Europe attractions

Created in 1941, the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre may not be as well-known as the famous Bolshoi Theatre, but it has been staging world class opera and ballet performances for nearly a century. The theatre was formed by the combination of the Stanislavski Opera Theatre, originally founded in 1918, and the Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre, which produced both musical comedy shows and opera from the 1920s. Today, the theater is based in a building on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street in the heart of Moscow and features one opera and two chamber music halls. The building was built on the site of Count Pyotr Saltykov’s estate and the lobby integrates remains of the estate dating from the mid-1800s. While showing many classic operas and traditional Russian ballets, the theater is known for being bold and experimental. It was the first in Russia to perform ballets by Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian and Jorma Elo and hosted the world premiere of Vladimir Kobekin’s Hamlet.

Alexander Pushkin was Russia’s most celebrated poet and the Pushkin Museum and Memorial Apartment is a lasting memorial to his life and work. Located in one of the oldest stone mansions in St Petersburg, the apartment museum is just two blocks from Nevsky Prospekt on the banks of the Moika River. A fine example of a nobleman’s apartment in the 1830s, it became a museum in 1925. The carefully preserved apartment is where Pushkin lived in 1836 and 1837 and where he died after being wounded in a duel. The centerpiece of the museum is Pushkin’s study, where objects belonging to his family, friends and contemporaries are on display. Visitors can also see Pushkin’s writing desk, a death mask, a lock of his hair and other personal items. In the basement of the building are exhibits on the history of the house, Pushkin’s life in St Petersburg in 1836, and the duel that killed him.

Officially known as the F.M. Dostoevsky Literary Memorial Museum, this museum celebrates the life of Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was opened in 1971 in the apartment where he lived first in 1846 and again from 1878 until his death in 1881. Notably, it is also where he penned his last novel, the Brothers Karamazov. The interior has been reconstructed based on recollections of Dostoevsky’s wife and friends and includes memorabilia donated by his grandson. A literary exhibit focuses on Dostoevsky’s life and work, while exhibit halls occasionally display contemporary art. The museum library holds about 24,000 volumes and museum collection also includes a large collection of graphic and applied art and a collection of photographs. Every November, the museum hosts a conference on Dostoevsky and World Culture. It also hosts bus and walking tours of St Petersburg focused on Dostoevsky’s works and the city.

Located in the seaside town of Strelna, the Constantine Palace today forms part of the National Congress Palace complex of St. Petersburg. Strelna was originally chosen by Peter the Great to be the site of his summer residence in 1714, but the palace stood unfinished until the early 19th century. It served as a residence for the Romanov grand dukes until falling into decay after the Russian Revolution. Later, all interior decorations were stripped during the German occupation of St. Petersburg. In 2001, Vladimir Putin ordered the palace to be renovated and converted into a presidential residence. It hosted more than 50 heads of state during St. Petersburg’s tercentenary celebration in 2003 and recently held the qualifying draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Visitors to the palace today can see exhibitions of Russian painting, decorative and applied arts and the history of Russian glass production from the 1700s. The palace also boasts a thousand masterpieces of Russian art from the 17th to 20th centuries, based on collection of Russian musicians Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya.

Opened in 1989 to mark the centennial of her birth, the Anna Akhmatova Museum in the Fountain House of Sheremetev Palace celebrates the life and works of one of Russia’s most renowned poets. The twice Nobel Prize–nominated writer lived here for over 20 years and now, enthusiasts can get a sense of where she worked and view her personal effects.

With a history dating back to 1865, the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Zoo is Russia’s oldest zoo and remains a popular family attraction. The zoo, located in the heart of the city, is home to around 2,000 animals, including over 410 species, the most famous of which are its resident polar bears.

The first aquarium of its kind in Russia, the Planet Neptune Oceanarium transports visitors into an underwater world, with more than 4,500 fish and marine creatures. Over 150 different species are represented, including sharks, seals, stingrays, moray eels, and a variety of Russian fish.

