,500Rbl. 30.04 Wednesday 20:00 Zveri The popular Russian group is returning to St. Petersburg.

The band was established by lead singer Roman Bilyk in 2002 and in 2003 they released their debut album Golod (Hunger). The band quickly won a large following with their simple lyrics and romantic themes. The group originally worked with Ivan Shapovalov – who was producer for teen group sensation t.A.T.u. Zveri have won numerous Russian MTV awards and performed at Eurovision in 2005.

The band is returning to St. Petersburg after a year’s break from touring. They are promising to release a new album this spring. QClub A2, pr. Medikov 3, tel. (+7) 812 335 75 75, www.zve.ru. Tickets 1,200 - 4,000Rbl.

may events 13.05 Tuesday 20:00 Korn This three hour performance is dedicated to the new album releases by Korn and Soulfly. Soulfly recently released its ninth album Savages which has been popularly received in the USA and Europe and the band will open their St. Petersburg concert with this album. The band was formed in 1997 and initially its lyrics focused on spiritual and religious themes, but later albums have covered war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly’s performance will then be followed by Korn, considered one of the founders of nu metal and has influenced such bands as Evanescence, Slipknot, Staind, Static-X, Disturbed, Deftones and Linkin Park. Their performance will be featuring tracks from their new album Paradigm Shift. Both bands will also include some of their best loved hits.QClub A2, pr. Medikov 3, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 303 33 33, www.korn.com. Tickets TBA.

14 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Culture & Events 15.05 Thursday 20:00 Justin Timberlake Timberlake will be performing in St. Petersburg for the first time as part of his world tour The 20/20 Experience. The tour follows the release of his new album of the same name in 2013. Since the American singer made his solo debut in 2002, he has gone on to record four albums, despite taking a four year break from music to focus on developing his acting career. Performances of The 20/20 Experience have been noted for their energy while the new album has sold more than 11 million copies, so if you are a fan of the pop singer, you should be in for a treat.QSKK, Pr. Gagarina 8, MPark Pobedy, tel. (+7) 812 670 21 02, justintimberlake.com. Tickets 3,000 - 1,500Rbl. 27.05 Tuesday 20:00 Aerosmith The American hard rock band is returning to St. Petersburg as part of their Global Warming World Tour. The band was formed in Boston in 1970 and since their first album in 1972 has released a string of multiplatinum albums recording 15 studio albums. The rock group is the best selling American band, having sold more than 150 million albums. The band is known for hits such as “Crazy”, “Janie’s Got a Gun”, and “Sweet Emotion”. Come along and listen to some of your old favourites and see if these old dogs have any new tricks.QSKK, pr. Gagarina 8, MPark Pobedy, tel. (+7) 812 670 21 02, www.aerosmith.com. Tickets 1,500 - 10,000Rbl.

Exhibitions 27.11 Wednesday - 17.03 Monday Dinner is served.

The theme of food was in high demand throughout the 18th and 19th centuries by Russian artists - this however is the first exhibition dedicated to this sumptuous subject matter. The exhibition will present more than 300 exponents portraying the full variety of Russian taste from this period. The exhibition will include the dinner services of the tsars, items of applied and decorative arts, and paintings depicting various dinners: from modest servings to royal feasts. Works on display include such famous masters as Makovsky, A.Ryabushkin, B.Kustodiev, I.Mashkov, Konchalovsky, A.Plastov, Ivanov. Also on display are the recipes of Russian cuisine and numerous court menus and aristocratic dining experiences from the first half of the 19th century.QD-2, Benois Wing, nab. kan. Griboedova 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 42 48, www. rusmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 13:00 - 21:00.

Closed Tue. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

07.02 Friday - 31.12 Wednesday More than sport!

This exhibition is dedicated to the Sochi Winter Olympic Games. It is the first attempt to look at the role of sport in Russia’s social, political and cultural life. This exhibition examines the close link between sport, politics, ideology and culture. A display of photographs, documents, personal effects, awards and uniforms reflect the history of Russian sport and government politics from the late 19th century to the current day. The museum exhibition features some of the heroes of Russian sport including Imperial figure skater Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin, six time wrestling gold medallist Ivan Poddubny and Russian chessmaster Alexandr Alekhin and many more. Visitors can also look at displays covering the preparation for the infamous 1980 Moscow Olympics which were classified as top-secret for many years.QD-1, State Museum of Political History of Russia, Ul. Kuibysheva 2/4, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 313 61 63, www. polithistory.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Wed. 10:00 - 20:00, Closed Thu and last Mon of the month.

05.03 Wednesday - 31.05 Saturday Women’s Folk Costume in Russia of 18th -20th centuries This exhibition presents folk costume as a uniquely Russian phenomenon, where its different layers are reflected: the most conspicuous ones are the echo of pagan Slavonic ideas and the elements of costume of Old Russia that were preserved even in folk costume of the 20th century. In the latter, the significant role has also the local art and craft traditions that create and form a unique costume for each area in Russia which is clearly evident at this exhibition. The exposition will be supplemented with the paintings by D.Levitsky, V.Makovsky, M.Nesterov, E.Polenova and other artists.QD-2, Russian Museum, Benois Wing, nab. kan. Griboedova 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 42 48, www.rusmuseum. ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 13:00 - 21:00. Closed Tue. 09.04 Wednesday - 30.06 Monday Nikolay Roerich 1874-1947 The exhibition is held for the 140th anniversary of the birth of Nicholas Roerich - one of the most significant masters of Russian painting at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. Roerich became known as a public figure and was the initiator of one of the first international agreements for the protection of culture, the Roerich Pact.

The collection brings together Roerich’s works from a number of Russian museums.QD-2, Russian Museum, Benois Wing, nab. kan. Griboedova 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 42 48, www.rusmuseum.ru. Open , Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 13:00 - 21:00. Closed Tue Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 13:00 - 21:00. Closed Tue. www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

Sport Local heroes FC Zenit storm into the final stage of the Russian Premier League this April and May. Following a long year of match play on three fronts (Russian League, Russian Cup, and UEFA Champions League), Zenit players can now focus on the club’s main goal for the season – to become Russian champions again after last year’s disappointing second place finish.

Zenit fans who have kept the faith throughout the dark and cold winter months are now in for a treat: spring football is at its best at Zenit’s home ground of Petrovsky Stadium. April and May matches promise perfectly green grass, long evenings, beautiful sunsets, and great atmosphere as the home crowd pushes St. Petersburg’s finest on to a new title.

The action gets started on Sunday, April 6th, at 13:30, when Zenit hosts Rubin Kazan. The match will be particularly interesting because Zenit has taken so many players from FC Rubin in recent years, including Cristian Ansaldi last summer, and Alexander Ryazantsev and Salomon Rondon this winter. Zenit then hosts southern Russian club FC Krasnodar on Saturday, April 12th at 19:30. Zenit’s third home match in April comes on the 26th at 16:30 vs. FC Volga from Nizhny Novgorod.

But those three matches will be just a warm-up for the grand finale, when Zenit hosts arch-rivals FC Dynamo Moscow on May 11th. That doozy of a match could well decide both clubs’ title ambitions, as both teams are inevitably going to be at the top of the Russian Premier League table in May. Kick-off on that holiday Sunday is at 13:30.

As any Zenit fan will tell you, Petrovsky Stadium is a magical place, and there’s no better way to ring in the spring than supporting the Blue-White-Sky Blues in St. Petersburg’s most historical arena, alongside the Neva River.

E-tickets to home matches can be purchased online at tickets.fc-zenit.ru. You can also follow all the latest Zenit news on the official website at en.fc-zenit.ru.

By Chris Pascone, editor of www.en.fc-zenit.ru

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Features This walking tour is about seven kilometres and takes you past a number of museums and lovely locations so if you can, spend a day or so on it. The tour will also take you past some great cafes, restaurants and bars. So if you really want to enjoy getting to know St. Petersburg better, be prepared to enjoy the history and contemporary culture of the city.

Griboedov Canal: Start out at Nevsky prospect metro station and head north towards the traditional Orthodox cathedral along Griboedov Canal. The canal was originally constructed during the reign of Catherine the Great in 1764-1790. In 1923 the canal was renamed Griboedov Canal in honour of the Russian playwright and diplomat Alexander Griboedov (1795 – 1829). Griboedov is largely famous for his play Woe from Wit (Gore ot uma). He was a talented linguist and diplomat and was killed along with his entire legation by an angry mob in Persia while trying to protect three Armenians.

Field of Mars: Continue north from the Church of the Saviour and pass by Mikhailovsky Garden. Over the Moika river you will come to Marsovoe Pole (Field of Mars). This field was originally a recreational area. At the end of the 18th century the meadow was taken over as an army drilling ground. In the early 19th century it became known as the Field of Mars. Following the 1917 Revolution, several revolutionaries were interred here and it became a memorial.

Smolny District Smolny is the district of the royalty and nobility. As such the tour will take you past some of the most elegant buildings and nicest parks in St. Petersburg.

The district is also intimately connected with some of the most shocking and tragic events in Russia’s history.

Eternal flame: Located in the centre of the field is the eternal flame. It was the first in Russia, being introduced in 1967 Suvorov statue: To the northern side of the field, next to the Neva River is Suvorov Square and a statue to Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov (1727-1800). The general is often thought of as Russia’s greatest military leader. Of the 93 battles he commanded, he never lost.

Museum of the Defence and Blockade of Leningrad: If you cross over Panteleimonovsky Bridge continue east until you reach Solyanoy pereulok (Salt Lane). Turn left at Solyanoy pereulok and you will see a museum to the defence of Leningrad. This museum is absorbing. It depicts the survival and defence of the city during the blockade.

The museum was established during the time of the blockade in 1942 and was first opened in 1946.

Ulitsa Chaikovskogo: The spelling might look unusual but this street is named in honour of the great composer, Petr Illich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893). Tchaikovsky is perhaps best known for his 1812 Overture and Swan Lake.

It is thought that he committed suicide by drinking a glass of tap water and deliberating contracting cholera to avoid personal scandal. Being a homosexual in Russia was then as is now - not something you could be open about.

Ulitsa Gagarina: Continuing east you will pass by ulitsa Gagarina, named after Yury Gagarin (1934-68) the first man in space. Gagarin was a pilot before being selected for the Soviet space programme. His first and only space flight was upon the Vostok 1 on 12 April 1961. He died in a plane crash in 1968.

Liteiny Prospekt: Continue east along Chaikovskogo until you reach the Liteiny Prospekt. At Liteiny Prospekt turn right, to the south. During the 19th century a number of large mansions were built along the prospect and it is now starting to be redeveloped for shops, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels.

Transfiguration Cathedral: Turn left at ulitsa Pestelya and you will enter the oval Transfigurational Square with the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in the centre. This is one of the few Russian churches that has never been closed. The cathedral was built under Empress Elizaveta Petrovna (1709-62) in 1743-54. In 1825 it burnt down and was reconstructed in 1825-9 in the Empire style. The fence around the cathedral was made using the barrels of Turkish guns seized during the 1828-9 Russo-Turkish War.

Summer Garden: If you follow the road east either along the Neva River or along the Moika River embankment you come to the Summer Garden. The park was originally designed by Peter the Great. A significant attraction of the garden was the fountains which were the first in Russia.

Mikhailovsky Castle: Opposite the Summer Garden on the other side of the Moika River is Mikhailovsky Castle.

The castle was built for Pavel I in 1797-1801. Fearing assassination the tsar had the palace constructed with moats surrounding the castle. Safe in his fortress the tsar was able to enjoy 40 nights’ rest before being murdered. From 183843 Russian writer Fedor Dostoevsky studied at the castle before being drawn into revolutionary circles. The castle is now a portraiture museum to the Russian tsars.

Pereulok Radischeva: Head north up pereulok Radischeva (Radischev Lane) named after Russian philosopher, writer, Alexander Radischev (1749-1802). His works discussed serfdom and earned him exile to Siberia in 17901796. On reaching Kirochnaya ulitsa, turn right.

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April - May 2014

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Features

Features Water Museum: Opposite the Tauride Palace is the St. Petersburg Museum of Water. Located in the original water works, the museum includes St. Petersburg’s first water tower built in 1860. The museum is fully interactive, promising something of interest for everyone.

Tauride Garden: Continue east down Kirochnaya ulitsa until you reach a large park on your left. This is the Tauride Garden. The Tauride Garden was laid out in 7831789 on the estate of Grigory Potemkin (1739-91) behind the Tauride Palace. Potemkin was a long standing minister of war and is thought to have been one a lover of Catherine the Great. He was granted the title Prince of Tauride for the conquest of Crimea in 1783. In 1866 the gardens were opened to the public and became a popular ice-skating location in winter. During the 20th century additional sporting facilities have been located in the garden along with a number of monuments to famous Russians including Petr Tchaikovsky, the famous composer and writer Sergey Yesenin (1895-1925). Yesenin was one sentimentalist writer with turbulent lifestyle. Her supported the Bolshevik uprisings, believing that the revolution would improve life, but becoming disillusioned he criticised the Bolshevik regime. He committed suicide in 1925 – his farewell poem was written in blood – suspicions remain to this day that he was murdered by the secret police – although the poet is known to have been severely depressed.

Tauride Palace: On the north-eastern side of the gardens is the Tauride Palace. Considered the grandest palace owned by a nobleman in the 18th century it was built in 1783-9. After the death of her former favourite, Catherine the Great purchased the land to be her summer townhouse. In 1799 Pavel, detesting his mother’s taste gave the palace to his favourite cavalry regiment to be used as barracks and many of the fine interiors ended up being destroyed. In 1906 it was converted into Russia’s first house of parliament, the Imperial Duma and following the 1917 February Revolution it was used as the seat of the Provisional Government. It is now used as the assembly for the member nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

18 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Palkin restaurant, 19th century hospitality revived.

Monument to Dzerzhinsky: Heading along Shpalernaya ulitsa from the Tauride Palace, on the northern side of the road you will come across a monument to Felix Dzerzhinsky (1877-1926) – Lenin’s spymaster. The Polish born Dzerzhinsky was a career revolutionary and familiar with tsarist techniques of infiltration and provocation of political enemies. He was placed in charge of the Vcheka (All Russian Emergency Commission) which became the main instrument in the Red Terror, killing thousands suspected of anti-Soviet activities. During Soviet times he became a legendary figure with tales told of his childhood, his intelligence and courage.

Smolny Cathedral: further east is one of St. Petersburg’s most impressive cathedrals. The cathedral was originally built as part of a convent complex for the illegitimate Elizaveta Petrovna, however, instead of becoming a nun, she became empress. The church was built in 1748-64. The building today is used for concerts and weddings.

PALKIN RESTAURANT

Smolny Institute: to the left of Smolny Cathedral is the Smolny institute. This building was constructed in 1806-08 by the Society for the Education of Noble Maidens.

The original course of study was 12 years, until the young ladies were 18. Initially subjects included divine law, languages, drawing, history, geography, and arithmetic, elements of physics, dancing, music, manners, needlework, and housekeeping. In 1917 the building was chosen as the Bolshevik headquarters during the October/November Revolution and was Lenin’s residence for several months.

The building became the city hall during the Soviet period and it was here that Sergey Kirov (1886-1934) was assassinated. Kirov was the leader of the Leningrad branch of the Communist Party and was becoming increasingly popular.

His death removed a potential rival and Stalin and acted as the pretext for Stalin’s next round of repressions and purges. The Smolny Institute now houses a museum to Lenin and the Faculty of International Relations of St. Petersburg State University.

St. Petersburg is a city that embodies history. As the capital of the Russian tsars, St. Petersburg has been the home of leading political figures, writers, reformers, tyrants and terrorists and sometimes individuals that fit all these categories. Nevsky prospekt and the city centre have witnessed much that is grand and tragic in Russia’s history. After a day of visiting museums, art galleries and wandering the beautiful streets – the Palkin restaurant is a good location to enjoy a meal and continue experiencing St. Petersburg’s dramatic history.

The restaurant bears the name of the original restaurateurs, the Palkin family, first mentioned in 1785. Initially, the popularity of the family’s taverns, and then later the Palkin restaurant chain was extraordinary. The most fashionable Palkin was situated on the corner of the Nevsky and Vladimirsky Prospekts, 47. The building was purchased by Konstantin Palkin in 1871, after he inherited the business of his father, Pavel Palkin. The original building had to be reconfigured to serve as a restaurant but after renovations were completed the new restaurant was opened in 1874 with 25 dining halls, a billiard room, private cabinets, and a majestic staircase that was adorned with exotic plants and a sparkling fountain.

In 1904, an extension was added and the concert hall renovated. The restaurant’s visitors were treated to performances by famous musicians and singers, and the concepts of an ‘after theatre meal’ and also the ‘Sunday lunch with music’ were also introduced.

