St. Petersburg

Despite three revolutions and three name changes, Peter the Great's Venice of the North, the most European of Russia's cities, lives on gloriously. With exquisite photographs, detailed descriptions, and easy-to-read maps, the "National Geographic Traveler: St. Petersburg" brings you the best of this enchanted, canal-crossed city, plus hidden gems as well. Veteran writer Jeremy Howard, a long-time scholar of Russia and its arts, ably guides you through the city's long history, illuminating its love affair with baroque architecture, ballet, and painting. He details all the main sights - the formidable SS. Peter and Paul Fortress; the famed Hermitage Museum, which occupies the historic Winter Palace; Palace Square; St. Isaac's Cathdral; Nevsky Prospekt- plus lesser known ones as well - the Church of Spilled Blood, Peter the Great's cabin, and the fascinating Museum of Musical Instruments, to name a few. You will learn that St. Petersburg boasts a plethora of worthy excursions as well, among them Peterhof, Tsarskoe Selo, and Novgorod. Each entry tells you how to get there, how to best visit, plus detailed background information for context. As in the entire "Traveler" series, popular features include in-depth, two-page discussions on matters of history and culture (House of Faberge, Rasputin, Russian iconography, the Kirov ballet, etc.); three-dimensional drawings of landmark buildings (including the Hermitage); mapped walking and driving tours; plus a detailed Travelwise section that includes the best hotels and restaurants in a variety of price ranges.