Other Cultural Attractions of St. Petersburg

Thanks to its prime location on the Neva River, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea, St. Petersburg has become a cruise ship destination hotspot. 

And when visiting this majestic city, it is not enough to see the sights from its streets, plazas, and squares; for some of St. Petersburg's most majestic views can only be seen from the water!

* A typical St. Petersburg cruise generally starts along the vast and open Neva River, which is filled with water vehicles of all types: rowboats, sailboats, motorboats, luxury yachts, and massive cruise ships.

* One can definitely appreciate the very European-style architecture of this amazing city.

* And see familiar tourist attractions from a different angle; like this view of the formidable Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul.

* Taking fantastic photos along the way; of Parisian-looking bridges with intricate designs.

* And family selfies amidst the fabulous view.

* Navigating the canals gives us a glimpse of the various influences of St. Petersburg's buildings.

* Some views look very Western European.

* Other views look very Eastern European.

* There are those that look very Bourbon French-Spanish!

* Others can be straight out of Venice itself!

* No matter where you look, pastel-colored buildings refreshingly welcome your eyes.

* Russian authorities have been resolutely and tirelessly working to clean-up the waterways for decades now; in fact for a time its official classification was that it was a "heavily polluted river".

* But what a great job they have done for as of 2008, 90% of the water is waste-free; making hanging by the river banks a very pleasant and odorless experience (and a favorite pastime of the Russian youth)!

* In typical Russian style, cruisin' comes with unlimited shots of vodka. Nostrovia!

* Another must-see attraction when in Russia is its great cultural export, the Russian Ballet.

* During the reign of Catherine the Great, culture and the arts flourished in St. Petersburg as the great Tsarina herself encouraged its development.

* Thus museums, galleries, and performance theaters thrived during this period that Russian historians refer to as the "Golden Age of Russia".

* I wonder if that's also when these peculiar-looking buildings were erected as well!

* For that evening's performance, we had the pleasure of enjoying the classic ballet production, Swan Lake.

* Which we watched from the very atmospheric surroundings of St. Petersburg's Alexandrinsky Theater.

* Built in 1832, the Theater served as the home for the Imperial Troupe of Petersburg, which meant that only the Royal Family and their aristocratic friends could watch performances here.

* We were in great company that evening!

* Date night at the ballet! Where for some reason, everyone looked very reddish.

* Like most European cities, city lighting at night is top-notch!

* An added treat is a performance from the East Slavic Russian people known as the Cossacks.

* In an exciting mixture of opera, folk dancing, and aerobic exercise, the cossack show is way more energetic than the graceful ballet.

* With a lot of kicking with arms folded, acrobatic maneuvers, and jumping around, a Cossack performance will surely leave you amazed and, oddly enough, tired (for the performers).