Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Across the Neva River
From the riverfront side of the Hermitage, you can spot several sights across the river that
are worth visiting. But you'll have to allow plenty of time; while these places appear close,
it takes a while to reach them by foot.
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Strelka Spin-Tour
—On your way between the Hermitage area and the Peter and
Paul Fortress, you'll cross the Dvortsovy Bridge and then pass a strategic viewpoint, called
Strelka, that offers a sweeping 360-degree view of St. Petersburg's core. Head down to the
park that fills the knob of land at water level (between the two pink columns) and survey
the scene.
You're standing on a corner of the large
Vasilyevsky Island
—one of the many islands
that make up St. Petersburg. (A nickname for the town is “City on 101 Islands,” although
an official count is elusive.)
Literally meaning “Little Arrowhead,”
Strelka
sticks out into the very heart of the Neva
River and St. Petersburg. The park filling the point—and especially the promenade along
the water—is one of about 10 different sites around town where newlyweds are practic-
ally obligated to come for wedding pictures. They toast with champagne, then break their
glasses against the big marble ball (watch your step).
Begin by facing the can't-miss-it
Hermitage,
just across the Neva—the Winter Palace
of the czars and today a world-class art museum. Notice that this sprawling complex has
several wings: it's not just the main green-and-white structure, but also the yellow one next
to that, as well as the mint-green one (separated by a canal and a walkway) after that. No
wonder it could take days to fully see the place (though my self-guided tour narrows it
down to the highlights).
