The Hermitage:

Almost the whole history of western European art (more than 3 million exhibits-art treasures) is on display in the magnificent Baroque Winter Palace of Saint Petersburg – the Hermitage Museum, one of the most important in the world. Address: Dvortsovaya Ploshchad 2, 190000 St. Petersburg, hermitagemuseum.org

Cathedral of Saint Isaac:

This, the most famous and opulent of all the churches of Saint Petersburg, took no fewer than 34 years to complete (1818-1852) and can be seen from all over the city. From the top of its massive golden dome you have a panoramic view of the city and the River Neva. The interior is the last word in opulence, with huge columns of granite, decoration that took 400 kilos of gold leaf, and more than 40 different kinds of precious stone. Address: Isaakievskaya Ploshchad 4, 190000 St. Petersburg, eng.cathedral.ru

Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood:

Built at the site of the murder of Tsar Alexander II, this imposing church was modelled on Moscow’s Church of Saint Basil and took 24 years to construct (1883-1907). Its interior decoration features 7,000m2 of mosaics, the work of 30 artists. Address: Naberezhnaya Griboyedova Kanala 2, 190000 St. Petersburg, eng.cathedral.ru

Peterhof Palace:

The summer palace of Peter the Great, also known as the ‘Russian Versailles’ is an opulent complex of majestic Baroque palaces and elegant gardens, with impressive fountains and statues displaying the grandeur of the old imperial Russia. In front of the palace is the Grand Cascade with its 138 jets of water. Address: Peterhof, Razvodnaya ulitsa 2, 198510 St. Petersburg, peterhofmuseum.ru

Mariinsky Theatre:

Associated with many important moments in the history of Russian ballet, the neo-Renaissance building housing the Mariinsky Opera, Ballet and Orchestra was founded in 1859 and is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions. Address: Teatralnaya Ploshchad 1, 190000 St. Petersburg, mariinsky.ru

Peter and Paul Fortress:

This fortress, built by Peter the Great in 1703 on the little island of Zayachy, was the first step in the construction of St. Petersburg. Until 1917 it was used as a political prison, and among its inmates numbered such famous figures as Dostoevsky, Trotsky and Gorky. It is now a museum complex, where you can walk along the battlements and marvel at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, with its majestic Baroque interior. The church contains the tombs of almost all the members of the Romanov dynasty. Address: Zayachy Island, 197046 St. Petersburg, spbmuseum.ru

Nevsky Prospect:

The most famous boulevard in Russia, a majestic and elegant avenue 4.5km in length, still redolent of the glorious days of the Tsars. Magnificent Baroque buildings, nobles’ palaces, historic cafes and restaurants, boutiques, haute couture and luxury hotels – all in all, a breath-taking spectacle! To walk along Nevsky Prospect is truly an unforgettable experience.

Alexander Nevsky Monastery:

Founded by Peter the Great in 1713 in honour of the saint, and patron saint of the city, Alexander Nevsky, this is an amazing complex of churches and monastic buildings. Along the sides of the road leading to the monastery there are two important cemeteries, the Tikhvin and the Lazarus, the former containing the graves of Tchaikovsky and Dostoevsky. Address: Reki Monastyrki naberezhnaya 1, 191167

St. Petersburg Russian Museum:

This amazing museum occupies all the buildings of the Mikhailovsky Palace, and is home to one of the two most important collections of Russian art works (the other is the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow), from Orthodox icons and portraits of Saint Peter to works by Kandinsky. Address: Inzhenernaya ulitsa 4, 191186 St. Petersburg, rusmuseum.ru

Tsarskoe Selo:

It took fifty years and the reigns of two Tsarinas (Empress Elizabeth and Catherine the Great) to complete this majestic palace complex, the quintessential manifestation of the wealth and luxury of Imperial Russia. You must try to see the Palace of Catherine the Great, with its extraordinary blue facade, and also the Pushkin Museum. Address: Sadovaya ulitsa 7, Pushkin 196601 St. Petersburg