Stay logged in to proceed with bookings, orders and offers.
On changing the terminal, you will loose items in your cart. Are you sure you want to change your terminal?
While the midnight sun blesses many Northern cities with a cinematic environment, not many celebrate it with as much exuberance as St. Petersburg.
It was after a rather long and tiring day that we arrived in St. Petersburg—Russia’s cultural capital that looks nothing short of a dream. We had almost missed our train from Moscow to St. Petersburg. When we finally made it, we stayed at a charming old art hostel in Vosstaniya. Awakened by a fidgeting sound in the middle of the 'night', I asked my agitated best friend, “Why are you not asleep yet?” It was 3 am. She enthusiastically responded, “Look at all the lights out there, like it is 6 am! I cannot fall asleep right now."
It was during one of these rare summer weeks that I happened to be in Russia with a few friends. Due to the country's location near the Arctic Circle, each year between April 22 and August 21, the skies only reach twilight, and do not succumb to complete darkness. The White Nights Festival is an annual summer festival in St. Petersburg that celebrates this phenomenon. Russia's former capital magically transforms into a city that never sleeps during these summer weeks, chiming to the tunes of opera and ballet, hosting a series of night-time cultural festivals, and illuminating in a brilliant display of fireworks night after night.
Like most tourists visiting St. Petersburg for the first time, our day began with a stroll around the Palace Square. Its pastel-coloured, delightfully ornate buildings have left many mouths agape. We were no exception. We walked in awe, passing by the many rustic canals that opened up to a splendid view of the Neva. We walked over to the Hermitage Museum; the world’s second-largest museum. It wooed us for three hours before we decided to take a boat ride on one of the canals. Here, we got a 360-degree view of the city. The glimmering dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral greeted my squinting eyes. Little did I know I’d visit it the very next day, only to fall in love. Even today, I only need to close my eyes to enter the cathedral. It stands clear in my memory with all its beaming green pillars, painstakingly created mosaics, and resplendent ceilings. The day went by in a sweet reverie. We made a final stopover at the St. Petersburg Mosque, inviting sundown with a long walk back across the century-old Troitskiy Bridge. Here, we saw the most delightful shades of orange in the skies above. The real deal though was wandering the streets at midnight. We crossed the not-so-abandoned Sadovaya Street as lucky tourists from across oceans enjoyed a cosy date. The streets felt nothing short of a carnival venue, and I had never seen a prettier 2 am.
Over the next couple of days, the city grew louder and brighter. With our fingers crossed, we walked to the renowned Mariinsky Theatre, hoping to get only a glimpse of what it looked like from the inside. While we made it indoors, 'Stars of the White Night' was beyond our reach. With some of the country’s finest opera, ballet, and orchestra performances, the theatre is an essential outing spot for the bourgeois. If you book well in advance, you might get your hands on a couple of tickets during the White Nights Festival. A second festive experience awaited us at one of the city’s many parks. Here, a book and art fair unfurled with some confetti, music, and even mime performances. While there might not be an exact plan or itinerary for these events, it’s best to watch out for them by asking local friends or your hotel facility. Next, we took the metro to Dostoyevskaya, where the Dostoevsky Museum awaited us. While one-half of the museum is dedicated to the writer’s legacy, the other half remains unperturbed. We were looking at the writer’s apartment, which now harbours memorabilia as poetic as fine literature. A short walk away is The Jazz Philharmonic Hall, which hosts national and international artists for two weeks between June and July.
The event we looked forward to the most was Scarlet Sails. Usually celebrated at the Solstice, the festival is attended by hoards of enthusiastic onlookers as vibrant and awe-inspiring fireworks captivate the skies over the Neva River. The fireworks accompany music concerts, water shows, and boat races. Between the celebrations, we saw the famous drawbridge openings in the middle of the night. The openings follow a digitally accessible timetable. We followed the same to observe the grand Blagoveshchenskiy Bridge break into two.
If you’d also like to see Russia’s cultural capital in all its glory, plan a visit between June 11 and July 1. While four days would be enough to explore many of the city’s top experiences, I was lucky enough to spend over six days.
The Adani One expressly disclaims all liability, direct and indirect, in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all the contents of this Blog. The Blog is an opinion of the contributor based on the collation of data from various sources and is provided only for information purpose. Adani One does not canvass, advertise, solicit, invite or induct for any product, merchandise, information, brand or any other materials mentioned in the Blog, nor does it obtain any monetary benefit from the same. Reader is advised to read and apply his/her intellect and discretion in this regard. Any Intellectual Property mentioned in this blog belongs to the rightful owner. We do not intent to claim any interest over the same.