The restaurant’s status made it popular among St. Petersburg’s socialites and intellectuals. Visitors to the restaurant included the poet Alexander Blok, scientist Alexander Butlerov, writers Nikolai Gogol, Fedor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Leskov, Anton Chekhov, painter Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, and composer Petr Tchaikovsky. The restaurant was among the first in Russia to adopt elements of French cuisine into traditional Russian cooking. Visitors were also attracted by the atmosphere, which was similar to a private club.

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Following the Bolshevik revolution, the restaurant was converted into the Titan movie theatre and enjoyed similar success. In 1934, it hosted the premiere of Chapaev, an epic film about the civil war. The movie theatre also held international film festivals and became a favourite of Leningrad’s bohemian circles.

To return Palkin to its former use as a restaurant the owners brought in a team of specialists from the State Hermitage Museum to supervise the restoration work of the building’s original interiors. These interiors are now regularly used for shooting historical programmes and films.

The renovated Palkin restaurant was reopened in 2002 and has revived the traditions of 19th century hospitality. These traditions include cuisine which would have been familiar to the Russian aristocracy at the time and here you can savour dishes that once delighted top society in the imperial capital.

The Palkin has renovated the concert hall and now replicates 19th century dinners and also holds receptions for exhibitions, festivals and play premiers. The restaurant also runs so called soirees, “Nights with the Stars: Dinner by Candlelight” which have included some leading Russian performers.

The Palkin offers panoramic views of Nevsky Prospekt and gives the visitor a chance to re-experience the best of Russian history and culture.

QE-3, Nevsky pr. 47, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 703 53 71, www.palkin.ru.

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Where to eat St. Petersburg is brimming with colourful, innovative and fun restaurants serving everything from traditional Russian to nouvelle cuisine. To be sure of getting a table, make sure to book in advance. Be aware that many restaurants morph into bars and clubs in the later hours of the evening, so make early reservations if you want some peace and quiet.

Tip for good service only - 10% is considered fair.

Our price guide is based on the average price of a main course: € - 0 - 400Rbl €€ 400 - 800Rbl €€€ 800 - 1,200Rbl €€€€ 1,200Rbl plus

Russian and Ukrainian Idiot With numerous rooms filled with comfortable and cosy antique furniture, eclectic titbits and reading material in English and Russian, Idiot is worth visiting just for the atmosphere. Here you can taste a variety of traditional Russian dishes, with a decent selection of vegetarian food and a reasonable kids menu. Many people though come to Idiot simply to absorb the atmosphere, and to drink. All the guests are given a complimentary mini-shot of vodka.

QC-3, Nab. reky Moiky 82, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 921 946 51 73, www.idiot-spb.com. Open 11:00 - 01:00. €€.

PTASW Koleso Step down into the warm and cosy cave that is Koleso and get settled in for an evening of old Slavic comfort. Iron candelabras give the room a medieval glow, while the crisp creamy tablecloths lend things a romantic touch. The menu is truly Slavic and will satisfy anyone looking for a good fill of wholesome Russian food. Meat is king and there is a broad choice of succulent meaty cuts as well as delicacies such as tongue and liver to be found in the extensive menu.QD-3, Voznesensky pr. 2, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 21 25. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PTASW NEP NEP is a delightful cabaret den which pays glorious homage to the sultry swinging 1920s. The atmosphere is cosy and warm, softly lit with candles so you can settle back, order your meal and be enthralled by the musicians with their charming, personality packed star singer. They offer an array of delicious fish and meat dishes, all exquisitely presented and served.

QD-3, Nab. reky Moiky 37, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 571 75 91, www.neprestoran.ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00, Wed - Sun 12:00 - 01:00. €€. PAESW Olivie Named in honour of the famous Russian salad, of which various types are served here in abundance. Olivie offers Russian and Caucasian dishes with the chef’s personal interpretations.

Classic walnut source with chicken, delicate veal cutlets with green sauce, a classic Khachapuri or a mixture of dried fruit for dessert - it’s just a small part of what you the chef offers.QD3, Admiralteisky pr. 8, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 945 84 72. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€. PTAGSW www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

Prospekt Prospekt is a brand new Russian restaurant located just around the corner from St. Isaac's Cathedral. Its almost invisible to the passerby but that doesn't mean it should be missed! There's an excellent selection of traditional Russian dishes with a few modern additions. Add to that a wonderful historical decor and a menu written in old Russian to go along with said decor. The fish was some of the best in the city, extremely fresh and full of flavor straight from the grill.

Traditional Russian specials like borsch and potato pancakes (draniki) are as good as any Russian babushka can whip up.QD-3, Mal. Morskaya ul. 21, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 952 236 01 24, www.prospekt-restaurant.ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€. PTASW Russkaya Ryumochnaya No.1 Typically a ryumochnaya is a stand-up, spit-and-sawdust kind of a place where working men wash down cheap vodka with salty snacks. This sophisticated fin-de-siècle inspired place is as far away from that kind of place as you can imagine. This is Russian food fit for tsars, complete with black caviar and reindeer meat. The historic dishes are rich and well made, making this a very classy introduction to Russian cuisine.QC-3, Konnogvardeisky bul. 4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 570 64 20, www.vodkaroom.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PTAULESW Valenki and Varezhka Located just round the corner from St. Isaac’s Cathedral this restaurant has a style all of its own. The vaulted interior provides lovely lines and the décor is homely with a style that mixes German homeliness with something quaintly Russian. The menu offers standard European fare with some old Soviet favourites.QD-3, Nab. reky Moiky 87, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 989 77 95. Open 12:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 13:00 until last guest. PTAW

SYMBOL key P Air conditioning

A Credit cards accepted

E Live music

S Take away

T Child-friendly

U Facilities for the disabled

G Non-smoking areas

L Guarded parking

V Home delivery

W Wifi

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Where to eat

Where to eat Asian and Indian Cardamon The oriental style interior is completed by Indian tapestries on the floor. Definitely worth sampling is its delicious naan and poppadom. Longtime Indian resident in St. Petersburg Ravi runs the show around here and is determined to make it a great success. Food-wise, he got everything right, although we were a bit amused by the selection of Russian dishes on the menu as well; we haven’t yet given those a try, but as for Indian food, Cardamom is a welcome addition to the city.QC-2, 1-ya liniya 18, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 313 38 99, www.cardamom-bar.ru. Open 11:00 - 23:00. €€.

PTASW Chopsticks Chopsticks is fine dining Chinese style. The interior has been decorated in your traditional Chinese style with the walls decorated with traditional Chinese paintings.

Quiet background music adds to the refined Chinese atmosphere. The staff are all dressed in elegant Chinese silk gowns, enhancing the sense of Oriental refinement. The master chef produces not only his favourite Szechwan and Cantonese dishes but also popular dishes from India and Thailand. The central location makes this one of the most convenient Chinese restaurants to visit in St. Petersburg. Be prepared to take your time over the meal and expect to use chopsticks! QD-3, Admiralteisky pr.

8, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 51 15, www. facebook.com/chopsticks.spb. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€.

PTSW Curry House Well known St. Petersburg resident and chef Sumit Gupta took the courage to open his own Curry House in the Northern Capital, which we think was a great idea! Curry House is a perfect addition to the cities food scene serving food from all compass points off India. The menu is extensive and we really enjoyed the big variety we ordered: Samosa, Murg Tikka Muglai, Palak Paneer, Punjabi Chole (marinated chick peas) served with plain rice and off course butter naan. More good news is the great location, basically next doors from the Mariinsky so spice up before the performance!QC-3, Ul. Glinki 3-5-7, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 921 416 94 47, www.curryhousespb.com. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€.

22 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Tandoor Situated mere steps from St. Isaac’s cathedral, Tandoor is about as far away from bland Russian food as you can get. For 20 years now they’ve been serving up real, authentic Indian fare and have won numerous ‘best restaurant’ prizes for their efforts too. They have all the usual favourites so you can try a couple and share amongst your buddies, whilst mopping up every last dollop of sauce with the thick naan bread.QD3, Admiralteisky pr. 10, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 312 38 86, www.tandoor-spb.ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€.

PTALEGSW Tandoori Nights The menu is original and mouth-watering, especially the clay-oven Tandoori-specialities. When cooked here, the meat acquires a delicious flavour and specific tenderness.

There’s plenty of options for vegetarians too and every guest with an In Your Pocket guide gets a 10% discount on the bill.QD-3, Voznesensky pr. 4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 312 87 72, www.tandoorinightsspb.com.

Open 12:00 - 23:30. €€. PALVSW TAO TAO is a hip, modern, Asian oasis in the very centre of the city. The interior, where chic Asia meets Russia, is impressive - notice the enormous wooden carved doors in the windows, they are amazing. They have not forgotten to focus on the food as well. We recommend trying their beef in black pepper sauce, which is something of a small hit here, and also their famous wasabi prawns. QD-2, Konyushennaya pl. 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 983 57 57, www.taorestaurant.ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. €€€. PALESW

Beer Restaurants Bierstube With their own brewery this restaurant is a good place to start if you are looking for some homebrewed hoppy stuff. Choose from a seat in the bright glass covered courtyard balcony or tuck yourselves in inside the wood and stucco countryside house themed centre of the restaurant. Either way be sure to load up on beer snacks like calmari and fried cheese sticks before the main events, Bavarian and Czech cuisine inspired meaty heavyweights, arrive.QC-4, Courtyard by Marriott St. Petersburg Center West Pushkin Hotel, Nab. kan. Griboedova 166, MSennaya Pl., tel. (+7) 812 610 50 00, www.bier-stube.ru.

Open 12:00 - 01:00. €€. PTAULSW

King Pong The bright colours, funky paintings and high ceilings make for a cooly relaxed Asian alternative to all the sushi bars around town. We recommend filling up on an assortment of the yummy starters, particularly the dim sum or one of their big brothy noodle soups. The mains are elegantly prepared with fresh ingredients and a little ‘European’ in spice levels, but you can always ask for some chili sauce to add yourself.QD-3, Bol. Morskaya ul. 16, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 82 56, www.kingpong.ru. Open 12:00 24:00. €. PTAEGSW

Pivnaya Karta This is a unique place in St. Petersburg, with over 400 different kinds of craft and imported beers. You’ll find yourself standing behind the bar, in a New York style interior, helped by professionals to find that specific kind of beer you like, or will learn to love. This place is all about beer, it is non-smoking, and only minimal finger food is available. This place is about what really matters - beer. All beers can also be bought for take away.QE2, Ul. Vosstaniya 55, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 273 93 78, www.beercard.ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €. PAS

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8, Admiralteysky Pr., +7 (812) 945 84 72 April - May 2014

23

Where to eat Next to Mariinsky theatre

Where to eat

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Delicious italian and russian food!

Amazing Pastry!

St. Petersburg, pr. Rimskogo-Korsakova 43, www.romeosbarandkitchen.ru

reservations: +7 (812) 572 54 48

Next to Mariinsky theatre

The Corner Pub An English pub on the Petrograd Side, founded from the people who brought you Dickens. The bar carries on the same traditions as Dickens and you might even know Jimmy the barman. The menu remains unchanged but the line of beer has been improved dramatically - more than 30 sorts of beer, including the ever popular craft beers. A huge English breakfast is available until 17:00 and smokers are allowed... Well, at least while it is legal! It is particularly pleasant to sit back and relax with a cigar and English ale in a comfortable armchair by the fire. Every Wednesday they have live rockabilly music.QC-1, PS, Maly pr. 55A, MChkalovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 702 62 63. Open 12:00 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. €€. PAESW Craft Bier Cafe Beer-lovers be warned! 40 different kinds of beer can be found in Craft on tap, more than anywhere else in St. Petersburg. And not only the well-known kinds, but also Craft’s special Russian brew. Owner Sergey takes specific pride in having four different kinds of lager available that he specially made based on his own favourites from Russia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and other countries he has visited in search of exotic examples of his favourite beverage. The atmosphere is laid-back and it is easy to mingle with locals and expats alike. Craft serves good pub-food, but it’s beer that rules.QE-2, Gagarinskaya ul.

6, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 983 55 59, www. craftpub.ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Tue - Thu 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. €€. PAEW Dickens This British island near the Fontanka river has beer from all around the world, including more than ten on tap, and a lot of superior whiskeys. The snacks and food are good too (the chicken wings are our favourites) and come in huge portions.

Don’t forget to try the breakfast here - it’s a great hangover cure and real authentic British. Dickens has an authentic pub atmosphere, which is as close to a real British pub that you’ll find in Russia and also features a fine dining restaurant on the second floor.QD-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 108, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 702 62 63, www.dickensrest.ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. PASW Manneken Pis Manneken Pis is named after the famous 61 cm. statue in Brussels. Manneken Pis means “Little Man Pees” in Marol (Dutch dialect spoken in Brussels). This bar looks like your standard European bar, but just wait till you see the beer menu. Whether you are a connoisseur of good beer or are looking for something a little different Manneken Pis will turn your affection for beer into a religion. This bar has a wide range Belgium and Dutch beers with 12 types of beer on tap and over 150 types of bottled beer, including Trappist and boutique beers. The staff are obliging and eager to share their knowledge of the mind boggling array of beer, while the food is excellent.QMoskovsky pr. 198, MPark Pobedy, tel. (+7) 812 371 90 31, www.beercard.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00. €€. PAGW

24 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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marcellis The Marcellis restaurants are one of the most popular places for Italian cuisine in St. Petersburg. The restaurants have long since won the love and trust of the city’s residents with their own home-made pasta, Italian deserts and of course, great wine.

At present there are seven Marcellis restaurants in St. Petersburg: three of which are small, cosy affairs in the city centre and there are four spacious, and bright restaurants in the suburbs. The first Marcellis was founded six years ago and is located on ul. Vosstaniya 15.

Another two restaurants are located on Nevsky pr. which are particularly favoured by business people.

Meetings between business partners are often held here and company staff often meet up in the evening here along with tourists. One of the newest restaurants is located on Nevksy pr. 21. The panoramic windows give guests an excellent view of the city. However, the most attractive location in the restaurant is the Grand Hall and not because of the cityscape beyond the windows… the open kitchen, immediately draws your attention. Sitting comfortably at the bar table you can watch the chefs’ painstaking work. Since there is no barrier between the kitchen and the dining hall, this creates a special atmosphere within the restaurant. The soft lighting and the combination of bright colours in the interior makes your visit particularly pleasant. This is the only restaurant within the company which is open 24 hours a day.

The second restaurant on Nevsky pr. 43 is the more recent. This is cosy and comfortable, a good place to enjoy a meal after visiting St. Petersburg’s largest museums. Visitors to the suburbs are usually families with children. Here you can enjoy spending time with family and put it to good use. The suburban Marcellis often run cooking classes for children and have other entertainment programmes.

In May all of the restaurants open their terraces. The most attractive terrace is at ul. Odoevskogo 34. The terrace is located on the roof of the building and offers a lovely view. The most peaceful view can be found in the city centre on ul. Vosstaniya 15.

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Where to eat

Where to eat Caucasian and Central Asian

Trappist Cafe Trappist is a Belgian pub that prides itself in good beer, good food and good service. Trappists are an order of Catholic monks who live by strict rules, but brew fantastic beer in their monasteries in Belgium and Holland. With an entire book filled with beer options ranging from affordable to over 2,000Rbl, Trappist is definitely a beer place. However, don’t expect to find any Baltika or cheap Russian beers here, as they have imported more than 100 beers from Belgium and Holland for your enjoyment.

The food is also quite tasty with Belgian classics and traditional bar food to choose from. From Friday to Sunday, you can order fresh mussels delivered directly from the White Sea.QЕ-2, Ul. Radishcheva 36, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 275 99 35, www. cafetrappist.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 01:00. €€. PTAEGSW

Khinkalnaya na Neve Situated only a few minutes from Gostiny Dvor, this restaurant offers good Georgian food for a reasonable price.

Although some dishes might not be as spicy as they are in Georgia, the flavourful Georgian wine and the nice and quiet living-room atmosphere makes this restaurant a good option to spend your evening. On the menu are all the traditional Georgian dishes such as different sorts of khinkali (dough filled with meat), pkhali (chopped and minced vegetables with walnuts and herbs), and tasty shashlik!QE-3, Sadovaya ul. 13-15, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 08 99, www.hinkaly.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 until last guest. PAESW Pryanosti i radosti Just down the road from Gorkovskaya metro station on the Petrograd Side, this is an extremely popular restaurant from the Ginza Project. On entering, you might even say too popular, the tables are spaced close to each other and it quiet conversation looks like it will be impossible, but somehow it works. Yo feel like you in are in a busy, fun and thriving atmosphere. The menu includes European delicacies and Russian favourites with a couple of Caucasian meals thrown in to spice things up.QD-1, Ul. Mal. Posadskaya 3, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 333 46 33, www. ginzaproject.ru. Open 24hrs. €€. PAW

European Kroo Cafe It’s always nice to see new places appear in interesting central neighbourhoods not frequently visited by foreigners. In the proximity of the beautiful Tavrichesky Park Kroo Cafe serves breakfasts from 8:30 and keeps on going into the night. The well balanced menu is created by their French chef who is keen on buying his own products at the market, which only ads to the feeling that what you get is fresh. Topped off by friendly and smiling waitresses Kroo Cafe won’t disappoint.

