Magnificent palaces and parks, luxurious residences of Russian princes, medieval castles and impregnable fortresses-outposts, restrained grandeur of monasteries and severe charm of northern nature - all this is the Leningrad region, the region of Russia closest to Europe . Objects , deserving the most steadfast tourist attention , there is a great variety here: besides St. Petersburg with its , museums , architectural monuments and bridges , for which there are not enough two weeks of daily and persistent festivities , these are brilliant suburbs of the northern capital - "fatherland to us , Tsarskoe Selo" and the city of fountains and parks Peterhof , museums-reserves Gatchina , Pavlovsk and Oranienbaum , capital of the Russian Baltic Kronstadt , ancient cities Staraya Ladoga , Vyborg and Tikhvin , glorious fortress Shlisselburg and the most that neither is "Priozernaya" Priozersk , Located on the scenic shores of Lake Ladoga
Due to the increased (and fair) interest in the Leningrad region by foreign visitors, the region can boast wonderful tourist infrastructure: schiesya hotel will satisfy both the most demanding and unpretentious taste, the transport network is extensive and properly functioning, well about such trifles as the delicious dinner and nice souvenirs and can not speak
In addition, the Leningrad region for the Petersburger -. However, that Moscow suburbs for the capital's resident - flight "to the aunt, in the wilderness," a blissful rest in a serene backwater, an opportunity to visit nature and at least fall out of the whirlpool of a megacity.
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City Saint Petersburg - the capital of the Leningrad region (but not formally part of it, as it is one of two Russian federal cities - along with Moscow)
suburbs of St. Petersburg - Oranienbaum (now the city of Lomonosov), Peterhof, Gatchina, Pavlovsk, Pushkin, Strelna, Kronstadt
Other towns - Vyborg, Ivangorod, Staraya Ladoga, Tikhvin, Shlisselburg, Priozersk
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On a personal car
The car is the best way to travel with pleasure in the Leningrad region, without reference to the timetable of public transport .The main transport artery of the region is the Ring Road (the ring road), almost completely commissioned, which allows you to travel around Petersburg quickly and comfortably. . The rest of the local roads are mostly in decent condition . The road surface without complaints is present at the entrances to popular tourist facilities, primarily - to the palace complexes of the suburbs of St. Petersburg; along with this, there are road sections that can cause inconvenience to drivers - as a rule, on the far edges of the region .
By trains
In the absence of personal vehicles, it is most convenient to travel around the Leningrad region by trains . As in the case with Moscow, St. Petersburg - the main transport hub of the region, from which railroad branches run in all directions . However, often to get from one end of the region to another it does not need to go through St. Petersburg: thanks to the "horseshoe-shaped" It is no longer necessary to cross the center around the Gulf of Peter the need to cross the center of the Gulf of Finland . Electric trains follow the schedule, fares are low: about 40 RUR to the nearest Peterhof, 60 RUR to Pushkin or Pavlovsk, within 100 RUR to more remote towns of the region .
From Petergof, Oranienbaum and Gatchina there are trains from the Baltic Station of St. Petersburg, to Pushkin and Pavlovsk from Vitebsk, to Shlisselburg, Vyborg and Priozersk from Finland. In addition, you can jump into the train at the railway stations of the Baltic, Vitebsk or Finland branches located within the city limits. On weekends, however, it is better to board a train directly at the station - because of the numerous summer residents there is a risk of not getting in.
By buses and shuttles
Buses and taxis are the second most popular way to travel Of the Leningrad Region . Municipal buses and private "micro" are sent to the suburbs of St. Petersburg from the nearest to them stations of the city metro or the railway platforms of the corresponding direction . The fare to the nearest suburbs is 20-35 RUR, the interval of the route Approximately 10-15 minutes on popular routes (Peterhof, Pushkin and T . .) and 35-45 min for distant destinations . Buses run on schedule, it makes sense to use them if your priority - the exact time of departure to the detriment of speed and comfort .
On boats and ferries
Thanks to the exclusion water "of St. Petersburg and its environs, it is possible to move between the cities of the Leningrad Region located on the coast on various floating crafts. The most popular route is from the northern capital to Peterhof on the "meteor" - high-speed boat. In some cases, you will not get to the desired sights except for swimming: for example, the city of Shlisselburg and the fortress of the same name are connected by a museum boat in the summer and strong ice in winter.
Where to stay
In view of the proximity of the palace and park suburbs to St. Petersburg, the absolute majority of hunters for the beautiful stay in hotels of the northern capital, making cultural outings in the neighborhood . There are not so many hotels on site, but a couple of options can still be found in every suburb . In Peterhof, for example, there are 5 hotels "the last word" with all the amenities and stunning views of the historic neighborhoods ости . Prices start from 2000 RUR for a double room . If we talk about remote areas of the Leningrad region, then the availability of options for living is determined by the proximity to "abroad" and the popularity of these areas with foreign tourists . In Vyborg, for example , there will be no problems with finding a decent hotel - rather, on the contrary, there are a lot of options and they are all quite expensive, as they are designed for guests from capitalist Finland .But the choice of a place to stay in Shlisselburg is reduced to a couple of mini-hotels . The average cost of a double room in the region - from 1800 RUR per night, the business category will cost in the amount of 4000 RUR .
