St. Petersburg, Russia
St. Petersburg quickly became one of my favorite cities, right up there with Istanbul and San Francisco. The weather was pretty gray and drab while we were there. I heard many jokes of how it stays like that for most of the year - but if you don't mind the gray skies, it was one of the coolest cities I've visited. There seems to be an exciting developing alternative art and food culture. The people are so friendly and there's an energy that will keep you going!
St. Petersburg - the place to get caffeinated
I enjoyed walking the streets and finding some of the coolest hidden spaces. The best places were tucked away off a main street or hidden inside what appeared to be abandoned buildings. One of my favorites consisted of an entire complex of food, art, and design hidden behind what appeared to be a vacant alley. Inside the building, there were so many shops. Every flight of stairs you would take opened up to another corridor where shops were lined up after another and rooms within rooms. It was amazing. I'll be back.
I spent my last day in St. Petersburg relaxing at the Anti-Cafe Ziferblat. Also, a really cool space full of friendly locals open to conversation. I became well-acquainted with the people after spending 6 hours there, waiting to catch my night bus to Estonia.
The Hermitage
The Hermitage was incredible and also, extremely overwhelming. For those of you who don't know, it is one of the largest and oldest museums in the world and consists of 6 different buildings. I would recommend visiting when you have a lot of energy, and possibly two free days.
Flea Markets
Visiting the Russian flee markets will transport you back in time