The State Darwin Museum was the world’s first museum of evolution when it opened its doors in 1907, and it remains one of the largest of its kind. Spread over three floors, the vast permanent collection features more than 400,000 items, with interactive exhibits and multimedia displays making it fun and educational for all ages.

Nikolaevsky Palace is one of St. Petersburg’s lesser-known palaces, but its striking neoclassical facade and unique architectural features make it well worth a visit. The historic palace also plays host to the popularFeel Yourself Russian! show—a showcase of traditional Russian music and folk ballet.

Ithomi is best known for the magnificent ruins of Ancient Messene (sometimes called Ancient Messini) set at the foot of Mount Ithome. While it’s as striking as other Greek archaeological sites, Messene sees fewer tourists. Visitors can marvel at the marketplace (agora), stadium, and monumental gate, and visit the small museum.

Long considered to be the lifeline of St. Petersburg, the Neva River (Reka Neva) flows through the capital city from Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, eventually making its way to the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. Visit this historically important waterway to learn about the region’s history and see the city sites.

One of the highlights of Val Veny, the Santuario di Notre-Dame de Guérison is a 19th-century sanctuary set at the mouth of the valley just below the Brenva Glacier. Built to house a Madonna statue believed to have miraculous powers, this pocket-sized church is a popular pilgrimage destination and an attraction for passing hikers and cyclists travelling through the valley to the slopes and peaks above.

GUM is an abbreviation meaning “Main Universal Store”, from the Russian “Глáвный универсáльный магазѝн”. It is the name of a private shopping mall located in central Moscow, just opposite Red Square. The building is a trapezoidal shape, with a steel framework and a glass roof. This made it quite unique at the time of construction, in the 1890s. From 1890 to the 1920s, the Red Square GUM was known as the Upper Trading Rows and served as a State Department Store. It was built to replace the previous trading rows, which were destroyed during the 1812 Fire of Moscow. However, GUM hasn’t always served as a shopping destination. In 1928, Joseph Stalin converted it into office spaces, and it only reopened as a department store in 1953. It then became one of the only stores in the former Soviet Union not to suffer from consumer goods shortage, often resulting in long shopper queues spilling into Red Square.

Gold-domed St. Isaac’s Cathedral is one of St. Petersburg’s most recognizable, and most popular, attractions. The 19th-century Orthodox cathedral combines Renaissance, Neoclassical, and Baroque elements, so looks different from many other Russian churches. Rarely used for worship, it now contains an art museum.

The Mariinsky is St. Petersburg’s most notable theater, home to the Kirov Ballet (now known as the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Ballet in Russia, and a venue for opera and classical music. As well as the 19th-century building, modern additions have added to the performance space. Arts and culture lovers shouldn’t miss seeing a performance, such as Swan Lake or Anna Karenina.

With an expansive façade facing the Fontanka River, this former Imperial palace was designed for the 18th-century Empress Elizabeth. The Bolsheviks turned it into first a museum, then a massive home for after-school clubs. Now, it’s officially the Saint Petersburg Palace of Youth Creativity, hosting activities from art to music and sports.

A curiously named peninsula that extends into the Thames, the Isle of Dogs is one of East London’s most distinctive areas. Originating as marshland that was later carved out into the Docklands—the heart of British maritime might for centuries—today the former industrial area presents a contrast between the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf and peaceful residential streets.

Built by Catherine the Great in the 18th century for her son, Emperor Paul I, Pavlovsk Palace is a notable example of the era’s neo-classical architecture. Set amid 1,500 acres (607 hectares of landscaped parks and woodlands, a visit to the estate provides insight into the life of one of Russia’s most enigmatic rulers.

Straddling the border with Poland, the Belarusian Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is one of the oldest wildlife refuges in Europe. As part of the Białowieża Forest UNESCO World Heritage Site—one of just four in Belarus—it’s also home to much of the continent’s remaining primeval forest, where you can enjoy hikes, tours, and bike rides through a truly untouched and awe-inspiring landscape.