QF-3, Suvorovsky pr. 27, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 906 273 11 11, www.kroocafe.com. Open 08:30 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:30 - 01:00. PTASW Soup Wine Five tables with bar stools are all you will find in this sleek and agreeable diner. The menu is as small as the place itself, boasting a simple yet tasty choice of soups and salads but also a selection of fresh juices, pasta and wine and huge salads which come in bowls heaving with green leaves. Given the size and how easy it is to sit and linger listening to the operatic soundtrack, it is definitely advised to book ahead.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 24, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 76 90, www.supvino.ru. Open 12:00 23:00. €. PAGSW Via dell’oliva Some of the remnants of Via dell Oliva’s former guise as a Greek restaurant remain and the choice of elaborate seating areas (derelict castle, quiet village street or bougeanvilla covered house) all point towards the fact that the focus is still Mediterranean, if indeed all that’s left of the Greek menu is the Souvlaki. For the most part the influence is Italian, although you’ll also spot Russian hits such as stroganoff in there too. Dishes from the grill are most popular and whatever you order be sure to request some of their excellent lemony olive oil for dipping.QC-2, Bol. Morskaya ul. 31, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 65 63, www. viadelloliva.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PAESW

Fine dining Astoria Café The hotel in which this restaurant is located has seen over a century of history. This history can be felt inside, and not just through the old pictures of dancers of the famous Mariinsky theatre. The modern interior and cuisine, with a mix of trendy recipes and traditional Russian dishes, makes for a perfect and relaxed lunch or dinner after roaming the city. We recommend their signature dishes, especially their ‘Pavlova’ dessert, which is named after the famous ballerina. It is made from meringue, and is so light that it can be enjoyed after any amount of food. Sit near the windows to enjoy the view of the majestic St. Isaac’s Cathedral.QD-3, Hotel Astoria, Bol. Morskaya ul. 39, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 58 15, www.thehotelastoria.com. Open 07:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTALW 26 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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Where to eat

Where to eat Caviar Bar and Restaurant Cool marble envelops the intimate dining space atop the first tier of the Grand Hotel Europe’s elegant staircase, but the impeccable service is as warm as the flickering candles.

The Caviar Bar and Restaurant subtly and unquestioningly proves that the culinary arts also have a home in Russia. Not surprisingly, caviar makes many appearances on the menu, but never one that is out of place. You can try the Kamchatka crab in champagne sauce, or the delicious Beef Stroganoff, but only after touring your way around the heavenly hors d’oeuvres, while sampling the vodka recommended by the city’s only vodka sommelier.QD-3, Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 66 22, www.grandhoteleurope.com. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PALEW Palkin Palkin is as historic as they come, dating all the way back to 1874. Although restoration did take place, the interior is as sophisticated and tasteful as in imperial times, which all adds to the feeling that you are being treated to a meal in some rich aristocrat’s home. The menu is bursting with luxurious foie gras, angus beef, truffles, black caviar and game moulded into historic French/Russian recipes from a bygone era. They also have a seasonally changing five-course special menu with specially selected wines, themed around a different wine-growing area of the world.QE-3, Nevsky pr. 47, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 703 53 71, www.palkin. ru. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PTAEW Russian Empire The three luxurious dining rooms each have their own individual atmosphere and all are decorated genuinely in the finest style. Diners eat from Gianni Versace porcelain plates and drink wine out of Bohemian crystal glasses whilst surrounded by 24-carat gold ornaments, in what once was part of Stroganoff Palace. The wine and cognac list is extensive and rather exclusive: an armagnac from 1812 can be ordered just by the spoonful!QD-3, Nevsky pr. 17, Stroganov palace, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 13 43, old. concord-catering.ru/restaurants/russian-ampir/. Open 17:00 until last guest. €€€€. PTALEW

International Buddha-Bar There are branches of the glamorous Buddha-Bar brand in numerous cities around the world such as Paris, London, Monte Carlo and Dubai all of which are frequented by the A-list celebrity crowd. The Buddha-Bar restaurant brings the finest elements of the lounge-restaurant brand to Russia with a wide-ranging menu of fancy pan-Asian cuisine with French accents, an inimitable lounge music soundtrack and ultra-chic surroundings. Flashy, classy and a little bit exotic, Buddha-Bar proves popular with the cocktails crowd and fans of pan-Asian cuisine.QF-3, Sinopskaya nab. 78, MPl. Aleksandra Nevskogo, tel. (+7) 812 318 07 07, www.buddha-bar.ru. Open 12:00 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. €€€. PAESW 28 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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True Indian cooking and hospitality since 1994

20 years

10 Admiralteisky Pr., +7 812 312 3886 www.tandoor-spb.ru April - May 2014

29

Where to eat

40 beers on tap Over 200 bottled beers Sunday beer brunch Daily beer degustation Join us and find your own beer!

Gagarinskaya ulitsa 6, + 7 812 983 55 59, www.craftpub.ru

Where to eat Meat Head Meat Head is set in an enjoyable wine-cellar-like setting with well spaced-out tables enabling intimate conversations. With meat being the main player we ordered the strip loin steak and it was perfect. The menu is quite diverse and we tried scallops, salads and a creamy beet soup with goat cheese, fresh-baked breads as well as tea cocktails with liquor. The prices are similar to a top Manhattan steak house.QD-2, Konyushennaya pl. 2/D, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 955 55 59, www.meat-head.ru. Open 09:00 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PALESW Paradise cafe&bar The menu is pure pan-Asian: rolls, miso soups, wok dishes.

There is a wide range of cocktails and the Mai Tai we enjoyed was good. It is not a restaurant as much as an oversized chill out lounge, where the food is merely a background item, something one needs to sustain themselves while sitting for hours and people watching in the cavernous surroundings, smoking a hookah, drinking sumptuous cocktails, and enjoying the café’s karaoke nights and occasional concerts.

QD-2, Konyushennaya pl. 2D, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 955 55 59, www.paradise-cafe.ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 06:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PAESW Port Artur This two storied restaurant-café is set to a nautical theme.

Dark oak wood furnishings and textured green paint is reminiscent of a high class yacht club. Leather chairs and couches are extremely comfortable. A good quality sound system in the bar plays classic rock; and concerts featuring leading Russian musicians as well as international performers are held regularly. The walls of the restaurant are adorned with nautical images. The service is friendly and attentive.QE-3, Zvenigorodskaya ul. 12/17, MZnenigorodskaya, tel. (+7) 812 953 32 50, www.portartur-spb. ru. Open 12:00 - 02:00. €€. PAESW Romeo’s Bar and Kitchen The décor and atmosphere are relaxed, inviting guests to linger long and spend cozy evenings with their guests. A nice place to bring a date or have a family celebration (a children’s menu is available). Being a proper Italian restaurant, there is a wide assortment of fish and to mix it up a bit there is also a wide selection of Caucasian and Russian starters and mains.QC-3, Pr. Rimskogo-Korsakova 43, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 572 54 48, www.romeosbarandkitchen.ru.

Open 09:00 - 24:00. €€. PTALSW Sunduk Tightly packed into two small chambers, the restaurant is crowded with memorabilia of the weird, the wacky and the wonderful. The bizarre collection creates a quirky and lively atmosphere. Live music aids digestion while this smoothly running restaurant is overseen by the resident cat who ensures everything is in order.QE-2, Furshtatskaya ul. 42, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 272 31 00, www.cafesunduk.ru. Open 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PASW

30 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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Where to eat

Where to eat Italian Arcobaleno Italian restaurant Arcobaleno (which in Italian means “a rainbow”), located inside the Domina Hotel, is colourful as the title suggests. Whereas most 5 star hotel restaurants often play it safe with bland interior, Arcobaleno boldly immerses its clientele in oranges, reds, blues, and purples. The biggest plus of the place is its lunches: for a reasonable price you can get up to four delicious plates from a wide array of choices including their terrific in-house deserts.

QC-3, Domina Hotel St. Petersburg, Bol. Morskaya ul. 54, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 385 99 00, www.dominarussia.com. Open 07.00 - 23.00. €€.

PTAULGSW Il Lago dei Cigni Il Lago dei Cigni (Swan Lake) is an Italian restaurant under the patronage of the famous gourmet chef Remo Mazzucato. Close to the central city, the restaurant is located on Krestovsky Island in the middle of the Neva River delta giving guests a beautiful view which is particularly attractive as the sun sets over the Finnish Gulf. The restaurant itself sits on the very edge of Swan Lake (also known as Northern Lake), giving visitors the opportunity to watch these magnificent birds throughout the year.

With spacious interiors and set in the peaceful environment of Krestovsky Island.QA-1, Severnaya doroga 21, MKrestovsky ostrov, tel. (+7) 812 602 07 07, www. illago.ru. €€€. PTAESW Makaronniki Located on the Petrograd side close to the Petrogradsky sports stadium, Makaronniki offers a Mediterranean menu with world class wines. In summer months the menu fits the location with rooftop al fresco dining available, revealing unusual views of Peter and Paul Fortress, the spit of Vasilevsky Island and the State Hermitage Museum in background – along with the domes of other St. Petersburg landmarks. Life jazz performances on Fridays.

QC-2, Pr. Dobrolyubova 16, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 812 677 60 88, www.makaronniki.ru. Open 12:00 24:00. €€. PTALSW Palermo Palermo is a cosy restaurant, a stone’s throw from Nevsky pr. and ul. Rubinshteina. The restaurant is decorated in an Italian style with frescoes giving you views of Italian beeches below. The muted, pale blue lighting is reminiscent of dusk. The soundtrack of classic movies plays softly in the background, putting you instantly into a relaxed frame of mind. In keeping with the Italian décor, Palermo offers a Mediterranean menu with healthy salads, plenty of olives and lean, clean meat. Business lunch 12:00 - 16:00, 230Rbl.QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 50, MDostoevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 764 37 64, www.palermo-spb.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€.

PTAESW

32 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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The only places where Belgian beer and real Flemish dishes are served perfectly Cafe Trappist 36 Radischeva Street +7 (812) 275-99-35 Cafe Manneken Pis 198 Moskovsky Prospect +7 (812) 371-90-31

Unique bar and boutique with 400 kinds of beer Pivnaya Karta 55 Vosstaniya Street +7 (812) 273-93-78 www.beercard.ru

bringing in the beer If you are looking for a beer with culture you can taste you can’t beat a Belgium brew. Belgium beer is older than the country itself. The first brews were made by Cistercian monks at the time of the First Crusade at the end of the 11th century. Back than the low alcohol beer was considered a healthy alternative to water – something which most visitors might well appreciate!

The history of modern Belgium brews begins in the 17th century when the abbot at La Trappe Monastery in France decided the Cistercian’s were becoming too libertine and set down a strict code for brewing beer and staying seriously devout. With the French Revolution many of these devout and devoted brewers fled to Belgium – where beer is appreciated regardless of religious affiliation. The monks established a national tradition of fine beer.

Another feature of Belgium beer is that it is served in a range of goblets and chalices. These ornate glasses give you a novel drinking experience. The beer produced by these monks is known as ‘Trappist’ beer and is considered one of the best brews around. The proceeds of all Trappist beers go to supporting monasteries and charitable organisations. So next time you want to treat yourself to some high quality beer, look out for a Belgium brew, it’ll taste good, has class, and you’re helping to make the world a better place.

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Where to eat Vladimirsky pr.12 tel:8(921)962-54-76 events@questepasta.com www.questepasta.ru www.questepasta.com

REAL TRADITIONAL ITALIAN FOOD MORE THAN

Where to eat Working hours of the restaurant 11:30 - 02:00 Business - lunch time (monday-friday) 11:30 - 16:00 Business-breakfasts, banquets, weddings and corporate events, culinary master-classes, wine degustations.

Тkemali, matsoni, lobio, sulguni… The words roll off the tongue like honey, the tongue tingles as from the taste of white wine and they carry the scent of fruit trees graced with sunlight. Succulent, incredible Georgia! The 22.13 team has returned from Tbilisi with a colourful mosaic of new impressions and the sweet aftertaste of southern cooking. The restaurant has brought to St. Petersburg new Georgian dishes that preserve the traditional cuisine but take plenty of new ideas from Europe and Asia. It is this devotion to hospitality that has inspired 22.13. In their spring menu you will find familiar dishes: khinkali, khachapuri, satsivi, pelamushi… But the taste will be a new discovery because their aim is to give you their impressions of modern Tbilisi – its passionate life and its willingness to try all that is interesting of international cuisine. The chefs have taken traditional Georgian ingredients and accentuated unusual and interesting elements. When visiting 22.13 be prepared to experience Tbilisi, a city with an unquenchable thirst for life! crazes.

QD-2, Konyushennaya pl. 2, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 647 80 50, www.22-13.com. Open 09:00 - 02:00. €. PTALESW 34 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Fish House Fish, fish, more fish and seafood - this is one for the piscivores, although with a good beef stroganoff on the menu carnivores will be happy too. This very plain looking fish house specialises in American style fish grills - the portions are huge as well as the massive ceramics they arrive on. We enjoyed the trout with spinach, although it took a long time to grill it to perfection. They also do some nice Russian pickled fish with delicious black bread.QD-3, Per. Grivtsova 4, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 448 22 77, www.fish-spb.ru.

Open 12:00 - 23:30. €€€€. PTAULESW La Perla The good old famous Matrosskaya Tishina, one of the best fish restaurants of the city has got a new name and menu!

The exclusive dishes of former times are kept in the new menu but it has been enriched by a range of lower priced, more accessible ones. This metamorphose makes the fish restaurant not only a good option for fine dining and seafood lovers but also for those who are looking for simple, European food for a reasonable price. The menu also includes meat dishes.The nautical inspired interior is still the same. This small and cosy restaurant with atmospheric music and sophisticated staff is as the name says, a ‘pearl’ in the centre of St. Petersburg.QE-3, Ul. Marata 54/34, MLigovsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 740 18 20, www.mfh-spb.ru.

Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTASW

20 TYPES OF REAL ITALIAN COFFEE

22.13

Seafood

Steak Houses Stroganoff Steakhouse If steak is your thing, a visit to this deluxe ranchhouse, perfect for the modern sophisticated cattleman, is sure to satisfy. The rich leather upholstery, the green bankers lamps, the sepia pictures from the bygone era are nothing compared to the delicious food. The steaks are the main attraction, but the buffalo wings and everything else on the menu are also worthy support acts to the main steak event.QC-3, Konnogvardeisky bul.

4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 55 14, www. stroganoffsteakhouse.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€.

PTAULESW

For hundreds more restaurants in St. Petersburg check out our website www.st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Quest’è Pasta Founded by member of St. Petersburg’s Italian community, this is a restaurant for Italians and those who appreciate everything Italian. The first floor has a discrete design with pastel colours. The second storey is decorated like a 19th century mansion with a fireplace, high ceilings and stucco walls. On celebrations you can hear live opera music. The menu includes the usual pizzas as well as their own specialities for those wanting pizza with a novelty. A bottle of Italian wine is always a good addition to your evening meal! For desert, then there is no doubt about it, panna cotta or lemon cake.QE-3, Vladimirsky pr. 12, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 921 962 54 76, www.questepasta.ru. Open 12:00 - 02:00. €€.

PTAVESW Testo Pizza and pasta are what they do here in this novelty little basement bar, named after the Russian word for dough. They make their own pasta, changing the menu daily and serve up the pizza with tasty Italian style thin crusts and freshly grated parmesan. The grey and red interior and relaxed atmosphere makes it perfect for lone diners, lunchers or anyone after a snack. Beers are available on tap as well as a choice of wines.QD-3, Grivtsova per. 5/29, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 64 20, www.testogastronomica.ru. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €. PTASW st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

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April - May 2014

35

Where to eat

Where to eat in 1981, it became the home of the Leningrad Rock Club, the epicenter of the Soviet rock scene during perestroika.

Monitored by the KGB, it was the first legal rock venue in the city and bands such as Kino, Alisa, DDT, and Akvarium performed there regularly. The next building (15-17)is the boarding house of count Mikhail Tolstoy (1845-1913).

Tolstoy was a hero of the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and the home was built in 1910-1912 just before his death.

Among the many famous people that have resided in this building is Eduard Khil (1934-2012), the Soviet crooner was a recent Youtube sensation with Trololo.

