St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, also known as the Venice of the North, is Russia’s most European city.
Historic St. Petersburg was built under the influence of many European architects, most notably master builders from Italy.
Even today, the palaces of the Tsar’s family can be admired in the city and its surroundings; thus, they are among the most important and significant sights of the city.
Sights in St. Petersburg
The best way to get to the palaces is by hire car. Car rentals can be found in St Petersburg at the airport and also in the city. And you can get rental prices for a hire car in St. Petersburg via our price comparison tool.
Destinations that every traveler should have visited are the summer residences of the Tsar in Peterhof, Pushkin and Lomonosov, also known as Oranienbaum. Peterhof is located about 30 km west of St. Petersburg.
By hire car, drive towards the Gulf of Finland and discover a dreamlike castle with ever-surprising water features.
In Pushkin, named after the world-famous Russian poet who went to school here, and located about 25 km south of St. Petersburg, the magnificent Catherine Palace awaits the hire car holidaymaker.
Here you will also find the world-famous Amber Room, which has been faithfully recreated in recent years.
If you continue south for another 5 km in your hire car, you will come to Pavlovsk, where you will find Europe’s largest landscape park, which is well worth seeing.
Traffic situation in in St. Petersburg
Russia’s roads are worse than in Germany.
There is an absolute ban on drinking and driving.
In urban areas, a maximum of 60 km/h is allowed, outside towns 90 km/h and on motorways 100 km/h.