5 Days in St. Petersburg: the Northern Capital of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg was my very first city in Russia, and it was one of those places that I had wanted to visit for years.

I've always been fascinated by the Russian Empire and having been the residence of the tsars for over 300 years, I couldn't wait to discover what St. Petersburg had to offer. I dedicated a total of 5 days to St. Petersburg, which was the perfect time to explore not only the city but also the former residences of the tsars in Peterhof and Pushkin.

Follow my adventures discovering all the main highlights of St. Petersburg during my first day in the city!

I got up early in the morning to make the most out of my first day in the former Russian capital. My apartment was quite central in the Admiralteysky district, just next to the Moika river. On my way to the Winter Palace, I walked along the canal to enjoy the beautiful buildings on both banks of the river.

My first stop was the Admiralty building, standing out with its shiny golden spire. It is the remains of the original building built by Peter the Great as a dockyard and headquarters of the Imperial Russian Navy.

The building that we saw today was rebuilt only in the 19th century, maintaining the original plans, but the exterior was decorated following the impressive Russian Empire style. It is said that the building is within the range of the cannon of Peter and Paul Fortress so that it could be destroyed if the building was ever taken by the invaders. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).