Moscow Vs St Petersburg....or both!

When it comes to deciding whether to visit Moscow or St Petersburg, which one will you choose?

Here are a few PDF chapters from both cities to inspire you.

Moscow

Moscow - Lonely Planet (PDF)

The streets of Kitay Gorod surrounding Red Square and the Kremlin are crammed with lovely little churches and other age-old architecture. This is the obligatory starting point for any visit to Moscow.

The streets around Tverskaya ul comprise the vibrant Tverskoy district, characterised by old architecture and new commerce. Aside from being a cultural centre (home to 20-plus theatres and concert halls, including the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre), Tverskoy is also the city’s liveliest commercial district.

The vast, diverse Presnya district spans the centuries, taking in 19th-century residential areas, 20th-century skyscrapers and 21st-century development. The district’s attractions are equally varied, ranging from traditional venues like the zoo and the planetarium, to the fantastical (and unique) Ice Sculpture Gallery.

These two side-by-side districts are rich with culture. Moscow’s most famous street, ul Arbat, is something of an art market, complete with portrait painters, soapbox poets and buskers of all sorts. Nearby, the Khamovniki district positively sparkles, with the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and Novodevichy Convent at either end.

St Petersburg - Lonely Planet (PDF)

This is a fast-paced, crowded part of the city, and where the most famous sights are located. A majority of the city's best hotels and restaurants can also be found here. Whether you stay here or not, it's where you'll spend much of your time.

Sennaya & Kolomna

Sennaya is centred on Sennaya pl, a traditionally poor area immortalised in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Quiet Kolomna is the largest of seven islands and steeped in history and great beauty, featuring the world-famous Mariinsky Theatre and more canals and rivers than any other part of the city.

Smolny & Vosstaniya

Also part of the city centre, the Smolny peninsula is a well-heeled residential district, while next-door Liteyny is centred on Liteyny pr, a commercial street between Smolny and Fontanka River. South of Nevsky pr are Vosstaniya, the focus of a nascent underground scene, and Vladimirskaya, with shopping, markets and quirky museums.

Vasilyevsky Island

Vasilyevsky Island's eastern edge was originally to be the city's administrative heart, but today it is largely residential, with several busy shopping streets. The western edge is more empty and industrial, but houses the new Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art, the main reason to visit.

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