When I lived in St. Petersburg, I loved to travel to the suburbs. Everything is close by: palaces and parks, estates and beaches, lakes, forests and even geysers with caves - and everything can be seen in a day or two. And if you want, go to Finland for the weekend. Not life, but a fairy tale. I have chosen for you your favorite places in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, where I have been myself and which have sunk into my soul.
Pavlovsk
If you are tired of the city and museums, come to Pavlovsky Park. Its flowing, calm lines are a treat for the eyes. The park is loved by both locals and tourists: here you can feed nimble squirrels, ride a boat and a bicycle, walk or run. There are beautiful statues, palaces and museums. We walked in Pavlovsky Park in spring and summer, but in autumn it is also very beautiful.
The entrance costs 100 rubles, from 6 to 10 in the morning and after 18:00 - free of charge. We went to the park by train from the Vitebsk railway station, but it is also possible from the Kupchino railway station. There are also minibuses, see the list here. From St. Petersburg, you can easily go by car on your own or take an excursion: there is an individual one by car, and there is a group Pavlovsk + Gatchina + Tsarskoe Selo.
Shlisselburg
We went to Shlisselburg spontaneously when it turned out to be a warm February day. We arrived and set off with direct fire to the fortress "Oreshek". The ice looked slightly melted, chomping with gruel underfoot, but the path to the fortress was trodden and marked with branches. It was a very adventurous journey - we could have fallen under the ice, but we went on Lake Ladoga anyway. The fact that we did not meet a single tourist did not bother us for some reason.
The fortress was deserted, only the voices of workers could be heard from somewhere and the blows of instruments sounded dully. Having sat down to plenty of wherever possible, we started back when it started to get dark. Almost on the shore we met a man. He asked where we were coming from, and we naively, suspecting nothing, replied that we were from the fortress. You should have seen his gaze and puckered mustache! He promised menacingly to send the dogs on us if we didn't get out of here now. We didn't have to repeat it twice - we quickly retreated. As it turned out later, the fortress receives tourists only until October 31st.
The trip was unforgettable, but I advise you not to repeat it at home. Find out in advance on the website when the fortress is open. The entrance costs 250 rubles + 300 rubles for the crossing to the island and back. The ancient Russian fortress is very authentic, you must go! In one day from St. Petersburg - and even in half a day - you can do it quite well. You can get to Shlisselburg by bus # 575 from the Dybenko metro station or # 440 from the Rybatskoye metro station. Now it is possible to cross from the right bank of the Neva, check the link above. In addition, there are excursions from St. Petersburg to Oreshek.
Peterhof
Peterhof is probably the most famous suburb of St. Petersburg! In Russian Versailles is magnificent: a lot of gilding, fountains, sculptures and greenery. But do not expect that you will walk along the shady paths in peace and quiet. In summer, there are especially many Chinese tourists - it seems that they are teleported from the Hermitage directly to Peterhof.
However, the fountains are turned on only from May to September, and the rest of the time life in Peterhof is not so hot. The entrance to the Upper Park is free, to the Lower one - paid. The territory is huge, come early. It took us 5-6 hours to inspect. You can get there from the Baltic Station by minibus or bus, they go straight to the park.
Meteors cruise to Peterhof - a good opportunity to combine a boat trip with sights. It is fast and convenient, unlike a bus. You can even fly over Peterhof by plane!
Kronstadt
We drove to Kronstadt on a February day - it was unbearably chilly and so gray that it seemed that the sky would now crush this island city. Therefore, first of all, we rushed to the coffee shop, where we ate an eclair and sat for a long time, trying to warm up after the minibus.
From the whole trip, I remember the black silhouettes of warships, the pier blown by all the winds, the austere white lighthouse, the Makarovsky bridge, the embankment and the imposing St. Take a closer look at the dome of the cathedral.
Kronstadt is located not far from St. Petersburg - go for a day, but not in winter (it's too cold!). In summer, the city looks much more fun, besides, you can go by boat to the forts. You can leave from the metro station "Chernaya Rechka" by minibus K405, from the "Old Village" by bus 101 and from the station "Prospect Prosveshcheniya" by minibus K407.
