Our next port of call was St Petersburg, about 800 km from Moscow. We boarded Sapsan Express, the high speed train from Leningradsky railway station in Moscow and it took only four hours to reach the port city on the Baltic Sea. The panoramic landscape en route of coniferous forests of cedar, pine, fir and redwood trees was simply amazing. We were greeted with autumn rain when we reached St Petersburg. Our hotel was a stone’s throw from the railway station in the heart of the city. Lying across the delta of the Neva River, Russia’s second largest city is also considered its cultural capital. Founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great, the city is endowed with splendid palaces, impressive historical monuments, tree-lined avenues, winding canals and ornate bridges.

We spent almost a day at the State Hermitage, consisting of the main museum complex and the Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage and New Hermitage, all constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. We visited the imperial state rooms, the war gallery and the treasury gallery. Later, we went to the oldest palace in St Petersburg, Tsar Peter’s Summer Palace, a modest two-storey yellow building in the beautiful Summer Garden.

In the evening, we strolled along Russia’s most famous boulevard, Nevsky Prospekt, which is also the heart of St Petersburg. The street buzzes with energy day and night, with trendy malls, cafes, restaurants, boutiques and clubs. For dinner, we relished smashed potatoes, fried salmon and beef curry. Mentionable, lots of mouth-watering fish dishes were available, including tuna, cod, sardine and mackerel.

One day, we explored St Petersburg's churches _ extraordinarily varied and often spectacularly beautiful. The Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood, a rainbow-coloured church with onion domes, is one of the most iconic sites of the city. We also found time to visit St Isaac’s Cathedral, one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world. We were amazed at the enormity of the structure and its richly decorated interior, with colourful frescoes and gold statues. We also saw the beautiful Kazan Cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of Kazan, probably the most venerated icon in Russia.

One afternoon, we availed an hour-long mesmerising boat cruise from Nevsky Prospekt Avenue in front of Kazan Cathedral. We navigated St Petersburg's waterways, from the majestic Neva River to the smallest canals and were overwhelmed to see so many of the city's most beautiful monuments.

St Petersburg is a modern mega city with a rich history and cultural heritage. The city is very safe and meticulously clean, with broad avenues and wide pavements, with road medians and city parks beautifully decorated with flower beds and ornamental trees. The city is lively with trendy shops, restaurants, hotels, art galleries, theatres and nightclubs. The shopping centres and banks are open till 11pm.

The city is a favourite destination for European tourists. The people are extremely friendly and courteous, despite language barriers. We were really overwhelmed by the beauty and rich culture of Russia and the great hospitality of the Russians. Russia is amazing, marching ahead at a phenomenal pace. n

Photos: Writer.