Soviet science fiction novelist and philosopher Ivan Yefremov (1908-1972) lived in house 23. Yefremov is best known for his 1957 classic Andromeda Nebula, which tells the story of a communist utopia set far in the future.

Ul. Rubinshteina ends when it meets up with three other streets (Zagorodny pr., Razyezzhaya ul., and ul. Lomonosova) to form Pyat uglov (five corners), the only such intersection in St. Petersburg. At the corner of Rubinshteina and Zagorodny (38) is where acclaimed Soviet theoretical physicist Matvey Bronshtein (1906-1938) lived before he was arrested in 1937 during the Great Purges.

Restaurants on Rubinshteina street

Rubinshteina Street Ulitsa Rubinshteina is known for its diverse bars, cafes, and restaurants and is a the place to experience contemporary Russian culture. Initially the alley appeared in the 1740s. In 1929 it was renamed in honour of composer Anton Rubinshtein (1829-1894) who lived for a number of years at house 38. A premiere piano virtuoso in the 19th century, he wrote 20 operas, and founded the St. Petersburg Conservatory (his older brother Nikolay founded the Moscow Conservatory).

As you walk down the street away from McDonald’s on Nevsky is the former residence of the great Prince Sergey Aleksandrovich (House 1 –to your right) and the duke G.G. Meklenburg-Strelitsky (5). At the corner of Grafsky Pereulok is a newer building, constructed by Soviet authorities in 1929-1931 in an early constructivist style(7).

Olga Berggolts (1910-1975), a poet famous whose radio addresses raised morale during the Blockade, lived in the building from 1932-1943. Formally called the Communal House of Engineers and Writers, informally it was known as the tears of socialism. Across the street (18 – to your left) is the Theatre of Europe, also known as the Maly Dramatichesky Teatr – which puts on some of the best plays in St. Petersburg. This building was constructed in 1837, and reconstructed in 1899.

Further on the right is the boarding and meeting house of M.F. Ruadze originally built in 1863-1864 (13). Over the years many organizations have been based here and 36 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Geografia As you might guess from the name, the menu includes cuisine from around the world. Here you can enjoy the best from the Middle East, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico, Peru, Europe and Russia. Choosing a single dish can be really tricky. But the eating is only half the pleasure at Georgafia, the restaurant takes a great pride in the cocktails, offering more than 40 original cocktails that are set to make you cast away any preconceived ideas about matching food and drink. If making a choice is difficult, ask one of the waiters and they will be happy to guide on this exotic holiday.QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 5, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 340 00 74, www.geo-rest.com. Open 11:00 until last guest, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 05:00. €€. PAESW

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Marcelli’s Marcelli’s is a chain of welcoming Italian restaurants with a simple style reflecting the usual images of Italy (jars of condiments and olives here, an Italian meat and cheese case there), although it’s the tables full of noisy dinners that really make up the unpretentious atmosphere. The pared-down menu tends towards pastas and risottos in marathon-runner-sized portions. The dishes pop with garlic and the sauces are infused to bursting point with tomato, chili and basil - delicious. With an open kitchen, Marcelli’s offers diners yet another possibility to eat quality Italian food in the heart of the centre. Also at Nevsky pr. 21 (metro Nevsky pr.), ul. Vosstaniya 15 (metro Pl. Vosstaniya), pr. Kosmonavtov 39/27 (metro Moskovskaya) and ul.

Odoevskogo 34 (metro Vasileostrovskaya).QD-3, Nevsky 43, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 984 41 44, www. marcellis.ru. Open 24hrs. €. PTAGSW Mops The first Thai restaurant in St. Petersburg and the interior is truly exquisite. Mops cultivates the appearance of elegant chaos. It has a terrace and three rooms to meet varying tastes, offering you a cosy spot to smoke a hookah or to sing your heart away in the karaoke hall. The unusual interior design emphasises contrasts and claims to be aimed at those with an ‘artistic personality’. The restaurant’s Thai chef who produces authentic, unadulterated meals with a menu focusing on dumplings, salads, spring rolls and soups as entrees and noodles and

Sukhoe - Dry Polusladkoe - Semi-sweet Sladkoe - Sweet rice, wok and curry for mains. They also have delicious cocktails. For those looking for a full Thai experience, the restaurant also has a massage salon in the nearby courtyard.QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 12, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 961 92 21, www.mopscafe.ru. Open 14:00 01:00, Wed, Thu 14:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 05:30. €€€. PAS Pepper Moon From the street, the restaurant looks very small, but in reality its three rooms can accommodate more than 100 people. The designers have realized an interesting and complex idea with transforming walls: if you want to sit alone and have no one bother you, you can ask the waiter to fully insulate your table. The menu offers European dishes, as well as Italian cuisine which is so popular nowadays. Note the icy display case of fresh fish and seafood.

You can choose what you want, and how it is cooked. In the morning, Pepper Moon serves a good breakfast of porridge, cheese cakes, pancakes, and fried eggs.QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 9/3, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 969 85 98, www.grato-group.ru/peppermoon. €€.

PTASW

Music&Bar MOPS VIP-Karaoke Club Thai cuisine restaurant address: Saint-Petersburg, Rubinshteina str.12 tel.: +7 (911)926-11-90, +7 (921)961-92-21

Exclusively designed and deeply therapeutic: Massages Facials Spa Rituals Best Traditions of Thai SPA and Massage in St.Petersburg

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Highly professional therapists from Thailand address: Saint-Petersburg, Rubinshteina str.12 tel.: +7 (911)928-44-50 www.mopsspa.ru

April - May 2014

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Where to eat REstaurants in hotels Spring is the season to take advantage of the warmer weather and go out for a meal and there is plenty to choose from. Some of the city’s best restaurants are putting on irresistible meals at prices that would tempt even a pauper.

Park Inn’s Paulaner restaurant is going Bavarian, while the Radissan Royal is offering great value Indian buffet meals for the midweek. To take full advantage of the city’s gustatory specials, you need to turn eating into a full time job.

However, if that is impossible In Your Pocket is here to make it the perfect hobby!

Angleterre appoints new chef Angleterre’s Borsalino restaurant has appointed a new master-chef, Stefano Labio. The Italian restaurant has recently undergone renovations and the appointment of a new master chef will doubtless bring a new selection of succulent delicacies to one of St. Petersburg’s finest Italian restaurants. Labio was born in Turin in northern Italy where he made a modest start to his professional career, helping his parents in their family restaurant. At university he worked in a number of restaurants before being invited overseas. Labio has been living in St. Petersburg since 2006. His favourite meal is spaghetti and mussels - his favourite meal when holidaying with his family on the Mediterranean coast.QD-3, Angleterre Hotel, Mal. Morskaya ul. 24, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 51 15, www.angleterrehotel.com. Open 07:00 - 24:00. €€€.

The Bavarian menu Park Inn’s Paulaner restaurant is taking taste global with a new menu which will be taken up by Paulaners around the world. The Bavarian menu has been developed by Germany’s most talented chef’s and is good news for anyone who has fallen in love with the taste of Bavaria. The global menu means you will be able to enjoy your favourite Paulaner dish at any Park Inn around the world. Of course, its bad luck if you have a passion for French or Italian cooking, but when it comes to the Paulaner, there is no disputing tastes, it’s going to be good regardless of culinary preferences.QPark Inn Pulkovskaya, Pl. Pobedy 1, MMoskovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 740 39 32, www.paulaner-brauhaus.com/ stpetersburg. Open 12:00 - 01:00. €€.

38 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Where to eat Celebrate a grand Easter The Grand Hotel Europe is offering an especially festive celebration this Easter with the very best of European, Russian and pan Asian cuisine. The menu not only celebrates Easter but also the arrival of spring and includes hot cross buns, chocolate sweets, Greek Easter bread, chocolate fondues, as well as delicious meals of lamb, potatoes, baby carrots and healthy salads. Music buffs will be interested to know that Tchaikovsky spent his honeymoon at the Grand Hotel Europe and to honour the composer each Friday night the hotel holds a concert at L’Europe restaurant where you can listen to his compositions played by a live orchestra, watch a ballet duo performing the White Adagio from Swan Lake and enjoy a classical evening in a classical setting while dinning on the finest food.QD-3, Belmond Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 60 00, www. grandhoteleurope.com. €€€.

Tea Time in Tea Lounge Forget coffee culture, in Russia tea is culture. Whether you are visiting friends or meeting a business delegation you are likely to be offered tea. So it is worth knowing the finer points of Russian tea. Traditionally, Russians brew a concentrated form of tea, called zavarka. Pour some zavarka into your cup (or more traditionally a glass placed in an elegant metal holder, podstakannik), which you then dilute with hot water from the samovar. The function of a samovar is to boil water and keep it warm. Russians rarely consider tea sufficient by itself and add lemon, honey or varanye (a type of jam) to the brew.

the ideal place for a Russian tea-party.QD-3, Four Seasons Lion Palace, Voznesensky pr. 1, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 339 80 00, www.fourseasons.com/ stpetersburg/. €€€.

If you want to have the full royal tea experience, the Four Seasons Lion Palace turns this Russian tradition into an art form with delicious accompaniments fit for the tsar’s table, offering caviar pancakes, and a range of other delicacies to set your taste buds tingling. Located just down the road from St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Four Seasons is

Victoria is changing The Taleon Imperial’s Victoria restaurant is changing but don’t worry, they will still be serving delicious meals and the superb panoramic view will be as good as ever. The restaurant, which offers luxurious Russian dishes, is located on the sixth floor of the hotel, providing you with a great view of Nevsky prospect and the Moika canal. The restaurant is notable for providing you not only with a succulent meal but also the history of every dish. So what’s changed?

From April the Victoria will be a la carte. The famous business lunch will still be available from 12:00 to 16:00.QD-3, Taleon Imperial Hotel, Nevsky pr. 15, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 324 99 11, www.taleonimperialhotel. com. Open 07:30 - 23:00. €€€.

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April - May 2014

Radisson Royal goes Maharaja?

In a mouth-watering stroke of genius until April 10 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the Radisson Royal is offering an Indian Buffet. For a mere 650Rbl the Radisson provides mains, a salad, a dessert and an Indian lemonade. The menu at the buffet changes each week and is an exciting opportunity to taste a little bit of India in central St. Petersburg - and perhaps try a new dish or two.QE-3, Radisson Royal Hotel, Nevsky pr. 49/2, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 322 50 00, www.radisson.ru/ hotel-stpetersburg. €€.

st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

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In 1985 an obelisk 7 B R H AU A .

AZ SADOVAYA R in 1938.

The church returned to active service in 2003. atre, the Large Concert Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharwas placed in the centre of the square to celebrate the 40th SHOPPING L G7 M 1 .

53 DZ 7 was the Winter Palace of the SENNAYA PL. 13 18 2 Hermitage: The Hermitage monic. A number ofRrestaurants and cafes are also located anniversary of theCENTER end of World War II. The square is a vital IRG 6 HA BO 71 GALERIA YA A M 9 0 8 7 was financed by SV Russian tsars and is now one of Russia’s leading museums.

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A H R ZH IN 74 P NO PE O 4 Y A 13 R 0 western European painters, including a fine 19thL.and 20th small, elegantVAchurch wasSEMYONOVSKAYA built inPL. 1771-6. In 1930 the SK City Duma Tower: Initially established under CathY . DN 3 AY 13 YA U see it to- church was closed PER UL and O the Great in 1785 the initial 1 UL century French collection. The Winter Palace as building was constructed A U 1 ORerine .

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Z Y O K D stormed by the quarters for anti-aircraft known as the Big Prospekt mid to late 18th century. The buildingAwas defence.

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Bolsheviks during the November Revolution of 1917.

Church in 1990.NKY BO

41

Nightlife

Nightlife The nightlife in St. Petersburg is brilliant. You can eat, drink and dance around the clock. The city has dimly lit jazz halls, groovy strip-clubs and a vibrant underground music scene.

On a night out in this wild town, you’ll find unique performances and eccentric people everywhere!

Artsy and Underground Belochka & Mielofon As tricky to find as all St. Petersburg’s underground bars tend to be, head down Bankovsky pereulok and turn into the dark side street at house 3, turn right and go up to the end of the even darker and creepy looking yard and listen out for the music coming from a basement. Down in the tartan wallpapered basement you’ll find two rooms, one a beer hall style area for drinking and chatting and the other a louder dance floor area with the obligatory table-football installed. QD2, Bankovsky per. 3, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 212 85 06.

Open 19:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon. PEW Borodabar Despite its diminutive size the atmospheric Boroda (beard) bar still packs in the people and is bursting with the kind of atmosphere that wouldn’t be amiss in Berlin or Budapest. The homemade interior reflects the eclectic mix of clientele with industrial breeze blocks and exposed piping, graffiti by tattoo artists and reclaimed items of cheap furniture. QD-3, Kazanskaya ul.

11, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 923 89 40, www.borodabar. ru. Open 17:00 until last guest. ESW

Cafe-Bar Produkty Produkty’s owner apparently was inspired by those quirky little hole-in-the-wall sized bars that make the Berlin nightlife scene so legendary and in terms of both design and vibe – the inspiration really shows. Produkty rocks its retro 1960s reclaimed furniture so well, that even the guests in their boho beards and fake spectacles, look like they also were brought in as part of the decoration. The music is of course old-school jukebox and retro favourites or new wave and post-rock synth-pop, while for drinks its cocktails which take forever to construct or bottles of beer.

QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 17, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 57 54. Open 14:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 06:00, Sun 14:00 - 02:00. PAEW

Bars and Pubs BARSLONA This Spanish bar and restaurant has that sunny and friendly Spanish feel, but surprisingly enough is completely run by Russians – my, what a difference a smile can make! As you would expect from a football mad country, match days have a really great atmosphere here. Their sangria comes in huge jugs and has plenty of ice and is understandably popular on hot days. The tapas is tiny but tasty and the Spanish mains are filling and flavoursome. QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 26, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 900 01 12, www.barslona. ru. Open 12:00 - 06:00. PASW

Bristol Pub Bristol is a quiet, respectable pub; a thick rug on the floor, leather-upholstered sofas and velvet armchairs - everything here’s cosy and snug. Black-and-white photographs of the 20s and 30s create the atmosphere of the England of the time. Bristol is just as suited to business lunch among colleagues as to a celebration in high-spirited company.

Don’t expect anything out of the ordinary from the cooking - everything’s simply done, but very tasty. The menu is a combination of European and Russian dishes as well as a large assortment of beers and other kinds of alcoholic beverage.QE-3, Ul. Marata 36/38, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 713 24 42, www.molly.su. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. PASW Dead Poets This is a European style whiskey bar for those who want a more relaxed atmosphere. Dead Poets markets itself at the discerning connoisseur who would rather spend the evening sipping whiskey or wine and playing chess or backgammon than running riot in a bar. The choice of whiskey is impressive and provided with a delicious range of snacks.

The bar plays soft background music and has an art nouveau interior.QE-3, Ul. Zhukovskogo 12, MMayakovskogo, tel. (+7) 812 449 46 56, www.dpoets.ru. Open 11:00 - 01:00, Fri - Sun 11:00 - 03:00. €€. PAW Helsinki Bar This place is like a nostalgia trip to your familial home of the late 70s. Well, that’s the case if you were Finnish and your parents spun vinyl while slugging horseradish home-brew liquor.

Quirkily retro with toilets wallpapered with vintage Finnish magazine adverts featuring the latest in polyester style and a cozy cabin atmosphere in the dining area, the menu is no less a mixture of swank and substance. We recommend coming with friends and getting a smattering of the well-priced and gracefully presented starters to share over above-rate lager and the aforementioned in-house flavoured vodka.QC-2, Kadetskaya Liniya 31, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 995 19 95, www.helsinkibar.ru. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 until last guest. PESW Mollie’s Irish Pub St. Petersburg’s first Irish pub, located just off Nevsky, offers just what you would expect from a bar like this. Mollie’s serves up a wide range of beers, good food and music (although it might be a bit loud for an intimate conversation). Russians hang out here, mixed with expats and the occasional tourist.

QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 36, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 570 37 68, www.molly.su. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. PASW

42 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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ing there’s space now for live Celtic folk bands who drum up a jolly atmosphere and draw the big crowds on Friday and Saturday evenings.QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 5, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 51 71, www.molly.su.

