Aleksandra & Aaron's Engagement Party

Travel

Saint Petersburg is the second biggest city in Russia after Moscow. You can fly into Saint Petersburg from anywhere in Europe/Asia and lots of European airlines have direct flights to our destination. If you would like to visit Moscow beforehand we recommend 2 nights to be able to explore the city and to see the Red Square and wave to Putin who sits in the Kremlin.

Traveling to Saint Petersburg from Moscow is a great chance to experience a night train. It takes 8-9 hours, and if you have ever thought about conquering the Trans Siberean seven-day rail journey...first try ONE night aboard a Russian train :) Alternativley, you can take the 4-hour speed train or a 1-hour flight.

Saint Peterburg is known for its drawbridges. Most of them open on the schedule every night to let through cargo river ships during the navigation period from April to November. Watching the drawbridges open and close is a spectacular show however after they are raised, you can't cross the river and if you are staying on the other side of you will have to keep partying until 5am until they close again.

We have attached a small map of the main area of the city in the right hand corner and we recommend staying below the red line on the map to avoid the bridge problem. The best areas to stay are next to these stations: Nevsky Prospekt, Admiralteyskaya, Vladimirskaya, Ploshad Vosstaniya, Sennaya/Sadovaya.

Here comes a tricky part :)

All Australians need a visa if they wish to travel to Russia. We are more than happy to help you go through this process and any time you have any questions please let us know.

Paying for the visa

A single entry tourist visa will cost $135AUD. The invitation/support letter is an additional cost to this which is paid to a third party rather than the Embassy and normally is $25-30 AUD. You can get an invitation from an online service OstWest. Postal fee is $85 and it includes service fee, postal processing fee and notification.

Where to send your passport

There is an official Russian Visa Center in Sydney (link below). That's where you will need to send the whole package of documents with your passport. In your package you need to include the application form with the attached passport photo, supporting documents (like flights and hotel confirmations), your passport itself, a return envelope, and the payment.
The address to send the package to is Interlink Service Australia Pty Ltd, PO Box 482, Pyrmont NSW 2009.

How long does it take

The visas normally take 10 business days to be processed. They don’t really tell you when to expect it back or when it has been sent, so you just have to keep an eye on your mailbox.

Please feel free to contact Sasha to ask any questions related to the visa. Alternatively you can use a travel agent to guide you through this process.
We recommend applying for a visa no later than a month before the trip.

Take a cruise down the canals
A river cruise is an ideal way to spend a beautiful day and one of the best ways to discover the city’s landmarks and architecture.

Climb the collonade of St. Isaac's Cathedral to see the best view of the city
When constructed in the 19th century, St. Isaac’s Cathedral was one of the tallest buildings in St Petersburg. Even today it remains one of the largest orthodox basilicas in the world. Make use of its majestic height and climb straight to the top of the colonnade. Tackling the 262-step climb is well worth it for the panoramic views of the city.

Take a tour of the Hermitage Museum
In the afternoon make time to visit the State Hermitage Museum. Previously a winter imperial residence, the now art gallery exhibits over 3 million artworks. Seeing them all in a few hours is perhaps an impossible task, but you can still see the highlights and wander through the old halls and chambers.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
It is one of the main churches, built in the place where Tsar Alexander II of Russia was murdered. The church stands in the very place where a bomb was thrown into his carriage by a young man who opposed the Tsar's reforms. It is one of the largest mosaic collections in Europe.

Explore the highlights on foot
Here’s a sample route: start out from the Peter and Paul Fortress, one of the first buildings in the city where you can learn about the historic origins of the once capital and visit the Peter and Paul Cathedral – the final resting place of the Romanov imperial family. After that, cross onto the other side of the Neva River over the Troitsky Bridge and walk across the Field of Mars, where the eternal flame burns for those who lost their lives in war. On your left you will see the St Michael’s Castle, the famously haunted landmark of the city. Keep walking to the right towards the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood

Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan
At a 10-minute walk from the Church of the Savior, there is another cathedral that is worth seeing and whose visit is free.

Explore the city by subway
Taking the subway is one of the most convenient ways to get around; the trains are regular, go everywhere and are easy to navigate. However, the subway stations alone are worth a visit, just to admire their designs. No two stations are alike and are decorated in different coloured tiles, with large installations inside and sometimes even statues. A few of the best stations to check out are Avtovo, Admiralteyskaya, Zvenigorodskaya, Pushkinskaya, Bucharestskaya and Sportivnaya. Admiralteyskaya station has the longest escalator in the world and it takes more than 3 min to go down!

Uber
Ubers are super cheap! The only problem - you have to download a different app which is called UBER RUSSIA (yes, yes, you can't use our normal one).
You might also need to download Google Translator app at the same time as drivers hardly speak any English ;)

Visit the Imperial Catherine Palace
The beautifully coloured light blue facade of the Catherine Palace recreates the interiors of 18th century Royal life, displaying perfectly arranged dinner tables and elaborate boudoirs. A special treat is the Amber Room that disappeared during World War II and was meticulously restored using photos and memories of its contemporaries.

Visit New Holland Island
Renovated old industrial place which is now a very cool hipster area and a park in the historical center of the city. You may find there unique local design boutiques, various restaurants and cafes. Must see and entrance is free.

Rubinstein Street
The street is one of main streets in the city and located close to Nevsky Avenue and famous for the abundance of restaurants, pubs and bars. Absolute must see!

Spend the night on Dumskaya
You’d never think so during the day, but Dumskaya is a notorious street come nighttime, renowned for wild parties and cheap drinks. The street is filled with a vast array of bars. A must-try while you are bar-hopping is the ‘Boyarsky’ shot, a spicy mixture of vodka, grenadine and Tabasco.