From Russia With Love; 5 Days In St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is the kind of city best explored on foot, at a meandering pace. It’s less aggressive than its capital sister Moscow and offers a feast of good food, art and culture. With its ample supply of canals, gardens and pretty pastel-coloured architecture, it’s a veritable sweet shop for the eyes.
The excellent Russian hospitality
We opted for a shared Airbnb with a young Russian couple, with the intention of saving some money and getting a local insight to the place. What we weren’t to know was how much of a highlight this decision would be of our whole St. Petersburg experience. Tim and Maria’s apartment was right near the main street — Nevsky Prospekt — and overlooked a canal.
A more hospitable greeting we couldn’t possible have had. Upon arriving across the threshold after a near sleepless night at Helsinki airport, these two weary travellers were immediately treated to a cup of loose leaf green tea and some coconut cake.