Travel Reference
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“Sights in St. Petersburg.” If you want to do some souvenir shopping, there's a handy (if
touristy and overpriced) crafts market just behind the church. I'll wait right here.
Back already? Let's continue down Nevsky Prospekt (for now, stay on the left side). Just
after the river is the Small Philharmonic (Малый филармония)—one of the “big four”
cultural institutions in St. Petersburg (the others are the Great Philharmonic, the Mariinsky
Theater, and the Mikhailovsky Theater). Consider taking in a performance while you're in
town; on a short visit, the ballet is a popular choice (for details, see Entertainment in St.
Petersburg, later).
A half-block farther along, tucked between buildings on the left, you'll see the pale
yellow facade of the Roman Catholic St. Catherine's Church. This is one of many “St.
Catherines” that line Nevsky Prospekt—many congregations named their churches for the
empress who encouraged their construction. This one has an endearing starving artists'
market out front.
At the next corner, on the left, is the Grand Hotel Europe —an ultra-fancy (if dated)
five-star hotel that opened in 1875. Its opulence attracted guests the likes of Tchaikovsky,
Stravinsky, Debussy, and H. G. Wells.
The hotel sits at the corner of Mikhailovskaya street. If you detour one long block down
this street, you'll find the main entrance of the Russian Museum , which houses a fantast-
ic collection of works by exclusively Russian artists. (While the Hermitage's art collection
is world-class, there's nothing “local” about it.) For a self-guided tour of the highlights of
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