Vyborg
The lovely town that sunk into my heart is no longer Russia, but not yet Europe. Not Russia anymore, because there is a castle with a gorgeous panorama, Old Town Hall Square, a number of burgher houses, cozy cafes, a nice embankment and absolutely stunning Mon Repos Park, whose landscapes are transferred to Finland. Not Europe - well, because it is still far away: behind a beautiful restored facade you will see devastation, terrible graffiti, advertisements and the remains of a scoop. However, the city is gradually being put in order, the buildings are being restored, and this is very pleasing!
You can go to Vyborg from St. Petersburg for one day - take a train at Ladozhsky or Finlyandsky railway stations, it will take you an hour and a half, depending on the train. There is also a bus # 850 from the Parnas metro station. In general, during the daylight hours we managed to see everything, but we wanted to be freer in time. I think on my next trip I will set aside two days for the city and the park to slowly and thoughtfully examine them.
You can also go to Vyborg with an excursion - there are group by bus and individual by car.
Komarovo
Another charming suburb of St. Petersburg, where you can enjoy a day or two, is the famous Komarovo from that very Soviet song. We came to Komarovo for a couple of hours to sit in the sun, watching the waves of the Gulf of Finland lazily lick the sand. Slender pines, refreshing wind and ... a swarm of mosquitoes that fully justified the name. In fairness, the wind was blowing them away on the beach, but in the village itself there was not a second of peace.
In Komarovo, the beach is wonderful: long, with light sand and in some places picturesquely scattered stones. No building - only nature. The forest comes close to the beach. The village has a well-groomed eco-trail with wooden paths, Shchuchye Lake, you can also see the sights: the necropolis, the remains of Villa Reno, Akhmatova's dacha and Yukhnevich's dacha in the Art Nouveau style.
You can get there by train from Finland Station or Udelnaya railway station, as well as by bus number 411, which departs from the Chornaya Rechka and Staraya Derevnya metro stations.
Park "Alexandria"
Go for a walk from St. Petersburg to the Alexandria Park - it is close and inexpensive. Unlike its famous neighbor Peterhof, the wonderful landscape park with a Gothic chapel is empty. We walked there almost alone. In autumn, the park looks quite like Pushkin. Be sure to walk to the beach on the Gulf of Finland, it is also beautiful there.
There is an interesting excursion "Unknown Peterhof" on the Tripster. In addition to the Alexandria Park, the program includes many interesting things: palaces, estates, mansions, summer cottages. The guide will show you the world of manors on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland.
Tsarskoe Selo
For one day from St. Petersburg I advise you to go to Pushkin - to visit the Tsarskoe Selo Museum-Reserve. There is a whole galaxy of parks and palaces. The main one is the Baroque Catherine Palace, surprisingly reminiscent of the Winter Palace. It is there that you can see the famous Amber Room.
We did not enter the palaces and pavilions, because we arrived late. Get out to Pushkin early if you want to take a good look around, take a walk and see the interiors - the scale of the museum-reserve is impressive.We came by minibus, but you'd better take the train at the Vitebsk railway station. Look at the museum's website for more information on how to get there.
Many people visit Tsarskoe Selo with a guide - you can take an individual excursion for up to 7 people or a group tour by bus and visit three residences at once in one day.
Karelia
It's great if you manage to go from St. Petersburg to Karelia for the weekend! Shaggy forests, mirrored lakes, pink sunsets ... You can see the Marble Canyon in Ruskeala, go to Petrozavodsk, go on an active tour, settle in a cozy recreation center by the lake or pitch a tent on a wild beach by the lake.
Usually they come to Karelia for a couple of days, but we traveled around the republic for two weeks, and then moved to the Kola Peninsula. What can I say, the northern nature is harsh, but extraordinarily beautiful! Find out how to get to Karelia by car.
Other places
We have not yet been to Lomonosov, Sestroretsk, Gatchina, Roshchina, Zelenogorsk, Vsevolozhsk. There are so many interesting places in the Leningrad Region: Priozersk, Staraya Ladoga, Vyritsa. They say it's cool there. If you know any other good places where you can go from St. Petersburg for a day or two, write in the comments!
