St. Petersburg is the well-known historical capital of a vast country. Many people call this city the Venice of the North, meaning that the streets are built on the water. This city of unforgettable beauty stands on islands surrounded by water. Therefore, the city has many canals and rivers. For fast movement along the rivers, the townspeople use boats and motor ships. For tourists, such trips are the best way to see all the sights.
City on the water
St. Petersburg is built on islands, so kilometers of rivers and canals stretch across the city. Along the entire length you can see chic embankments, along which it is pleasant to walk at any time of the year.
The city is relatively young. After all, it was founded only 3 centuries ago by the great emperor. The city changed its name more than once, but its greatness andbeauty that amazes every tourist and never ceases to amaze the indigenous people.
There are not many cities like St. Petersburg around the world where you can see so many amazing sights. This city is a truly valuable historical heritage not only for Russia.
Surrounded by the bright colors of spring, on sunny summer days, in the twilight of white nights and frosty days in winter, the city appears to visitors in all its glory of royal buildings, numerous rivers and canals of St. Petersburg, which allow us to call it one of the most beautiful cities Russia.
Water structure of St. Petersburg
Besides natural rivers and lakes, the city has many artificially created canals and ponds. About 300 km of waterways flow through the city. The rivers and canals of St. Petersburg are an important transport structure in the city, where there are about 90 rivers.
During the day, due to the reduced bridges, the movement of ships is difficult. But at night, nothing prevents you from moving around the water part of the city.
The most famous rivers are Fontanka, Moika and Ekateringofka. The largest canal is Obvodnoy, 8 km long, and the second longest (5 km) is the Griboedov Canal.
Excursions are held on all rivers and canals of St. Petersburg, motor ships, boats, meteors are constantly moving.
Water transport
In addition to land transport, the city has a well-developed network of water transport.
During the season from May to September, you can ride along the rivers and canals of St. Petersburg on a water bus, which is also very convenientuse for sightseeing. In addition, you can take a boat ride. On the rivers you can see different models of maritime transport. There are those with an open deck, there are closed ones and with a transparent top, which are convenient for traveling in bad weather, because. in the sun can be a little uncomfortable under hot plastic.
Walking along the rivers and canals of St. Petersburg is a favorite form of transportation not only for city guests, but also for local residents.
One of the fastest ways to get from St. Petersburg to Peterhof is the Meteor high-speed motor ship. This trip will only take 35 minutes.
Taxis are available both on land and on rivers. River taxis are small boats for which there are special stops, for example, on University Embankment.
Excursion tours along rivers and canals
If you are planning a trip to the Northern capital, you should definitely include in your tour a boat trip along the rivers and canals of St. Petersburg. This walk will leave a completely exceptional impression of the city. The view of the city from the numerous rivers is truly a different look at the historical beauties.
In St. Petersburg there are many travel agencies that deal with excursions. To get the most out of your trip, you should contact a company that organizes cruises along the rivers and canals of St. Petersburg together with a guide.
The most common trips are tours along the rivers Neva, Fontanka, Moika. most popular channelsare the Griboyedov Canal, the Kryukov Canal. You should definitely look from the water at the Anichkin Bridge, the Egyptian Bridge and the Bridge of Kisses. Only from the side of the rivers you can see all the beauty and grandeur of ancient architecture, which amazes with its uniqueness and splendor.
You can choose excursions that show more palaces along the Neva. There are tours with a trip to the Gulf of Finland, as well as those that show the northern islands of the city - Kamenny, Petrogradka, Yelagin.
One of the unforgettable impressions will be, of course, a night trip on the boat during the bridges. Many tourists go to the city at this time, but such observations will become more romantic if you swim near the bridges during this period. Truly impressive!
Excursions on the water can also be made to order. The main tours show historical monuments, buildings perfectly preserved from the time of Peter, but individual boat trips can be along small rivers and canals, away from tourist routes.
If the tour of the canals was not immediately planned, then you can use the services of barkers on the piers. They will tell you what trips are possible from where you are, the cost and duration of the excursion.
The price of a cruise on the rivers and canals of St. Petersburg is not so high that you wonder if it's worth going. Viewing the city from a small boat is a great opportunity to learn as much as possible about it.