In addition, to spend a night or a couple of days in the immediate vicinity of the imperial residence can be in guest houses in the Russian spirit or tourist "villages" . There are such hotels that are called "on the land" - tourists are offered to stay in wooden cottages (of course, with all ud bstvami) in the middle of rural landscapes . General entourage also Russian: furnace, national cuisine, traditional textiles in the room, sauna and riding on threes in addition . Finally, nobody canceled hostels, boarding houses and sanatoria of Leningrad region .
How well to eat
Not to say that the restaurants and cafes of the Leningrad region were struck by the splendor of the situation and the exquisite cuisine, but to find a nice place where you can freeze the worm between the next palaces, grottos and pavilions, it is real in any city . in the case with the times food, food is organized better close to the sites visited and worse - in modest provincial towns, located in the shadow of gilded neighbors . In general, next to historic sites (and sometimes under their arches), there is guaranteed a place for a snack . Prices, however, will be higher than in urban institutions of the same level, but the convenience is obvious . For those who prefer to go an extra kilometer than to overpay for a sandwich, there are points of network catering - the usual Moscow g manhole range: Little-Potato, Coffee House and others have already become native "rickshaw Ivans" . In addition, we should not be afraid of meals in inconspicuous private cafes - there are fed to the conscience, and even with the famous florom of Petersburg intelligentsia (of course, common the meaning of the choice of a "nutritious" institution has not been canceled yet) .
What to buy
Visiting the sights of the Leningrad region, first of all it costs calculating Vat on a standard set of souvenirs: postcards, T-shirts, key chains, magnets with images of palaces, statues and fountains . Be sure to note the great albums, devoted both to the museum-reserve as a whole, and individual masterpieces in its territory, such as the Amber Room . In Kronstadt, in addition to selling good books and albums on the history of the Russian fleet, and in Pushkinogorye - wonderful publications about "our everything" . Do not miss the opportunity to purchase products of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, as they say, from the heat, with aru . In addition, here you can take away goods northern folk art (though not specifically for the Leningrad region, and brought from neighboring regions) - woodcarving and bones, fur deer, a variety of boots, scarves, figurines, filigree and much more .
Entertainment, excursions and sights of the Leningrad region
The obligatory point of any excursion program is a visit to the "three brilliant P": Peterhof, Pushkin and Pavlovsk
In Peterhof you are waiting for the Grand Palace and the Great cascade of the font s Upper and Lower parks with great landscaping beauty and dazzling fountains, Marly Palace, pavilions and colonnades, the Hermitage Pavilion, English landscape park and meadow park with Belvedere Palace
Attractions Pushkin. Catherine Palace with magnificent Great Hall and the Amber Room , Catherine and Alexandrovsky parks, Lyceum building and Pushkin memorial museum in Tsarskoye Selo.
Pavlovsk is famous for the palace-residence of Emperor Paul I with beautiful Italian and Greek halls and the largest in Europe park - its area is more than 600 hectares
In Oranienbaum are interesting the Menshikov Palace and the Lower Park, the Chinese Palace, the Rolling Hill pavilion, gardens, sculptures and ponds of the complex; amusing fortress Peterstadt and Upper Park
Attractions Gatchina:. State Museum-Preserve Gatchina, including the palace and park ensemble and Gatchina Palace in Strelna
definitely worth a visit Constantine, Lviv and Orlovsky palaces, as well as the Travel Palace of Peter I and. adjacent parks.
Kronstadt is a city of military glory, a fortress founded in the beginning of 17th on the island of Kotlin in the middle of the Gulf of Finland. In 26 km from the neighboring town of Lodeynoye Pole there is a Troitsky Alexandro-Svirsky Monastery (15th c), consisting of two closely located monasteries - Preobrazhensky and Troitsky.
Vyborg is interested in a 13th-century castle and commandant's house (17th c.), Horned Fortress 16 c), the fortress Kronverk, as well as the Friedrichsgam and the Abos Gate (18th c.), The Ravelin Gate, the clock tower, the monastery of the black Dominican brothers with a Gothic church (14th c.), The Church of Sts. Hyacinth and Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral
The museum complex of Ivangorod consists of three objects: the fortress (15th c), the Art Picture Gallery and the Museum of Military Defense Architecture.
Old Ladoga is the oldest settlement on the territory of the modern Leningrad region. Its ancient buildings in Zemlyan fortified settlement were built no later than 753, and the first mention of the city in the annals dates back to 862.
In Priozersk, the Round Tower (14th century) with a defensive wall and earthen ramparts was preserved from the ancient fortifications, Old Arsenal (16 c) and the New Arsenal (18 in.)
The main attractions of Tikhvin are the ensemble of the Bogoroditsky Tikhvin Monastery, the Rimsky-Korsakov House Museum.
In addition to the sights from the category of "palace tourism", there are many other interesting places in the Leningrad region. These are local history museums, architectural and historical monuments, protected areas. A special place in this list is occupied by memorial museum houses of great writers, musicians and artists.
Well, in the questions of winter active rest, the first place is firmly held by Tuutari-Park
Photo of the Leningrad Region (253)