Open 12:00 - 06:00. PAESW Molly Island Located on Vasilyevsky Island, this little Irish Pub is the place to go after a day in the Lenexpo Exhibition Centre or if you are staying in the nearby Hotel Pribaltiskaya. The cosy interior, friendly staff and a vibrant mix of locals and foreigners as well as a wide selection of beer, whiskey and food, make it the perfect place to meet up with friends or watch a game of football, if you don´t feel like travelling all the way to the centre.QB-1, Morskaya nab. 15, MPrimorskaya, tel. (+7) 812 438 13 03, www.molly.su. Open 12:00 - 02:00. PASW

Mollie’s Mews A newly hewn branch of the popular Mollies pub. The Mews lacks the old-fashioned battered and bruised bar clutter which has been worn-in over 15 year at the original pub on ulitsa Rubinshteina. What they are missing in history they make up for in space however. Mollie’s Mews is much bigger than its legendary parent, mean-

Molly Shelter Shelter is the right word for this snug little basement Irish Pub - its low vaulted brick ceilings and inviting booths tucked away in various little nooks and crannies act as a cocoon to the outside world and call out at you to settle in, relax and take shelter. The basement’s careful restoration gives the pub a very authentic look and the various bits of antique pub clutter look well at home amongst chess playing punters and sports fans. They have good stouts and ales on draught as well as the atypical Guinness.QD-3, Italyanskaya ul. 29, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 47 54, www.molly.su. Open 12:00 - 02:00. PAESW

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Nightlife

Nightlife Telegraph This stylish British pub, situated in a cosy cellar not far from Nevsky Prospekt, is an easy meeting place for beer lovers, which is why it can be enjoyably crowded here. Another plus is the big screen for live football and other sports matches.

In some ways it is a bit of a lonely old man’s pub where you can find dozens of single men who’ve got no one to cook for them having a plate of bangers and mash on their lonesome.QE-3, Ul. Rubinshteina 3, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 327 74 79, www.pub-telegraph.ru. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. PALESW The Office Pub This elegant Irish pub not far from Kazan Cathedral attracts locals, expats and tourists who mingle over shots and beers. They have a wide selection of beer on draught including Guinness, Belgian cherry beer and just about everything in between. It’s one of those offices where you don’t mind staying late, but doing overtime definitely has the opposite effect on your wallet.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul.

5, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 54 28, www.molly.su.

Open 12:00 - 02:00. PASW

Clubs Barrel This slick black and neon looking place has got a bit of an attitude to it - one that says dress rich and spend money.

There’s an elaborate menu done up like a glossy magazine offering a bit of everything, but primarily this is a place to sit in your fox fur stole with a martini and look down at the fellow wannabe VIPs in attendance - until it’s pole dancing time, of course.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 5, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 929 82 98, www.project-barrel.ru. Open 12:00 until last guest, Fri 12:00 - 06:00, Sat, Sun 15:00 06:00. PAESW Dacha This place gets really crowded during the weekend but then it also tends to be more fun. The later the hour the crazier the atmosphere with people dancing up a huge sweat in this tiny pocket of a place. Don’t dress too fancy if you’re coming here for the night, you’re likely to get beer spilt on you and the place is smokier than a cuban warehouse. Despite the mess the friendly and energetic atmosphere of Dacha is addictive. During the day they have a few tables outside and the same quality taste in music which is complimented by sandwiches, homemade lemonade and free wifi.QD-3, Dumskaya ul. 9, MNevsky pr.

Open 18:00 - 06:00. PEW

44 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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mood, playing subtle electro tracks on quieter nights and amping it up for the more boisterous weekends. QE-3, Razyezzhaya ul. 12, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 975 55 99, www.dombeat.ru. Open 12:00 - 06:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 07:00. PTAESW Mishka Named after the youtube celebrity, Mishka the talking husky, this tiny basement bar is well done up in grey with pink accents. All the hipsters are here, with their oversized glasses and handmade accessories. They’re smoking Belomorkanals ironically and tapping their feet to the DJ who’s sharing space with the friendly bartenders. As a bonus, the toilet rules are interestingly translated - who flushes their wallet down the bowl?QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 40, MNevksky pr., tel. (+7) 812 643 25 50, www.mishkabar.ru. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 06:00. PAEW

Dom Byta The owners had their tongues firmly in cheek when this bar was named after the type of storefronts that offer everything from plastic tablecloths to watch repair. The interior is pure 70s swank, with burnished gold wall hangings and a long turquoise bar. Nice touches like vintage glass ashtrays and antique porcelain teapots show impeccable taste in kitsch and the DJs are no less sensitive to the

Radiobaby With its high ceilings and groovy modern décor, Radiobaby has been cleverly divided with the dance floor, bar and chill-out room all flowing into one another so you can rock, drink and relax all in one place. The crowd is a diverse mix of hipsters and the old-guard and the DJs are local favorites who know how to keep the energy up. The no house, no techno rule is in effect. Entrance is through the archway and to the left.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 7, MNevsky pr., www. radiobaby.com. Open 18:00 - 06:00. PEW

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What to see

What to see pological and ethnographic collections on the cultures of people around the world as well as an eclectic mix of random items that Peter and Russian explorers collected on their worldly travels. Peter’s Anatomical Collection with its severed hands and malformed babies in jars still draws the crowds.QC-2, Universitetskaya nab. 3, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 328 14 12, www.kunstkamera. ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon and last Tue of the month. Admission 50 - 250Rbl.

St. Petersburg’s World-Heritage-Listed city centre is one of the most awe-inspiring in Europe. Designed by Europe’s greatest architects, it was virtually untouched during Soviet times.

They did however add a few hundred apartment monstrosities outside town though. The city has an enormous amount of individual tourist attractions which remain enchantingly beautiful and steeped in fascinating history.

The Essentials Aleksander Nevsky Monastery Founded by Peter the Great, in 1710, this orthodox monastery is the most important in St. Petersburg. The St. Trinity cathedral is worth a visit and so is the cemetery, where you can visit the graves of Russia’s greatest composers and writers, including Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Glinka and Dostoevsky. You can buy fresh holy bread in the monastery’s bakery in the afternoon (on your left as you approach the Trinity cathedral from the entrance).QF3, Nab. reky Monastyrky 1, MPl. Aleksandra Nevskogo, tel. (+7) 812 274 17 02, www.lavra.spb.ru. Open daily 06:00 - 20:00. Admission free.

BRIDGES Bridges going up…

Dvortsovy

01:05 - 04:50

Blagoveshchensky

01:25 - 02:45

03:10 - 05:00

Sampsonievsky

02:10 - 02:45

03:30 - 05:00

Grenadersky

02:45 - 03:45

04:20 - 04:50

Kantemirovsky

02:45 - 03:45

04:20 - 04:50

Troitsky

01:35 - 04:50

Liteiny

01:40 - 04:45

Birzhevoy

02:00 - 04:55

Tutchkov

02:00 - 02:55

Bolsheokhtinsky

02:00 - 05:00

Volodarsky

02:00 - 03:45

Alexandra Nevskogo 02:20 - 05:10 Finlyandsky

02:20 - 05:30

46 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

03:35 - 04:55 04:15 - 05:45

Church of the Saviour on the Spilt Blood This Moscow-style church with richly coloured onion domes looks a bit out of place in the European centre of St. Petersburg, but it’s one of the city’s most beautiful and memorable landmarks. It got its awkward name because it was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was murdered in 1881. Locals call it ‘the mosaic church’ because the interior is covered with magnificent mosaics, each wall with a particular Biblical theme. It was renovated in the early 1990s and reopened as a museum in 1997.QD2, Nab. kan. Griboedova 2b, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 16 36, www.cathedral.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00.

Closed Wed. Admission 50 - 250Rbl. Y Cruiser Avrora The battle ship, anchored off the banks of Petrograd Side, has become somewhat of a Soviet shrine. This is because blank shots fired from the Aurora are said to have been the trigger for the revolution of 1917. The ship was sunk during WWII, to protect it from German bombing, and, in 1958, it was made into a museum. It is operated by the Central Naval Museum.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, mysterious rumours have been spreading that it is, in fact, a replica. But who knows? Why not find out for yourself!QE-1, PS, Petrogradskaya nab., MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 230 84 40. Open 11:00 - 17:15. Closed Mon, Fri. Admission 50 - 300Rbl. Y Kazan Cathedral This cathedral, which was modelled on St. Peter’s in Rome, is one of the city’s most majestic. It was built from 1801 to 1811 to house the miracle-working Icon Our Lady of Kazan. The dome is 80-metres high and the colonnade facing Nevsky has 96 columns. Be warned, it’s a quiet place and they don’t like you to talk a lot in here, it’s place of prayer and contemplation.QD-3, Kazanskaya pl. 2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 46 63, www.kazansky-spb.ru. Open 09:00 - 20:00 Daily services 10:00 and 18:00. Admission free.

Peter and Paul Fortress The Fortress is the cradle of the city; St. Petersburg’s first settlement. Now a tourist complex, it houses the famous Cathedral of the Saint Apostles Peter and Paul, along with numerous museums, galleries and spectacular river-side views. The proudest offerings are the large Commandant’s House museum which examines the history of the city and the smaller, modern and fun museum at the Neva Curtain Wall which studies the history of the Fortress itself. However, the more unusual Engineer’s House and Museum of Space Exploration are really very quirky and good. The Mint displays coin collections and the Printing Workshop contains printing and ceramic relics. Visit the Neva Curtain Wall archway for the best view, and brave a dip in the bracing waters… at your own risk.QD-2, Petropavlovskaya krepost 3, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 230 64 31, www.spbmuseum.ru. The fortress is open 08:30 - 21:00.

All details about museums and cathedral open hours on the website. Entrance to fortress is free. All inclusive ticket 370Rbl (ticket valid for all museums).

Russian Museum A dazzling journey from thirteenth century icons to the cream of Russian avant-garde, the Russian Museum is housed in various buildings and palaces. With a maze of beautifully decorated rooms, the main Mikhailovsky Palace is a delight for art-lovers, whatever their favoured genre. It is widely acclaimed for containing the most outstanding collection of icons from ancient Rus. The Benois Wing has an especially strong display of work from the turn of the twentieth century. Tickets can include entrance to the Stroganov Palace, Marble Palace and Mikhailovsky Castle which host temporary exhibitions. QD-2, Inzhenernaya ul. 4, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 595 42 48, www. rusmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Mon 10:00 - 17:00, Thu 13:00 - 21:00. Closed Tue. Admission 150 - 350Rbl. All inclusive ticket 300 - 600Rbl.

Kunstkamera (Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography) St. Petersburg’s oldest museum is also its strangest. Kunstkamera (which translates as art house) was founded by Peter the Great in 1714. It is also known as the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. It has anthro-

St. Isaac’s Cathedral Fully restored inside and out, St. Isaac’s is one of the world’s largest and most ornate cathedrals. The interior is adorned with gold trim, mosaics and paintings. Designed

by Auguste de Montferrand and built between 1818 and 1858 the church was named in tribute to Peter the Great who was born on the day of St. Isaac of Dalmatia. If it is a clear day we recommend climbing to the dome’s top; the panoramic view is absolutely worth the effort.QD-3, Isaakievskaya pl. 4, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 97 32, www.cathedral.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Wed.

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CITY CARD Where ever you see this logo Y, it means you can get a discount or a free entrance at this venue with the Petersburg card.

Petersburg Card provides tourists with free entrance and discounts to many things this city has to offer, including museums, some restaurants, hotels, and shops (the full list can be found on the website and in the guidebook (in English and Russian) which comes with the card). It’s also a ‘Podorozhnik’ travel card with 4 free journeys (money can be added later on as well), which is valid for 3 years! www.petersburgcard.com Colonnade open daily 11:00 - 17:00. Closed second Wed of the month. Tickets for the cathedral and the colonnade are sold separately. Admission Cathedral 50 - 250Rbl. Colonnade 150Rbl. Audioguide 100Rbl. Y Summer Garden Tsar Peter the Great created the Summer Garden, surrounded by beautiful iron fences, in 1704. Most of the trees and all 250 statues were imported from Italy. For a century, it was the exclusive domain of people of the highest rank.

Tsar Nicholas I opened it up to ‘well-dressed people,’ but these days they don’t care what you wear. These statues have seen it all. There’s a display of twelve funky handturned iron chairs positioned in a circle, each one made by different blacksmiths.QD-2, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 03 74, www.rusmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 - 20:00.

Closed Tue. Admission free.

Take note that most museum ticket offices close one hour before the official closing time.

Also remember most museums ask you to buy an extra photography ticket if you would like to take photos or videos April - May 2014

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What to see

What to see

Hermitage

Churches

Museums

The director of the Hermitage once said, “I can’t say that the Hermitage is the number one museum in the world, but it’s certainly not the second.” And with over three million works of art and treasures housed in five connected buildings along the Neva, the museum can’t fail to impress. Give yourself plenty of time and try to go on a weekday to avoid the crowds or even take a virtual tour. Four hours is probably an absolute minimum of time to spend there if you want to see the main state rooms and some of the most popular artworks.

St. Petersburg is home to many different churches and monasteries, all with beautiful architecture. Of course there is St. Isaac’s Cathedral, which is the largest Russian Orthodox Cathedral in the city, and one of the largest domed cathedrals in the world. It houses a museum, and it is possible to walk up to the colonnade for fantastic views of the city. The distinctive Church of the Saviour on the Spilt Blood is no longer consecrated, but is now a museum of mosaics. The unique Kazan Cathedral dominates Nevsky Prospect, and the Troitsky Cathedral with its blue domes overlooks the Fontanka Canal. These buildings give a great insight into Russia’s past.

St. Petersburg has been described as a ‘living museum under the open skies’, and for good reason! There is something for everyone, from the world famous Hermitage art gallery, to museums about the city’s famous writers, including Dostoevsky, as well as museums dedicated to vodka (of course!), chocolate, and bread! You can also see castles and palaces, such as the Mikhailovsky Castle, and the Menshikov Palace, as well as the Peter and Paul Fortress, which is now The State Museum of History of St Petersburg. Also, for one night every year in May, all of the museums in the city open their doors until the early hours for the Night of the Museums, which is very popular with tourists and locals alike!

The museum’s art collection covers all of the greatest European movements. Lovers of the renaissance shouldn’t miss the Da Vincis, Canalettos, Michaelangelos and Raphaels of the Italian rooms. The Rembrandt room filled with works by the old master is another must as are the nearby El Grecos. The great impressionists like Gaugin, Van Gogh, Degas, Matisse, Picasso and the gang are all up on the top floor where there is also a very large selection of Oriental and Middle Eastern art.

The ground floor houses the museum’s treasures of ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and Persia as well as antiquities from the near and central east.There is also a number of cafes and shops on the ground floor just to the right of the main staircase after the entrance to the museum.

The largest number of opulent state rooms such as the throne rooms, ballrooms, boudoirs, the spectacular clock room with its huge peacock clock and other libraries, parlours and the like are largely located on the first floor (in Russian 2nd floor) of the winter palace and lead off in different directions from the Jordan staircase (where you enter the museum just after the ticket offices).

QD-2, Dvortsovaya nab. 34 (entrance from Dvortsovaya pl.), MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 710 90 79, www.hermitagemuseum.org. Open 10:30 - 18:00, Wed 10:30 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 400Rbl. Audioguide 350Rbl. Excursion bureau (+7) 812 571 84 46.

48 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Smolny Cathedral QF-2, Pl. Rastrelli 3, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 710 31 59, www.cathedral.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00, belltower 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Wed. Admission 50 - 150Rbl, concerts 200 - 700Rbl. Bell-tower 100Rbl. St. Nicholas Cathedral QC-3, Nikolskaya pl. 1/3, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 714 70 85, www.nikolskiysobor.ru. Open 06:30 - 19:30.

Daily services 07:00, 10:00, 18:00. Admission free.

Troitsky Cathedral QD-4, Izmailovsky pr. 7a, MTekhnologichesky Institut, tel. (+7) 812 251 89 27, www.izmsobor.ru. Open 08:00 - 19:00. Daily services 10:00, Fri - Sun 17:00.

Vladimirsky Cathedral QE-3, Vladimirsky pr. 20, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 312 19 38, www.vladimirsobor.spb.ru. Open 08:00 19:30. Services daily 09:00, 18:00. Sun 07:00, 10:00.

F.M.Dostoevsky Literary-Memorial Museum QD-3, Kuzhnechny per. 5/2, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 571 40 31, www.md.spb.ru. Open 11:00 - 18:00.

Closed Mon and on public holidays. Admission 30 160Rbl. Audioguide 100 - 170Rbl. Guided tours should be booked in advance by phone.

Memorial flat of Alexander Blok QB-2, Ul. Dekabristov 57, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 713 86 31, www.spbmuseum.ru. Open 11:00 - 18:00, Tue 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Wed. Admission 60 - 100Rbl. Nabokov Museum QC-2, Bol. Morskaya ul. 47, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 47 13, www.nabokovmuseum.org. Open 11:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission free.

