Peregrine Falcon is Sapsan in Russian and an appropriate name for the high speed train which takes 4 hours to cover the 675 km from Moscow to St Petersburg. It runs smoothly and quietly in contrast to the classic clattering, rocking Trans-Siberian.
We were ready to go at Hermitage Museum opening time on day 1. After 90 minutes queuing outside in the cold we started to think “This better be good”. Well as the Director of the Hermitage put it: “I can’t say that the Hermitage is the number one museum in the world, but it’s certainly not number two.” We didn’t attempt photos but if you want to see inside, click here.
But our favourite place was the Fabergé Museum with its nine Imperial Easter eggs created by Fabergé for the last two Russian Tsars.
St Petersburg is very different to Moscow and strolling along affluent Nevsky Prospect (the main street) surrounded by elegantly dressed Russians you can only wonder if communism ever really happened.
We will leave Russia on the St Peters Line ferry to Stockholm tonight. It’s been a wonderful experience.
The high speed Sapsan covers the 675 km to St Petersburg in 4 hours
Hermitage – one of the world’s largest and oldest museums, founded 1764
Church of the Spilled Blood – Tzar Alexander II was fatally wounded here
St Petersburg: “Venice of the North” was established in 1703
Peter and Paul Fortress built 1706-1740 to protect against a Swedish attack
Kazan Cathedral was the Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism 1932-1992
Lutheran Church of St Peter, established 1708 had 15,000 parishioners by 1917
St. Petersburg Art Nouveau architecture of 1902, now a fabulous emporium
Walking street off Nevsky Prospect (main street) – like communism never happened
After a month of huge Chinese and Russian meals we went to Burger King …
… to have a beer!
Our favourite food – Russian meat pies
Savoury pancakes from the Russian fast food Tepemok were pretty good too
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| Fabergé Easter egg masterpieces made to order for the last Romanovs | |
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| Some icons from the Fabergé Museum collection | |