1 – Saint Petersburg can be easily reached from the UK:  BA and Aeroflot have direct daily flights from London Heathrow to Saint Petersburg Pulkovo airport. The flight takes just over 3 hours.  If you arrive by ferry from Finland and stay up to 72 hours, you do not need a visa. The weather can be unreliable and wet but Winters are milder than in Moscow. But who cares? This is one of the world’s most beautiful cities!

2 – It is a safe destination: Petty theft exists, especially in touristic areas around Nevksy Prospekt. However, Saint Petersburg remains a very safe city for families, single and female travellers.

3 – Visit the Hermitage Museum: Yes, it is truly one of the great museums in the world!  Founded in 1762 by Catherine the Great and former Winter palace of the Tsars, the Hermitage Museum is a series of buildings that contain a huge number of artwork from Russian painters to French impressionists,  the Dutch Golden Age, Flemish Baroque and German Romanticism. The portraits of Russian rulers are particularly lifelike and impressive.

4 – Stroll and shop along Nevksy Prospekt, St. Petersburg’s most famous avenue. It runs through the historical center of the city from the Admiralty to the Moscow Railway Station. Nevsky Prospekt is lined with impressive buildings such as Kazan Cathedral , the magnificent Art Nouveau House of Book bookstore housed in the former Singer building and the Eliseevy deli and restaurant with its mouth- watering cakes. It is the city’s central shopping street and the hub of its entertainment, restaurants, bars and nightlife.

5 – Marvel at some of Europe’s most beautiful churches: The Church of the Saviour on Blood is built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. Kazan Cathedral boasts a European style dome while Smolny Cathedral remains one of the most spectacular buildings in the city. Located south of the city, Chesme Church is the most unusual site with its red and white stripes and neo gothic domes.

6 – Witness the early history of the city in the fortress of Peter and Paul Fortress .  It was the first major building to be constructed and is now part of the State Museum of Saint Petersburg History. It boasts the oldest church in the city and is closely linked to the Romanov dynasty, as it is home to the graves of most of the Russian tsars since Peter the Great, including Tsar Nicholas II and his family.

7 – Do a Day trip to Tsarkoe Selo and Peterhof. If you have only 72 hours in the city, it is hard to choose between the two. If you have time, do both!  Tsarkoe Selo was the Summer residence of the last Tsar and contains the magnificent Amber room. Peterhof, the “Versailles” of Russia, boasts magnificent gardens and waterfalls.

8 – Watch a ballet or an opera at the Mariinsky Theatre, one of the world’s greater opera houses and an unforgettable experience while in Saint Petersburg.

9 – Experience the booming coffee culture: Saint Petersburg brims with independent coffee houses and cool Russian and International coffee chains, especially in and around Nevsky Prospekt, such as the Coffee Shop Company and the supremely chic and elegant (and pricy) Café Singer 

10 – Enjoy Russian and international cuisine: Saint Petersburg has great food, from modern European to traditional Russian fare, Mexican, Indian and the ubiquitous Sushi eateries, that suit all pockets. If you are on a budget and need a cheap and quick lunch, why not pop into a branch of Teremok.