Pushkin Apartment Museum QD-2, Nab. reky Moiky 12, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 35 31, www.museumpushkin.ru. Open 10:30 18:00. Closed Tue, last Fri of the month. Admission 40 - 250Rbl. Audioguide 250Rbl.

Artillery Museum QD-2, Aleksandrovsky park 7 (entrance from Kronverkskaya nab.), MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 232 02 96, www.artillery-museum.ru. Open 11:00 - 18:00.

Closed Mon, Tue and last Thu of the month. Admission 50 - 300Rbl. Grandmaket (Russia in miniature) QTsvetochnaya ul. 16, MMoskovskie Vorota, tel. (+7) 812 495 54 65, www.grandmaket.ru. Open 10:00 20:00. Admission 400Rbl, children 200Rbl. Weekend 450Rbl, children 250Rbl. House of Peter the Great QD-2, Petrovskaya nab. 6, MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 232 45 76, www.rusmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 18:00, Thu 13:00 - 21:00. Closed Tue and last Mon of the month. Admission 70 - 200Rbl. Museum of the History of Religion QC-3, Pochtamtskaya ul. 14, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 58 38, www.gmir.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Tue 13:00 - 21:00. Closed Wed. Admission 150 - 300Rbl. Museum of the St. Petersburg Avantgarde (Matyushin house) QD-1, Ul. Professora Popova 10, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 347 68 98, www.spbmuseum.ru. Open 11:00 - 18:00, Tue 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Wed. Admission 60 - 100Rbl. Museum of Political History of Russia QD-2, Ul. Kuibysheva 2-4 (entrance from Kronversky pr.), MGorkovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 233 70 52, www. polithistory.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Wed 10:00 - 20:00.

Closed Thu and last Mon of the month. Admission 60 150Rbl. Guided tours for groups from 700Rbl. Suvorov Memorial Museum QE-3, Kirochnaya ul. 43, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 579 39 14, www.suvorovmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 18:00, Wed 13:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 50 - 300Rbl. Yusupov Palace QC-3, Nab. reky Moiky 94, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 98 83, www.yusupov-palace.ru. Open 11:00 - 17:00.

Group tours should be booked in advance by phone (+7) 812 314 88 93. Excursions 150 - 500Rbl. Audioguide 500Rbl.

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Lyrical City With so many wonderful writers and poets who were born in and inspired by St. Petersburg, you cannot leave the city without visiting one of the museums honouring them.

Russian Vodka Museum Vodka Museum This small museum presents the long history of Russia’s national drink, from 12th Century peasants through to 20th Century presidents. Display cases full of vodka bottles in unusual shapes, old advertising campaigns and some funny dioramas explain the evolution of the Russian firewater. An excursion is recommended as the exhibits are in Russian only. In the tasting room, there’s also a chance to try out three different vodkas and traditional Russian snacks.QC- 2, Konnogvardeisky bul. 4, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 570 64 22, www.vodkamuseum.su. Open 12:00 - 19:00. Admission 170Rbl.

modern art centres If modern art is more your thing, you are well provided for! St. Petersburg is home to many modern art galleries, including the Anna Nova Art Gallery, which focuses on young up-and-coming artists, as well as The State Museum and Exhibition Centre for Photography (ROSPHOTO). Other highlights include the S.P.A.S. Gallery, which is the oldest of its kind in the city, and the Erarta Museum and Galleries of Modern Art, which is the biggest non-governmental contemporary museum in Russia, and houses around 2000 works.

Anna Nova Art Gallery QD-3, Ul. Zhukovskogo 28, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. +7 (812) 275 97 62, www.annanova-gallery.ru.

Borey Art Centre QD-3, Liteiny pr. 58, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 275 38 37, www.borey.ru.

DiDi Art Gallery QB-2, VO, Bolshoy pr. 62, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 320 73 57, www.didigallery.com.

Erarta QB-3, VO, 29-ya linya, 2, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 324 08 09, www.erarta.com.

Marina Gisich Gallery QC-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 121, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 43 80, www.gisich.com.

Novy musey QC-2, VO, 6-ya liniya, 29, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 323 50 90, www.novymuseum.ru.

S.P.A.S Gallery QC-2, Nab. reky Moiky 93, MSadovaya, tel. (+7) 812 571 42 60, www.spasgal.ru.

ROSPHOTO QC-2, Bol. Morskaya ul. 35, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 314 12 14, www.rosphoto.org.

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What to see PARKS

What to see Peterhof

Old Soviet Stuff Tour

Peterhof is the most famous of Peter the Great’s summer residences with its fountains and golden statues. The residence was modelled on the Versailles and has become known as Russia’s Versailles. With its spectacular fountains and golden rooms it is possible that this northern palace rivals that of the French kings’. To visit Peterhof is to travel back over three centuries in time to an era of unchecked ambition, limitless power and opulent beauty. Like many of Peter the Great’s projects, Peterhof was conceived and executed to serve roles of both practicality and leisure. Of the former, the location was an ideal stopping point for his travels to and from Europe, where he could observe his naval fortress Kronshtadt and his capital St. Petersburg from a distance. Of the latter, it is telling that the very first palace to be built was named Mon plaisir (My Pleasure).

If you want to see a completely different side of St. Petersburg there are some new initiatives which aim to show you the fascinating sights beyond St. Petersburg. One of those is WOW Russia Tours which offers tours in a classic Soviet Volga. We decided to check their signature tour; the Old Soviet Stuff Tour.

The tour is a rough history of the communistic era with some iconic buildings as an example. From the place where the revolution started all the way up to the Soviet 70s. It wasn’t a boring history lesson but a combination of interesting stories and anecdotes instead. The tour contains a Lenin pointing at things, a futuristic looking building which could be starring in any science fiction movie ,a slowly decaying communistic factory and some other surprises just around the corner.

We visited all the sites with a classic Soviet GAZ Volga 24.

Called a ‘Soviet Mercedes’ this 1979 Volga 24 is pretty big and supposed to have 125 horsepower but we think some horses left the engine over the years . We liked the 70’s interior with its fancy fake wood dashboard and mustard yellow seats. Nothing makes you feel more in Russia then a noisy, slightly uncomfortable, old piece of Soviet engineering pride. The drive should already be a part of the adventure and with this Volga that certainly was the case!

WOW Russia Tours was set up by Jonathan who left Holland by car all the way to the south of Russia, before he settled in St. Petersburg. He’s been in love with the country since

his first visit and wants to share this with his guests. Except for tours in his Volga car, Jonathan will also offer other excursions during the season. Something involving Russian country-life, how to cleanse yourself from your sins and dirt and we even heard the word Kalashnikov somewhere during our trip. Top all this off with a small shot of vodka and explore Russia as you have never seen it before. As says their slogan! Have fun!

For more information: www.wowrussiatours.com

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St. Petersburg is home to many parks and gardens in which you can while away an afternoon. They are romantic and beautiful, whether dipped in sunlight or blanketed in snow. The Summer Garden is the oldest, dating back to the 18th Century, and was designed by Peter the Great. A lot of the parks are home to cafes and other facilities for visitors. Yelagin Park, located on Yelagin Island, is one of the most popular parks in the city, and often hosts various events throughout the year. The parks are great places to get away from the chaos of the city and enjoy nature.

Tavrichesky Garden QF-3, MChernyshevskaya, www.tavrsad.com.

Open 24hrs.

Yelagin Park QMKrestovsky ostrov, tel. (+7) 812 430 09 11, www.elaginpark.spb.ru. Open daily 06:00 - 23:00.

Yusupovsky garden QD-3, Sadovaya ul. 50, MSennaya pl. Open 24hrs.

BE MY happy guest This is a new project to give foreign visitors a truly Russian experience to explore the culture and the friendship of the real Russia. Be My Guest arranges home stays for tourists, so you can enjoy a home made meal, spend the evening chatting to your hosts, perhaps even learn how to cook borsch, make Russian pancakes or home made pelmeni. Be My Guest opens up Russian’s homes and Russian’s hearts to you. Discover local traditions, local superstitions and try to discover the secret of the Russian soul. The project also offers a range of unusual cultural programmes that help you understand the domestic side of Russian life and lets you discover what it is like to live like a Russian. Put politics aside and discover this homely world. www.facebook. com/BeMyHappyGuest, tel. (+7) 981 168 07 42 50 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

17.05 Saturday Peterhof Fountains Opening One of St. Petersburg’s favourite iconic sights, when the fountains of Peterhof are switched back on, it signals the start of summer. The grand cascade, an impressive sight on any day, will be especially theatrical this day. The majestic figure of Sampson will be turned on for another glorious northern summer with accompanying music and a dazzling light show. This year the theme for the celebrations will be the transfer of Russia’s capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg which happened on 19 May 1712. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in a journey through time, accompanied by melodies about St. Petersburg and Leningrad. A musical dance show will involve performers from the Mariinsky Theatre, Theatre of Musical Comedy and other troupes from St. Petersburg and Moscow. Following the performances guest can wander through the lower park where the palaces, cascades and 147 fountains are located including the famous Sampson fountain, the Pyramid, and Lion fountains.

GETTING THERE: By bus: From MAvtovo public buses 200, 210.

By marshrutka: From MAvtovo 224, 300, 424 or 424a.

From MBaltiskaya 404. From MPr. Veteranov 343, 639b. From MLeninsky pr. 103 (K224).

By train: from Baltisky train station to Novy Peterhof. The ride takes approximately 45 minutes. Once in Novy Peterhof, take buses 349, 350, 351, 352, 355, 356.

QTel. (+7) 812 450 52 87, www.peterhofmuseum.ru. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

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Where to stay

Where to stay 5 Stars Angleterre Hotel This luxury hotel in the heart of the city caters to its highend business clients with multiple conference rooms, a unique amphitheatre style presentation hall that also periodically hosts film festivals and a fitness centre complete with a Finnish sauna and swimming pool. Rooms are cosy, comfy and contemporary in style with simple red accents and parquet flooring.QD-3, Mal. Morskaya ul.

24, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 56 66, www. angleterrehotel.com. 193 rooms.

Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg From the very entrance, compromising of a huge elegant lobby down to the stylishly modern rooms and posh dining facilites, the impression is that this place has had a most thorough polish - the shine on those chandeliers is positively blinding! QE-3, Nevsky pr. 57, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 380 20 01, www.corinthia.com. 388 rooms.

Domina Prestige Hotel St. Petersburg Tucked away discreetly to the side is the canal-view cocktail bar Nove decorated in larger-than-life style with neon bright colours and art installations. Up in the rooms there’s ample space to work, rest and play with large desks, rain showers and gigantic beds.QС-3, Nab. reky Moiky 99, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 385 99 00, www. dominarussia.com. 109 rooms.

at Decleor SPA and a branch of the Paris-based Carita salon.

QD-3, Bol. Morskaya ul. 39, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 494 57 57, www.thehotelastoria.com. 188 rooms.

Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 The hotel is located in a charming and historical area, in the very heart of St. Petersburg opposite the Hermitage Museum and Palace Square. The Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 offers 197 rooms and suites and features the panoramic Bellevue Brasserie restaurant, Beau Rivage restaurant; Wine Cellar 1853; Tea Room and the Von Witte bar with its log fireplace.QD-2, Nab. Reky Moiky 22, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 91 11, www. kempinski.com/stpetersburg. 197 rooms.

Radisson Royal Hotel In this central 1730s building the well-trained staff take a professional but personal approach. The suites have stylish glass panelling, comfortable arm chairs and tall arched windows. There’s the lovely renovated Barbazan Restaurant serving international cuisine and the gorgeous corner lobby bar with it’s Nevsky view.QE-3, Nevsky pr.

49/2, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 322 50 00, www. radisson.ru/hotel-stpetersburg. 164 rooms.

of the hotel, their Spa and Wellness world. Calming and comfortable with thick mattresses and soft furnishings, the rooms are crisp and bright.QC-2, Birzhevoy per. 4, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 22 00, www. sokoshotels.com. 324 rooms.

Taleon Imperial Hotel Possibly the best-looking hotel in St. Petersburg, the Taleon Imperial also enjoys a stunning location on the corner of Nevsky pr. and Moika. No expense has been spared in the restoration of this 18th-century mansion, and the results are often jaw-dropping. Luxury and refinement are the watchwords here: the spacious rooms are impeccably decorated and equipped, and the Emperor and Empress suites have to be seen to be believed.QD-3, Nevsky pr.

15, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 324 99 11, www. taleonimperialhotel.com. 89 rooms.

Sokos Hotel Palace Bridge The gorgeous Palace Bridge Hotel is a cross between a slick city warehouse conversion and palatial hotel.

The downstairs lobby holds the entrance to the pride

W St. Petersburg Impressive as the grey granite facade is, guests are in for a sumptuous surprise when they enter into a thoroughly contemporary interior designed down to the last detail.

Sophisticated dining in miX restaurant and signature cocktails at the rooftop bar are destinations with views of St. Isaac’s Cathedral and the Neva. Bliss Spa pampers with a twist, while the Sweat fitness centre and Wet pool area are gleaming temples for body worship. QD-3, Voznesensky pr. 6, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 610 61 61, www. wstpetersburg.com. 137 rooms.

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Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg The hotel is the epitome of classy. The hotel not only offers luxurious suites and guest rooms, but also impeccable service and top quality amenities. Since it’s just been renovated, everything in the hotel is completely up-to-date and the whole project has been meticulously thought through for the comfort and convenience of the guests.

QD-3, Voznesensky pr. 1, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 339 80 00, www.fourseasons.com/stpetersburg/.

183 rooms.

Grand Hotel Europe Occupying the full length of Mikhailovskaya Street, this palatial historical hotel has it all, from the original art-deco detailing to the exquisite, enormous bathrooms in the downstairs bar to the 60cm mattresses. Suites themed around personages, places and institutions dear to the heart of St. Petersburg are gorgeously designed down to the last detail.

QD-3, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 60 00, www.grandhoteleurope.com. 276 rooms.

Hotel Astoria The hotel is steeped in history and great care has been taken to preserve the original marblework, crystal chandeliers and art nouveau accents. The presidential suites feature art, furniture and lighting from the original collection.

Other amenities include conference spaces in the historical Winter Garden and Ballroom, a wide choice of treatments 52 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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Where to stay Ask the Concierge Interview with Irada Agalarova, Chief Concierge of the Kempinski Hotel Moika 22.

Please tell us something about yourself. I actually graduated as a chemical engineer, but my career in the hotel industry started already from an early age. My family celebrated many important events in a haute-cuisine hotel restaurant, where I later on worked as a hostess. But soon after I was suggested to join the front office team and from there I took on work in the concierge department. I really enjoy the constant motion and non-routine work.

What is your role as a chief concierge at the Kempinski Moika 22 Hotel? I joined the Kempinski Hotel Moika 22 only recently, four months ago. Еach day I use all of my previous experience to build a professional Concierge team, focussing on excellent service and the status of being a hotel concierge. For more then four years I am a member of Les Clefs d’Or and it is my main goal to have each member of my team walking around with this lapel pinned to their uniform.

The International Economic Forum is a big event in St. Petersburg, what can you tell us about it? The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is a TOP global business event, gathering over 4000 participants from more than 60 countries each year. The key mission is to remove political and informational barriers between Russia and other countries as well as establishing frameworks focused on economic growth and collaboration. For hoteliers this period is very busy, all the hotels have 100% occupancy and SPIEF guests are very demanding in their requests.

The month of May is full of events and holidays, what is your favorite and why? Since I was born in Leningrad and my family lived through the Second World War and Leningrad Siege, the most emotional holiday for me is Victory Day. I have the greatest respect for our grandparents who sacrificed so much for their children and grandchildren to live happily and in peace.

Each year on the 9th of May I reverently watch war veterans parade and can hardly hold back my tears.

What is your favorite restaurant and/or bar? Since I spend much time at the Kempinski Hotel Moika 22, I do very much like the Bellevue restaurant, located on the top floor of our building overlooking beautiful St. Petersburg. Bright during the day time and intimate during the evening with lighted candles and a wide variety of delicious French dishes from our Chef Christophe Laplaza. Another restaurant I can recommend is Baku, which specializes in dishes from Azerbaijan.

54 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Where to stay 4 Stars Courtyard by Marriott St. Petersburg Center West Pushkin Hotel This business-focused hotel has a whole floor of conference space and excellent facilities for business travellers.

The 273 rooms, including five suites and one wedding suite, are comfortable and well-equipped. Downstairs there is a large lobby (which has free WiFi), a bar and two restaurants; one of them, the reasonably priced Bierstube, even brews four sorts of beer.QC-4, Nab. kan. Griboedova 166 (entrance via Kanonerskaya ul. 33), MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 610 50 00, www. courtyardstpetersburgpushkin.ru. 273 rooms.