Grand Maket Russia, or Гранд Макет, is a private museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is a model museum, meaning that it represents collective images of Russia on a scale of 1:87. It is quite big, at 800 m², or 8611 square feet, making it the largest model museum in Russia and the second largest in the world. The museum opened on June 8 2012, in a two-story building built in 1953, at the initiative of St. Petersburg businessman, Sergey Morozov. It represents everyday life in Russia: from work, leisure, sports, study, military service, travel, and more. It also features different modes of transportation with movement, light and sound effects: from trains to cars, trucks, trams and buses. The display is interactive, and visitors can push buttons to activate different effects.

Art enthusiasts visiting St. Petersburg likely already have the State Russian Museum at the top of their itinerary. This is the world’s largest museum of Russian fine art, as well as Russia’s first state-owned art museum, with more than 400,000 works of art on display.

A trio of golden crosses tops this blue-and-white Baroque Orthodox cathedral in Saint Petersburg. It actually contains two churches: Saint Nicholas Church on the ground floor, with Epiphany Church above. It’s also an important site for the Russian navy, and there are memorials here dedicated to the crews of sunken Soviet submarines.

The late 18th-century Mikhailovsky Castle was designed to appease Emperor Paul I’s fear of being assassinated—an impenetrable fortress, protected by fortified ramparts, drawbridges, secret tunnels, and a moat. The Emperor’s paranoia was well-placed; in an ironic twist of fate, the Tsar was murdered in his sleep barely a month after moving in.

On the banks of Lake Geneva, the Palais Lumière was once a thriving spa and bathhouse, offering visitors and residents a convenient way to "take the waters." Today, this neoclassical building functions as a museum and meeting center, with conference rooms and a public exhibition hall.

Rising up from the banks of the Moyka River, the distinctive canary-yellow façade of Yusupov Palace (Yusupovsky Dvorets harbors a rich history. One of four palaces belonging to the aristocratic Yusupov family, it’s known for its remarkably preserved interiors and as the site where Grigory Rasputin was murdered in 1916.

Originally named Decembrists’ Square after the December 1825 uprising, Senate Square (Senatskaya Ploshchad is one of St. Petersburg’s most famous public spaces, encircled by some of the city’s top attractions. The unforgettable centerpiece of Senate Square is its Bronze Horseman statue, one of the most iconic symbols of the city.

Housed in imposing red-brick barracks along the Kryukov Canal, the Central Naval Museum is one of the world’s largest maritime museums and dates back to 1805. More than 700,000 items make up the huge permanent collection, offering comprehensive insight into Russia’s maritime heritage and military prowess.

Royalty, revolutions, and reformers have swept through Palace Square in St Petersburg, a grand plaza at the foot of the magnificent Winter Palace. Alexander Column dominates the center of Palace Square, which is wrapped by government buildings and remains a favorite gathering place for city-wide celebrations and holidays.

Telling the story of the Gulag—the forced labor camps set up by Stalin in the early 20th century—the Gulag History Museum provides a harrowing look at one of the darkest periods in Soviet history. Founded by a former labor camp prisoner, it’s an emotional tribute to those held captive in the camps.

Once the summer residence of the Russian tsars and now a museum, Catherine Palace was named after Catherine I, who had it built in 1717. The structure was later rebuilt into an elaborately decorated Rococo-style palace in 1756 by Bartolomeo Rastrelli under the direction of Empress Elizabeth, meant to rival the Palace of Versailles in France. Today, the palace is famous for its baroque style and neoclassical interior that exemplifies Russian wealth and extravagance. Its main attractions are the Grand Hall, the opulent Amber Room, which is lined with gilded amber wall panels and ornate furniture, and the 1,400-acre (566-hectare) Catherine Park with its masterful landscaping.