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg - Ligovsky Done up in warm beige and brown tones the small lobby contains a round the clock concierge desk, a lounge with art deco accents and the reception desk which is conveniently headed by flat screen televisions listing information for any conference groups in attendance. Each of the standard rooms have everything the modern businessperson or tourist could need or want.QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 61, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 244 00 01, www. crowneplaza.com/ligovsky. 195 rooms.

Novotel St. Petersburg Centre Novotel offers a breath of fresh air to the St. Petersburg hotel market in its sense of style, service and manner of execution.

Located just off Nevsky Prospekt, it is extremely convenient to the central city but sheltered from the noise and bustle of the main street. The exterior is a modern rendition of the tower of Pisa and the Colosseum and the interior is modern and bright. The rooms are modern and comfortable.QE-3, Ul. Mayakovskogo 3A, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 11 88, www.accorhotels.com/5679. 233 rooms.

Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky St. Petersburg Facing onto Nevsky and within a stone’s throw of Moskovsky railway station, you couldn’t dream of a more practical location than this well-designed hotel. Despite its central location the noise of the city is inaudible and rooms are all brightly and comfortably up to the Park Inn standard. The hub of the hotel is the airy Paulaner restaurant, which bustles at all times of day and is smartly spread over two levels with views to Nevsky and plenty of light coming through the delightful atrium.QE-3, Nevsky pr. 89, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 406 73 10, www. parkinn.com/hotel-stpetersburg. 269 rooms.

glass fronted kitchen is stunning.QE-2, Liteiny pr. 5/19, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 406 00 00, www. radisson.ru/sonyahotel-stpetersburg. 173 rooms .

Sokos Hotel Vasilievsky The third Sokos hotel in St. Petersburg brings yet more Finnish style and sophistication to the city. The rooms are comfortable with stylish contemporary interiors and the usual mod-cons. In the hotel you’ll find the wonderful 1930s-inspired restaurant Repin Lounge and an Irish-pub style bar. Situated on the older side of Vasilievsky Island, it’s good for those interested in sightseeing.QC-3, 9-ya Liniya 11-13, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 335 22 90, www.sokoshotels.com. 255 rooms.

Vedensky Hotel The hotel brings some much needed 4 star options to the Petrograd island. Gleaming marble, exposed brick and all white furnishings are the chosen colour scheme for the shiny new interiors of this careful reconstruction of this historic high-ceilinged building.QC-1, Bolshoy pr. PS 37, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 332 42 22, www.alrosahotels.ru/hotels/st-petersburg/. 158 rooms.

3 Stars AZIMUT Hotel Saint Petersburg This hotel is right on the banks of the Fontanka river, with many of the rooms overlooking the impressive Troitsky Cathedral. More than 1000 rooms are available over 18 floors with 318 of them having been recently fully renovated into SMART Deluxe rooms. This is the tallest building in this part of the city with their famous Sky Bar which offers the most amazing panoramic views of St. Petersburg, supported with a modern design and conference spaces.

QC-4, Lermontovsky pr. 43/1, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 740 26 40, www.azimuthotels.com. 1037 rooms.

IBIS St. Petersburg Centre Smart and clean with the appearance of an upmarket hotel, Ibis is marketed for those in search of reasonably priced accommodation, leisure travellers and business people.

With a central location, brand spanking new decor, international standard service levels and a restaurant downstairs, this is a great option at very reasonable rates.QE-3, Ligovsky pr. 54, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 622 01 00, www.ibishotel.com/6157. 221 rooms.

Hostels

Radisson Sonya Hotel The Radisson Sonya hotel looks like something from another planet compared to some of the other more standard upmarket business class hotels in the city. It positively screams fashion and thoughtfulness. Themed around Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment, subtle references to the book are everywhere from the carpet and furniture to the Russian restaurant. The huge glass covered courtyard with

Cubahostel With an almost unbeatable location just behind Kazan Cathedral, Cubahostel is an ideal budget option. The fourteen rooms each sleep from two to ten people. Upstairs there’s a recently upgraded communal kitchen, though guests also get special offers including a welcome drink at Atelierbar a few minutes’ walk away.QD-3, Kazanskaya ul. 5, 3rd floor, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 921 71 15, www.cubahostel.ru. 15 rooms.

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Shopping

Shopping Russian souvenirs

Amber Collection

Russia is full of beautiful souvenirs – and we are not just talking about Russian dolls and Lenin badges. If you are looking to take some extra special gifts home with you we recommend you consider buying some of the following: Platok A perfect present for any female friend or relative.

These beautifully designed and colourful scarves can either spruce up the outfit of a young lady by being worn around the neck or serve to make your grandma look even cuter than usual by being worn around the head. Orenburgsky platok is another highly desirable type of scarf made from the down hair of goats. The real hand spun ones are very warm and yet also so delicate and silk-like that the whole scarf can be pulled through a woman’s wedding ring.

Birch wood crafts The silver birch is the national tree of Russia, the further in to the countryside you get, the more you notice that the world’s largest country is covered in them. It then comes as no surprise that Russians have been experts at producing items carved out of the bark of their favourite tree. Birch wood combs are particularly popular as they are said to be very good for your hair.

Khokhloma This traditional red, black and gold Russian design generally painted onto wooden household items dates back to the 18th Century. If you haven’t much space in your luggage pick up a spoon and sugar pot, or if you have space for more you can find almost anything with khokhloma on from tea trays to kitchen tables. Bosco sport (the company who dress the Russian Olympic team) also do a nice line in khokhloma inspired clothing.

Vodka and Caviar They compliment each other as perfectly as beer and crisps or strawberries and cream. The better vodka brands come out under the Russky standart label although ladoga and berozka are also good. For something more kitsch look out for Kalashnikov or matrioshka vodka. Black beluga caviar is still one of the most expensive foods on the planet and a small jar can set you back more than $100 if you buy it in the market.

Never buy caviar from street touts, more often than not it is fake and/or illegal.

Among the gems, amber holds a special place. Comprising a rich array of coloured tones of red, yellow and gold it has been the source of magical myths and much superstition. It was believed to contain the fewest impurities and thus prized for its healing properties. Originally a resin – amber often contains many impurities including pine needes, twigs, leaves, small insects and air bubbles. Since prehistoric times amber has been valued and traded, being brought down from the Baltic to the Mediterranean on ancient trade routes. One of the stories about its origins is reported by the Roman naturalist Pliny writing in the first century A.D. “Nicias, again, will have it, that it is a liquid produced by the rays of the sun; and that these rays, at the moment of the sun’s setting, striking with the greatest force upon the surface of the soil, leave upon it an unctuous sweat, which is carried off by the tides of the Ocean, and thrown up upon the shores of Germany.” Pliny goes on to observe that a small figure of amber cost more than a healthy slave.

In China and Japan red amber was particularly prized as being reminiscent of dragon’s blood and consequently worn by members of the royal family and in Iran the Shah is said to have worn amber to ward off assassination attempts. The idea that amber helps protect people from evil is particularly popular around the world.

In Burma, children wear amber frog amulets to protect against the evil eye. While in Scotland it was thought that amber beads collected on a red thread scare witches and evil spirits. In Russia and Poland, nannies and wet nurses wore large amber necklaces to ensure the purity of children’s skin and to protects the baby from the evil eye and evil forces, ensuring that the child grows up healthy and strong.QD-3, Passage shopping centre, Boutique 38, Nevsky pr. 48, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 921 961 35 14/(+7) 981 190 68 81, www.ambercollection.ru. Open 10:00 - 21:00. A

Bolshoy Gostiny Dvor QD-3, Nevsky pr. 35, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 710 54 08, www.bgd.ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00. AK DLT Department store QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul.

21-23, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 648 08 48, www.dlt.ru.

Open 10:00 - 22:00. AKW Nevsky Centre QE-3, Nevsky pr. 114-116, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 313 93 13, www.nevskycentre.ru. Open 10:00 - 23:00.

AKW Passage QD-3, Nevsky pr. 48, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 315 52 57, www.passage.spb.ru. Open 10:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. AK Vladimirsky Passage QE-3, Vladimirsky pr. 19, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 331 32 32, www.vpassage.ru. Open 11:00 - 22:00.

ALKW Eliseevsky Store QE-3, Nevsky pr. 56, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 456 66 66, www.kupetzeliseevs.ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00.

Stockmann Delicatessen QE-3, Nevsky pr. 114-116, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 313 60 00, www.stockmann.ru. Open 10:00 - 23:00.

Gifts and Souvenirs

Bukvoed QD-3, Nevsky pr. 46, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 601 06 01, www.bookvoed.ru. Open 24hrs. AKW Dom Knigy QD-3, Nevsky pr. 28, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 448 23 55, www.spbdk.ru. Open 09:00 - 24:00. AK

Chocolate Museum QD-3, Nevsky pr. 17, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 315 13 48, www.muzeyshokolada.ru. Open 11:00 21:00. A Gallery Mikhailov QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 10, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 06 69, www.vmikhailov.ru. Open 11:00 21:00. A La Petite Opera Gallery QD-3, Grand Hotel Europe, Mikhailovskaya ul. 1/7, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 329 65 89, www.lacquerbox. net. Open 09:00 - 21:00.

Lomonosov Porcelain Factory QPr. Obukhovskoy Oborony 151, MLomonosovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 326 17 44, www.ipm.ru. Open 10:00 - 20:00. A Nevsky Souvenir Shop QD-2, Nevsky pr. 22-24 (entrance at Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 12), MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 954 78 53, www. nevskysouvenir.com. Open 09:00 - 22:00. A Pavloposadskie Platki Shop QE-3, Nevsky pr. 87/2, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 963 329 12 63, www.platki.ru. Open 10:00 - 22:00. A Souvenirs Fair QD-2, Nab. kan. Griboedova 1, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 962 26 13. Open 09:00 - 18:00. A YellowKorner QC-1, Bolshoy pr. PS, 86, MPetrogradskaya, tel. (+7) 812 232 84 07, www.yellowkorner.com. Open 11:00 21:00. PAW

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Bookshops

56 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Shopping centres

RAKETA WATCHES Raketa is not only the oldest factory in Russia, but also the only watch factory in the whole country.

With the help of Swiss engineers, the factory began to be reorganised in 2009. There are now approximately 60 workers, (originally there were around 6000), still using the factory’s original buildings. The factory purchased modern equipment from the Swatch group in 2011, which improved the watch quality; although a range of Soviet machines indispensible to the watch-making process are still in use. Raketa manufactures watches to commemorate special occasions. In 2012, the ‘Borodino’ watch, featuring an eagle, a symbol of the Russian Empire, was created to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War. The factory also designed a watch for the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, with a different sport represented at each hour. www.raketa.com

Galeria Galeria The largest shopping mall in the centre of the city and a stone’s throw away from the Moscow Railway Station, Galeria cannot be missed. The huge beautiful new building fits remarkably well here. Inside, it’s everything you would expect from your modern shopping mall and more. It boasts the largest selection of brands in St. Petersburg, from high street brands like Topshop, Levis, Mexx and French Connection to some Russian designer clothes as well. It also features a huge supermarket, food court, movie theatre, bowling alley and some very good restaurants. When with children, head to the top floor where there is a huge entertainment area for the young and young-at-heart.QD-3, Ligovsky pr. 30A, MPl. Vosstaniya, tel. (+7) 812 643 31 72, www.galeria-spb.ru. Open 10:00 - 23:00.

ALK

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Expat & Lifestyle

Expat & Lifestyle russian for expats Cлава - Victory Day is celebrated on the 9th of May and marks the end of the second World War. As such, you’ll hear the word слава, “glory”, if you’re out and about on this public holiday. Слава is also commonly translated as “kudos”. Although “kudos” isn’t the exact translation and слава certainly isn’t used to express “kudos”, it is often used in conjunction with бог (God) as слава богу! (Glory to God or thank God!) Слава is also a fairly common Slavic name, for obvious reasons!

Liden & Denz Liden & Denz is one of St Petersburg’s oldest language schools, having opened in 1992. Now they have expanded into a large centre not far from Gostiny Dvor (though the original centre off Ligovsky pr. also remains opens). Russian is taught mainly in groups of up to 10 people, though individual tuition is also available. Classrooms are bright and equipped with televisions and DVD players. There are computers with internet access for student use, plus wi-fi internet if you want to bring your own laptop.QE-3, Inzhenernaya ul. 6, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 334 07 88, www.lidenz.ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

internations InterNations is the biggest global networking site for expats of various nationalities and their family members with almost 200,000 members in 235 cities worldwide.

Already extremely popular in the capital Moscow, InterNations is now rapidly expanding in St. Petersburg too. By becoming a member you gain access to the online social network were you can connect with other expats, browse the various forums, leave tips for other expats and interact with people who may have the same interests.

Most importantly of course InterNations also host monthly get-togethers. Check out upcoming events at www.internations.org.

58 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

In this section we seek to highlight various organisations one can join, expat cultural institutions, religious services, and other items of interest that make your expat experience in St. Petersburg more full and fulfilling. There is a fairly well-developed and growing expat scene in the city and we recommend taking advantage of these connections. If you would like your expat group to be featured here, just drop us a line at editor.spb@inyourpocket.com. Thanks!

Cultural Centres and Libraries American Corners QE-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 46, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 710 60 32, www.amcorners.ru. Open 11:00 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.

British Book Centre QD-4, Izmailovsky pr. 18 (Library im. Lermontova), MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 251 12 43, www.britaniaspb.ru. Open 12:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Danish Cultural Institute QD-3, Nab. reky Moiky 42, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 74 66, www.dki.spb.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Estonian Cultural Center Jaani Kirik QC-3, Dekabristov ul. 54A, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 710 84 46, www.jaanikirik.ru. Open 14:00 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00.

Finnish Institute QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 8, 3rd floor, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 606 65 65, www.instfin.ru. Open 11:00 17:00, Fri 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Foreign Literature Library QD-3, Nab. reky Fontanky 44/46, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 08 56, www.pl.spb.ru. Open 11:00 - 20:00, closed Sun. Foreign literature department 11:00 - 19:00, closed Sun. Goethe Institute QD-3, Nab. reky Moiky 58, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 363 11 25, www.goethe.de/stpetersburg. Open 08:15 - 20:00, closed Sat. Library open 14:00 - 17:00, closed Sun. Institut Francais QD-3, Nevsky pr. 12, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 09 95, www.ifspb.com. Open 09:30 - 18:30, Fri 09:30 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Istituto Italiano di Cultura QC-3, Teatralnaya pl. 10, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 718 81 89, www.iicsanpietroburgo.esteri.it. Open 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00, Fri 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun. The Japan Center QE-3, Ul. Marata 69-71, MMayakovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 326 25 50, www.jpcenter.spb.ru. Open 09:00 -18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. The Netherlands Institute QE-2, Kaluzhsky per. 3, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 327 08 87, www.nispb.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Expat Contacts Dutch Club St. Petersburg Qwww.nlvpetersburg.com.

English Communication Club Qtel. (+7) 911 163 56 45, www.encc.ru.

Fryday Qwww.fryday.net.

International Women’s Club Qwww.iwcstpete.com. General meetings are held once a month, in different locations in the city. Additional member based activities, events and groups are organised daily.

Religious Services Catholic Church of St. Catherine QD-3, Nevsky pr. 32-34, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 57 95, www.catherine.spb.ru. Open 08:00 - 20:00.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Katarina (Swedish church) QD-2, Mal. Konyushennaya ul. 1/3, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 571 20 81, www.swedenabroad.com/ru-RU/ Embassies/Saint-Petersburg/.

Evangelical Lutheran Parish of St. Maria Church QD-2, Bol. Konyushennaya ul. 8A, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 314 71 61, www.elci.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00.

Grand Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg QC-3, Lermontovsky pr. 2, MSennaya pl., tel. (+7) 812 713 81 86, www.jewsp.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00 Open for visitors 09:00 - 18:00. Daily services 09:00, 21:00.

Lutheran Church of Peter and Paul QD-3, Nevsky pr. 22/24, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 312 07 98, www.petrikirche.ru. Open Tue - Fri 10:00 18:00.

Derzhavin Institute The Derzhavin institute is a great place to throw yourself into the romance of Russian culture. Situated in one wing of the refurbished 18th Century Derzhavin mansion, the school has a beautiful setting. There are seven classrooms, all with high-ceilings and large windows.

There’s also a library, common rooms and computers with free internet access for students. Short-term, long-term, intensive and private lessons are available at all levels of proficiency. They also offer special courses for expats. Classes are kept small, with a maximum of 8 students per group. The staff speak many different languages and have experience in teaching at both Russian universities and abroad. They can also organise accommodation, excursions and other social activities for students.QD-4, Nab. reky Fontanky 118, 3rd floor, MTekhnologichesky institut, tel. (+7) 812 740 19 26, www.derzhavin.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00, classes till 21:45. Closed Sat., Sun. www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

The Expat Experience Interview with Sjefke Jansen, General Manager of Grand Hotel Europe Please tell us something about yourself. I’m a Dutch national, which explains my name, but was born and raised in Heidelberg – a famous university town in Germany. I started my career with chef training and worked my way up, in various countries, to the position I’m in today. I’m married to my wife Michelle and we have two lovely daughters, Alyssa 10 and Ashleigh seven years old. We have been living in the tropics for the past 15 years, including, Singapore, Maldives and Mauritius and, besides working, enjoyed sun, sand and beach. I have lived and worked abroad for more than 20 years and every destination has had its own fascinating charm, character and individuality. And whenever I moved on, I carried some of the countries most remarkable traits with me.

What were your first ever impressions of Russia?

The first impressions were very positive throughout.

The friendliness of its people, slightly reserved at first, but warm hearted and genuine when you get to know them better, and the impressive cultural aspect of the city that takes, quite frankly, your breath away. Starting from the rich history, the architecture, right up to its theaters and museums; it is simply amazing and an invaluable treasure.

What can you tell us about the changes currently going on inside the Grand Hotel Europe? The hotel is currently going through transition and we are renovating a few areas throughout the property in order to improve the offers to our patrons. We will soon have brand new state-of-the-art conference facilities. Furthermore, we will be opening an exciting new dining option, AZIA, that promises to bring something new and exciting to the table of connoisseurs living in, or visiting, this beautiful city. And last but not least, we are building some extremely luxurious suites that will, no doubt, set a new benchmark in the hotel industry, not only in St. Petersburg.

If there would be one thing you could improve in St. Petersburg, what would it be? So far, I think better weather would be a massive improvement.

What is your favorite restaurant and/or bar in the city? I haven’t been around much yet and was therefore only able to visit a few places up until now. But SINTOHO at Four Seasons Hotel is excellent and I like Ginza for its more casual atmosphere.

April - May 2014

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Maps

Business Accountants and Lawyers Acsour QD-3, Nevsky pr. 10, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 454 44 24, www.acsour.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. Avenir Group QE-3, Vladimirsky pr. 23A, MVladimirskaya, tel. (+7) 812 718 81 57, www.avenir.ru. Open 09:00 - 19:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. Deloitte Touche CIS QC-2, VO, Sredny pr. 36/40, lit.K, business center Gustaf, MVasileostrovskaya, tel. (+7) 812 703 71 06, www.deloitte.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. PW EMG (Accountants & Consultants) QС-4, 10-ya Krasnoarmeiskaya ul. 22, office 69, MBaltiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 313 77 81, www.emg-russia. com. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Ernst and Young (Accountants & Consultants) QD-3, Ul. Mal. Morskaya 23A, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 703 78 34, www.ey.com/cis. Open 08:30 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. KPMG QE-4, Ul. Marata 69-71A, MLigovsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 313 73 00, www.kpmg.ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Mannheimer Swartling QD-2, Ul. Mal. Konyushennaya 1/3A, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 335 23 00, www.mannheimerswartling.se.

Open 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Moore Stephens International QE-1, Bolshoy Sampsonievsky pr. 4/6A, business centre Monblan, off. 204, MPl. Lenina, tel. (+7) 812 332 28 51, www.moorestephens.ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Pepeliaev, Goltsblat & Partners QE-2, Shpalernaya ul. 54, MChernyshevskaya, tel. (+7) 812 640 60 10, www.pgplaw.ru. Open 09:00 - 18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun. PriceWaterhouseCoopers QD-3, Per. Grivtsova 4A, MSennaya Pl., tel. (+7) 812 326 69 69, www.pwc.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Business Associations American Chamber of Commerce QC-3, Ul. Yakubovicha 24, MAdmiralteiskaya, tel. (+7) 812 448 16 46, www.amcham.ru/spb. Open 09:00 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. SPIBA - St. Petersburg International Business Association for North-Western Russia QD-3, Nevsky pr. 21, off. 506, MNevsky pr., tel. (+7) 812 325 90 91, www.spiba.ru. Open 09:30 - 18:00.

Closed Sat, Sun.

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Call: (+7) 812 448 88 65 60 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

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April - May 2014

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Aleksander Nevsky Monastery Founded by Peter the Great, in 1710, this orthodox monastery is the most important in St. Petersburg. The St. Trinity cathedral is worth a visit and so is the cemetery.

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Street register

Moscow

1-28-ya liniya

B-2,3/C-2,3 Konnogvardeysky bul.

C-3

Rubinshteina ul.

E-3

Admiralteisky pr.

D-3

E-2

Ryleeva ul.

E-2

Kovensky per.

Alexandra Nevskogo most

F-3

Krasnogo Tekstilshchika ul.

F-2

Sadovaya ul.

E-2,3

Angliskaya nab.

C-3

Kronverkskaya nab.

D-2

Sampsonievsky most

D-1 E-2

Anichkov most

E-3

Kronversky pr.

D-1

Sapyorny per.

Arsenalnaya nab.

E-2

Kutuzova nab.

D-2/E-2

Shpalernaya ul.

E-2/F-2

Bakunina pr.

F-3

Lermontovsky pr.

C-3/C-4

Shvedsky per.

D-2

Baskov per.

E-2

Letny sad

D-2

Sinopskaya nab.

F-3

Belinskogo ul.

E-2

Leitenanta Shmidta nab.

C-3

Smolnaya nab.

F-2

Birzhevaya liniya

C-2

Ligovsky pr.

E-3/E-4

Solyanoy per.

E-2

Blagoveshchensky most

C-2

Liteiny most

E-2

Sotsialisticheskaya ul.

E-3

Blokhina ul.

C-2

Liteiny pr.

E-2/E-3

Sovetskaya 1-ya - 9-ya ul.

E-3/F-2,3

Bol. Konyushennaya ul.

D-2

Lomonosova ul.

D-3/E-3

Spassky per.

D-3

Bol. Morskaya ul.

C-3/D-3

Makarova nab.

C-2

Sredniy pr. (V0)

B-2,3/C-2

Bol. Podyacheskaya ul.

D-3

Mal. Konyushennaya ul.

D-2

Starorusskaya ul.

F-3

Bolsheokhtinsky most

F-2

Mal. Morskaya ul.

D-3

Stolyarny per.

D-3

Bolshoy pr. (PS)

C-1,2

Mal. Posadskaya

D-1

Stremyannaya ul.

E-3

Bolshoy pr. (VO)

B-3/C-2

Mal. Sadovaya

E-3

Suvorovsky pr.

F-2,3

Chernyshevskogo pr.

E-2

Maly pr. (PS)

C-1

Sverdlovskaya nab.

F-1,2

Chkalovsky pr.

C-1

Maly pr. (VO)

B-1

Tavricheskaya ul.

F-2

Degtyarnaya ul.

F-3

Manezhnaya pl.

E-3

Chaikovskogo ul.

E-2

Dekabristov ul.

C-3/D-3

Marata ul.

E-3

Teatralnaya pl.

C-3

Dostoevskogo ul.

E-3

Marsovo pole

D-2

Troitsky most

D-2

Dumskaya ul.

D-3

Mayakovskogo ul.

E-2/E-3

Tuchkov most

C-2

Dvortsovaya nab.

D-2

Mendeleevskaya liniya

C-2

Tverskaya ul.

F-2

Efimova ul.

D-3

Mikhailovskaya ul.

D-3

Universitetskaya nab.

C-2,3

Furshtatskaya ul.

E-2

Millionnaya ul.

D-2

Vladimirsky pr.

E-3

Galernaya ul.

C-3

Moskovsky pr.

D-3/D-4

Vosstaniya ul.

E-2,3

Glinki ul.

C-3

Moiky reky nab.

C-3/D-2,3

Vosstaniya pl.

E-3

Goncharnaya ul.

E-3

Muchnoy per.

D-3

Voznesensky pr.

D-3

Gorokhovaya ul.

D-3

Mytninskaya nab.

С-2/D-2

Zagorodny pr.

D-3,4/E-3

Grafsky per.

E-3

Nekrasova ul.

E-2

Zhukovskogo ul.

E-3

Griboedova kan. nab.

C-3,4/D-2,3 Nevsky pr.

D-3/E-3/F-3

Grivtsova per.

D-3

Ostrovskogo pl.

E-3

Inzhenernaya ul.

E-3

Pestelya ul.

E-2

Abbreviations

Isaakievskaya pl.

D-3

Petrovskaya nab.

D-2

Ul. – Ulitsa

Iskusstv pl.

D-3

Pirogovskaya nab.

E-1/E-2

Pr. – Prospekt

Italyanskaya ul.

D-3/D-4

Pochtamtskaya ul.

C-3

Pl. – Ploshchad

Kadetskaya liniya

C-2

Poltavskaya ul.

F-3

Bul. – Bulvar

Kamennoostrovsky pr.

D-1

Pushkinskaya ul.

E-3

Per. – Pereulok

Karavannaya ul.

E-3

Radishcheva ul.

E-2/E-3

Kan. – Kanal

Kazanskaya ul.

D-3

Razyezzhaya ul.

E-3

Nab. – Naberezhnaya

Kirochnaya ul.

E-2/F-2

Rimskogo-Korsakova ul.

C-3,4/D-3

Bol. – Bolshaya

Kolokolnaya ul.

E-3

Robespyera nab.

E-2

Mal. – Malaya

64 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com

Fast-paced Moskva is Russia’s political, historical and business capital and a magnet for the adventurous and ambitious from across the country and further afield. In all senses, this mega city of more than 12 million inhabitants is a meltingpot and its outstanding dining scene and vibrant nightlife reflects its cosmopolitan population. A city of contrasts, Moscow’s busy streets all bear witness to Russia’s turbulent history and dynamic future and while it’s not for the faint-hearted, the Russian capital is a cultural experience not to be missed.

Churches Cathedral of Christ the Saviour QB-3, Ul. Volkhonka 15, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 637 28 47, www.xxc.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Mon 13:00 - 18:00. Admission free. Guided tours in English for groups for up to 10 people 6,000Rbl (pre-booking required call (+7) 495 637 28 47).

Novodevichy Monastery QNovodevichy proezd 1, MSportivnaya, tel. (+7) 499 246 85 26. Open 09:00 - 17:00. Admission 250Rbl. Pokrovsky Monastery QE-3, Ul. Taganskaya 58, MMarksistskaya, tel. (+7) 495 911 49 20, www.pokrov-monastir.ru. Open 07:00 20:00. Admission free.

Museums All-Russian Decorative Art Museum QC-1, Delegatskaya ul. 3, MTsvetnoy Bulvar, tel. (+7) 495 609 01 46, www.vmdpni.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Tue and last Mon of the month. Admission 20 - 200Rbl. GULAG History Museum QC-2, Ul. Petrovka 16, MKuznetsky Most, tel. (+7) 495 621 73 46, www.gmig.ru. Open 11:00 - 19:00, Thu 11:00 - 20:00 Closed Mon, last Fri of the month. Admission 150Rbl. State Central Museum of Contemporary Russian History QB-2, Tverskaya ul. 21, MTverskaya, tel. (+7) 495 699 67 24, www.sovr.ru. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 12:00 - 21.00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. Admission 70 - 250Rbl. www.facebook.com/StPetersburgInYourPocket

getting there Dozens of different night trains run to Moscow every day from Moskovsky vokzal, so there’s little excuse for not making the effort to visit. If you have less time you can also take advantage of the new super fast Sapsan train, which leaves St. Petersburg six times a day and gets you there in just under four hours. Local airlines also fly to Moscow and the journey takes about one hour. Once at one of Moscow’s three airports, hop on the aeroexpress train which brings you right to the centre.

Luxury Trains to Moscow If you are looking for a comfortable night train to the capital it is worth considering taking a private train.

The cheerful Megapolis train leaves for Moscow every night and offers a more hotel-like travel experience.

After being shown to your cabin you will find your beds have already been made up with real duvets rather than blankets, and all round the carriages are spotless. Hot breakfast and coffee can be brought to your room in the morning and if at any moment during the trip you experience some problems you can call the train attendant from the comfort of your bed and they will come to you! If you want to wake up in Moscow truly fresh in the morning, it’s worth the money.QTrains leave Moskovsky vokzal (M Pl. Vosstaniya) at 00:20 and arrive in Moscow at 09:00. For reservations call (+7) 495 35 44 11 or book online at www.megapolis-te.ru

April - May 2014

65

Moscow The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts QC-3, Ul. Volkhonka 12, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 609 95 20, www.artsmuseum.ru. Open 10:00 19:00, Thu 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 300 - 400Rbl. Admission may vary according to the exhibition.

Tretyakov Gallery QC-4, Lavrushinsky per. 10, MTretyakovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 951 13 62, www.tretyakovgallery.ru. Open 10:00 18:00, Thu, Fri 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 100 - 360Rbl. English audio guide 250Rbl. PU

Aeroexpress Trains The most reliable way of travelling to and from airports in Moscow is by Aeroexpress. Aeroexpress trains run between Belorussky Rail Terminal and Sheremetyevo (SVO) airport, Kievsky Rail Terminal and Vnukovo (VKO) airport, and Paveletsky Rail Terminal and Domodedovo (DME) airport. Each rail terminal is connected via the metro circle line. It takes 35 – 45 minutes to get to the airports from the centre of Moscow.

Aeroexpress tickets can be bought at Aeroexpress ticket counters or at automatic machines in the rail terminals, through the websites of partner airlines, travel agencies, and via air ticket agencies, either in Moscow, or indeed almost any other region of Russia. A list of sales outlets can be found on the company’s website, where you can also buy an electronic ticket: www. aeroexpress.ru.

Download our free mobile app and you will be able to purchase Aeroexpress tickets using your smartphone with no need to print out the ticket: the turnstiles at the airport are able to read the ticket’s QR-code directly from your smartphone/tablet screen.

If you are a Master Card PayPass or VISA PayWave holder, you can easily pay for the fare directly at the turnstiles Aeroexpress.

The Aeroexpress hotline is (+7) 800 700 33 77 (calls from within Russia are free).

66 St. Petersburg In Your Pocket

Modern Art Centres Moscow Multimedia Art Museum (MMAM) QB-4, Ul. Ostozhenka 16, MKropotkinskaya, tel. (+7) 495 637 11 00, www.mamm-mdf.ru/en. Open 12:00 21:00. Closed Mon. Admission 300Rbl. Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA) QC-2, Ul. Petrovka 25, MChekhovskaya, tel. (+7) 495 694 28 90, www.mmoma.ru. Open 12:00 - 20:00. Thu 13:00 - 21:00. Closed third Mon of the month. Admission from 150Rbl.

hotels Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya QE-1, Kalanchevskaya ul. 21/40, MKrasnye Vorota, tel. (+7) 495 627 55 50, www.moscow.hilton.com. hhhhh Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow QD-4, Ul. Baltschug 1, MNovokuznetskaya, tel. (+7) 495 287 20 00, www.kempinski.com/moscow. hhhhh Lotte Hotel Moscow QA-3, Novinsky bul. 8, bldg. 2, MSmolenskaya, tel. (+7) 495 745 10 00, www.lottehotel.ru. hhhhh Hotel Nikol’skaya Kempinski QC-2, Nikolskaya ul. 12, MLubyanka, tel. (+7) 495 967 77 76, www.kempinski.com. hhhhh Sheraton Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport Hotel QMezhdunarodnoye shosse 28B, bldg. 5, MPlanernaya, tel. (+7) 495 229 00 10, www. sheratonmoscowairport.com. hhhhh Adagio Moscow Paveletskaya QD-6, Ul. Bakhrushina 11, MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 720 53 01, www.accorhotels.com. hhhh Best Western Vega Hotel & Convention Center QIzmailovskoe shosse 71, bldg. 3V, MPartizanskaya, tel. (+7) 495 956 05 06, www.hotel-vega.ru. hhh Mercure Moscow Paveletskaya QD-6, Ul. Bakhrushina 11, MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 720 53 01, www.mercure.com. hhhh Novotel Moscow City Hotel QPresnenskaya nab. 2, MMezhdunarodnaya, tel. (+7) 495 664 89 89, www.novotel-moscow-city.com. hhhh Ibis Moscow Centre Bakhrushina QD-6, Ul. Bakhrushina 11, MPaveletskaya, tel. (+7) 495 720 53 01, www.accorhotels.com. hhh Comrade Hostel QD-2, Ul. Maroseyka 11, 3rd floor (go under arch to the left of the playground to find building entrance), MKitay Gorod, tel. (+7) 495 628 31 26, www. comradehostel.com. iVan Hostel QC-2, Petrovsky per.1/30, app 23, MChekhovskaya, tel. (+7) 916 407 11 78, www.ivanhostel.com. st-petersburg.inyourpocket.com